Fresh pasta and filling pizza are highlights of any trip to Florence, but these five tours will take you even deeper into Tuscan culinary bliss.
(Photo: Getyourguide.com)
The Tuscan countryside is revered for its produce, from the wine heartlands of nearby Chianti to the delicate cheeses, olive oils and balsamic vinegars that are produced here and consumed around the world. An essential experience for visitors to Florence is to take a food and wine tasting tour, because the two combine so perfectly. So, clean your palate and get ready for some of the finest tastes Tuscany has to offer on these tours encompassing wine, cooking and eating, and sometimes all three combined.
Florence Cheese and Wine Tasting
Head to a family-run enoteca (wine bar) in central Florence for an early-evening tasting session that fits perfectly in the gap between sightseeing and dinner. This hour-long exploration of Tuscan wines and cheeses includes a Super Tuscan noir, a Chianti and one other wine, picked out by a dedicated sommelier for the perfect blend of local red wine flavours. These will be paired with the ideal local cheeses, elevating the sensory experience even further. This tour runs from Tues to Sat each week. From €41 per person.
(Photo: Viator.com)
Chianti Wineries Tour with Food and Wine Tastings from Florence
If you’d like to sample wines from the local wine region, this day trip to Chianti, one of Italy’s best-known and most celebrated wine producing regions, roughly an hour’s drive south of Florence, is the perfect way to go about it. Visit two wineries in the Chianti Hills on this five-hour tour, taking a tour of the facilities and vineyards there, before sampling their results. Taste seven different wines in total, paired with cheeses, bread and olive oil made in the same region. From €44 per person.
Cooking Class and Lunch at a Tuscan Farmhouse
If you want a truly rewarding food experience when you visit Florence, a cooking class can pay dividends long after you’ve left the sights and sounds of Tuscany behind. Start by taking a local market tour to buy the vital ingredients and then head out into the countryside, where you’ll find the classroom: a genuine Tuscan farmhouse. Your chef guide will show you how to prepare the best bruschetta, handmade pasta and tiramisu. At the end of it all, you can sip a nice glass of Chianti along with a four-course meal. From €120 per person.
(Photo: Getyourguide.com)
From Florence – Tuscany Wine & Food Tour with Guide
For a more in-depth tour of rural Tuscany from Florence, there’s this eight-hour guided tour. Combining a little sightseeing in the medieval town of Greve, with tours and wine tastings at three wineries, seems like a nice balance. Add into that the chance to explore wine cellars and gardens, and the full rural Tuscan experience starts to materialise. But it wouldn’t be complete without food, which is why a typical Tuscan lunch, along with wine pairings, is provided at one of the wineries as well. From €129 per person.
Full-Day Small-Group Truffle Hunting in Tuscany with Lunch
They are legendary in the culinary world, a delicacy often commanding thousands of dollars apiece. That is because truffles are rare. Tuscan truffles are especially prized in the culinary community. You have a chance to search for this elusive ingredient yourself on a guided truffle hunt, one of the most unique things to do in Tuscany. You will join a seasoned truffle hunter and his trusty dog on a trek through Tuscan woodland near San Miniato, a medieval hill town. Finish the tour at a local truffle shop, trying the delicious truffles as part of a two-course lunch. From €295 per person.