Day 3 (Monday, September 9):

• • Breakfast at hotel and head to Arezzo. 
  • 9:30 AM - 2 hour guided visit of Arezzo. Embark on a two-hour guided visit of the beautiful city that holds an abundance of history.  Start in Piazza Duomo and admire the exterior of the Cathedral a temple dated back to 13^th century. Then head to the Piazza Grande, famous for being the set of Roberto Benigni’s movie “Life is beautiful”. Here you will see the façade of the Romanesque Church of Santa Maria della Pieve , The Palace of the Lay Fraternity and the arches of the passageway known as Loggiato di Vasari, a place worth of a postcard!
  • 11:30 AM - Continue for Cortona (45 minutes) and stop at a farm for light lunch with drinks. 
  • 2:00 PM - Guided visit of Cortona where you will find some rare treasures, with typical Tuscan architecture rich in history and beauty. Between the many churches, “palazzo” and "bottega", you can see Piazza della Repubblica and then heading down via Casali, named after one of the famous noblemen of Cortona, you will come to the Chiesa di Santa Maria Assunta, also known as the Duomo. The present structure was built over the remains of an ancient Roman temple in the XV century and compared to the rest of the city, it is rather modern. 
  • 4:00 PM - Depart for an exclusive destination in the area CASTELLO DI GARGONZA!
  • 5:00 PM - be ready to get cooking with the Chef Laura Franceschetti! You will learn the fine art of making bruschetta, handmade fresh dumplings (gnocchetti) and tiramisu dessert during a traditional cooking class ending with dinner (that will also include a second course) and local wines. Salad Mista will be also served.  
  • 8:30 PM - travel back to your Villa (1 hour journey, arrival around 9:30 PM).  

• • Breakfast at hotel.
  • Head to Florence and make a stop at the American Cemetary.
  • 10:00 AM - Once arrived in Florence the group will split in different smaller groups to have a food and art tour of the city.  Let’s start from the Sant’Ambrogio market, a real Florentine spot unknown by the tourists, a perfect location to learn about local cuisine and cooking habits. The market offers many tasty options, such as the classic crostino nero (chicken liver pate), some tasty pecorino cheese and salami coming from the surrounding hills of Tuscany. We offer a comprehensive cultural city experience. Along this tasty walking tour of Florence travelers will also learn about history, traditions and local handicraft.
  • 3:00 PM - Depart towards Lucca area to reach Antico Casale. 
  • 4:30 PM - Tour of the farm to pick vegetables that will be used for your cooking class based on local genuine products, ending with lunch drinks included. You will prepare Bruschette, Zuppa Frantoiana (vegetables soup), pasta (Tagliatelle) and Zuccotto Fiorentino (typical local dessert).
  • 8:30 PM - Transfer back to the Villa (1 hour and half journey).

Day 5 (Wednesday, September 11):

• • Breakfast at hotel.
  • Depart to Siena.

  • Visit the Mercato delle Merci and then strolling along the narrow Medieval streets of the city, flanked by splendid palaces and historic shops, you will reach Piazza del Campo, of which the Palazzo Pubblico (Town Hall) is the focal point. You will suddenly get to the spectacular Cathedral of the 12th century, of which you can admire the magnificent architecture and the splendor of the polychrome marbles. During the walking tour you will stop to taste three of the typical local sweets: ricciarelli, cantucci and panforte.

  • Enjoy some time at leisure for shopping and lunch on own.

  • 3:30 PM - Depart to towards San Gimignano for independent visit (no guided tour)
  • 4:30 PM - Explore the village with your tour manager and stop for an ice cream tasting with award-winning, master ice-cream maker, Sergio Dondoli.
  • 6:30 PM - Reach Tenuta Torciano and enjoy a tour of the farm followed by an excellent wine pairing dinner including with Fiorentina Steak (Vernaccia di San Gimignano, Brunello di Montalcino and Chianti Classico).
  • 9:00 PM - Transfer back to the villa (1 hour and half journey).

Day 6 (Thursday, September 12)

• • Breakfast at hotel.
  • Optional Cinque Terre Tour

  • For the passengers that are not choosing this optional tour they will participate in the Morning Pizza Making Class at Villa il Casagrande:

Day 7 (Friday, September 13)

• • Breakfast at resort. 
  • 10:00 AM or 5:00 PM - Cooking lesson by Chef Mamma Anna. She will arrive teach you how to prepare typical Tuscan dishes and other Italian specialties. Afterwards, you will eat your lunch or dinner.

Day 8 (Saturday, September 14)

• • Breakfast at our hotel.
  • 9:00 AM - Depart for Montepulciano (1 hour journey) and spend your day exploring the town and having 2 wine tasting, 1 including light lunch (Talosa and Crociani wineries).
  • 2:00 PM - Reach Montalcino area to visit another a very exclusive estate which hosts the densest vineyard in the world. Enjoy a 2 hour wine tour including vineyards tour, Golden cellar tour and tasting of 5 wines, Brunello di Montalcino included (Podere Le Ripi winery).
  • 5:00 PM - Transfer back to the Villa.
  • 7:30 PM - Tonight enjoy a Farewell dinner with wines at a local restaurant.
    

Day 9 (Sunday, September 15)

• • Breakfast at hotel.  
  • Departure to Florence airport if taking transfer with group.
  • If staying for add-on, you'll transfer to the add-on location (more information to come!)

 

 

 

Click HERE for more information on this amazing trip!

• Accommodations including breakfast as listed in the itinerary
• Meals listed in your itinerary
• Services as listed in your itinerary
• Luggage allowance on ground transportation is based on one standard sized suitcase and one small carry-on per personal. Additional luggage must be arranged in advance, fees may apply
• Skip the line entry as listed in itinerary. queuing for security may still apply
• Applicable taxes & fees in force at time of confirmation. Changes, including per person city taxes, coach permit fees, etc., taking effect after confirmation may result in a supplement added to your final prices. 
• Transfers are included if you are on the same flight as Amy, The Cooking Mom. If you are arriving at a different time than Amy, we can book your transfers, but they will be an extra cost.

What's not included:

• Flights
  • Flights can be purchased directly with the airline. I will send out information on the flights Amy and Hoyt will be on, and you can call the airline directly to book the same flight.
• Transfers: Transfers are not included if you are on a different flight than Amy, The Cooking Mom. If you are arriving at a different time than Amy, we can book your transfers, but they will be an extra cost.
• Travel Insurance - HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
• Meals, unless listed in your itinerary
• Tips for drivers, guides and other services (A tipping guide will be included in your itinerary)
• Supplements or optional tours as listed
• Visa, passport, and entry/exit fees
• City taxes to be paid upon check out (€ 1.00 per night per person in Figline)

Cancellation of travel must be made in writing and is effective from the date we receive the written notification. Any trip deposit or payment is non-refundable.  Rose Travel and The Cooking Mom's Culinary Vacations incur costs with the suppliers of your trip well in advance of your departure date. At the effective date of cancellation all overdue payments will be required, any additional payments will not be required.  We highly recommend trip insurance and is available for purchase at booking.

Call Sara with Rose Travel with any questions! You can reach her at 720-884-7913 or email sara@rosetravelgroup.com.