A taste of Tuscany

Your Italy holiday begins with a flight to Florence, where you’ll be taken to Fiesole and the serene Il Salviatino, which sits on a hillside just 15 minutes from Florence. You’ll be guaranteed panoramic views, and you can indulge in the spa or relax by the pool and take in the vistas after a day’s cooking.

Enjoy a personalised cooking class at the Touch Florence restaurant in the heart of the city. With your expert chef, you will go to the local markets to select the best seasonal produce, and prepare dishes such as Tuscan bruschetta, gnocchi, fettuccine and local meats, as well as traditional Italian desserts such as tiramisu. Afterwards, you’ll get to enjoy the fruits of your labour. 

Pasta is a staple of Italian cuisine, and during your stay here you’ll learn how to make it the Italian way on a pasta-making class in the spectacular setting of an 18th-century abbey – including preparing seasonal sauces and desserts – before tucking into your creations. You’ll also get to taste some of Italy’s renowned vintages on a wine-tasting experience at the Antinori vineyards, where you will visit the cellars and enjoy lunch on the rooftop terrace, overlooking the Chianti hills.

Take time out to explore Florence, which is easily reachable, and see its top art and architectural treasures. For incredible views, look out over Florence and the Chianti hills from above in a hot air balloon.  

After picking up your car, it’s a scenic drive to the next stop on your Italian culinary journey, Montepulciano, where you’ll check in at Hotelito Lupaia, a charming retreat set in the beautiful Tuscan hills. 

Discover more delights of Italian cooking at Lupaia’s traditional Tuscan cooking class, held in their Mama’s-style kitchen. Under expert guidance, create dishes from pasta to aperitifs, which you can devour afterwards. The menu features seasonal produce from the hotel’s vegetable gardens and the local markets, so only the freshest ingredients will be used for your Tuscan lunch.

You will also visit Podere Il Casale, a 16th-century organic farm on a scenic hilltop near Pienza, which offers beautiful views over the vineyards, olive trees and the UNESCO-listed Val d’Orcia. The farm’s grain fields and vegetable gardens provide the ingredients for their pasta, bread and other dishes, including preserves and honeys, while the free-roaming pigs, sheep and goats provide pork, milk and award-winning cheeses. Select vegetables from the garden and learn how to cook traditional seasonal dishes, including delicious pizza. Learn more on a tour of the farm and dairy, and enjoy a meal and wine on the terrace, overlooking the valley. 

On a break from the kitchen, explore the charming hilltop town of Montepulciano, relax by the pool and take in the quintessential Tuscan views over a glass of wine at sunset.