A Taste of Tuscany - Hilltop Towns & Vineyards

Tour Itinerary

• Day 1 • UK - Pisa

  Today you’ll arrive in Pisa and head out on an orientation tour taking in the beautiful Campo dei Miracoli and the iconic Leaning Tower of Pisa before your welcome dinner.

• Day 2 • Livorno & Val d'Orcia

  Head off to the port city of Livorno known for its seafood. Spend time exploring the huge Neoclassical Central Market, Vettovaglie, the second-largest indoor market in Europe with hundreds of stalls. Enjoy a street food lunch sourced from the torteria stands, washed down with a regional wine or an authentic espresso. After lunch, head to southern Tuscany and the classic panoramic landscapes of the Val d’Orcia

• Day 3 • Pienza

  Take in the stunning Tuscan countryside today on a hike to a nearby farm, Pieve a Salti. With over 700 hectares given over to organic cereal production and a herd of cattle, you’ll hear the story of how the Prandi family converted the farm to organic production and set up a production line that now supply mills, pasta factories, bakeries and supermarkets. Later, enjoy a cheese tasting in Pienza.

• Day 4 • Siena

  Spend today in the fabulous medieval city of Siena. The city centre is traffic-free, making it ideal to explore on foot on your guided walking tour. Cakes are synonymous with Siena and in the afternoon, you’ll pay a visit to a local pasticerria to taste and learn the stories behind traditional Sienese cakes such as ricciarelli (almond cakes with a soft centre covered with icing sugar), cantucci (crunchy cookies studded with almonds) and panpepato (a dense, dark, spiced, dried-fruit-and-nut-spiked cake). Later you’ll visit the small family-run pasta shop Pasta Fresca Siena for a pasta-making demonstration.

• Day 5 • Chianti & San Gimignano

  This morning, head to the magnificent Ricasoli Wine Estate, centred around the medieval Brolio Castle. The cellars are located at the foot of the castle, and you’ll enjoy a tasting here following an estate tour. You’ll then head to San Gimignano, a beautifully preserved example of a classic Tuscan medieval hilltop town.

• Day 6 • San Gimignano

  This morning, head to the Fattoria Lischeto farm. You’ll take a guided tour, learning all about the farming and production processes then enjoy a lunch of authentic home-cooked produce, a blend of classical Tuscan and Sardinian recipes in keeping with traditional farmhouse cooking.

• Day 7 • San Gimignano

  Enjoy a free morning in San Gimignano. After lunch, meet up to indulge in an ice cream from one of San Gimignano’s most famous gelateria, Dondoli. Then, head to Fattoria San Donato, a family-run farm, where you’ll take part in a cooking class with traditional preparation techniques and ingredients.

• Day 8 • San Gimignano - UK

  Today fly back to the UK.