Autumn in Tuscany

The fall season in Tuscany is one that will delight your eyes as much as the food will make your taste buds dance.

Allow yourself to be immersed in the richest time of year in Toscana: during the wine and grape harvest. The aromas and beauty around you will be sure to transport you to the present moment in Tuscany’s lush and soulful countryside.

In this three day pleasurable experience, we will take you to meet our friends, who are local professionals. They will guide you in this transformative adventure focused on extra virgin olive oil making and more. As our friend and olive oil expert Fil says, “you will become obsessed.“

Enter the world of biodynamic wines, truffle hunting and foraging. Learn about Tuscan cuisine with hands-on cooking classes and share this experience with new friends, alongside our own. This is truly a one of a kind, unforgettable local experience for those searching to experience the heart and passion of the real Toscana.

Highlights

• Olive harvest
• Visit of old mill
• Visit to a biodynamic winery in Chianti
• Two cooking classes with professional chef
• Savour the famous Bistecca Alla Fiorentina
• Truffle hunting
• Dinner in private villa

Photogallery experience

Day 1

Immersive experience with vero extra virgin olive oil

• meet our friend and extra virgin olive oil expert Fil Bucchino 
• learn about olive trees, olive picking with your own hands
• enjoy a classic bistecca alla fiorentina in the Tuscan countryside visit an oil mill with traditional techniques of olive oil making and witness the transformation
• olive oil tasting
• meet our friend, chef Alessandro Sala and enjoy a cooking class with seasonal recipes based on the new pressed extra virgin olive oil, followed by dinner

Day 2

Enter the word of biodynamic wines

• meet our friend and professional wine maker Dario Geri
• discover Chianti and learn about the history and techniques of biodynamic production
• visit the first local winery, stroll in the vineyard, have a visit of the wine cellar and wine tasting
• visit the second winery and enjoy the tasting with a delightful Tuscan lunch
• dinner in a “boutique” wine bar in Florence city centre with our friend sommelier Nicola Stica

Day 3

Discover the “diamond of the table:” the white truffle

• meet our friend and professional truffle hunter Jacopo Ginelli 
• experience the truffle hunting in the Chianti woods
• learn about foraging and pick the wild plants guided by Jacopo
• enjoy a truffle tasting learning the difference between white and black truffles
• meet our friend chef Alessandro Sala for a special cooking class with “pasta fatta in casa” and truffle followed by lunch
• afternoon stroll in Florence city centre
• private dinner in our friend Cosimo’s underground atelier in the city center

Accomodation

Option 1: Villa Medicea di Lilliano

Double rooms in Medicean Villa nestled in the Chianti countryside 15 minutes from Florence city center

Option 2: Stella d’Italia: City Centre

In double superior/deluxe in boutique hotel in Florence city centre.

transportation

Mercedes minivan with English speaking driver.

Meet your expert planners

Maria Rocco

Born in Toronto, Maria decided to leave Canada in 1993 to start a new life in Florence, Italy. Since then, she has made it her mission to share her love of Florence and the Tuscan region with others.

Maria created Me and Mom Tuscany which is a retreat for women with their kids. Which are exclusive retreats and camps for moms and their kids. They take place at their private villas. Maria has also worked in the wedding industry and notably, she organized a SONY event for the movie “Inferno” that was filmed in Florence and worked closely with director Ron Howard. She created cooking lessons online called Lingue Linguine and has also worked on David Rocco’s cooking show.

Lastly, in 1996 she founded a very well recognized and unique school in the heart of Florence specializing in camps for children from all over the world.

Carlo Bonetti

Carlo was born and raised in Firenze, arguably the art and culture capital of the world. He worked for years in cinema and event production, and decided to move to New York for a year. He then came back and in 2001 Vitaly Exclusive Services was born, an agency and tour operator that specializes in luxury incoming travel in Tuscany.

For 10 years, Vitaly has been a pioneer in creative experiences. Carlo has been the expert at carefully selecting the best guides, drivers, sommeliers, cooks who can offer the most authentic experiences to share with clients. Carlo’s great loves lies in Tuscan culture, cooking and wine. He loves to share these moments of joy with friends, which is why Vita in Toscana is a venture of passion for him.