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.

Such a great place for us very soon after arrival. Food was great and diverse menu options…read more.. assuming you like Italian you are in Italy so... Service was prompt and comfortable in English or Italian for speakers. They suggested great items. We sat in like a back area garden- charming. And they had a large TV set up to watch the Azuuri lose miserably to Spain. Fortunately the disappointment among the staff did not hurt the service or food!

Had such an amazing time here! I was a solo traveler and I was made to feel so welcome. Had the…read morechicken in a mustard and asparagus sauce that was so delicious but the whole menu looked tempting. Actually had dinner here twice. Wish I could go back again and again to try some more dishes. One of the staff a tall gentleman was just so great at his job and made it such a memorable dinner. I don't know his name but wish I could have thanked him. Hope you enjoy your future snowboarding travels to California.

TL;DR - this tour is a delight to those who truly care about the entire winemaking process,…read morehistory, and culture. My wife and I planned our dream vacation to Italy with a focus on food and wine. Our time in the Florence area mandated the intentional trip to my (and now OUR) favorite winemaking area - Montalcino. We spent months planning and researching and came across this wonderful local company - "Italy & Wine Tours." Upon review of their website we were captivated by their intentionality to have the time be an intimate and thoughtfully curated all day adventure from Florence through the Chianti region, into the romantic hills of Val d'Orcia, and onto the hillside of Montalcino. To our delight - on the day of the trip we found that we were the only couple who signed up to go that day. Our tour guide Nicolò (who was INCREDIBLE and has formal WSET training/certification) was joined by the delightful daughter (Ippolita) of the company's owner. It was the best experience traveling with them. From the moment we were introduced to the moment we were dropped off at the end of the day we never stopped talking, laughing, sharing stories, and learning more about our favorite shared passion - Italian wine. Now onto the WINE! I won't spoil your trip with too many specifics, but our tour began from the beginning - how did Brunello di Montalcino come to be? We toured the streets of Montalcino and immersed ourselves in local history, tradition, etc. following the city, we were off to the first winery. The first winery focus was on the (traditional) aspects of Brunello. The centuries old family fortress made it abundantly clear. It was an idyllic location through the cellars, learning about the soil, property history for pilgrimages, ancient Rome, and crusades. We sampled 4 wines produced by the site which trended towards elegant, refined, and approachable. During the tasting we were blessed with a delicious and traditional private Italian lunch. Afterwards we went to the second winery which was slightly more modern (in winemaking style) but nonetheless a delight. We dove deeper into soil composition, weather, aging conditions, and micro-factors. The wine at the second location was big, bold, wonderfully complex and personally my preferred style. We concluded our time thanking our hosts and guides over and over again with multiple bottles in hand to bring home and shared with our family. We sincerely hope you (the reader) get to experience Italy and Montalcino in the same way we did. Personal highlights / Why choose this company: - historic, locally/generational owned wineries - not large corporate productions. - 2 production styles helped compare/contrast the same type of wine helping me choose future bottles more accurately. - The tour guides / owners. They care about you, and hospitality is so genuine. Please support companies like this. Thank you so much Nicolò and Ippolita. You are forever in our hearts and we hope our paths cross again in the future!! *David & Kenzie (Seattle, WA)

Our Montepulciano wine tour was one of the highlights of our trip to Italy, and much of that was…read morethanks to Niccolò. From the moment we left Florence, he transformed what could have been a simple drive into a fascinating journey through Tuscany. We spent the day discussing Italian history, culture, education, and different perspectives on life, which added tremendous depth and meaning to the experience. Niccolò is knowledgeable, engaging, and genuinely passionate about sharing his country with visitors. By the end of the day, he felt more like a friend than a guide. The wineries themselves were equally impressive. We especially appreciated visiting family-owned vineyards where generations of winemakers have preserved traditions while producing exceptional wines. The hospitality was warm and authentic, and each winery offered a unique glimpse into the rich heritage of the Montepulciano region. The wine tastings were outstanding, but it was the stories, family histories, and personal connections that made the experience truly memorable. This tour provided far more than wine tasting--it offered an opportunity to experience the culture, people, and traditions of Tuscany in a meaningful way. If you are considering a wine tour from Florence, I highly recommend this experience, and if you are fortunate enough to have Niccolò as your guide, you are in for a remarkable day. Thank you, Niccolò, for making our day so special and for sharing your knowledge, insight, and enthusiasm with us. We will remember this experience long after the last bottle of wine is gone.

Stopped in for a break in our travels through Florence. Enjoyed a very nice write wine, Cesani…read moreVernaccia Di San Gimignano. Our waiter, who is a sommelier, gave us a great insight into our wine. Very knowledgeable and funny, which made our stop so much better. Our trip May turn into a dinner later on our Italian vacation. A little history shoe this wine ideas in the top 4% of wines in the US! So enjoyable!!

Everything. Warm welcome. Good food, excellent bisteca Fiorentina. Good wine selection. Perfect…read moredinner.

This was an off-the-beaten path/hidden gem that we stumbled upon when visiting Florence. My husband…read moreand I took the train in from the cruise port and ate an early breakfast on our ship. By the time we arrived and scoped out the Duomo, we were definitely ready for lunch. We were walking down the crowded cobblestone streets and decided that wanted a sandwich for lunch. We made a quick left turn and saw a line of people waiting. We weren't necessarily sure what they were waiting for until we inquired. Most people were waiting for sandwiches - SCORE! We decided to get in line and realized how quickly the line was moving. Traffic was being moved by their workers who were assisting with menu suggestions. We quickly got up to the front of the establishment and realized how tiny it is inside. It was so cool to see an actual Italian deli in action. From what I heard, they source their ingredients from local farmers, too! I ordered the La Rosa and my husband ordered the Gregorio (in honor of our friend Greg!). We waited outside for a few minutes while they prepared our order. The sandwiches were absolutely delicious and the bread was surprisingly crispy. The cost was super reasonable, too, for how much food you are getting. We will be back!

My husband and I joined the hype train and found I' Girone de' Ghiotti from a viral video of best…read moresandwiches in Florence. It was the first schiaccata spot we went to in Florence, and they set the bar really high. We arrived around 12pm on a Thursday. The line was out the door, but one of the employees managing the queue informed us that we were in a good spot. The line honestly moved quickly. We waited 15-20 minutes at most before placing our order. The restaurant has limited seating upstairs, but luckily we were able to snag a spot. I ordered one of their vegetarian specials, the 3 cheese blend with signature spicy sauce, and added turkey carpaccio. You can customize the sandwiches as you please. The sound of the crunch of the bread was the price of admission right there. The ingredients all tasted amazing, but the paper thin sliced turkey and spicy marinara really stood out to me the most. If I have to be really nitpicky, I did think that the bread doesn't have longevity. Could be that my sandwich was so saucy, which makes the bread soggy and gummy sooner than other other types.

This shop was exactly what we needed to make sure authentic and unique wines from Tuscany made it…read morehome to the United States with us! The wine tasting was thorough and included details about their origin as well as wine flavors. We had help picking out wines to send home for gifts as well as for ourselves. Our wine was delivered in exactly the time they estimated and was well packaged. We will definitely stop here again if in Florence and order again in the meantime.

We had the best time with the lovely and knowledgeable Laura at Enoteca Pontevecchio. We sampled…read moredelicious wines, including Sting's label, and the most amazing olive oils and balsamic vinegars. Easy to ship a case home. It is a special place to visit in Florence.

This is a 5 star experience through and through! Everything about this 1/2 day class is…read moreunbelievable. Host and cooking lead, Manuela is a gem. She is friendly, welcoming, knowledgeable but most of all knows how to take your trip to Italy to another level! She immerses you in a full on sensory experience to cooking. Smelling ingredients, touching and understanding textures, seeing the freshness of ingredients and the rich colors, and finally tasting the fruits of your labor. Mmmmm. We opted for a regional class that featured Sicilian recipes and it was fantastic! We made a four course meal. One of the freshest meals I've ever had. Our food was down right mouth watering! You must must must go here when visiting Florence for a truly rich cultural and culinary experience. Loved this day more than I can capture in a review.

OMG!! This review is long overdue!! We had the best time with Manuela and Simon. Was definitely…read moreone of the highlights of our trip!! Manuela was patient, informative, and humorous. Everything we made was explained very well, and best of all was delicious. I will forever remember this time, and look forward to utilizing the recipes back home. Highly recommend taking a class with them!!

We weren't in Florence for so long so really needed a solid place to try Florentine steak and this…read morewas a great option. The vibe itself is cool (automatic door walking in, dungeon-like walls with cute decorations). Walking to your table you walk by a huge wine selection, which can be overwhelming. We started with the asparagus and peas salad. This was pretty solid, simple but it worked. We grabbed the spaghetti with the cream of asparagus-normally wouldn't order so much asparagus but this was the pasta that sounded the most interesting to us and we did ultimately end up enjoying the sauce quite a bit and it was one of the better pasta dishes we had in Italy. Got a side of the white beans which we probably didn't need but didn't mind. The steak: first of all it's very sizable. The Florentine way is rarer than I would ever order a steak and while I'm glad I tried it, I probably wouldn't choose it again. It's an interesting ordering process as you're essentially given the sizes they have left there for the night so you never know walking exactly how much you'll pay. I do appreciate that they cut it for you but I did feel like some of the meat was still on the bone (not that we really needed MORE meat I just didn't want to waste any). The flavoring is pretty good but there are definitely bites that are better than the others. The service was a bit mixed. There were times they were interested in talking with us while others they didn't seem so interested and a bit aloof. This was especially true when we went to check out. Ultimately, served its purpose in introducing us to a style of steak we hadn't had before and did so in a way that we enjoyed.

Fantastic spot to try Tuscan regional specialties! Our fellow dining room companions were tourists…read more& locals alike so I feel like that was a good sign. It didn't start getting super busy until ~9pm - which is the usual Italian dining hour. We had the: *Prosciutto del Casentino - Le Selve di Vallolmo (Specialty Tuscan Ham of Free Range Grey Pork of Casentino, Tuscany (Slow Food Awarded Ingredients)) - MOVE OVER IBERICO. This was incredible - just melt in your mouth. You have to get this! *Ravioli di Peposo di Manzo al Burro e Timo (Ravioli Stuffed with Stewed Peppered Beef and Tossed in Butter and Thyme) - Peposo is a classic Tuscan dish that's usually tough cuts of meat cooked down in Chianti wine. Loved this 'twist' on a classic dish. They also so kindly split this portion for us which was perfect. The Peposo was perfection; if they just had Peposo as a dish, I'd order it! *Bistecca dell'Osteria (House Specialty Bone In Steak) - the star of the show!! While this isn't Chianni cattle or anything, this was fantastic piece of steak. Perfectly executed at medium rare. Love that the menu states "If you prefer your meat more so well done we would be happy to recommend another dish to you." Ha. Make sure you order a BOTTLE of wine! They have GREAT local options at super reasonable price points.

We went here for a Corporate event and this was one of the best times we've had in Florence…read more Cooking on vacation doesn't sound like it would be a "Must Do", but believe me, it was! The Mama Florence Team were spectacular (knowledgeable, friendly, and extremely helpful). They taught us step by step how to make an awesome meal! Even if you've never even boiled water, you will be able to do this class! From beginner to expert, they've got your back. I love this place and will definitely come back next time we visit Florence! Great job team!

Loved all the chefs -- they were personable, engaging, and fun. The camaraderie among the…read moreparticipants made the experience truly exceptional. The recipes were enjoyable to prepare, and the final meal was divine. I highly recommend adding this adventure to your trip itinerary.

I booked a wine tasting and pasta cooking class with My Trip To Florence. Simone and Giulia are so…read morepretty and I totally recommend their services

From the owner: We are two young travel lovers, Simone and Giulia, both from the Cradle of the Renaissance:…read moreFlorence. You will discover the city in the best possible ways thanks our living experiences and passion for trips organization and culture of Florence.