Mad About Food Tours in Tuscany - The Itinerary
Day One - Saturday:
The journey begins when Carlo will meet you on your arrival at the Italian Villa or at the closest train station in Camucia.
You will then have the chance to relax and familiarise yourself with the Villa during the afternoon before joining Carlo and other guests at 7pm for an
aperitivo (Italian style pre-dinner drink), while discussing the weeks itinerary. You will then enjoy some of the best Italian products for antipasto followed by Carlo's fantastic wood fired pizza. Local wines are included.
Day Two - Sunday - Touring Day
8:30am - Start the day with an Italian style breakfast served by Carlo at the Villa, while he gives an outline of the days tour.10:30am - All aboard to experience some Tuscan magic, as our first stop is the beautiful hilltop town of Pienza, renowned for its incredible cheeses. After tasting a variety of these exceptional cheeses, enjoy a coffee in the piazza with the locals and take in the breathtaking panoramic views.
Our next stop is Lucignano D'Asso, one of Tuscany's true gems! A stunning little hamlet in the middle of the Val D'Orcia where we will have lunch at the local bar. Following lunch we drive to Montepulciano, a hilltop town famous for its wine and food shops. This is certainly a mecca for 'foodies' and shoppers, so rest assured you will have plenty of time to explore the town as you wind your way up before enjoying a gelato in the Piazza at the top of the hill.
We will then return to the villa for a delicious traditional Italian meal, which includes Carlo giving and introduction to the local wines of Tuscany.
Day Three - Monday - Cooking School
8:30am - Enjoy your Italian breakfast at the Villa before going with Carlo to the local shops to purchase all your produce for the day.
This is where your cooking school adventure begins, as we take you to buy fresh produce direct from the suppliers. You will return to the Villa, and commence a cooking class with Sioban. We will prepare 4 courses and after wards enjoy a long leisurely lunch, with wine offcourse!!
The evening is then free to spend as you wish and the Villa is located within walking distance to Cortona, so there are many options for you in the evening if you wish to dine out or simply enjoy the sunset over the village.
Day Four - Tuesday - Touring Day
8:30am - Italian style continental breakfast, prepared by Carlo.
9:30am - It's an early start for this day's tour, which is a step back
in time visiting some magical places, including Carlo's favourite
village, Civita di Bagnoregio. This village is only accessible by a
suspended footbridge across the valley and until recently only nine
people remained living in the village. The old trattoria in the centre
of the village is our lunch time stop for bruschetta and wine.
We will then spend the afternoon in Orvietto, where you can explore the
ancient underground Etruscan tower town over which the modern city is
built; visit the museum; the Duomo or investigate the excellent range of
shopping opportunities. For those not wanting to do the underground
tour, there is optional shopping time!
In the afternoon, we will then make our way back to the Villa, where we
will stay in and feast on a selection of homemade pastas, with
dessert specialties from the local area. Carlo will also
showcase a range of different wines from the region.
Day Five - Wednesday - Free Day
9:00am - breakfast and then for those interested, Carlo will drop you off in Cortona where you can shop, visit galleries and museums or simply sit in one of the 20 cafes watching the world go by. In the afternoon you can make your way back to the Villa and spend the afternoon relaxing or by the pool sun baking. Carlo will be sure to give you all the inside knowledge to ensure that you enjoy the best day in Cortona.In the evening we have a very special night planned. We will take you to meet Arnaldo, who is a producer of local organic wines and sommelier of note. Arnaldo will be your host for dinner, as we dine at this restaurant 'Pane e Vino' which is a very old cellar that has been converted into a unique Italian restaurant. Arnaldo will provide us with a range of Italian wines, which are carefully chosen to accompany your meal. This is certainly going to be a once in a lifetime experience!!
Day Six - Thursday half day shopping trip and Winery Lunch with Degustation tasting of wine and food
9:00am - After breakfast, we will then travel only half and hour to one of Tuscany's biggest outlet locations. You an shop till you drop in over 150 stores, the majority being outlet for the renowned designers of Italy, Gucci, Prada, Bata, Guess, Benetton. All outlet shops sell stock for a very reduced price!!
12.30 pm - We will return to the outside hills of Cortona to have a degustation lunch with wines at the local vineyard. The Shiraz grape variety is the specialty to Cortona region.
You are then free to relax and enjoy the evening or take a walk to Cortona.
Day Seven - Friday:
8:30am - Continental Italian breakfast at the Villa.
Our last excursion will take us through the picture postcard countryside people associate with Tuscany; the rolling green hills, fields of sunflowers, olive groves, vineyards and beautiful hilltop villages. Our first stop Montisi, is a small rural village famous for its annual olive oil and truffle festival. Morning coffee is followed by a wander around the medieval centre of the village.
We will move onto the most stunning location for lunch at La Vergelle where you will enjoy a cheese tasting before another delicious Tuscan lunch. Your journey then continues through the countryside, meandering down small roads to the larger and well known town of Montalcino which has great shops and an impressive castle. You will have free time to do wine tastings and explore this renowned village.
On the way home, we will stop at another hidden gem, Monticchiello, an exquisite tiny medieval village dating back to 973AD. Share an aperitivo at the Enoteca on a terrace overlooking the stunning countryside below.
We will return to the Villa, relax for an hour or two before going out for our last Tuscan feast together at another one of our favourite restaurants!
Day Eight - Saturday:
8:00am - Our last breakfast together, before checking out at 10:30am.
Carlo is more than happy to arrange transport to the local train station on departure.
Arrivederci!
For more information on our Mad About Food Tours in Tuscany or to make a reservation, contact us on (08) 9755 2120 or click here to email us.
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