Private Wine Tours from Florence

Your English-speaking driver for the tour will meet you at the airport, and you will transfer by comfortable Mercedes to your exclusive hotel, tucked away in a chic neighborhood in Florence. Arrive at your fantastic hotel, a true “urban resort” with Renaissance buildings surrounded by an immense park. Numerous personalities have stayed here through the centuries, including Pope Leo XI, whose pontificate lasted less than a month, the Viceroy of Egypt, and five centuries of Italian nobles.

Florence awaits! After check-in, your chauffeur will take you into the historic center of Florence, one of the most beautiful cities in the world.

You will experience your first velvety wines of the tour during a guided wine tasting in the stunning Bernardino Poccetti’s fresco room, before enjoying an authentic Florentine lunch at a lively local trattoria.

Next, you will take a private guided walking tour to see Florence’s highlights: Ponte Vecchio, Piazza della Signoria and its replica of Michelangelo’s David, and the Duomo with Brunelleschi’s great cupola.

In the evening, transfer back to the luxury hotel and have dinner on your own at the hotel’s Michelin-starred restaurant.

A free morning to enjoy this splendid hotel, its beautiful private garden, and amenities. Early afternoon transfer to historic Florence. Guided by your charming art historian, you will visit the marvelous Uffizi Gallery, one of the world’s most famous art museums, featuring Botticelli, Michelangelo, and Da Vinci. You will also visit the Vasari Corridor, a skywalk built in 1565 by order of Duke Cosimo I de’ Medici to connect his residence (Palazzo Pitti) and government palace, for security reasons. This is a real treat!

You will also enjoy a guided tour of the Boboli Gardens before going back to the hotel to freshen up.

A three-Michelin-star dinner will be waiting for you at Enoteca Pinchiorri in Florence, the crème de la crème venue to begin a gastronomic journey. Set in a magnificent historic palazzo, its celebrated cellar holds an extraordinary collection of Italian and international wines selected by Giorgio Pinchiorri. Founded by Giorgio Pinchiorri and French chef Annie Féolde, the restaurant is led in the kitchen today by chef Riccardo Monco. You will visit the cellar and choose your wine for dinner, exploring one of Florence’s great wine lists.

Today will be a wine tasting extravaganza! Transfer from Florence towards Siena, via the most beautiful villages of the Chianti Classico region, including Greve in Chianti, Radda in Chianti, and Castellina in Chianti. Chianti Classico is part of the greater Chianti wine region, and you will find the best vineyards. It lies between Florence and Siena (the border was designated in 1716). Its climate, soils, and altitude have made Chianti Classico a top-notch region for premium wines. The symbol of Chianti Classico is the Black rooster, which is on all Chianti Classico bottles.

Stop for a VIP winery visit at the beautiful Capannelle. Enjoy a professional tasting of the full range of wines, with personalized tasting sheets and a personalized gift signed by the winemaker.

Your aperitif and lunch will be a carnivorous feast at Dario Cecchini’s establishment, called the “world’s best butcher” by the New York Times. Long shared tables, a pleasant atmosphere, and excellent yet straightforward food, combined with Dario’s unique and exuberant character, make this experience one to remember.

After lunch, enjoy a scenic drive through the nearby vineyards and wine villages, stopping to visit the perfectly manicured hilltop town of Montalcino. We will arrange a VIP private visit to an artisan Brunello producer (generally closed to the public), followed by a fantastic vertical tasting.

Transfer back to your luxury hotel and enjoy the night in Florence on your own.

Full Breakfast at your Villa hotel, served in a historic patio, surrounded by ancient trees. This morning, you will visit Florence’s famous Mercato Centrale – San Lorenzo market with your private chef, where you will taste traditional gourmet treats, meet and talk with local food producers, and learn how to choose the best ingredients. Then you’ll be ready for your hands-on cooking class with traditional, authentic recipes using the fresh ingredients you purchased.

Before lunch with your charming host and chef, you will enjoy a professional extra virgin olive oil tasting, and each guest will receive a gift bottle of EVO.

After lunch, you will transfer from Florence to the historic center of Siena, one of Italy’s noblest cities, home to the gorgeous 14th-century main square called the “Campo,” where the world-famous “Palio” race is held twice a year. You will take a walking tour of the old town, then have free time for shopping or gallery hopping.

On the way back to Florence, stop in the charming, walled medieval hamlet of Monteriggioni for a nice walk. Dante Alighieri included Monteriggioni in his most famous work, The Divine Comedy.

After breakfast today, you will leave the city of Florence and travel west to the Valdarno countryside (The Arno River valley), before arriving at the Tuscan beaches of Versilia and one of the most prestigious seaside resorts along the Tyrrhenian coast.

But first, a treat in store! You will experience a real truffle hunt, with your private tartufaio (truffle hunter) and his loyal dogs. On your truffle hunt, you will learn about the precious truffles and admire the skills of expert dogs, which smell, dig, and find them. Lunch will be a truffle extravaganza, from appetizer to dessert!

After this sumptuous lunch, you will explore the historic villa, gardens, and ancient cellar at Varramista estate, followed by a tasting of their wines. Giovanni Alberto Agnelli took over this estate in the 1990s, introducing the Syrah grape. Using this new varietal, along with the estate’s historic Sangiovese vines, the winery began producing high-quality wines.

Pisa is your next destination, and your private guide Alessandro will guide you through this lively small town that offers a lot more than the iconic Leaning Tower and Piazza dei Miracoli.

Arrive at your waterfront hotel, check in, and enjoy the evening at your leisure.

After a full breakfast at your elegant hotel, you will meet your private dynamic art guide and begin the day with a relaxing electric bike ride to the nearby town of Pietrasanta. This quaint town is known as “Little Athens” because many artists have settled here (including Igor Mitoraj and Fernando Botero). The town is an open-air museum, with contemporary art and sculpture on display in its many galleries and piazzas.

Next, transfer to Lucca, where you will take a guided tour of this beautiful walled town, which dates back to ancient Etruscan times. Lucca is filled with cobblestone streets, surrounded by a medieval wall, and is the birthplace of Puccini. Admire the Romanesque churches, historic buildings, and the beautiful Piazza dell’Anfiteatro. You will fall in love with this romantic Italian gem.

Now for something completely different: a 4×4 adventure in the world-famous Carrara marble quarries. Michelangelo spent long periods in Carrara selecting marble for many of his sculptures, and the city’s white stone became inseparable from his work.

For lunch, you will stop in the quaint medieval hamlet of Colonnata. Colonnata is famous for its high-quality pork lard, spiced with sea salt, rosemary, garlic, and black pepper, and cured in marble tanks, called “conche,” for at least six months.

After this delicious lunch, you will return to your hotel and have free time to relax and freshen up. Before dinner, enjoy an aperitivo, as the Italians do!

Tonight, you have a treat in store! An amazing farewell dinner with keepsake menus (signed by the chef) arranged for you, paired with top-quality wines.

Full breakfast at your elegant hotel. Your chauffeur will take you to your next port of call.

That concludes your ultra-luxury Florence Wine Tour. We can arrange extra days in the Italian Riviera, Piedmont, Bologna, and Emilia-Romagna; please contact us for details.