$3995 per person
+$800 single room supplement

(Pay a $500 deposit to reserve each spot)

“I loved the hotel, I loved everything about this tour”

—Althea, Tastes & Treasures of Florence, 2022

Tour meets at the Palazzo Guicciardini in Florence.

Day 1. Sunday. Benvenuti a Firenze! We’ll start our week together with a meeting and aperitivo at 3pm. Once we’ve had a chance to get acquainted, we’ll head out to explore our neighborhood, the historic Oltrarno, followed by dinner at a small trattoria nearby.

Day 2. Monday. On our first morning in Florence we’ll meet a local art historian who will take us on a walking tour of this historic city. We’ll learn about its ancient origins as Roman Florentia through its rise in the middle ages as a city of merchants and bankers, culminating as the birthplace of the Renaissance. Our walk through Florence ends with a guided visit through Santa Croce church. In the afternoon, you’ll be free to enjoy the city on your own. We’ll meet again this evening to learn about (and taste!) traditional Tuscan wine at an enoteca.

Day 3. Tuesday. We'll spend time today in our Oltrarno neighborhood visiting master Florentine artisans in their small workshops finishing our morning together at the Brancacci Chapel to see Masaccio’s famous fresco cycle (if available). In the afternoon you’ll be free to explore Florence. Dinner is on your own.

Day 4. Wednesday. We’ll meet our local guide for a visit to the world-famous Uffizi Gallery. In our visit to this most important gallery of Italian Renaissance painting we’ll learn about the protagonists of the early Renaissance who provided the foundation for a ‘rebirth’ of humanist art and we’ll see masterpieces by Botticelli, Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, Michelangelo and more. The afternoon is yours to explore Florence. This evening we’ll meet for dinner at a trattoria favored by locals.

Day 5. Thursday. The Tuscan countryside is our destination today, traveling through vineyards and olive groves scattered among the rolling hills. This is our chance to taste the food and wine we’ve been enjoying right at the source as we visit a small family winery.  We’ll also have a chance to stop and explore a picturesque hill town. The evening will be yours to enjoy dinner on your own.

Day 6. Friday. Today we’ll focus on food! The highlight of today is a cooking class with a local chef who will share some of the secrets of classic Tuscan cuisine as we prepare our own lunch. The class is a great way to get up close and personal with a variety of local fare. The evening will be free for dinner on your own.

Day 7. Saturday. On our last morning together we’ll focus more deeply on the impact of Michelangelo and the Medici family on the art and architecture of Florence. We’ll join our local art historian for a final walking tour including a guided visit of the Medici’s family church San Lorenzo as well as the Medici tombs carved by Michelangelo. We’ll end our walk in the footsteps of the Medici with a visit to Michelangelo’s David. Tonight we’ll have our last dinner together sharing our experiences and enjoying the dolce vita of Florence!

Day 8. Sunday. Tour over after breakfast. We can help arrange transportation to the airport or to your next destination.

Itinerary subject to change.

Included:

• A small group experience of 10-15 people

• Seven nights accommodation, including breakfasts

• Three dinners, drinks included

• Guided full-day tour of the Tuscan countryside, including visit to vineyard and lunch

• Cooking class with lunch 

• Wine tasting 

• All group sightseeing activity entrance fees and local guides

• All local group travel by private vehicle 

• All tips

• Pre-tour travel consultation with Trina

• Flexible reservation and cancellation policy

Not Included:

• Airfare & airport transportation

Where will this tour stay?

This tour stays in the Oltrarno neighborhood, known for its artisan botteghe (workshops), wonderful, intimate family restaurants, beautiful boutiques, the Pitti Palace and Boboli Gardens.

How much walking will there be on this tour?

Florence is best experienced on foot. We’ll be walking for 3-4 hours each day as a group.

What’s the balance between group time and free time?

This tour is designed to strike a balance between group time and your own free time to explore. Trina will be on hand to help plan your activities and will send out informational emails in advance for those who want to plan ahead.

Will we see the Vasari Corridor?

Maybe. It is scheduled to open in 2023 but we’ll have to wait and see. If it is possible to visit, every effort possible will be made to include it on the tour.

When should I plan to arrive in Florence for this tour?

The tour starts at 3pm. So if you’re flying into Florence, plan to arrive before noon to comfortably make your way to the hotel. It’s not necessary to arrive in Florence (or Europe) a few days early to adjust to the time change, but many travelers do. 

What’s the best way to get to/from Florence’s Airport to the hotel?

Taking a taxi from the airport is easy. Alternatively, you could take the convenient and quick light rail called the Tramvia to the Santa Maria Novella train station and then take a taxi from there. 

What will we eat?

Italian cuisine is no secret to most Americans, and in Florence we’ll eat like the locals do - seasonally. I love that this tour is in the fall - harvest time. We’ll taste the newly pressed olive oil and other foods of the season, like hearty ribollita soup, and pasta made with wild boar sauce. We’ll also get to know the “kilometer zero” and “slow food” philosophies which Italians espouse. Basically, this means we’ll eat foods that are locally sourced and prepared in centuries-old traditional styles.