The Tuscan Borgo™

Tie on your aprons and join us in the heart of San Gimignano – in the quiet countryside of vineyards and sunflower fields for a week of cooking, truffle hunting and discovering a charming borgo, small Tuscan village!

Arrive and check into the 13th century convent nestled in the rolling hills of San Gimignano surrounded by centuries-old cypress trees, endless vineyards and silvery leafed olive groves. A scenic view spans the emerald, green landscape of San Gimignano including the two famous towers, Torre Grossa and Torri dei Salvucci – both are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This ancient medieval village, peppered with Etruscan history, is not only known for its hearty cuisine, but history, wine and culture.

Join chefs Chefs Dante and Antonio and learn how to prepare Tuscan recipes including traditional antipasto, fresh pasta and sauces, main courses, and desserts while sipping and swirling the precious local wine of the Tuscan region. Learn about truffles, the most famous tubers in the world, during a truffle hunt with our expert hunter and truffle dog. There’s also a cooking class dedicated to Tuscan pasta making and seasonal sauces.

Tuscan Cooking Classes

Join us in the Tuscan kitchen and participate in hands-on cooking classes where farm-to-table ingredients are used and sourced from the nearby farmland. Learn about Tuscan food history while rolling out fresh pasta and making seasonal sauces, main courses, and delicious desserts.

Menus follow the rhythms of the season using fresh produce along with meat, fish, and farm eggs. Together with our chefs, you’ll master the basics of Tuscan cooking, learning techniques such as chopping, braising, boiling, sautéing, and roasting. Full course Tuscan menus change with the seasons, always respecting food allergies while following the farm-to-table, and zero-kilometer philosophy – meaning the ingredients come from less than one kilometer away.

Begin with an antipasto like papapa al pomodoro, a slow cooked tomato and bread soup. You’ll learn how to prepare Tuscan crostini, toasted artisan bread with sun-dried tomato and herbs or classical chicken liver pate. Antipasti are endless – there are red bell peppers filled with a bread and cheese stuffing, fried zucchini flowers or a medley of flash-fried vegetables served in a basket.

You’ll prepare homemade Tuscan pasta including ravioli, pici all’aglione – handmade pasta in a creamy garlic sauce – pappardelle al cinghiale, and tagliatelle garnished with shaved truffles. You will learn the secret ingredients for the perfect cinta senese, a wild pork sauce or truffle lasagna. Tuscans are famous for side plates such as cannellini beans slow-cooked with rosemary and garlic, and farm-roasted potatoes and creamy whipped pumpkin.

Main courses tempt with wild rabbit slow cooked in Chianti wine, and Fiorentina steak – grilled on open coals. Tuscan wines are paired with each course featuring Vernaccia di San Gimignano, a local white wine that charms with its crisp, floral bouquet and subtle mineral undertones, reflecting the ancient vineyards of Tuscany and Chianti wine, a deep red classic with a robust blend of cherry and plum flavors, enriched with spicy oak and a smooth velvety finish, and capturing the essence of its rich Etruscan roots.

Every cooking class ends with a sweet dolce, including semi-freddo, a half-frozen ice-cream made with seasonal fresh fruit – flavors include peach to chestnut, and tiramisù – moist ladyfinger dessert dipped in espresso and layered with Mascarpone. Following each cooking class, everyone enjoys the food that was prepared in the cooking class with Tuscan wine included.

Truffle Hunting

Discover the art of truffle hunting guided by our experts and accompanied by our skilled dogs. Walk through umbrellaed paths covered with trees as each truffle guide has their secret spot and learn about the tubers’ seasons. After the truffle hunt, return to the property and enjoy a traditional Tuscan truffle-inspired lunch in the cellar prepared by the Chef with wine included.

San Gimignano

San Gimignano is the city of music, sunflowers and towers! Nestled in the Tuscan hills, the ancient town is steeped in medieval history and boasts a landscape dominated by vineyards and olive groves. Lined with Tuscan stone houses, the streets lead to the vibrant local life where each corner tells a story of the past. This small town captures everyone’s heart and is a true testament to Tuscany’s endless allure offering visitors an authentic slice of Italian heritage amid the world-famous production of Vernaccia di San Gimignano and Chianti wines. Here, the past and present fuse seamlessly, inviting travelers to explore, relax, and indulge in the timeless tastes of Tuscany.

In the Middle Ages, San Gimignano was an important stop on the Via Francigena – the ancient pilgrim route from Canterbury to Rome via France and Switzerland. San Gimignano was also strategical geographic position on the road between Pisa and Siena for trade. Thanks to the production of saffron and wine – Vernaccia being the most popular – and to banking, San Gimignano prospered and developed into one of the wealthiest cities along with Florence and Venice.

This ancient town rises on a 334-meter-high hill, dominating the Elsa Valley with its famous two tours, Torre Grossa (the big tower) and Torri dei Salvucci. Once the seat of a small Etruscan village of the Hellenistic period from 200-300 BC, this beautiful town takes its name from the Holy Bishop of Modena, St. Gimignano. He is said to have saved the village from the barbarian hordes. Encircled by 13th-century walls, its main Piazza della Cisterna is a triangular square lined with medieval palazzos. The Duomo di San Gimignano, the town’s 12th-century church, is home to frescoes by Domenico Ghirlandaio, a famous Italian Renaissance painter from Florence who lived from 1448 to 1494.

Volterra

Voltera is a beautiful Tuscan village set behind ancient stone walls and dates back to the 8th century. It boasts structures from the Etruscan, Roman, and Medieval periods. In the Roman period, Volterra was an important municipium. It was the birthplace of the second Christian Pope, San Lino, and of the poet Persio Flacco.

Volterra’s center is home to the Palazzo dei Priori adorned with medieval frescoes and a bell tower with expansive views of the Tuscan countryside. In this charming city, visit the Guarnacci Etrurian Museum whose rich collection of archaeological artifacts are one-of-a-kind. On the list of top things to do is the Roman Theater complex which includes the ruins of 3rd-century baths, and the Volterra Cathedral crowned by a marble entrance and a gilded coffered ceiling.

Siena

Set among the olive groves and vineyards of Chianti, Siena is one of the most popular towns in Tuscany. Its ancient structure, history, traditions, and cuisine remain frozen in time. Visit the famous and historic Piazza del Campo regarded as one of the most beautiful town squares in Europe. This piazza is also famous for its bi-annual historic horse races, the Palio in July 2 and August 16. Another must-see is the Duomo, a striking Italian Romanesque architecture that was originally intended to be the grandest cathedral in existence. Visit the Palazzo Pubblico home to Ambrogio Lorenzetti’s frescoes. Narrow, winding streets – where only pedestrians are allowed – lead to artisan leather-makers, wine bars, and trattorias. After touring Siena, slip into any one of the beautiful caffés on the Piazza del Campo, order a plate of Tuscan pasta, an expresso, gelato or wine and watch the world go by.

San Gimignano Accommodations

Nestled in a Tuscan borgo and just a couple miles from San Gimignano, the villa property is set in the countryside surrounded by vineyards and the silence of nature. The property is furnished in traditional Tuscan style with antique furniture, terracotta floors and wooden ceiling beams above. Comfy bedding and Italian linens adorn each room – complete with an ensuite private bath and have modern amenities to elevate your stay, such as heating/air conditioning, a safe, complimentary wifi, and a TV. Each room offers a beautiful terrace with stunning views of green fields and vineyards under blue skies, and an enchanting secret garden brimming with cypress and citrus trees scenting the air. Breakfast is served daily and includes homemade Italian cakes, bread, biscotti, yogurt, fresh fruit from the garden, coffee, tea, juices, and jams.

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Itinerary ~ 7 days, 6 nights

Day One~ Arrival and Welcome Dinner

• Check-in and enjoy your Cooking Vacations’ Welcome Bag with a Prosecco. Meet your host and staff.
• In the evening, enjoy a Welcome Dinner featuring a Chef’s Tasting Menu including a full course menu of Tuscan fare with a wine tasting included.

Day Two~Vineyard Tour, Picnic Lunch and Pasta Cooking Class 1

• Breakfast is served.
• In the morning, enjoy a private tour of the property and vineyard. Tour the vineyard with our English-speaking guide. After your tour, enjoy a Tuscan vineyard picnic lunch paired with wine including artisan salami and cheeses, and a main course such as truffle lasagna. Biscotti and Vin Santo, a sweet wine, are included for dessert.
• In the afternoon, tie on your aprons for cooking class 1. Learn how to prepare antipasti, a typical first course with fresh homemade pasta and seasonal sauces along with dessert.
• Following the cooking class, everyone enjoys dinner including the food that was prepared in the cooking class with a glass of wine.

Day Three~ Discover Siena

• Breakfast is served.
• Following breakfast, visit Siena, Tuscany’s famous town and home to the Piazza del Campo where the famous Palio horse race is held each year in early July 2 and August 16, with your driver. Visit the Basilica of San Domenico – Saint Catherine’s Cathedral, known for its Gothic architecture.
• Take time to shop in the artisan food stores, enotecas, and artisan leather shops.
• Following Siena, return to the Villa to relax and enjoy activities such as yoga class.
• Later in the evening, dinner is on your own with suggestions provided.

Day Four~ Truffle Hunting and Florentine Steak Dinner

• Breakfast is served.
• Following breakfast, meet our experienced truffle hunter and truffle dog, and trek through the forest searching for truffles.  Follow his technique as you learn about the prized tubers.  Following the truffle hunt, enjoy a scenic walk back to the property and enjoy a truffle inspired lunch in the wine cellar.
• Enjoy the rest of the afternoon.  Relax, explore the property’s garden, or participate in of the activities on the property such as horseback riding, yoga classes, trekking, or e-biking available upon request at a surcharge.

• In the evening, enjoy a Florentine steak dinner and wine tasting. Start the evening enjoying artisan cheese and salami appetizers paired with local wine, followed by a full course Florentine steak cook out paired with the property’s wine.  Dessert follows with a glass of Vin Santo, the blessed sweet wine, included.

Day Five~ Traditional Tuscan Cooking Class 2

• Breakfast is served.
• Following breakfast, tie on your aprons for cooking class 2. Learn how to prepare a traditional Tuscan menu including antipasto, fresh pasta and sauce, main course and dessert with wine included.

• Lunch follows and includes the foods that were prepared in your Cooking Class 2 with wine included.
• After your class, enjoy the afternoon.  Relax, explore the property’s garden, or participate in of the activities on the property such as horseback riding, yoga classes, trekking, or e-biking available upon request at a surcharge.
• Later in the evening, dinner is on your own with suggestions provided.

Day Six~ Discover San Gimignano and Volterra, and Farewell Dinner

• Breakfast is served.
• Following breakfast, enjoy a full day excursion to San Gimignano and Volterra with your driver.  Discover San Gimignano, city of music, sunflowers and towers!  Walk the small pedestrian only town, shop in any one of the artisan boutiques including artisan salumi, pasta and wine to clothing and leather good.  Following our visit to San Gimignano, is a visit to Volterra. This Tuscan town dates from before the 8th century BC and keeps its character with historical landmarks.  Stroll through Palazzo dei Priori adorned with medieval frescoes and a bell tower.  Visit the Volterra Cathedral or the remains of the Etruscan Acropolis, the Mario Guarnacci Museum with a collection of archaeological artifacts, and the Roman Theater complex including the ruins of 3rd-century baths
• In the evening, return to the property to enjoy a Farewell Chef’s Tasting Dinner with a full course Tuscan dinner and wine included.
  

  Day 7: Departure & Arrivederci!

• Breakfast is served.
• Check out and departure. Arrivederci!