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

Da Vinci Chianti and Chainti Montalbano

The Montalbano is a very charming green area whose landscape is dominated by smooth hills covered mostly with olive groves, grapes and woods. It extends in central Tuscany between the provinces of Florence and Pistoia and it is particularly beautiful also for its tiny medioeval villages.

The most famous one is Vinci, birthplace of the genius Leonardo (who also invented the bike), then Carmignano with its famous wine, Cerreto Guidi with its Medici Renaissance Villa, Comeana with its Etruscan findings, Lamporecchio with its “brigidino” - a typical sweet made of a small crisp wafer, Faltognano with a hundred aged huge oak and much more.

This area is particularly suited for walks and ridings, thanks to an extensive network of paths leading to through the hilly countryside with all its treasures. It is suitable for those people who already visited Tuscany with its most popular destinations and wish to discover its other “secret” places, where for sure it is more possible to get closer to the Tuscan daily life.

What we can add here to the itineraries:
Visit to a modern olive mill with technical explanations on the olive oil production and olive oil tastingto a ceramics workshop and possibility of a short ceramics class

Visit to Leonardo’s places, upon request also with a Leonardo expertvisit to a Medici Renaissance villato some important Etruscan findings, upon request also with an Etruscology expertguidesat tiny local shops “alimentari” for light snacks, just as the Tuscans do!!

According to your requirements we can arrange the accommodation in small town or in more rural places.