Was in the area for a weekend wedding and the happy couple suggested this as a good spot to visit…read more Tours are also in English and about 1.5 hours. Lots to eat, drink and shop tourist things while waiting for your tour to begin. Then you get in a bus to the beautiful caves. Groups were big, I thought a little too big. Call ahead to find the time of the tour in your requested language.

Lovely time exploring the caves and they have a shuttle bus that takes you from the parking area to…read morethe actual cave entrance which is awesome especially in all that summer heat. There is also plenty of food trucks and souvineer shops along with bathrooms to keep you entertained while you wait in a covered area with a few benches. Tickets can be purchased at this location or beforehand. The entrance to the caves is super cool and feels like you're going into one of the rides of Disneyland. Our guide had a huge group to handle so it was really hard to understand her. I would suggest they provide more small group options instead of 20-30 people in the guided tours. Overall, loved the caves and thought they are definately worth the visit.

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.

We had never travelled to Europe before and were looking for a special way to celebrate 30 years of…read moremarriage. When we found the Wine & Cooking in the Heart of Chianti and Florence, Tuscany trip on the CDV website, it seemed like everything we were looking for. Now that we are home, we look back fondly on a perfect vacation, and know we can't wait another 30 years to do it again. From the initial planning, CDV was super responsive and helpful in answering all our questions, and they sent detailed information about what to expect. When we departed for our trip, we felt comfortable that we were in good hands. Then, from the moment we arrived at the Florence airport, our host Lorenzo took over led us on the trip of a lifetime. The entire week was very well planned and organized, and we went to so many fabulous places, but whenever we discuss our trip, the thing that stands out most is the people we got to meet and spend time with: Lorenzo is an amazing host - fun, passionate, patient and knowledgeable. He did a great job transforming our group from strangers to close friends by dinner on the first day. He is a great person and we feel so fortunate to have met him. We still keep in touch with Lorenzo on WhatsApp. Gianfranco was not just our bus driver. He is part of our CDV family. Yes he got us safely from point A to points B, C and D comfortably and safely every day, but he also cooked with us, dined with us, and had fun with us. Unfortunately for Gianfranco, his job did not allow him to drink wine with us. Simonetta - our amazing chef and cooking teacher. We had two cooking classes with Simonetta and she prepared two of our dinners. I could talk about Simonetta for hours, but for this review I will just say that we love her. The cooking classes were so much fun and she is very special. CDV has close relationships with all the people we visited, and we especially enjoyed our time with Mourizio at Piombia; Enrico at De Rici - what a fun guy he is; Patrizia our cooking teacher in the Cortona countryside; Piero at Poggerino; and especially Simone and Chris at Castellinuzza e Piuca - I don't remember having a more fun evening than our time with Simone and Chris. There are too many others to list them all here, but every host was gracious and engaging. Grazie Mille CDV for a trip we will never forget!

VACATION OF A LIFETIME - ABSOLUTELY AMAZING…read more My lifelong dream has always been to go to Tuscany. After considering all options, I chose the Culture Discovery "Wine and Cooking Under the Tuscan and Umbrian Sun" vacation. I wanted to see the countryside, the small towns, the history and how the people really live. CDV gave me exactly what I was hoping for, and so much more. Italy was everything I had ever imagined it would be - the people; the food; the ancient, interesting small, hill towns; the spectacular scenery. I cannot say enough about how friendly, warm and welcoming every single person was. They truly made us feel like we were one of the family - family I would love to visit often. The other guests on the tour were a wide range of ages and from all walks of life. They were interesting and fun and everyone came together to have and make the best possible experience they possibly could. The small group size also contributed to that feeling of family. Our accommodation was absolutely gorgeous and CDV had thought of every possible comfort and welcoming kindness. The sightseeing trips were wonderfully selected, the cooking classes were more interesting and fun than one could hope for and the food and drink were just plain amazing. I would never consider traveling with another company after the incredible time I had with CDV.

Great service! We were picked up at the car rental drop off at the Bologna airport and delivered to…read moreour rental swiftly and smoothly. Our driver was exceptionally helpful, carrying some of our luggage to our apartment as the street was car free on weekends, so we had a short walk. Pick up at 3am a few days later was easy and prompt. Communication was maintained easily and the early morning drive to the airport was great. A top notch company that we will use again.

Book this company! Giacomo was great to work with. When our driver canceled 1 hour before, I called…read moreand he got me driver. Thank you for saving our trip!

Mano was our tour guide during our stay in Florence. It was well-organized, and filled with so many…read morehistorical and fun stops along the way. We started early around 7AM, grabbing a bite to eat at the train station where we met up, before embarking on our adventures. Our first stop was at Pisa where we spent about an hour taking pictures of the leaning tower, as well as the Duomo cathedral. Next stop was the Cinque Terre, which we got to visit and see 3 out of 5 islands since 2 of them were closed off. The tour did not include lunch, but there was an option to prepay for our lunch or to venture on our own. We opted for the prepaid one since we knew we were limited on time, so that Mano could put in our order for us. Cinque Terre was breath-taking, and words could not sum up the feeling when you come there. It is crowded for sure, but take a moment to be still and look around you. All of the colorful houses were unique and quirky, which made for great background in photos. There is enough time to shop around for souvenirs, and eat gelato (omg, the best)! I only wished we booked lodging here so we could spend more time to explore, but until next time. This tour was amazing, and the group of people we were with were engaging and chill. We each did our own thing, and only met up at each designated spot when it came time. We ended the tour around 8PM, so it was well spent to say the least! Highly recommended!!

My boyfriend and I booked a half day WINE NOT tour with Italy on a Budget and as it was low season…read morein January, we ended up being the only ones on the tour! We were very pleased with the outcome of the private tour and was quite glad the company did not cancel our booking due to the small amount of people. The office itself was very easy to locate, just 5 minutes away from our hotel. Eduardo was our tour guide/driver and he did an excellent job providing useful information and answering all of our questions. The countryside of Tuscany/Chianti region is a beautiful place that is best reached by car. As we all know driving in Italy can be scary if you're a foreigner so we were glad we had Eduardo to drive us. Not only was Eduardo a wonderful tour guide and driver, he also was our photographer during the tour. This man is a jack of all trade! We visited 2 wineries on the tour. The owner of the first winery gave us a wonderful overview of how his winery works and we got to sample cheese, bread, and olive oil along with our wine tasting. The second winery we visited was a smaller, family-owned winery. Here we also got to sample olive oil with bread and wine. In the end we enjoyed both wineries so much my boyfriend and I ordered wines to be shipped back home to the U.S. After a few hours of wine tasting Eduardo drove us back to Florence. We had a nice chat along the way and learned a lot about Italy. If we had more time I would not hesitate to book with this company again. They offer many other great tours at a very reasonable price. Thanks again Italy on a Budget and Eduardo for a wonderful time! My last bit of advice to you is to be sure to have eaten prior to this tour as you will be tasting quite a bit of wine. Enjoy and have fun!

We booked the 'Sunset Tour - Taste of Tuscany' last minute after finding out about it from our…read morehotel (10% discount with the brochure!), and had no difficulty booking online. Our family of 4 were the only participants, and our guide was early as well, so we were able to get our bikes, helmets & complimentary water bottles right away. Sally was very friendly and extremely patient with my mother, who had not ridden a bike on decades. She gave us very clear instructions on how to efficiently utilize our bike gears, and detailed information on what to expect. She also provided us interesting trivia about the Tuscany region, the manufacturing of olive oil, some local history, and even the scoop on Kanye & Kim's recent wedding. Lots of fun. The first half was mostly uphill, passing by some really magnificent scenery. We enjoyed some delicious wine & bruchetta at a local Villa, overlooking an incredible view that I'm sure the rich residents enjoy everyday. And the return route was an easy downhill with more beautiful sights, stopping by an outlook for some quick snapshots. I really like how this tour does have a little bit of everything in only a short few hours. My only complaint is that the actual sunset didn't happen until after the tour was long over.

There are not enough positive things we can say about this tour. So professional, so fun and…read moreamazing food, lodging and biking! We loved Marco! We stayed in gorgeous accommodations for all three nights that were prearranged. Our first day of biking we got rained out, but Marco was more than willing to offer other options (wine touring, site seeing, etc.). We opted for a long lunch at our gorgeous hotel. The bike tour days were incredible. The scenery was phenomenal as well as the prearranged stops and wine tasting. Our last day of biking ended with thermal hot springs and an amazing lunch. We would do this tour again for sure. Our experience was a 10+++

I don't know what you all were expecting from a tourism group but they do what they can and usually…read morea bit more. You're an outsider in a strange place most likely. And guess what? In a different country too! Unless you know Tuscany yourself, sit back and enjoy the rides. Okay so the bus ride wasn't the most comfortable, as Americans need HUGE seats with power ports, etc. and cart service with snacks. Fun fact: they're driving manual transmission buses. OOOOORRRRR you can try to blend and deal with the hour or two long bus ride without plugging in your devices. It's not that bad.

I took the Siena/Chiant/San Gimignano/Pisa day trip. It started out OK. Bus ride to Siena, where we…read morewere walked to the meeting point some 15 minutes away, given a briefing, then those that didn't chose the walking tour (I did) got free time. For those of us on the walking tour with the local guide, we got a few points of interest, then left at the Duomo with instructions on how to get back on our own. Unfortunately for me, I was the only fool that trusted the instructions and didn't use Google maps until it was too late. On my way back I got lost, and once on Google Maps found I would not be at the meeting point on time. At this point, I'm in constant contact with Ciao Florence. I was told to instead meet at the bus. I had no idea where that was, so they sent a google maps link. Of course that was even further away. I was assured they were waiting, and up until I was 5 minutes away, was told they were waiting. At THAT point I was informed they left without me. FIVE MINUTES!!!! I was practically in sight of the bus depot! The next stop was Chianti, for a wine tasting and lunch, but I had to take a cab ride at the cost of 100 euro in order to catch up. I really should have just taken the train back to Florence--it would have been far cheaper and more enjoyable! So I catch up to the group, and get no apology, but the tour guide trying to justify herself and how "long" they waited. By all accounts of people there, she hardly waited at all. So after, being hot and tired, get even more angry. I settle into the appetizer and a little wine, then lunch is served... at which point she comes over AGAIN, and starts trying to justify herself again, making me so angry, I slam my plate aside, gulp my wine, so I had practically no lunch. All I can say for Chianti is thank God there was wine... Even the winery saw I needed it and poured me another glass... San Gimignano was OK, but far too short. Barely enough time to go up the hill and back to make it back to the bus on time. And you can BET I mapped this one, and made sure I was back early. Not going to be left behind twice!. The AC on the bus stopped working on a very hot day, only blowing air, not cold. All the guide did was say "It's on maximum!" and didn't do anything about it. I, at least, informed the company there was a problem, as she didn't bother. Pisa certainly could have been longer. And again, I made sure I was back in plenty of time. Her further attempts at any conversation were met with one word answers. I was the first one back on the bus, walking well ahead of the group (why should I wait for HER.?.. she didn't wait for me!). And I was thankful when the bus finally reached Florence, where I no longer had to worry. Other than Siena with the optional walking tour with the local guide, most stops were "here we are, meet at XX o'clock at this point" and good luck. To be fair, I took a few tours with Ciao Florence in 2025, and they were excellent, and Jacobo was a great guide. That made me take taking another Ciao Florence tour for granted. In 2025, I never felt in danger. This time, not so much. I'm not saying there won't be a next time, as I MAY calm down by then, but it certainly won't be with the guide I had this time. And I will most certainly research other options. I suggest others do the same.

Franco's tour was easily one of the best parts of our honeymoon! We did a private tour with him to…read morethree wineries and an olive oil farm throughout Tuscany, including both Chianti Classico and Montepulciano. Light breakfast and lunch included too! We did the wine lovers tour at Antinori nel Chianti Classico the day prior to our Franco Fadda tour, and it was awesome to follow that with Franco Fadda. We got to see much smaller wineries in comparison and felt like it was a more authentic, unique experience that we would never have been able to do on our own. What's even better is Franco is such good friends with everyone along the way that you just can't help but smile at all of their interactions together. And it's easy to see why! Franco is such a blast to be around, and we were with him for 12 hours straight. :) Throughout the day, we essentially had a private tour and tasting at each winery with no one else onsite, and got a much closer look at each wineries' processes and what made them unique. Each winery was phenomenal with delicious wines, and we shipped some home from them all, which Franco makes easy by helping coordinate it for you in partner with one of the wineries. Lastly, the olive oil farm was a wonderful treat too! We got to taste and see the olive oil being made by one of the best makers in the world and he's only 20 years old! It was incredible and basically being made out of a garage-like space on the family's property. We honestly cannot recommend a tour with Franco Fadda enough. We've been raving about it since we got back from our honeymoon, and it was easily the main highlight of our entire trip. This is a once in a lifetime experience that is worth every penny and more! We felt like we got so much beyond what we paid for that doing one of his tours should be a no brainer to all. You must book with Franco if you're in Tuscany! You won't regret it! Thanks again, Franco, for an unbelievable and unforgettable experience that we will cherish the rest of our lives!

Franco doesn't not disappoint!! I knew Franco Fadda Wine Tours through Dario Cantagna and Dario…read moreknows his stuff-Franco is a real "find". Franco picked us up at our hotel and took us to so many amazing places in Tuscany. Franco has to be one of the best wine tour guides. If you like amazing Tuscan Italian Franco will take you to restaurants to die for as well as small production Winery's that have VIP private tastings. We also bought honey and olive oil. I can't say enough t about how wonderful and knowledgable Franco is. Don't miss Franco Fadda Wine Tours!

Loved walking around and taking tours and taking in as much as possible as we fill our day.read more

Unreliable service and unhelpful customer support…read more We purchased a 2-day pass and were unable to use it fully due to a major scheduling issue. The bus never showed up at the time posted on both their brochure and signage. When we contacted support, we were told the last bus had already left hours earlier--completely contradicting their own schedule. When I emailed to explain and request a refund, the response was dismissive and made it seem like I wasn't being truthful. Very disappointing experience. Would not recommend relying on this service if you're on a schedule.

What a blast!!! Great way to spend a day outside of Florence. We booked a private tour. My husband…read morehas experience with vespas, I do not. So they spent a lot of time training me and making sure I was comfortable on it. Then off we went. Up into the hills of Tuscany. It was a blast. We stopped a couple of times so Alex could explain some things to us about olives and wine. And even some history of the area. It rained a little on us but we didn't mind. After we went for an incredible lunch with wine and olive oil tasting. It was my favorite day in Italy!

What's better than a Vespa tour of the Tuscan countryside if you have half a day to spare in…read moreFlorence? Our tour guide Jason was amazing and really made the experience five stars. The group met up at the shop in the afternoon. Took a van to a castle to pick up helmets and do a tiny bit of wine tasting + olive oil tasting. Then another van ride to pick up the Vespas. We practice driving in the parking lot a few rounds - even the beginner in the group got the hang of it pretty quickly. Then off to hours of scenic riding in the sun-drenched Tuscan countryside amongst giant swaths of rolling vineyards, stony castles, and groves of olive trees with screeching cicadas. Periodically we'd stop for photos and once also a water break. Jason was super knowledgeable and answered all kinds of questions we threw in his direction. I thought it was cool to hear his perspective as someone who moved there 10 years ago who knew all the local stuff but also had an outside view of the history and culture etc. I only wish I had some Euros so I could have given him a tip. The tour felt extremely safe. Can't-miss experience and definitely one of the most memorable and surreal parts of my Italy trip.