Tuscany Gardens & Gourmet

Be sure to allow time to explore dazzling Siena before our Rendezvous and the short transfer to our hotel near the village of Radda in Chianti. Over a Welcome aperitif, an Introductory Talk is followed by Dinner.

We visit the ancient abbey, now a private residence, at Badia a Coltibuono, tour the exquisite walled garden and the interior of the house before we enjoy a tasting of the honey and olive oil produced at the farm. We walk on to Gaiole, in the heart of Chianti, for lunch in the local trattoria. In the afternoon, we continue to the lovely Castello di Brolio and explore the gardens, the little private chapel and taste their own excellent wine in one of the most beautiful wineries in Chianti.

Today we walk through the vineyards that produce the famous Chianti wine and we can often watch the farmers tending their vines. In the distance we see, perched on high, Monteriggioni, built in the Middle Ages and perhaps the quintessential Tuscan hill-village, our destination for the morning. A short visit of the little walled town is followed by a lovely al fresco lunch in a local restaurant. We walk in the afternoon in a landscape that will vary dramatically; from the well-organized, regimented vineyards we walk in a terrain that has changed color from brown to red, in woodland and through fields of sunflowers. We arrive at the old abbey of Abbadia Isola, built originally, as the name suggests, on an island in a lake now completely dried up.

Our walk starts on the outskirts of Siena, and we enjoy broad Tuscan vistas as we journey to the Certosa di Pontignano. Originally built by the Carthusian order, the Abbey is now owned and meticulously maintained by the University of Siena. We can admire the manicured walled garden, the cloisters and the chapel. We continue with an easy walk to a typical trattoria in Ponte a Bozzone for a delicious lunch with local produce. In the afternoon, we walk to the nearby Villa di Geggiano, where the owner will welcome us and open the gates of his garden and the doors of his small but splendid private villa, dated c. 1700, describe the beautifully decorated
Interior and introduce us to a tasting of his wines. We continue to our second hotel - Borgo Pretale – a truly fascinating hamlet dating back, in parts, to the eleventh century and now a top hotel.

From the hotel at Borgo Pretale, we walk through ancient woods, following the tracks of the local hunters. On reaching the valley below, we continue on a private road, with views of the surrounding hills, to the Castello di Spannocchia, a truly magical place. It is a unique integration of historic architecture and landscape, as well as a working organic farm; here we will tour the gardens, hear the history of the Spannocchi family and the mezzadria sharecropping system. The highlight of our day will be the cooking class given by Loredana Betti who grew up on the estate when her family were tenant farmers and where, as a young girl, she learned to prepare the traditional fare of the region. We will select the ingredients and prepare our own lunch, accompanied by Spannocchia wine and spring water.

Another day amongst ancient woods and castles. We walk first to the old Castello di Celsa where we'll visit the beautiful lemon garden and the park, and enjoy breathtaking views of the countryside around with the profile of Siena in the distance. After our private visit we will lunch on local produce – prosciutto, salads and cheeses. In the afternoon we have glimpses of the Villa di Cetinale; from the Romitorio (hermitage) we can savour the greatest views of the week - a fitting finale before we slowly wind our way back to our hotel for a Farewell Dinner.

After breakfast, we transfer back to Siena and say “arrivederci”.