Olive Oil Tours:
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil Tasting
- Artisan Chocolate Tasting
- Private Mercedes Chauffeured Tour
Extra-virgin Olive Oil is one of the essential elements of Mediterranean cuisine. Along with wine and bread, it was said to be a culinary gift from Ancient Greeks who brought olives to the Italian peninsula. Ancient Romans then proliferated olives in the myriad countries and empires they conquered, demanding olive oil as a form of payment for the taxes due to the Roman Empire. It was indeed the Romans who invented the first machineries to press the olives and extract the liquid from them and they also invented the concept of “olive-oil therapy”, using it for beauty treatments for rich senators’ wives.
Back in their day the Romans also had the first classification of the different types of olive oils, depending on if they came from pressed green olives, semi-mature olives, mature olives, fallen olives or squashed olives. Even two thousand years ago, olive oil was being categorized according to quality. Today there are countless varieties of olives and oils and it’s easy to get confused about which are better, how they are defined and the best times to use each type. Extra-virgin olive oil for example, is derived from the first press of olives with specific machines, preferably through the cold pressing technique, at low temperatures and without the aid of water.
The resulting oil also depends on the olive varietals used by the producer. In Tuscany the most common olives are Frantoio, Moraiolo and Leccino, each of them having different flavors and notes, from fruity to spicy, and are compatible with different dishes and used to bring out the flavors of ingredients and preparations.
There is no better way to understand and enjoy the secrets of olive oil than by visiting an oil mill and we have designed this fascinating day tour for those of you interested in a unique day out in the countryside tasting premium olive oils, as well as Tuscany’s best Chocolate producer for a masterclass.
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Gourmet Olive Oil & Chocolate Tour Itinerary
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Poggio Cappiano
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Included in the Price:
Private chauffeured Mercedes
English speaking Driver
Olive Oil Tour and Tasting
Lunch with wines
Chocolate Making Workshop, hands on & private
Sightseeing
All Local Taxes
View Price
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Your driver will collect you this morning from your hotel or cruise ship (this excursion is a viable day trip from Livorno, Pisa, Lucca and Florence) by private chauffeured Mercedes. The first stop today is to the fabulous Poggio Cappiano olive oil estate. On a warm, private tour you will visit the olive groves and the nursery, receive a detailed explanation on the cultivation processes at the oil mill, the characteristics of the different olive varieties and then finally you will sit down to an educational and fun olive oil tasting. You will enjoy lunch here as well with all dishes featuring their olive oils, each made to enhance the different specific olive varietals.
After lunch your chauffeur will bring you to Navacchio, where a fantastic tasting experience awaits at de Bondt, a premium chocolate company run by Dutch chef Paul de Bondt and Italian designer Cecilia Iacobelli. On a private hands on workshop experience, you will learn how to cut, dip and decorate your own hand made chocolate creations! Included in the “Chocolate Companion” as one the top fifteen chocolate makers in the world (!), visiting this chocolate maker will certainly leave a great taste in your mouth. Before returning to your hotel or cruise ship in the late afternoon if time permits, swing by the nearby Leaning Tower of Pisa for a peek.
“Delicious day out in the Tuscan Countryside!”
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Prices:
This is a SAMPLE TOUR ITINERARY. Please note that our chauffeured luxury tours have the following starting prices:
| Pricing |
2 People |
4 People |
6 People |
8 People |
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500-1000 euros
per person per day |
450-850 euros
per person per day |
400-800 euros
per person per day |
375-750 euros
per person per day |
- Our tours are all chauffeured, VIP and with luxury transport- please observe ballpark pricing above.
- inal price depends on selection of specific suppliers, and if an accompanying guide joins you with the driver or if tour is with driver only.
- Feel free to contact us with your group size (minimum 2 guests, no maximum group size), travel dates and preferences and we will send you custom pricing.
- Discounts available for larger groups
- Please note that our tours are available upon demand for PRIVATE GROUPS and are not scheduled tours for mixed groups.
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More Information on Olive Oil Tours
If you are interested in this package, contact us today for more information. This tour can also be adapted for bigger groups with a substantial discount. All of our tours are available year round upon request for your private group of minimum 2 people. If you would like us to customize a luxury gourmet tour for you, contact us with your requirements, and we can send you a free itinerary and quote with no obligations. We organize cooking packages and wine tours from 1 day, to weekends to longer food and wine discoveries throughout Italy, Ireland, Portugal and Spain.
Email us at: info@cellartours.com
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“I know that Ritz-Carlton knows a lot about luxury experience and exceeding expectations but you and Cellar Tours could teach us a few things.”
Peter J. Watzka, Executive VP, Ritz Carlton
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