What adventure awaits you?
The food…
Sumptuous delights
Italian food can often be sublime in that the subtleties of some Italian dishes are better suited to those who like to ‘discover’ tastes rather than be knocked over the head with them. A bit of a puzzle for the senses in trying to determine what a specific flavour might be.
The artful use of saffron delights those who are are familiar with its’ delicate flavour and have just discovered it in a favourite dish. More expensive than gold due to the laborious process of harvesting the three crocus stigmas at a time, it takes 75,000 saffron flowers to make just one pound of spice.
The creamy spinach dish shown here was made in the kitchen at the delightful Caffè Casolani in Casole d’Elsa. As you can see it has a generous dose of saffron. This was divine.
Wine harvest/ tastings
Wine, and wine being part of one’s life
With the wine harvest being such a longstanding tradition in Italian culture - the countryside comes alive with festivals, feasts and celebrations in autumn months.
Ask guide Francesca Beccuci who was born and raised in Tuscany surrounded by wonderful local food and wines – where to find the best wine regions. She can also tell you a lot about the grapes and the wines they yield. September, through November, are peak seasons for plucking the plummy conveyors of lovely taste sensations.
Join us in the autumn of 2021 when we seek out some of the most interesting wine stories in the region. One of them is from Bichi Borghesi the 17th century estate where this photo of Ricardo was taken - which was introduced to us by chef and guide Sophie Chamberlain.
Did we mention the food?
“Tubero”, “Tuber Terrae” or …
Simply truffles. Italians love truffles. Is that a broad generalization? Yes but it’s true. Truffle hunting was first noted as being part of the Sumerian diet (Mesopotamia region) around 1600 - 1700 BC. The James Beard’s of the Sumerian culture used the truffle by mixing it with barley, or chick peas, lentils and mustard. The “tuber terrae” as the early truffles were known were not the perfumed truffle we know today and were more common then. And thus less expensive.
Later in Rome truffles delighted the palates of the patrician Romans and
studies on the truffle proliferated. Pliny the Elder called it “callus of the earth” while Juvenal was so infatuated that he said “I would rather the corn failed than the truffle”. More on the truffle later on after we’ve engaged in the hunt ourselves…. Next autumn.
Day tours with Gianmaria and Francesca
"A day to delight all of your senses delivering memories unlike any other."
1) Truffle hunting, cooking class with lunch in the area of San Miniato or surroundings.
2) Hiking in the Devil’s Valley, guided tour and lunch in one of the small hidden villages (Pomarance/Larderello/Sasso Pisano). This is a unique geothermal region with natural pools and steamy output.
3) a day in the Bolgheri wine region visiting wine and olive estates with a lunch at a local restaurant.
Other potential activities (costs coming shortly) : riding horses in the Bolgheri area, visiting with the delightful cowboys in Maremma, and a village where the fishermen bring in their catch in the Orbetello laguna.
Ballooning – the magic of flight in Tuscany
A new vantage point for seeing a very old and spectacular country. A slow meander on the uprising early morning thermals - will drift you over the most breathtaking scenery you’ve experienced at the core of your being.
One of the best options for hot-air ballooning is our new affiliate, the Tuscan Aerostatic Association. Their flights begin in the Chianti region and ascend from Tavarnelle Val di Pesa. All flights begin first thing in the morning to capture the ideal conditions of the stable air.
Thanks to the strategic position of the launch site, you will be flying over old castles, Tuscan Renaissance villas, the ancient villages of Poggibonsi, Siena, San Gimignano and Colle Val D'Elsa.
The pulchritudinous (lovely way to describe it) – Chianti landscape, is comprised of rolling hills and delightful valleys that you will never forget. On a clear day, if you fly high enough you can see the Tyrrhenian / Mediterranean reflecting the morning sun in the distance. (Pre-arranged flights are for your party only.)
Breakfast is served at the end of the flight at a lovely table (white linen tablecloth of course) in the Chianti countryside with the most delectable kmzero products.
The Tuscan Aerostatic Association have been operating since 1990. You will quickly understand this is not a job – but a real passion for this wonderful gang. And they love to share their passion with people who can appreciate the profound beauty of a flight with them.
Authentic. Real people.
Come to your senses
There is so much character in Italy. The lovely island of Giglio wth its’ fishing boats above is from an adventure that guide Sophie Chamberlain took us on a few years ago. It was unforgettable… everywhere you look is a rich feast for the eyes.
Plenty of fish
Come to Italy and join in the adventures with our affiliate Gianmaria who has also arranged to take you to another fishing village where you will be welcomed aboard the dock where the fish are brought in. This is the origin of where they are shipped directly to restaurant tables… this adventure begins in a southern Italian village known for its great charm.
Feel young again at the Lucca Antiquities market
Visit the Lucca antique market with us - noted to be one of the finest in Italy and arguably the entire world. This is where you might just find a Caravaggio hidden under a big pile of burgundy velvet curtains, or a set of ornate solid silver candlesticks previously used to light a great hall in a nobleman's castle. This is time travel in real time - this market will transport you to centuries long gone that in this day and age even with thundering horse hooves and turrets tossing boiling oil on invaders - still seem a respite from the madness of today’s world.