COMPLETE FILE

Overview

Small Group tour of Tuscany

Explore a region filled with vineyards, hills, charming old towns, masterpieces, and delicacies. Destinations on this small group tour of Tuscany include magnificent Florence, the “Cradle of the Renaissance”, Pisa and its stunning leaning tower, the medieval town of Lucca, Sienna, known for the Palio horse-race, the area surrounding Chianti, Montepulciano and Montalcino, known throughout the world for their prestigious wines, as well as San Gimignano and its celebrated towers. You’ll also learn how to purchase fresh produce and prepare traditional local meals, visit some wine cellars, sample some excellent wines, taste delicious delicatessen, Pecorino cheese and olive oil, and buy some gourmet meals from some of the area’s best grocers.

An eco-gastronomic association founded in 1989 came up with this innovative concept in order to counter the ever-popular fast-food industry and put a stop to the slow disappearance of local gastronomical traditions and growing lack of interest in the region’s typical dishes, origins, and flavors. You’ll discover the true meaning of this exclusive and wise concept on this unique small group tour in absolute comfort, where the quality of the accommodation will only be matched by that of the contents of your plate. A perfect initiation to better eating, this journey to Tuscany is among Uniktour’s finest itineraries!

Contact our Italy expert today for more information on this superb small group tour of Tuscany!

Itinerary

Day 1| International flight

Day 2| Arrival
Arrive at Pisa airport and afternoon’s collective transfer to the hotel. Time to settle in, meet tour escort and enjoy a welcome drink and an introduction to the Slow Food philosophy, the activities of the Association and the products of the Tuscany region. To follow, a typical traditional dinner with some excellent produce from the region including Slow Food Presidia products. Overnight.

Day 3| Lucca - Capannori - Sorana - Carmignano
Morning departure for Lucca, Giacomo Puccini’s town, including a visit to his birthplace. A guided tour of the beautiful ancient town centre, surrounded by medieval walls, with its wonderful churches, museums and noble palaces. Some free time to stroll around the little streets and alleyways and buy some of the local crafts and goods. Transfer to Capannori, situated in the characteristic plains of Lucca where lunch will be served in the Slow Food Osteria “I Diavoletti” where you will sample two Slow Food products: the Biroldo (type of blood sausage) della Garfagnana and the Bottarga (fish eggs) from Orbetello. All of this will be accompanied by local wines from the Lucca hills and from Montecarlo. Afternoon transfer towards the Pescia river, passing through the wonderful rolling hills with olives trees and century old vineyards of the Pistoia area. Stop to sample Sorana beans (Slow Food Presidium) and the pecorino cheese from the mountains of Pistoia, superbly produced by the Azienda di Enrico Gaggini farm. On the return journey stop at Carmignano to learn something more about wines and the local and Slow Food produce (such as the delicious dried figs) with tasting at the Azienda Rigoccioli (co-operative) that produces and sells fruit, vegetables, jams and preserves, wines and olive oil. Visit the Carmignano Grape & Wine Museum and discover, through history and flavours, the excellence of Montalbano wines over the centuries. Return to the hotel and overnight.

Day 4| Florence
Morning departure for Florence. Walk through the historical centre of this amazing city and visit the Santa Croce church, known as the "Pantheon of Italian Glories" where many illustrious Italians such as Michelangelo, Galileo, Rossini and Machiavelli are buried. The visit also takes in the other religious buildings (the Baptistry, the Duomo and Giotto’s bell tower) and the houses of power in the old city (the Piazza della Signoria). Break at one of Florence’s oldest ice cream parlours, “Perché no!”, that offers more than 33 different flavours and a precise selection of raw materials (including pistachios from Bronte, a Slow Food Presidium product, saffron and cardamom). There will be a short talk on how the ice cream is made with some small samples. Free afternoon to stroll along Florence elegant streets, visit the Uffizi Gallery or shop at the leather market, then traditional dinner at Osteria Tripperia Il Magazzino. Transfer to hotel in the Chianti hills and overnight.

Day 5| Siena - San Gimignano
Morning departure for Siena. Guided tour of the most important and most beautiful architecture in the city, including the Museum delle Contrade (each horse in the famous ”Palio”, runs for a different Contrada or district). Sampling of some delicious traditional desserts like the Panforte in one of the most famous pastry shops in town. Free time for shopping before departing for San Gimignano. On the way to San Gimignano along the ancient Via Francigena, lunch with some of the traditional local produce such as the Certaldo onion (Slow Food Presidium), the saffron from San Gimignano and the organic extra virgin olive oil at the little family-run farmhouse Il Castagnolino. Visit and have a talk on the techniques used in producing organic olive oil. In the afternoon visit the famous towers and the San Gimignano 1300 Museum: storyboards, multi-media exhibits, street scenes and a ceramic recreation of the city as it was back in 1300. Return to the hotel and overnight.

Day 6| Castellina in Chianti - Tregole di Castellina - Radda in Chianti - Greve in Chianti
Entire day given over to discovering the Chianti hills along the Via Chiantigena (an ancient road connecting Siena with Florence crossing over the hills of Chianti). Stop off at Castellina in Chianti and Tregole di Castellina in Chianti for a talk on aromatic herbs harvested and dried following the ancient techniques of Duccio Fontani. Head off for Radda and visit to the Salumeria Porciatti in the old town centre where local salami and other produce including Slow Food products can be purchased. Set off for the wonderful city of Greve, to visit the little historical town centre and then head for the Podere Le Fornaci where there will be some sampling of organic cheeses (including baby goats cheese and fresh ricotta) made from the milk of the goats that graze in the Chianti hills. Return to the hotel and overnight.

Day 7| Montepulciano - Pienza
Morning departure for Montepulciano, one of the most characteristic and intact medieval cities in Italy which from a height of 605 metres above sea level offers amazing views over the surrounding hillsides. Visit the Enoteca Contucci winery for a tasting, then explore the wonderful town centre of Montepulciano where lunch will be hosted in the old Osteria dell’Acquacheta, with its rustic and familial atmosphere. Here, sample some of Tuscany’s best recipes (such as the Pici all’Aglione). In the afternoon, head for Pienza, the perfect example of a renaissance city, famous for its Pecorino cheese. Visit a Pecorino cheese producer and learn something about the cheese-making process and sample the fare. Return to the hotel where there will be a tasting of a selection of local wines. Overnight.

Day 8| Montalcino
Morning departure for Montalcino, famous for its Brunello, one of the best red wines in the world. Montalcino, however, is also a beautiful art city which, from upon high dominates 3,000 hectares of vineyards (1,500 for Brunello alone). A visit to the Mastio della Rocca which is home to the Enoteca La Fortezza where it will be possible to buy some exceptional honey, a local speciality. Free time for shopping. A visit to the Fattoria dei Barbi for wine tasting and a guided tour of the cellars. Return to the hotel and overnight.

Day 9| Departure
Early morning collective transfer for the airport and the chance to order a basket of local Slow Food products.


SLOW FOOD PRESIDIA AND OTHER RECOMMENDED PRODUCTS
Participants will have the unique chance of sampling several Slow Food Presidia products - high-quality, traditional foods and beverages at risk of “estinction” - and other local delicacies from Slow Food recommended quality producers, such as:
- the Garfagnana Biroldo (blood sausage)
- the Orbetello Bottarga (fish eggs)
- the Sorana beans
- the Carmignano dried figs
- the Certaldo onion
- the ice creams at the ancient ice cream parlour in Florence
- the Pienza Pecorino cheese
- the typical local products of the Mercatale di Montevarchi market town

HIGHLIGHTS
The Garfagnana Biroldo is an old-fashioned blood sausage made from boiled and deboned pig’s head and blood, seasoned with wild fennel, nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon, star anise and sometimes garlic, as well as salt and pepper. The mixture is formed into sausages which are boiled for three hours. Garfagnana Biroldo is soft and balanced on the palate, the blood and spices not dominating the lean head meat but offering delicate, lingering aromas.

The Orbetello Bottarga. The art of preserving fish was probably introduced to Orbetello by the Spanish, who smoked eels and dressed fish with vinegary escabece as early as the 16th century. Bottarga (from the Arabic botarikh, meaning “salted fish roe”) has always been produced here, from the roe of the gray mullet. Amber in color and very tender, it is excellent sliced thinly with a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil and a squeeze of lemon.

The Carmignano dried figs. The figs are split open and laid out on cane mats, called canniccioni, steamed with sulfur and then dried directly in the sun for four or five days. After resting for a month in a cool, dry place (during which time a sugary coating, the gruma, forms on the skin), the figs are layered in figure-eight-shapes. Aniseeds are placed between each pair of figs. The figs are eaten either as an accompaniment to Prato mortadella or as a dessert with Vin Santo wine.

TYPICAL RESTAURANTS FROM THE “OSTERIE D’ITALIA” SLOW FOOD GUIDE
Tour participants will taste the delicious, authentic dishes of the regional cuisine eating at restaurants selected among those recommended by Slow Food in the “Osterie d’Italia” guide, small “trattorie” that still use fresh, local produce and traditional recipies for their dishes:
- Osteria i Diavoletti
- Osteria Tripperia Il Magazzino
- Osteria dell’Acquacheta

WINERIES AND MORE
Tour participants will also have the opportunity to sample wines and/or local typical products at wineries, bakeries, pastry shops, fresh produce markets and more, such as:
- the Nobile di Montepulciano and other wines of the Montepulciano vineyards
- the Brunello and other wines of the Montalcino vineyards
- the wines of the Bolgheri vineyards
- the aromatic herbs of the Chianti area

POINTS OF INTEREST: ART, HISTORY, CULTURE & NATURE
During the tour the participants will not only discover delightful food and wines but also the most interesting monuments, works of art, churches and natural landscapes of the region:
- Lucca, one of the best preserved medieval cities in Italy, with its wonderful churches, museums and noble palaces, the birthplace of the composer Puccini
- Pisa, with the wonderful Piazza dei Miracoli square and the amazing leaning tower
- Florence, the cradle of the Italian Renaissance, with the masterpieces of the Uffizi Gallery, the Santa Croce church, the Baptistry, the Duomo and Giotto’s bell tower, the Piazza della Signoria and the Ponte Vecchio bridge
- Siena, where the famous Palio race is run in the ancient Piaza del Palio square
- San Gimignano, a UNESCO World Heritage site, with its wonderful medieval towers and the San Gimignano 1300 Museum
- the Chianti area, with its wonderful hills and vineyards, where some of the best Italian wines are produced
- Montepulciano, one of the most characteristic and intact medieval cities in Italy
- Pienza, the perfect example of a renaissance city, famous for its Pecorino cheese
- Montalcino, a beautiful art city which is famous for its Brunello, one of the best red wines of the world

Budget

**Rates published on this website are for information purposes only and are not legally binding (since departure dates are not given). Prices on this website are known to fluctuate frequently in relation to changes in currencies and hotel pricing. In order to obtain a definite quote, please click here.

Other fees

Lodging

SLOW FOOD AND THE TERRA MADRE PROJECT

Slow Food is a global, grassroots organization with supporters in 150 countries around the world who are linking the pleasure of good food with a commitment to their community and the environment.
A non-profit member-supported association, Slow Food was founded in 1989 to counter the rise of fast food and fast life, the disappearance of local food traditions and people’s dwindling interest in the food they eat, where it comes from, how it tastes and how our food choices affect the rest of the world. A series of overlapping groups and entities make up the Slow Food network:
- more than 100,000 members in 153 countries
- 2,000 food communities in the Terra Madre network
- more than 10,000 small producers involved in Presidia projects

Members join one Slow Food Convivia, local chapters who are working autonomously to defend their culinary culture and to support a more sustainable food future, spreading the Slow Food philosophy and making it real. More than 1,300 Convivia around the world form the backbone of Slow Food.

Eight countries have national branches that have been established to coordinate Slow Food activities, organizing events and projects with a deeper knowledge of the needs of their members; after Italy, where the association was born, Slow Food branches were created in Switzerland, Germany, USA, France, UK, Japan and The Netherlands.

Slow Food’s headquarters plans and promotes the movement's development worldwide. The association is led by the Board of Directors, Slow Food’s founder Carlo Petrini is the president.

The Slow Food Foundation for Biodiversity was founded in 2003 in partnership with the Tuscany Regional Authority to support Slow Food's projects that defend food biodiversity and traditions by working with groups of producers, with a particular focus on developing countries. Key projects are Presidia, Ark of Taste and Earth Markets.

Terra Madre is a project conceived by Slow Food, the philosophy of which evolved over the the organization’s history and crystallized at its realization that “eating is an agricultural act and producing is a gastronomic act.” Slow Food had always stood for the pleasures of the table, for the importance of good-tasting food, and for the defense of cultures facing growing homogenization as a result of today’s so-called modern rationales regarding production, distribution, and economies of scale. It was where these “rationales” were leading that brought Slow Food to realize the need to protect and support small producers, and to change the systems that put them in danger by bringing together those players with decision-making power: consumers, educational institutions, chefs and cooks, agricultural research entities, NGOs, etc. It became clear that it is only through repeated, cumulative, local action, following a guiding global vision, that a significant impact can be achieved.

Thus Terra Madre was born: To give voice and visibility to the rural food producers who populate our world. To raise their awareness, as well as that of the population at large, of the value of their work. To sustain their ability to work under the best conditions, for all of our good and for the good of the planet. For these reasons, constructing a global network—with information-sharing tools, the means to learn from each other, and opportunities for collaboration in many ways—seemed invaluable. We must continue to have fertile lands, lands on which sprout and grow plants and animals appropriate to those environments, rather than needing to be pumped full of chemicals to make them thrive artificially. And we must also continue to have the people capable of stewarding these lands, to have their know-how, so we can have food that still carries the tastes of our youth.

The inaugural gathering of Terra Madre launched the network in 2004 in Torino, and was on an unprecedented scale. This first edition brought together 5000 producers from 130 countries and shone global media attention on their crisis. The second edition was in 2006, and incorporated an additional 1000 cooks, from renowned to modest, but all aware of their role relative to high-quality food producers. Also in attendance were 400 researchers and academics, seeking to bridge the theory of their work with hands-on practice.


SLOW FOOD PRESIDIA

The Slow Food Presidia are sustainable food production initiatives which build the capacity of a group of producers in order to improve production techniques, develop production protocols and find local and international markets. To date, more than 300 Presidia have been created around the world, involving over 10,000 small-scale sustainable farmers. Each Presidium supports a quality product at risk of extinction; uses traditional processing and/or agricultural methods; and safeguards native breeds and local plant varieties.

The Slow Food Foundation for Biodiversity selects products for inclusion in the Presidia project by evaluating the following two aspects of the product:
- Is the product relevant to the gastronomic culture of the regions of production, linked to local identities, and produced in well-defined areas with specific geographic/climactic/cultural characteristics?
- Is the product of Taste, Environmental, and Social Quality?

The product must taste excellent – this is the only way to guarantee that anyone who tastes the product will experience the pleasure of taste, which is a fundamental aspect of the Slow Food philosophy. All told, there are at least three main elements that are important to evaluate while considering a product’s taste quality: balance, origin, and complexity: Balance means harmony between the aromas and flavors typical to a product; Origin refers to the product’s expression of particular taste qualities linked to its area of origin; Complexity refers to the positive development of the flavor of a product during the course of a tasting.

In general, a product must be as natural as possible. This does not mean ‘organic’, the product does not need to be certified, but sustainable, made in a way that does not damage the environment, animal welfare, and the health of consumers who eat it.

Social Quality is the most recent addition to the Slow Food approach to Presidia, linked primarily to the development of the first Presidia in Africa and South America. In these countries, it is enormously important to consider certain aspects of production linked to social equity in determining quality. The activities of the Presidia must respect indigenous people and promote the cultural identity of the producers. Discrimination linked to social position, nationality, gender, religious or political belief, ethnicity, etc. are not allowed, and the use of child labor is forbidden. One more aspect of Social Quality is a fair price for a product, and the Presidia to work to promote the commercialization of food products that can bring wider social improvement through a fair price for products.

In synthesis, a Presidium product must be good, clean and fair.

There are 193 Italian Slow Food Presidia from more than 1300 small producers: farmers, fishermen, butchers, sheperds, cheese-makers, bakers, pastry cooks, etc.

The Ark of Taste project was launched to rediscover, catalog and promote foods which are at risk of extinction, but have productive and commercial potential and are closely linked to specific communities and cultures. Today the Ark lists more than 900 unique foods from 50 countries around the world that are threatened by industrial standardization.

The Foundation’s most recent project is the creation of a network of Earth Markets – places where small-scale producers and farmers can sell their products directly to consumers. These farmers’ markets are run according to certain Slow Food principles and are overseen by a community management group.


OSTERIE D’ITALIA TYPICAL RESTAURANTS’ SLOW FOOD GUIDE

Osterie d’Italia Slow Food is a comprehensive region-by-region guide to the most interesting and typical small restaurants of Italy.

In this special guide, the experts at Slow Food identified the best local places to eat, providing over 1,800 profiles of traditional taverns, agritourism farms, wineries, trattorie and typical restaurants.

Consistently with the Slow Food philosophy, the recommended places to eat are those that have deep roots in the territory, that propose dishes which are typical of the local culinary tradition, that use only fresh, locally-produced quality ingredients to prepare their dishes, that offer good selections of wines, that are welcoming and with a friendly atmosphere.

Gaining the right of being listed in this guide is no easy feat and the quality must be always guaranteed, since the Slow Food experts monitor the respect of the afore-mentioned criteria at least once a year.

Overview

Italy – a land so rich and varied that the villages and small towns have as much to offer as the big cities. Practically everywhere you go in this country, you encounter history, art, folklore, gastronomy, and tradition: every visit is an opportunity for reflection – or simply a chance to enjoy yourself! Italians have managed to enter the modern age without having to let go of their creativity, their love of beauty, and their traditions. Between the archeological sites, cathedrals, churches, ancient houses, and statues, there are over 100,000 monuments to discover. As for Italian cuisine, each region has its own savory specialties waiting to delight your palate. Of course, Italy’s big cities also have much to offer: the eternal city, Rome, with its wide avenues and famous Squares. Venice and its charming canals. Florence and its unique arts scene. Pompeii, a fascinating Roman archeological site. These cities will capture your imagination and invite you to discover more and more of romantic Italy. Villa rentals, self-drive tours (freedom), train travel (freedom), private guided travel, customized travel…Uniktour brings you to Italy on your own terms! Contact one of our travel specialists today for more information on how to get started on your trip to Italy!

Tourism

Eat well. Drink better.
Long live the spaghettis, pizzas, tomatoes, olive oils, espressos and cappuccinos! Is that all Italian cuisine has to offer? Of course not! Italy has thousands of succulent dishes, hundreds of gastronomic specialties, and countless savory local products, thanks to a modern agro-industrial system that has managed to maintain traditional flavors, savors and values (even dietary!).
Quality and freshness are the basic ingredients to Italian specialties and all their variations: from fonduta Piedmontese to Sicilian caponata, from risotto Milanese to mozzarella di Campania, from the Venetian “risi e bisi” to the Roman porchetta, from the Ligurian “trenette al pesto” to beef Florentine, to lasagna emiliane or Abruzzo spaghetti chitarra, the list is endless! In fact, one reason many travelers come to Italy is to get to know (and sample!) its fine cuisine. There is no shortage of choice when it comes to where to eat: world-renowned restaurants in the big cities, countless trattorias lining the streets of every village, taverns and bistros scattered across the country. The latter personalize traditional dishes and allow visitors to rediscover typical agricultural products (spelt wheat, barley, corn, vegetables, olive oil, etc.) in a savory cuisine that manages to be gentle on the waistline! As for wine, Italy has caught up to countries with an older and more established wine culture. These days, in no way do Italian wines pale in comparison to those of other countries. There is plenty of variety and quality to choose from: whites, reds, rosés, straw wines, muffatos (with a characteristic moldy aroma), sparkling wines, etc. In Italy we eat and drink like nowhere else on earth!

Geography

The Italian peninsula is located north of the Mediterranean basin, with the Tyrrhenian Sea to the West, the Adriatic to the east, and the Mediterranean to the south. Italy counts some of the Mediterranean’s largest islands as its own, including Sicily and Sardinia. While the Alps line the borders with Switzerland and France in the north, a long mountain chain with an average altitude of 1,000 m running from north to south occupies the central part of the peninsula and the northern part of the country: the Apennines. No industrial or economic activity of importance has developed in these rugged regions. A rich agricultural area is found in the north of the country, in the valley of the Po. Other plains are located next to coastline. Once swamplands, they were drained and made viable to allow agriculture and tourism to flourish. Tuscany offers beautiful scenery with green hills sprinkled with small country homes and characteristic cypress trees. In the south, some of Europe’s last active volcanoes still grumble: Etna in Sicily, Vesuvius close to Naples, and Stromboli in the Aeolian Islands.

Culture

Already during the reign of the Etruscan civilization, Italy was a well-known geographical territory, as evidenced by ancient manuscripts on display in museums, particularly those of Tuscany and Latium. Though this is where the main remnants of Etruscan civilization were found, this ancient culture was also present in Umbria, Campania, and certain areas of current day Emilia-Romagna and Lombardy. Starting in the third century BC, Italy was the land of the Romans, under whose rule the peninsula was unified (as was much of Europe).

The word Italy appears on a coin dating back to the first century BC, made by a confederation of peoples who were revolting against Rome. This money was found in ancient Corfinium (now Corfino, Abruzzo), capital of the Italic confederation. Rome’s longstanding domination (from the 3rd century BC to the 5th century AD) has left an unmistakable mark in Italy: roads, aqueducts, temples, monuments, cities, bridges, theatres, etc. All reminders of a distant past that is still extraordinarily present all across the country. After the fall of the Roman Empire, Italy was invaded and dominated by foreign forces for many long centuries, mostly in the north and in Sicily. Thanks to the development of independent cities in the centre and in the North such as Venice, Florence, Sienna, Genoa, and Milan, Italian arts and commerce flourished and helped the country prosper and develop into a rich civilization. In the period that followed, the small independent states were unable to resist invasions by larger states such as Spain and Austria. Only the small kingdom of Piedmont managed to remain independent. After a brief Napoleonic occupation, it became the driving force behind the Risorgimento, a movement that paved the way for the definitive unification of Italy in 1870 under the rule of the house of Savoy. After the Second World War, a referendum abolished the monarchy and established a Republic in 1946. The rest is current history. To be continued.

Climate

Italy’s Mediterranean climate changes with the seasons and varies considerably between regions. Summers get longer and dryer as we travel south, reaching temperatures of 40°C at the lower end of the peninsula. In the southern regions of Calabria, Apulia, Basilicata and Campania, the summer drought can extend for more than its usual five months, from may to September. Sicily and Sardinia also suffer from this temperate aridity. In both the Apennines and the natural boundary formed by the Alps to the north, winters are colder and harsher with temperatures dropping below 0°C. In the north, particularly in the valley of the Po, the climate is continental, with cold winters (between 0°C and 10°C) and warm summers (30°C) and more precipitation than in the rest of the peninsula.
The best times to visit Italy are spring and autumn, avoiding July and August, when temperatures can become unbearably hot, unless you stay on the Adriatic coast (25°C). During the winter, ski resorts in the Italian Alps offer similar skiing conditions to those found in their French and Swiss equivalents.