Italian food > Italian wine > Italian Culture > Enjoy Tuscan Life
Food, Wine and Culture in Tuscany
In these ten days we will let you visit and live a fabulous experience because you will try to experience Tuscany together with real Tuscans. We want to make me live, visit, eat, drink and breathe the real life of Tuscany, through wine and cheese tastings and cooking classes. We will also go to visit the Carrara marble quarries, the famous market of Forte dei Marmi and of course we cannot miss a visit to the cities of art such as Florence, Lucca and Pisa. You certainly cannot miss a nice walk in the mountains of the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines.
 |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|
 |  |  |  |
Food and Culture Tour Itinerary
Day 1:
Our staff will meet you at Pisa International Airport and accompany you to your Agriturismo in Bagni di Lucca. After a welcome cocktail and having arranged your things in the respective rooms, the tuning of your bike will be waiting for us. After a refreshing aperitif where we will toast to the fantastic week that awaits us, we will be ready for a nice typical Tuscan dinner. Meals: dinner Pick-up location: Pisa International Airport
Day 2:
Let’s begin with religious power and Piazza del Duomo with its concentration of buildings and works of art. There is the octagonal Baptistery of San Giovanni with its famous door, dubbed Gates of Paradise, opposite to the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore with the remarkable Brunelleschi dome, symbol of Florence, then the elegant Giotto Bell Tower next to the cathedral, and the Loggia del Bigallo, an old charitable institution.Walking down Via Roma with its neoclassical façades, we reach the “modern” Piazza della Repubblica, which we cross to get to Palazzo Strozzi, one of the most beautiful Renaissance palazzos in Florence.We will pass in front of Palazzo Davanzati, a typical 15th-century residence, and also see the 14th-century towers in the old medieval quarter.Passing by a quaint covered market, we come to Ponte Vecchio (literally “Old Bridge”), the oldest bridge in Florence with its renowned jewelry and goldsmith shops. The view from the bridge is simply breathtaking and not to be missed.Turning back across Ponte Vecchio, we head in the direction of the Uffizi Gallery. There is a point where we can stop to admire a spectacular view of the Arno River flanked by centuries-old palazzos with Ponte Vecchio on the one side and the imposing columns of the Uffizi on the other.We cross Piazzale degli Uffizi and reach the center of civic and political power of Florence: Piazza della Signoria and the 14th-century Palazzo Vecchio (City Hall). After we back to the agriturismo we will get ready for the dinner in typical Tuscan Trattoria. Meals: breakfast / dinner
Day 3:
Pisa, an ancient city founded on the right bank of the Arno River, has wonderfully preserved its four “Miracles”, built during its days as a powerful and prestigious Maritime Republic (11th – 14th centuries): the Leaning Tower, from which there is a spectacular panorama that stretches out for kilometers, the Cathedral, full of artistic masterpieces dating from the Middle Ages to the present, the Baptistery, with its very special acoustics, and the Monumental Cemetery, with its impressive frescoes dating to the time of the cemetery’s construction. These monuments are the most admirable examples of Pisa Romanesque architecture and influenced the building style throughout the Mediterranean in that period. In the afternoon we will going to visit one of the most famous vinery in Lucca area and at the same time they will show us the cellar, all the process to make their wine and at the end....here we go the.... wine tasting. After we are going back t the agriturismo for change our-self and get ready for a experience in Typically Tuscan restaurant. Meals: breakfast /lunch and wine tasting/ dinner
Day 4:
This guided tour you can learn in depth about Lucca. Here are some of the places we will visit: The Wall of 4.2 km ring was built in the 16th and 17th centuries to defend the city from an attack by the city of Florence. Piazza Napoleone in 1805, Napoleon Bonaparte decreed his sister Elisa Baciocchi, Princess of Lucca and she took up residence in the building we see today, Palazzo Ducale, which stands on the site of the huge fortress designed by Giotto in the 14th century. Piazza and Church of San Michele is where the ancient Roman forum was located, still considered the heart of Lucca. Guinigi Tower this 44-meter tower was built by the Guinigi family in the 14th century alongside their Gothic style palazzo. It can be admired from the ground or from the top for those willing to climb the 230 steps. Piazza dell’Anfiteatro is an unusual enclosed oval piazza which occupies the former site of the amphitheater (arena) built by the Romans in the 1st – 2nd centuries AD. Basilica of San Frediano stands on the site of an earlier church founded in the 6th century by the bishop of the time, Frediano, who is thought to have come from Ireland. Palazzo Pfanner there is a ramp leading up onto the walls. From the walls, it is possible to admire the stupendous garden of Palazzo Pfanner. Via Fillungo is the elegant shopping street is one of the most picturesque in Lucca. Aftr that we going back the agriturismo and get ready for a typically Tuscan dinner. Meals: breakfast / dinner
Day 5:
After a nice breakfast we will go to one of the most famous markets of Lucca and Versilia, the market of Forte dei Marmi, a well-known seaside resort. We will spend the morning in the center of Forte dei Marmi among stalls and shops and then we will go to the Carrara marble quarries for a tour inside them with 4x4 jeeps. from then on you can admire breathtaking views and they will explain the whole process of marble working. Then we will return to our farmhouse to relax and get ready for a dinner in one of the best fine dinning restaurants in Lucca. Meals: Breakfast/Dinner
Day 6:
A nice breakfast and then we will prepare to go to an area of the Garfagnana. Today we will go to visit a cheese farm to let us explain the whole production process and of course there will be a nice tasting of their products. After that we will go to the Castello delle Verrucoles route, it is a medieval fortress located in the Garfagnana region of Tuscany, Italy, in San Romano in Garfagnana comune, near the city of Lucca. It is 600 meters above sea level. The fortress has recently undergone partial restoration. The territory of the fortress has been restored to give an understanding of the medieval way of life. The keep has undergone more considerable reconstruction with exhibits on different aspects of medieval life, including food, medicine, and warfare Meals: breakfast , cheese taste and dinner
Day 7:
Not far from Bagni di Lucca, the mountainous relief of Prato Fiorito is one of the most enchanting places in Tuscany. On its summit, rich in flowers and even rare herbs, it is possible to enjoy unparalleled views from the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines to the Apuan Alps and from Monte Pisano to the sea and the islands of the Tuscan Archipelago. Many legends speak of this place and all of them tell of witches who, on some nights, reach here from the Devil's Bridge. Our excursion starts from San Cassiano di Controne where we will go up to the beautiful paths of Prato Fiorito through the Alta Via dei Pastori, used in the past by local shepherds to reach the pastures, chestnut groves and woods located on the mountain. After a nice walk on the paths of the Val di Lima we will have a nice lunch with typical local products at km 0. Meals: breakfast / dinner
Day 8:
Today, finally, is a whole day dedicated to good food and wine. After a nice and relaxing breakfast we will get ready to start the cooking class, where we will learn how to cook some traditional Tuscan dishes. Then we will move on to the wine part, we will go to visit a winery where they will explain the whole production process and show us the cellars. Now comes the best part, it's time to taste the wines they produce. After trying these two experiences we will return to the farm to prepare for dinner in a typical local restaurant, always to taste the typical Tuscan products. Meals: breakfast / dinner
Day 9:
We have reached the penultimate day of your holiday in Tuscany and not wanting to stress too much, we give you a day off. On this day you have the opportunity to do many other outdoor activities such as horseback riding, cave exploration, visit the city of Lucca or spend a day at the spa. Of course there will be a new dining experience in a different local trattoria in the area. Meals: breakfast / dinner
Day 10:
Last day, a nice breakfast and then there will be goodbye time. Our team will wish you a pleasant journey with the hope that you have had a wonderful Tuscan experience. Meals: Breakfast Drop-off: Pisa International Airport or Train Station
What is included and Details
INCLUDED:
-
All lodging in Agriturismo assuming 2 people sharing a room (single supplements may apply)
-
All lodging in Agriturismo with possibility to have your own room with extra-cost.
-
All breakfasts
-
All dinners ( one night in fine dinning )
-
Professional guide in Florence, Lucca and Pisa
-
Bus for transfers
-
Tickets for guide tours to Marble quarries,2 wine tasting, cheese tasting, cooking class and Verrucole Castle.
-
Pick up : Pisa Internation Airport or train station
-
Dropp off : Pisa Internation Airport or Train Station
NOT INCLUDED:
-
Lunches
-
Flights to and from Pisa
-
Travel Insurance
-
Changes or additions to the menus will be charged separately
-
Anything not listed will be charged separately