Enogastronomy and tastes of Tuscany : culinary vacation, cooking classes, wine & oil tours, special tastings

Flavours and scents of Tuscany

Pisa, Lucca, Versilia and Cinque Terre
gastronomy & wine tastings

1. DAY
Pisa

Arrival in Pisa in late morning.
Light lunch and tour in downtown: Pisa is one of the most visited cities of Tuscany, through its Leaning Tower and its magnificent Square of Miracles (Piazza dei Miracoli), world heritage of UNESCO, which is regarded as one of the most beautiful monumental complex in the world. You will find 4 masterpieces of medieval architecture from the 11th to the 14th century tower, the cathedral (il Duomo), the Baptistery and the Monumental Building Camposanto.

Visit to a sumptuous 17th century farm house producing organic olive oil of high quality near Viareggio, for a olive oil degustation. Here you can enjoy special aromatic oils, along with samples from the Chef and selected wines, discover the aromatic massage oils, the process of organic growing and visit the olive grove.

Accommodation in the magnificent country house with swimming pool and spa area, possibility of dinner on site.

2. DAY
Versilia

Tour and free time in Viareggio, with its promenade along the sea, lined with buildings in the Art Nouveau style, the harbour, shops, hotels, bathing establishments and bars. On Thursday morning you will find a large market.

In the afternoon a visit to Pietrasanta, a charming small Roman town, historically and artistically the capital of Versilia. Here are living sculptors from all around the world who work with marble and bronze, in many workshops that you can visit. The city has a pleasant old town and its main square is often decorated with works of modern sculpture. Visit of a shop of local wine maker with different sorts of gastronomical specialities from the area.

From 6 pm the cooking class with Tuscan seasonal specialties menu, followed by a tasting dinner (2.5 hours). The courses are in small groups with experienced chefs, who will transmit the experience to prepare a typical Tuscan cuisine. We use fresh, seasonal products from Tuscany: extra virgin olive oil, fresh vegetables and herbs from the orchard, meat, poultry and fish directly from the farmers ot the fisherman. Each course includes appetizers, pasta, main course and of course desserts. The menu is complemented by tasting of selected wines from Tuscany.

3. DAY
Lucca and wine area

In the early afternoon, visit of the city of Lucca, a Tuscan jewel with 100 churches, is known through its walls and amphitheater. This is one of the few Italian cities that has preserved its ramparts of the 16th and 17th centuries, within which is a preserved historic center with a rectangular network of streets. The site of the amphitheatre is one of the most unique in the world: after the fall of the Roman, people have built houses on the walls of the amphitheatre, so the place is now elliptical. Visit other monuments: Napoleon place, Piazza San Martino cathedral and romantic place of S. Michele di Foro, theatre and Puccini place.

Visit of a wine factory in the hills of Lucca, producing excellent organic and biodynamic wines and olive oil "DOP". Tour into the vineyards, visit of the winery and the historic villa of counts Sardi from 17th century, inhabited by the owners, where we will taste the wines with refreshments.

Visit of a small wine and olive oil farm in the hills and virgin forests, in the vicinity of Chiatri Puccini, which inspired Giacomo Puccini in the composition of his opera Tosca. Wine and oil tasting with the owner andtasting of different kind of pizza and foccaccia made before you.

4. DAY
Liguria: Cinque Terre

The day trip to Liguria, a beautiful coastal area with picturesque fishing villages. The bustling town of Lerici is a small resort located in a small harbor, with a castle "Castello San Giorgio", located on a cliff overlooking the city. It allows an incredible view over the entire peninsula with picturesque Portovenere, islands in the Gulf and the city of La Spezia.

From Lerici we will leave by both for Cinque Terre to the first village Riomaggiore, with its colorful houses of typical Ligurian style and small picturesque streets. We will discover the most famous path of Cinque Terre "via del'Amore" (path of love) with a march at the foot of the cliff, where you can admire the magnificent scenery with sea view, listen to waves crashing on the rocks and breathe the salt air.

After 20 to 30 min. of walking we will reach the next village, Manarola, which is located on a cliff with houses grouped in a mosaic of colors. Village of Manarola is considered one of the most beautiful in Italy.
Then we will stop in Monterosso, the biggest village with many lemon trees and the only extensive sand beach beach in the Cinque Terre. There will be the light lunch at the local wine farm, where wines are grown on terraces in difficult conditions of access, and we will sample excellent and precious wines Cinque Terre and Sciacchetrà.

Finally, we will drop in Vernazza, one the truest "fishing villages" on the Italian Riviera, without any car traffic.

Dinner with fish menu in front of the sea.

5. DAY
Camaiore

In the morning a visit of the Roman town Camaiore lying in the foothills of the Apuan Alps. Visit of a producer of handmade chocolate, discovery and tastings of different kinds of chocolate from different corners of the world.
Departure for Pisa airport in the afternoon.

The price of the stay includes

• 4 nights with breakfast
• Half board (dinner)
• 5 tastings of wines, olive oils and other specialties
• 1 Tuscan cooking courses and recipes
• Transportation in a vehicle for 6 persons
• Assistance, accompaniment.

The price does not include

The flight to and from Pisa. With Ryanair London-Pisa from 40 € roundtrip, Paris-Pisa with Easyjet 60 € roundtrip.


Tarifs Rates
per person based on double room

Low season 3.1.-21.3.et 1.11.-31.12.: from 675 Euro vat
Mid Season 21.3-13.6. and 12.9-31.10: from 695 Euro vat
High season 13.6.-12.9. : from 730 Euro vat

For each additional day off in the Country house in Viareggio area, price per person:
Low season 45 Euro
Mid season 50 Euro
High season 60 Euro