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

Versilia is a beautiful area, inserted between the Apuan Alps and the sea. There are many possible paths and tours to customize; thus allowing the opportunity to immerge oneself among the wonders of the landscape and discover its flora and fauna.

Admiring the sharp outline of the mountaintops, crossing steep ridges and descending through a great variety of mountain and hillside environments, is a wonderful adventure that you can experience visiting this area. The mountains that in their subsoil preserve spectacular phenomena of karstic origin, such as the Corchia’s Cavern. In the archaeological area it is possible to watch marble being extracted.

Depending on each guest's interests, you may choose these activities with or without a guide :

Activities

Biking tour in Chianti and Montalbano
Biking and wine tasting tours.

Golf, trekking, horsing, sailing, quad and other sports

Winter skiing in Tuscany
Skiing in Abetone or Zum Zeri.

Sculpture and marble

For 2000 years, the famous white marble used in Michelangelo's David has been mined near Lucca in the town of Carrara. The white mountain, enormous quarries and marble caves are still in operation.

Places

Cinque Terre in Liguria
The seaside villages of the Cinque Terre have been a favorite day-trip, with its crystal clear water, spectacular scenery and cliffside hiking between the fishing villages.

Historical Villas of Lucca
A few minutes from Pinocchio Park in Collodi, immersed in the countryside of Lucchesia, you will find the magnificent Nobility Villas that were the summer residences of the Nobles and also epresentative places. Some of the most beautiful villas and gardens are open to public: Villa Torrigiani, Villa Reale, Villa Grabau, Villa Mansi, Villa Oliva, and Villa Guinigi. Also Villa Garsoni nearby Collodi, where is the Parco di Pinocchio.


Ancient Roman Baths in Massaciuccoli
Well-known since prehistoric times, Massarosa was inhabited during the Roman period and was so important that we still today find evidence of the ancient Roman Baths at Massaciuccoli. There are the important habits connected to the ancient traditions. The area boasts numerous traditional food festivals, including pupporina, tordello, porcini mushrooms and polenta.

Pietrasanta
Pietrasanta is a busy little town, historically and artistically the chief town of inland Versilia. Share a coffee with marble sculptors from all over the world and maybe even visit a marble workshop. The town has a pleasant historical centre, and the main piazza is often decorated with exhibitions of modern sculpture.

Camaiore
Camaiore lies in the foothills of the Apuan alps. Its long central main street makes for a very pleasant stroll. There are some interesting shops, restaurants and places when you can taste some artisanal food (chocolate, cheese, gam and lardo). The town has some fine examples of Romanesque churches and architecture.

Bagni di Lucca
The famous baths and spas of Bagni di Lucca are located in the mountain, 1 hour from Viareggio.The thermal waters known since ancient times, were frequented by Napoleon and Paolina Bonaparte. The spa waters of Bagni di Lucca are unique in their kind, characterised by two caves with natural vapours with temperatures oscillating between 40° and 47°. The Grotta Grande and the Grotta Piccola constitute a natural habitat in which to relax and cleanse yourself, for treatment of the skin or slimming.

Vinci and Montalbano area
For fans of "The Da Vinci Code", Vinci, birthplace of Leonardo da Vinci, is about an hour from the villa and has numerous Leonardo da Vinci museums and also pretty countryside.

Bolgheri

It is another interesting wine area – along the Tuscan coast, known as the “Etruscan Coast”. Here, along with biking and riding, we can organise water activities at the sea with surfing, sailing, etc. and “diving treasure hunt” .

Gastronomical events & traditions

Wine and olive oil tasting in Lucca and Montecarlo
If you like wine you won't forget the area and its delicious products, often bio and biodynamic. Also amateurs of olive oil will appreciate the local high quality oil that bears a label of protected origin.

Truffles in San Miniato
In San Miniato, about un hour from Viareggio, you can find the prestigious truffles with unforgettable aromas, sold every autumn all over the world. There are nice gourmet festivals and you can eat in restaurants the special dishes with truffle.

Olive harvest
During the late fall theer are the olive harvest (from early November - January). The small green olives are taken to the local "frantolio", or olive press. There, the olives are crushed by a huge stone wheel and the resulting paste is then squeezed. The delicious fresh oil that pours out is spicy and a deep buttery golden green.

Local markets
in each town there are an open air market with food and clothing in the mornings. Lucca and Pisa holds a larger market every Wednesday and Saturday.

Carnival of Viareggio

In February, four weeks of folly in which tourists from all over Italy come to admire the most famous allegorical floats in the world. Each year on the four consecutive Sundays before Lent, floats parade up and down the boardwalk boasting enormous "papier maché" that poke fun at current socio-political events, those in show business and politicians in a half satirical, half artisan tradition. At the end of the parade, the party continues with festivals in various neighbourhoods during where streets fill with masks, music and dancing.

Festival Puccini and villa Puccini
During the summer there are an opera festival in Torre del Lago, a short distance south of Viareggio in a quiet seaside town known chiefly for being the home of Giacomo Puccini who for years owned and lived in a villa here. Puccini's house is open to the public but only for half-hour guided tours, while in the square outside you can buy almost any Puccini souvenir you can think of the theme is carried throughout the town with streets, bars and restaurants named after characters in the operas.

Local village festivals and "sagras"
Almost every weekend during the summer one or more of the villages holds a themed local festival - some include outdoor dining and dancing, some are medieval festivals. A pleasant way to spend the summer evenings and nights and visit the old small villages.

Christmas time in Tuscany
Lucca and Pisa are pleasant when decorated with white Christmas lights, and the stores which line the twisting streets are open late in the evenings before Christmas day. Also Viareggio and other towns by the sea are beautifully decorated with white Christmas lights, and there are many markets with local crafts and cultural animation. The weather in this period is about 15°C.