7-Day Food and Wine Tour of Tuscany

This morning, your guide will escort you to the splendors of the Tuscan countryside for a visit to famous medieval cities, such as Siena and San Gimignano. Upon reaching Siena, your guide will lead you along the cobblestone streets that date back to the 12th and 14th centuries. When sampling the traditional sweets and flavors of Siena, you will taste the famous dessert wine of Vinsanto and find hazelnut and honey aromas with hints of apricot. In San Gimignano, your guide will point out the remaining 13 of the original 70 towers that create the fascinating medieval skyline. Lastly, when wandering the town with your guide, you will stop at a world-famous gelateria, where you will learn how to distinguish artisanal gelato before sampling your favorite flavors.

In the morning, your guide will greet you at your hotel and lead you to the gorgeous countryside to discover Tuscany’s iconic rolling hills, rows of cypress trees, and thriving olive groves. You will begin your tour in the town of Radda in Chianti, where the picturesque 13th-century squares provide charming views of the surrounding scenery. You will have the opportunity to sample Chianti Classico wines in a consortium located in an old convent. When you sit among the cobbled courtyard and framing archways, you will find the characteristics of ripe cherry and red plum aromas as they hint at flavors of toasted vanilla beans and purple flowers.

This morning, you will have a private transfer to the majestic town of Arezzo. Here, you will visit a traditional Italian chocolate maker that focuses on the quality from harvest to production. Your cooking class in Arezzo will begin with an introduction to the traditional ingredients of Tuscany, highlighting elements such as legumes, artichokes, and celery. The shop will fill with the scents of dark cacao and roasted coffee beans, and your guide will lead you through the process of crafting the dynamic flavors of chocolate before sampling them. After your chocolate has finished, your instructor will guide you through the traditions of rustic Tuscan cuisine while focusing on seasonal, local, and fresh ingredients.

Today, you will set out for the wonderful Tuscany countryside with your guide to find how the hills, plains, mountains, rivers, and lakes around Arezzo provide the perfect environment in which the elusive truffle grows. The dog will bark and dig to signify that they have found a truffle hiding among the roots of specific types of plants. You and your guide can dig up the truffle and you will continue your education of truffles with a lunch that focuses on the robust ingredient with a simple dish, such as tagliolini pasta with shaved truffle.

After breakfast, your guide will meet you at your hotel in the morning and immerse you in the grandeur of the Val d’Orcia, beginning with the charming town of Montepulciano. Wine shops line the cobbled lanes and show how each parcel of grapes along the surrounding slopes produces elegant flavors. Cellars are hidden in the crevices of the volcanic rock that protect the bottles and barrels with constant cool and damp climates. You will be provided with a marvelous introduction to the exclusive vines of Val d’Orcia with a private tasting of Montepulciano. Your tasting will allow you to discover how the 100-percent Sangiovese Gross grape emits aromas of sour cherries, oregano, and tar, giving way to notes of chocolate, mocha, and even black licorice.

In the morning, the aromas of chocolate and espresso will become prevalent around Arezzo when the bakeries fill their display cases with fresh gateau and local bars brew caffe. The city will return to life as light shines through the impressive, stained-glass windows of the 700-year-old cathedral. Your private transfer will meet you in your hotel lobby after breakfast and escort you through the grandeur of the Tuscan countryside to reach Florence Peretola International Airport, where you will board your flight home.