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A Gourmet Taste of TUSCANY  Hot Featured PDF Print E-mail
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Tour details
Tour operator: GOURMET TRAVELER
Tour category: Cooking Vacations • Tasting Tours
Tour destination: Italy
Number of nights: 6
Availability: May • October
Tour expiration date: October 31, 2009
Starting cost: 3,150.00
Link to website: http://gourmetravel.com/content/tuscany08.htm
A Gourmet Taste of TUSCANY
 2008 Date: October 12-18
2009: May 10-16;October 11-17 
 

 

Experience TUSCANY as an insider with our small group (4-12) culinary tour to this most famous region of Italy with its green rolling hills, beautiful hill towns and home of the Renaissance.

Here you'll experience cooking classes presented by Tuscans, artisan food producers, cultural tours (Uffizi & David), outdoor markets, fabulous wine/food pairing meals, exciting cultural excursions to Siena & San Gimignano. You'll meet the many of my wonderful artisan friends: Dario, the famous butcher of Panzano, the custom shoemaker, the grandson of the man we called "the James Beard of Tuscany" who is carrying on his grandfather's proud culinary heritage. A week of fun, friends, food, wine and laughter - the perfect recipe for success.

 

Over 15 years ago I fell in love with Italy and its food and decided to share my passion with others through Gourmet Travel - the name almost says it all, while we focus on food and wine, we also include cultural activities of each specific region: in TUSCANY we visit Florence, Siena, Panzano, Greve, San Gimignano, grappa producers, wine makers, olive oil mill, open air markets, leathermakers, , ceramicists, watercolorists, and many many more local artisans.

Because I am a trained chef, my contacts throughout Italy are with fellow food professionals who are eager to share their insider knowledge about the area and its artisan food products, insider views that are simply not available to the average visitor.

To maximize your experience we have professional guides for museum & city tours, such as the Uffizi & David, as well as the magical city of Siena.

After so many years of visiting Italy, my contacts have become friends, not simply business associates. You will share this warm friendship so that you will truly experience an insider's view of Italy. Our small group size enable us to move about freely and go to places larger groups can't experience. All of these factors combine to make this a truly memorable experience.

Included in tour:

  • Transfer from Florence train station to our Chianti Villa Hotel
  • 6 nights accommodation in our Villa/Inn
  • All breakfasts
  • Four (4) lunches
  • Six (6) dinners, w/house wine
  • Cooking classes as listed in itinerary
  • Culinary & cultural excursions listed in itinerary
  • Professional guides as listed in itinerary
  • Gourmetravel Personal guide for ALL listed activities
  • Ground transportation for listed excursions
  • NOT included in tour
  • Airfare
  • Gratuities
  • Personal expenses



Sample Itinerary 

Travel Day (Sat)

  • Travel day to Italy

Day 1 (Sun)

  • Arrive Florence train station, van transfer to our Chianti Villa
  • Hotel Check in
  • Welcome Dinner & orientation

 

Day 2 (Mon)

  • Chianti Day
  • Guided Tour: Winery & Olive Oil producer
  • Visit to the famous "Butcher of Panzano"
  • Lunch with a view in Panzano
  • · Grappa tour & tasting
  • Visit to a custom shoemaker
  • Cooking Class (hands on) followed by dinner wherein we consume the goodies prepared, washing down with Chianti, of course.

 

Day 3 (Tues)

  • Van to Florence
  • Walking tour of the famous Florence food market & shops
  • Lunch at a colorful, and very famous, market trattoria
  • Free time in Florence
  • Dinner at a favorite trattoria

 

Day 4 (Wed)

  • Van to Siena
  • Visit to Siena's colorful outdoor market
  • Free time in Siena
  • Lunch in Siena - at my favorite restaurant
  • Guided Tour of this famous & beautiful city that is home to the Palio
  • Visit to ceramics producer
  • Pizza Party in nearby Radda trattoria

 

Day 5 (Thurs)

  • Cooking Class at magnificent private villa
  • Lunch - dine on our creations, matched with wines of the villa
  • Tour of private acetaia and balsamic tasting
  • Leathermaking demonstration of designer handbags
  • Visit local artisans
  • Dinner at our Chianti Villa

 

Day 5 (Fri)

  • Van to San Gimignano - famous "city of towers"
  • Free time in San Gimignano
  • Lunch on our own
  • Return to Villa for packing
  • Farewell Dinner at restaurant of the famous "butcher of Panzano"

 

Day 7 (Sat)

  • End of Tour
  • Van departure to Florence train station or airport

 

Click here to view slide show of recent trip:

http://picasaweb.google.com/gourmetravel/Tusc1007

 

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User reviews

Average user rating from: 7 user(s)

Overall rating
5.0
 

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0 of 0 people found the following review helpful

Experience of a lifetime!, Thursday, 01 May 2008

Written by PatS   -  View all my reviews  - Top 50 Reviewer

Overall rating
5.0
This tour was well-planned to the smallest detail, and conducted in a way that was respectful of those whose communities we were visiting. Bev's familiarity with the locals and their customs allowed us to learn much more than would have been possible on a larger tour. Staying at a single villa, rather than packing and unpacking throughout, allowed us to keep a full schedule but still have time to relax. The cooking lessons were hands-on, not just a spectator sport, and the food was spectacular. Thank goodness we also did lots of walking!!

0 of 0 people found the following review helpful

Tuscany is a Treasure!, Tuesday, 15 April 2008

Written by slperskie   -  View all my reviews  - Top 10 Reviewer

Overall rating
5.0
Before going on Bev's trip I had been to Tuscany & Umbria before. Going with Bev was a totally different experience; she took us into an intimate Italy where through her connections we met people & had experiences I didn't have before, & it was so much more fun. We were a small group of women from all over the country, and with Bev's enthusiasm, we quickly felt like we had known each other forever. The villa was family run & intimate - imagine waking to the smell of fresh baking croissants every morning, we went to markets, unusual venues, she took us to meet Dario the Butcher of Tuscany who is featured in the book Heat, & I'm happy to say that I took the award for eating the most on this trip (I'm the blonde licking the bowl in one of the pictures above). Will go with Bev anywhere. Sandra

0 of 0 people found the following review helpful

Amazing Italy, Tuesday, 15 April 2008

Written by suz1354   -  View all my reviews  - Top 10 Reviewer

Overall rating
5.0
I did a lot of reseach before chosing Bev's Tour of Tuscany and after getting tons of positive feedback from past participants, I took the plunge and boy was it worth it! Not only was this my first trip to Italy, it was my first trip overseas. I met the most amazing people and had such a great time that, while we were still in Tsicany, we signed up for Amalfi coast the following year. bev's knoweldge and people connections amke this trip a great one to take. Very unpretentious, laidback and fun! Great food, sights, wine and new friends. Go, go, go!

0 of 0 people found the following review helpful

Beauty of Tuscany, Sunday, 13 April 2008

Written by shasta   -  View all my reviews  - Top 10 Reviewer

Overall rating
5.0
The Tuscan love of "slow food",wine, and joie de vivre shine through in Bev Gruber's selections for an outstanding visit to the area. From Villa Rosa, county inn and site of several cooking classes, to shopping in Florence Bev gave our group of happy foodies the royal treatment. This was capped by a spectacular class and feast at a grand Italian estate in the Tuscan hills. Wonderful assortment of experiences and tastes in the land of food. A trip to remember, thanks to a superior guide/chef.

0 of 0 people found the following review helpful

Tastes of Tuscany, Wednesday, 26 March 2008

Written by BJA   -  View all my reviews  - Top 10 Reviewer

Overall rating
5.0
FABULOUS! I had a wonderful time touring Tuscany in October with Beverly Gruber. I traveled without the husband this time....frankly ladies, it's much more fun that way....There were four of us (all strangers until two minutes into the tour) plus Bev and we had a ball. We had such interesting cooking classes and went away with recipes to try over and over again. We shopped, we cooked, we ate, we drank Chianti Classico wines and toured some lovely towns. The restaurant meals were excellent...places we could not have found on our own. That tells you a lot about Bev as a tour guide: She knows the shops, the restaurants and the markets in Florence and all over Chianti. Beautiful Villa too.

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