Duration: 2 hours

Type of Service: Venice Doge's Palace Tour - small group tour

Duration: 3 hours

Type of Service: Food Lover's Tour: Tasting at Florence’s Hidden Classics and Gems – small group tour

Florence is home to the some of the best foods and family run bottegas. On this food tour in Florence, we will have the bonus of strolling the historical center of town with a local expert while tasting the regions finest specialties on this fun, informative food lover's crawl. You’ll visit a mix of classic culinary institutions and hidden gems on the tiny streets off famous squares. You will visit artisan purveyors such as bakers, family-owned bottegas procuring goods from their own farms and local wines, a truffle cafe, institutional gelato parlors and more. You'll taste prized ingredients such as extra virgin olive oil, caliber vintage prosecco, aged balsamic vinegar, local cheeses (ewe's milk pecorino), artisan cured meats, and learn all about Florentine's food history while getting a sense of the city with this specialty gourmet walk. This tour is a must for true food lovers who want to get down to the grain of the local food culture while meeting the city's most cherished bottegas, with a touch of sightseeing and main square orientation.

Highlights:

• Small-group, culinary tour of Florence with a local, passionate expert
• 5 gourmet tasting pit-stops, with wine at 2 stops
• Crash course into Florentine food culture and traditional Tuscan goods
• Guided walking tour in the center of Florence, tasting at both cult classics and hidden nooks
• Traditional Tuscan sweet pastries like rice pudding budino or chocolate semolino tartlets with Italian roasted espresso
• Snack like a royal at king-approved truffle cafe’ for Florence’s famous panino tartufato with bubbles
• Visit classic bakeries for Tuscany’s schiacciata flatbreads along with seasonal delicacies (wine grape pie, sweet chestnut & pine nut cake castagnaccio, etc)
• Farmstead quality cheese and cured meat tasting with locally produced wine
• Savor in Italian excellence via tastings of Extra Virgin Olive Oil from around Italy & Aged Balsamic Vinegar
• 2 Wine tastings included (i.e. bubbly with truffles, local red wine with prosciutto, etc)
• Meeting local characters and purveyors
• Wholly artisanal gelato, gelato judge approved
• ...and more!

Our gourmet food tours in Florence are perfect for discerning food lovers, chefs, bakers, cooks, farm-to-table eaters and Italian culture enthusiasts. After your food tour, you will feel more confident to return to these shops and know what defines the traditional food landscape. Be prepared for genuine backdoor journey through these local-loved food shops.

 Things to Know

• Small group tour food walking tour - 8 people or less
• Wear comfortable walking or tennis shoes
• Tour begins at 3:00pm /Tour check in 2:45pm
• Tour is available for youth 12 years old to adults
• Inquire about discount rates for children ages 12 - 17 years old
• Meeting Point Location: Piazza Signoria – more details are given upon booking

Duration: 2.5 hours

Type of Service: Hidden Venice Food Tour with Rialto Market, Cicchetti and Gondola Ride - small group tour

Are you looking for the best food tour in Venice? Embark on a foodie-led exploration of Venetian culture that takes you off the beaten path. With a friendly, English-speaking guide by your side, visit some of our favorite bacari wine bars to sample assorted cicchetti dishes. Get a taste of local Venice food culture and learn about the city as you fill your belly with the best regional wine and food. This 2.5-hour tour includes:

- English-speaking, local foodie guide

- Maximum of 10 people per group

- Gondola ride

- Prosecco, wine and cocktails

- Sit down pasta lunch

- Cicchetti and Bacari 

There are two words that are very important to learn when visiting Venice: cicchetti and bacari. The word cicchetti comes from Venetian dialect, meaning "a small savory snack". They are served at various little ‘bacari’ (local wine bars) and come in many delicious varieties. The tradition of going to bacari goes back to at least the 1300's. As time went on and the city got bigger, the number of bacari multiplied as more and more people desired wine.

 Your local Venetian guide will explain many of the traditions involving why people visited bacari during the day (even in the morning!). When Italians drink wine, they always have something to eat with it, to make sure that they don't get too tipsy. So over time, the bacari started offering cicchetti (small savory snacks). And a new tradition was born, drinking wine with cicchetti.

Prosecco for Breakfast - In a city known throughout the world for its many islands and canals, most people think that they have Venice figured out. What they don't know is that there is so much more to discover, especially gastronomically. The first stop on this Venice food tour introduces you to a tasty side of Venice that not many experiences, starting with some bubbly wine for breakfast. Don’t worry, you’ll have a bite to eat as well.

A Refreshing Gondola Ride - A trip to Venice wouldn't be complete without a ride on a gondola. Instead of taking the regular route and crossing Venice's Grand Canal by bridge, your local guide will take you across the water on a short, 2-minute gondola taxi ride! Get your cameras ready. 

Mercato Rialto - The Rialto Market has been around for centuries. Early Venetian settlers used to come to this area to trade goods, and to this day, not much has changed. Today, Venetian vendors continue to gather here and offer locally-grown produce and fish.

The Spritz - After sampling some cicchetti and prosecco at your first stop, taste another popular drink in Venice at our second bacari stop. Whether you have a sweet tooth or prefer bitter drinks, there is a Spritz for everyone. The Campari Spritz has a higher alcohol content than an Aperol Spritz; it also tastes more bitter than sweet. If you’ve ever seen pictures of people drinking a bright orange cocktail from a stemmed glass in Italy, that’s an Aperol Spritz. Both drinks are made with prosecco.

Ombra and Lunch - An ombra in Venice is a small glass of wine; ombra means “shade” in Italian. Legend has it that in the old days, wine was sold near the bell tower of San Marco's square in the shade. So, the people would say "let's go drink in the shade by the bell tower”. Today it has been shortened to just one word - ombra. At the third stop, taste some of the local favorite ombra, as you sit down for a delicious lunch that includes some of the best pasta in Venice.

Gelato in Venice - No Italian foodie experience is complete without some gelato. On this guided tour of Venice, learn how to spot authentic gelato from the kind with additives in one of Venice's best "gelateria" (gelato shops).

You may feel like staying out in Venice exploring after the tour ends or you might need to take a rest after all the eating and drinking. If you're ready to head home, your guide will happily show you where to catch the nearest "vaporetto" (water taxi) so you can cruise back to your accommodations for an afternoon nap.

Things to Know:

• Small group tour - maximum of 10 people per group
• Gondola ride
• Prosecco, wine and cocktails
• Sit down pasta lunch
• Wear comfortable walking or tennis shoes
• Tour is offered April - October
• Tour is offered at 11:00am on Tuesday - Saturday (no tours on Sundays and Mondays)
• Meeting Point Location: In Campo San Bortolomio, in front of the statue – more details provided upon booking

Duration: 3 Hours, (includes one-hour visit to the interior of Doge's Palace)

Type of Service: Walking food tour of Venice

On this three-hour tour you’ll enjoy the authentic Venetian food and wine traditions at a local Osteria and be introduced to Venice’s famous landmarks, including the exterior of Doge’s Palace.

Your personal local guide will provide you a walking tour of the picturesque Venetian calli (streets) and ponti (bridges) of Venice, telling you the incredible history and secrets of this unique city. You’ll admire the center of the Venetian power during the Serenissima Republic of Venice: Piazza San Marco (St. Mark’s Square) and its fascinating buildings, such as the Basilica di San Marco and Palazzo Ducale (Doge’s Palace), which was the heart of the political life and public administration of the Venetian Republic.  Follow some incredible off-the-beaten-track itineraries and discover Venice's best-kept secrets, then taste the authentic Venetian food and wine traditions in a typical “Osteria.” Mix up with the locals and enjoy a tasty Venetian aperitif with “cicchetti e un’ombra di vino” (finger food and a glass of wine), that will invigorate your spirit and make you look at Venice from the locals’ point of view!

Things to Know:

• 3-hour private walking tour of Venice 
• Experience the grandeur and history of Venice on this tour of a one-hour interior visit to the Doge’s Palace.
• See notable Venice attractions like the Rialto Fish Market and the Cannaregio Quarter, as well as lesser-known sights
  Sip on a glass of wine and enjoy appetizers at a traditional Venetian osteria
• Minimum of 2 and Maximum of 8
• Tour is offered Tuesday through Saturday based on availability
• Tour can be offered on Mondays with no interior visit to Doge's Palace
• Tour is offered at 9:00 am and 2:00 pm
• Meet your private guide at either your hotel or St. Mark's Square in the heart of the city
• Your friendly, English-speaking guide will answer all your questions and provide personalized insights so you can get the most out of your time
• Admission fees, skip the line tickets, private tour guide, and  tasting fees included in tour cost
• Wear comfortable walking or tennis shoes shoes

Duration: 7 Hours

Type of Service:  Cooking Class at a Farmhouse in Tuscany

A full day hands-on Cooking Class in a stunning setting in the Tuscan countryside including a food tour through the historic center of Florence. Led by a local food-lover guide, you will taste your way through the Florentine's favorite bakery and grocery stores to experience Tuscan food like a real local. You will buy ingredients on the way and in Florence's most vibrant food market.

On arrival in our beautiful farmhouse, you will start creating a complete menu, from appetizer to dessert, using only the freshest seasonal ingredients, the majority of which come from the vegetable garden of the farmhouse!

Be prepared to roll up your sleeves and learn to cook as Tuscan grandmas and moms do every day in their kitchens for their families. Master the secrets of traditional dishes that you will easily re-create at home for your friends and family. The cooking lesson is suitable for beginners and for those who can already cook.

Then finally we will all sit together outside (weather permitting) and just like a big Italian family, we will take time to enjoy the food we have prepared together. Buon Appetito!

What you can expect

First, discover Florence's historical food market where the locals do their daily shopping. Blend in with the locals. Meet the bakers, the butchers, and the farmers selling vegetables from their fields. Their stalls are full of items such as fresh fruit, vegetables, cheeses, cured meats, balsamic vinegar, sun dried tomatoes, olives and many other Italian food specialties. Shop for the ingredients to use for the cooking class and learn to choose the best seasonal products.

Then, it's time to start your cooking lesson at a farmhouse in Tuscany. This isn't just a demonstration, you will actually take part in creating a full traditional Tuscan meal with your chef's help. You will learn to make real Italian fresh pasta by hand with freshly laid eggs and learn to make a traditional meat sauce using ingredients from right outside the door!

Learn to prepare homemade pizza and classic bruschetta with fresh bread, homegrown tomatoes and the farmhouse's own extra virgin olive oil and then take a break to enjoy the pizza and bruschetta with a glass of Chianti wine.

After the break, it's back to the lesson where you will learn how to prepare traditional Tuscan roast pork, arista and Tuscan roast potatoes using fresh herbs collected from around the farmhouse. To finish the class, you will learn the secrets of the wonderful Italian coffee and cream dessert, Tiramisù.

At last, sit down to enjoy a wonderful meal. Each course will be paired with a carefully selected wine from the region to compliment the flavors of the food you have prepared. At the end of your meal, your driver will be waiting for you for a short drive back to Florence, so it's time to say arrivederci after an unforgettable experience in Tuscany.

Things to Know:

• Small-group Italian cooking class (25 people or less) at a breathtaking farmhouse set in the rolling hills of Tuscany!
• The tour/cooking class is offered Monday - Saturday based on availability and begins at 9:00 am and concludes at 5:00 pm
• Florence morning food tour with tastings at San Lorenzo's colorful Mercato Centrale
• Hands on experience: learn to make Bruschetta and Pizza, home-made Pasta, Tuscan roast pork with potatoes and Tiramisù
• Enjoy your freshly cooked meal accompanied by wine after the class
• Transportation roundtrip to and from Florence to the farmhouse
• Recipes and an Italian cooking diploma for your hard work
• Due to uneven and steep surfaces, we are unable to accept anyone with mobility issues. A minibus or van transports you to the Tuscany farmhouse.  There are about 24 steps leading down towards the outdoor kitchen.
• We regret that vegetarian or other alternative dietary requirements cannot be catered for in this class
• Youth rates are available to attend with a parent/guardian for 12 yrs to 18 years of age - please inquire about youth rates

Duration: Two hours and Thirty minutes 

Type of Service: Cicchetti and Wine - Venice's Appetizer and Wine Walking Tour

Taste your way through the back street's bars of Venice with this delicious appetizer and wine tour. Your guide will take you to 3 different enotecas to discover where local Venetians go to drink, eat and mingle. You will visit a nearby bar that occupies the former site of a charcoal store and then stroll over to the Cannaregio neighborhood and visit a 18th-century watering hole on the bustling street of Strada Nuova. The tour will then cross the Grand Canal on a traghetto passenger ferry and stop at the historic, open-air Rialto Market, where many Venetians shop for daily fresh produce and seafood. You will visit one more local bar in central Venice.  Each tavern has its unique atmosphere and specialty appetizers  (Cicchetti) dishes. Your tour will end at the iconic Rialto Bridge.

 Things to Know:

• 2.5-hour Venice food walking tour with a food-loving local English-speaking guide
• Visit three of the city’s best Cicchetti bars, famous for their Venetian tapas-style dishes
• Savor small plates of local specialties like marinated seafood with polenta
• Private walking tour
• Minimum of 2 with a maximum of 8 people
• Tastings and one beverage of choice at each location included tour cost
• Wear comfortable walking shoes