UYTUR

Tuscany may be synonymous with wine tours, but sampling the area’s liquid gold is an equally rewarding foodie experience. Nestled in the fertile hills of Lucca, Fattoria Di Fubbiano is known for producing some of the world’s finest extra-virgin olive oils, plus some award-winning Colline Lucchesi DOC wines. Centered around a 17th-century villa, the farm resembles an ancient Tuscan hamlet and offers guided tours of the winery, as well as wine and olive oil tastings on request. To sample a slice of the farm life and learn about the oil and wine making process, visitors can also spend their vacation in one of the traditional apartments on the estate.

Hidden away in the quaint medieval town of San Gimignano, Gelateria Dondoli is worth the trip alone. Run by former gelato world champion Sergio Dondoli, this is arguably the best place in the world to indulge in homemade Italian ice-cream. The shop is located in the town’s main square, Piazza della Cisterna, and specializes in creamy frozen treats prepared with the freshest local ingredients – think organic raw milk and fruits, Sicilian pistachios, and San Gimignano DOP saffron. Some of the most beloved specialties include Rosemary Baby (with raspberries and rosemary), Crema di Santa Fina (orange cream with Bourbon vanilla from Madagascar, San Gimignano saffron, and pine nuts from Pisa), and Vernaccia Sorbet made with the best vintage Vernaccia wines of the area.

Tuscany’s culinary experiences are endless, but hunting for truffles is definitely the ultimate epicurean adventure. The most exquisite of all is tartufo bianco pregiato (the prized white truffle), found between September and December in San Miniato, halfway between Florence and Pisa, but different varieties of this precious Italian delicacy grow year-round in the Tuscan woods. Searching the countryside for this rare and exciting product is a wonderful, unique activity, and there are lots of opportunities to enjoy it. Giulio Benuzzi (aka Giulio the Truffle Hunter) is one of the best expert truffle hunters around and offers everything from guided walking tours through a Florentine forest with his trained dog Eda to workshops, cooking classes, and gourmet truffle tastings.

Set into a small bay along the breathtaking Argentario coast, Il Pellicano feels straight out of The Talented Mr. Ripley. This is one of Italy’s most enchanting and storied addresses, where beautiful, carefree socialites have been coming to live out their dolce vita fantasies ever since the ‘60s – whether lounging by the glistening pool, soaking up the sun on the fashionable rocky beach, or lingering over luscious alfresco lunches overlooking the sweeping Tyrrhenian Sea. This legendary hotel near the pretty seaside town of Porto Ercole is a destination in and of itself, one that captures nearly everyone’s vision of a perfect Italian summer. And this being a country of sensory pleasures, food is very much at the center of the experience. You don’t need to be a guest to savor a marvelous candlelit dinner at the Michelin-starred Pellicano Restaurant or to feast on the day’s catch at Pelligrill’s open-air terrace perched above the Med. Depending on your mood, you can sip on superbly mi...

Tuscany is currently home to 35 Michelin-starred restaurants, but a time-warp stone hamlet in the Maremma region is perhaps the last place you would expect to stumble upon one. And yet, there it is – tucked into a stone house amidst the quiet cobbled streets of Montemerano. Run by much-admired chef Valeria Piccini and her husband Maurizio, Da Caino serves memorable two-star Michelin meals in an elegantly inviting 9-table dining room. The cuisine, although deeply rooted in the regional identity, is experimental and refined, with dishes like wild boar with fennel or fresh Argentario anchovies with tomato sorbet.

There is an absurd amount of cooking classes on offer in Tuscany, tailored to every level of experience and interest. You can learn how to make your own pasta or foccacia in a traditional farmhouse, discover the secrets of homemade gelato under the guidance of a professional Italian chef, and even enjoy a full-week cookery course in a private villa. For the ultimate foodie getaway, however, head to Villa Bordoni, a splendid countryside retreat in the hills outside Greve in Chianti, whose culinary credentials extend far beyond the sensational Tuscan fare served in the charming onsite restaurant. They boast a carefully curated wine cellar featuring more than 200 labels from some of Italy’s best producers, and plays host to the Chianti Cooking School. The latter welcomes both hotel guests and outside visitors to learn the art of Italian cooking in all its forms, from rustic cucina povera to sophisticated fine dining. Held by a professional chef in the hotel’s open kitchen, classes are...

There’s hardly a better way to uncover the true essence of Tuscany than with a tour of the picturesque rolling hills and charming medieval villages of the Val d’Orcia. This 9-hour enogastronomic outing from Siena combines sightseeing with delectable food & wine tasting in some of the area’s most celebrated destinations. In addition to exploring the enchanting hilltop towns of Montalcino and Montepulciano, partakers have the opportunity to visit a couple of wineries, sample delicious local wines (including Nobile di Montepulciano) and food, and learn the art of making pecorino cheese in the pretty UNESCO-listed Renaissance town of Pienza, where it originates.