I liked this place. It was super low key. Got the wine sampler so that I could try the sciacchetra,…read morewhich I was afraid to commit to because I'm not a fan of seeeet wine. BTW, it's actually pretty good if you're feeling ambivalent like I was. This place is low key and offers great people watching.

We had a great experience, Jeff and Alessandro have a lot of knowledge as well as passion for the…read morewines that are local to Cinque Terre. The tasting is a great deal as the pours are healthy. We ending up taking a couple bottles home in our suitcase. Getting there wasn't too bad if you have google maps. The views are incredible though, so go before the sunsets!

The food was amazing. Service was amazing…read more The ambiance was amazing with olive trees, a farm and the beautiful sun of Italy full of grape vines. The Bolognese was amazing. The meat sauce was perfect and with adding the extra olive delicious. Their fresh charcuterie and cheese was to die for. The service was world class and very calm.

We had an absolutely wonderful time here as a part of a Trafalgar tour. The food and wine were…read morefantastic. The setting is beautiful inside and out. We enjoyed the tour up to the vineyard. Definitely go here if you have the opportunity!

Spent a great day with Fabian in Montalcino drinking Brunellos. We made stops at three wineries…read morewith tastings including a great lunch at one of the stops. It was great meeting the wine makers, hearing their stories, and drinking their wines. Fabian is very knowledgeable and great with sharing his knowledge of wines, the places you visit, and his knowledgeable of the area. As and added bonus, he takes pictures along the way to capture your day. I would highly recommend.

Thank you Fabian! My wife, daughter and I had the most incredible day touring 3 fantastic vineyards…read morein the beautiful Tuscan countryside. It started with the the ease of booking, and the personal approach Fabian took towards creating our collaborative and specialized itinerary. Coordination was seamless, and while we we were touring some incredible boutique wineries we were tapping into Fabian's deep knowledge of the region and wine. He made our first ever wine tour in Italy a truly special day. We strongly recommend Fabian to anyone wanting an authentic wine experience and we will certainly be seeing Fabian again on our next visit!

Such a great, chill spot! We went here after doing a hike through Cinque Terre and it was the…read moreperfect way to unwind. There were so many options to choose from for wine! We ended up doing a flight and it did not disappoint. The employees were really helpful when we asked them which wines we should try. Definitely stop in here if you get the chance! We didn't get any food, but from what we saw, it looked good!

Came here on a recommendation from travel expert Rick Steves and it did not disappoint!…read more This place is a great people watching spot in the middle of the Cinque Terre town of Monterosso. It was our last day and we knew we wanted to visit for the famous Sciacchetra. We got a little meat and cheese platter that came with some bread and jam. Simple but so good! The star was definitely the Sciacchetra- which is a special dessert wine from this region. We ended up taking a bottle home from this as a souvenir! It's usually served with a little biscotti- like cookie. I've looked for this wine in the U.S. and it's hard to find! I definitely recommend this spot if you're in the area.

We did the truffle hunting experience as a group of 40 the day after our wedding. Vittorio was very…read morehelpful in making sure that we had a bus big enough for the group and gave clear instructions on where to meet him in Florence for our pickup. Our group loved learning about truffles, meeting the dogs, and exploring the woods. We even found 4 truffles that day, though Luna ate one. The lunch is absolutely delightful. Each course is paired with wine and you get to try fresh bread with all of the different truffle oils and butters. I could eat that truffle pasta every single day. You are served in the family home and are treated just like family. It's really very special. At the end of the tour, you can buy wines, salts, or truffle oils. They also sell beautiful candles and plates. This was the perfect post-wedding activity and was so much fun. We left at around 11am and got back by 5pm.

This is an amazing experience to do if you're in the Florence area. The farm is located about 40…read moreminutes away from downtown Florence and is worth renting a car. The roads to the farm are windy and narrow, but the views are incredible. Once we arrived, we were greeted by Francesca (our host and guide). She offered us coffee and water, as well as mosquito repellent since it was summer time. She has a brief overview of what we were going to do. Then we went and got Choco, our truffle hunting dog. He's a friendly and energertic Lagotto Romangnolo. He's specially trained to find truffles, but not eat them. Since it was July in Tuscany, Francesca reminded us that she respected the dogs and if Choco was too hot, we would have to end the hunt. Then we went off on a short hike through the woods. As soon as we got into the woods, Choco stopped and started digging. Francesca and Choco work extremely well with each other and respect each other. Francesca dug up a small (about the size of a button mushroom) white truffle! These are not in season, but it still smelled fragrant and Francesca said she would keep it since it was good quality. For the next half hour we continued to walk through the forest and found 2 black summer truffles and another white truffle. The black summer truffles are not as aromatic as the white ones, but had an earthier smell. Francesca also pointed out other plants and vegetables along the way. When Choco was tired, he let us know by sitting at our feet which indicated it was time for pictures lol. We then walked back to the farmhouse where we said good bye to Choco and ate an amazing 4 course lunch with tons of truffles. Even though it was hot, they provided fans and ice water to keep us cool. I was shocked by how much food we got and the wines served with lunch was incredible! We were so full after lunch! Francesca and her family made sure we were comfortable and well fed. Their hospitality was so generous and we loved every minute we were there. *Helpful Hint* Wear long pants and good sneakers because the forest has lots of branches and thorny plants. The other people in our group wore shorts and it was unconfortable for them to walk around.

Lorna was incredible. First of all, she was super accommodating to our group and came to us at our…read moreAirbnb in Lucca. She gave us a bunch of options of things to learn. We have small children 2.5 years old, 9 and 10 and she worked with them in such a caring way. She brought all the things we needed for an incredible dinner. We made pasta, panzanella, artichoke bake, and meatballs as well as mascarpone snow with chocolate sauce. We laughed and had a blast. Would 1000% reccomend!

Cooking with Lorna was an amazing experience. It is my first time in Tuscany, and I wanted to taste…read moreas many Tuscan dishes/ flavors as possible. So she came up with awesome tasting menu. Everything she instructed me to make came out absolutely delicious . I'm so happy to have met her and learned from her. Thank you.

When my significant other told me we were going on a bus tour, I pictured a slow, simple, and quite…read morerelaxing ride through the Tuscan countryside -- maybe some wine, some photos, and lots of air-conditioned comfort....... Something I've done before, the standard issue bus ride. You can imagine my surprise, and moreso, confusion, when we arrived to find Luca, our friendly tour guide, peeking around the corner greeting us with a very excitable, "Are you ready for your Vespa tour?!?" My eyes immediately widened. Did I hear him correctly? Was something lost in translation? I paused to process.....instinctively went outside for some fresh air.....and came back in after momentarily catching my breath. Still visibly choked-up, I struggled to speak during my waterfall of emotions......."Who's cutting onions in here?" This had all hit me, fast, all at once. I was beyond moved and thoroughly excited. Now, I've been riding for nearly 34 years -- from dirt bikes to adventure bikes to the high-speed track, and as an instructor -- but this experience was something entirely different. What started as a "bus tour" magically transformed (with a twist of the wrist) into one of, if not, the most profound and unforgettable rides of my life. The awesome team at Arianna & Friends made everything seamless, and our private guide, Luca, was nothing short of exceptional -- professional, kind, and deeply passionate about sharing the hidden beauty of his piece of Tuscany. He led us through rolling hills, olive groves, and charming villages, while stopping at breathtaking viewpoints that perfectly captured the magic of the region. This was our ride, Luca included, not just mine. Even with all my years on two wheels, this day reminded me why I fell in love with riding in the first place -- the freedom, the connection, and the pure joy of the open road. I have seriously struggled to find the words (strong enough) to thank Arianna & Friends, Luca, and my significant other, for turning a "bus tour" into a bucket list experience checked off in the most meaningful way. This adventure was exhilarating, enriching for the soul, and unforgettable..... I found peace. Andiamo!

Prior to our visit to the Hilton Grand Vacation Club at Borgo Alle Vigne in rural Selvatelle south…read moreof Pisa, Italy, we contacted Arianna & Friends on line to arrange for a private cooking class for 4 at Rita's Farm in rural Tuscany. The five hour hands on 4-course food preparation session was the best and most rewarding experience of our trip to Italy. Massimo was an excellent guide and teacher. We were impressed by his vast knowledge of subjects which he presented in an interesting way. Silvia the cook was patient and supportive. Her warm, sweet personality showed through language barrier. We really had fun learning to cook and appreciate Italian food and wine.

We had a great time on our tour with Roberto from We Drive You Tuscany! We did the 8 hour San…read moreGimignano and Chianti Classico as well as the Pienza, Val d'Orcia, Montalcino wine and Pecorino cheese private tours with Roberto. This was my first trip to Italy, we enjoyed a comfortable ride throughout the countryside in the clean, air conditioned van! Roberto was so knowledgeable and made sure we knew all the best places to visit along with the history of the beautiful Tuscan countryside! He even gave us recommendations for our second leg of the trip to Rome. We will definitely use this service again!!

We had the pleasure of touring Tuscany with We Drive You Tuscany. Roberto was our driver and we…read morehad a beautiful Mercedes van that was new and comfortable. Bottled water was provided and he even stopped to get Fresh pizza for us. By the time we finished touring with Roberto for two days we felt that we knew so much about the area, history and culture of the region. Roberto's knowledge or art, history, food and culture was so impressive. The tour we did with Roberto was much more than him driving us from place to place. Each place we went was so carefully planned and curated. We visited wineries, vineyards and a sheep farm that makes cheese. With his help, we were able to visit every place we wanted to see as well as some smaller unknown, hidden gems. We saw so many beautiful landscapes and Roberto stopped frequently for us to take in the views! I cannot say enough wonderful things about Roberto. We hope to go back soon to tour Umbria and Florence with Roberto.

My children and I (4 adults) took a cooking class at Chef per Caso during our stay in Genoa.  It…read morewas definitely the highlight of our trip!  Donatella and her translator (Barbara) were great host.  We prepared focaccia (2 different kinds), pesto, pasta, vegetable pie, and cookies.  Everything was made from scratch with the freshest ingredients.  The food turned out amazing!  We enjoyed eating all the food that we had cooked and they packed the leftovers for us for our train ride.  I would highly recommend this experience if you are in the area.

On our family vacation to Liguria, we attended a cooking class with Donatella while on a day trip…read moreto Genoa. This cooking class - and spending time with bubbly Donatella and her charming English speaking helper, Simona - was an absolute highlight of our trip. I emailed Donatella after seeing the listing on tripadvisor, and checking out her website and yelp. I emailed her and she responded within hours. She let me know availability and was absolutely accommodating to our request for vegetarian dishes only. I had a good feeling about the class even before we got to Genoa as Donatella 1. didn't request payment up front (always a question when booking internationally) and 2. emailed the day before to reconfirm. The price was also fair and comparable per person to cooking classes in the U.S. Her well established and equipped facility is a fifteen minute walk along mainroads from Genoa Principe station. Google walking directions were accurate - it looks confusing because of the many overpassing roads, but basically just keep walking one street up from the harbor opposite the cruise ships and you will get there just fine. We were greeted by Donatella and her friend Simona, who we understand gives excellent tours of Genoa and is a delight. Donatella had asked her to help to ensure we understood all the instructions. Six of us attended the class, each taking turns working on one of the five courses we would later be eating others observing or working on prepping for the next round. Donatella was great at demonstrating and explaining the procedure and reasoning for the various methods and ingredients - we made two variations on most dishes to contrast and compare. It was therefore fun but also truly educational. She even answered our questions about the many wonderful gadgets in her well equipped kitchen and we each left with a mental shopping list of kitchen gadgets to buy at home. The lesson moved along at a brisk pace, and soon there were delicious aromas emanating from the ovens. We wrapped up the cooking and sat down to eat all the courses we had prepared at Donatella's excellent direction. It was all delicious and a wonderful way to spend a few hours. We took home the leftovers and are excited to incorporate her recipes and techniques into our cooking at home. Molto bene!!!

Come for the cooking, stay for the show! Chef Monti is not only a great teacher, he's also…read morehysterical. His jokes are terrible, politically incorrect and laugh-out-loud funny! The classroom is very intimate and from the first minute you are working hands-on: measuring, weighing, slicing, chopping, kneading, etc. I took the pizza, focaccia and bread class, and although I've been making bread for 20 years, I learned many new tricks--including how to toss pizza dough and more importantly, how to catch it again! His approach is very easy to follow and his methods stress "how things should feel" rather than relying on slavish devotion to recipes. The school is attached to a working restaurant in the Carignano Hotel in the outskirts of Lucca. He offers six, four-hour courses and many people stay in the hotel and make these cooking classes a destination vacation. I was very entertained.

In a large and lovely kitchen I learned how to make several sauces, pasta, and a little dessert…read more The class was extremely planned and well put together. I was amazed at how easily Chef Paolo taught us- he is a natural chef and teacher. We will be back for more classes soon!