Along with the rental of apartments and villas, we offer a range of tourist services to our guests. We have been working with these operators for many years, and regularly join their activities ourselves to ensure they continue to offer the service and experiences we expect for our guests. These services include:

• Airport transfers between Florence Airport and your apartment
• Private transfers to any region throughout Italy by luxury minivan 

• Private tours in Umbria, Cinque Terre, Lucca, Chianti area or customsied tours throughout any region in Italy - ask us for ideas and details.
  
• Special tours in Florence and surroundings;

All our private tours and private transfers are aboard a comfortable Opel Vivaro van.

• Language Courses in Florence
  
• Wine and Olive Oil Tastings
  We offer our guests the opportunity to visit a winery famed for their Chianti and Tuscan olive oil. Of course there will be ample time for tastings of both!
  
• Cooking courses 
  Learn how to cook traditional and modern Tuscan dishes; take the tastes and flavours of your Tuscan holiday home with you.
  
• Wedding organiser and consultancy
  An agency specialised in wedding organisation for Italian and foreigner clients, anniversaries, receptions, birthday parties and events in Tuscany. Qualified staff will assist you in the selection of the locations for the reception and for all the annexed services like catering, floral decorations, photoshoots, video, musical entertainment and hire of vintage cars. We collaborate with Blanc Ricevimenti Wedding Planner in Tuscany and Italy.
  

Daily tours & sightseeing excursions

Beppe, our charming and knowlegeable private driver, will be pleased to share Tuscany with you. A range of small-group and private excursions are on offer each day, including:

• Chianti Area Tours
  Experience San Gimignano, Monteriggioni, and Siena. Tour a local winery, where we will enjoy lunch. The price, based on four adults is approximately 280 euros.
  
• Another Chianti Tour, stopping in Montalcino, Sant'Antimo, Pescina and Pienza, always visiting a winery.
  
• Prato, Pisa and Lucca - no visit to Tuscany is complete without a visit to the Leaning Tower. Also visit the historic walled city of Lucca.

• Perugia, Cortona and Assisi .
  
• Cinque Terre tour: From personal experience I very highly recommend this tour: you are driven to Riomaggiore, the starting point for our Cinque Terra walk. You will enjoy amazing views as you walk the coastal trail along the 'Path of Love', to the town of Manarola. Following the walk, Beppe will collect you for the short transfer to Corniglia, where you take the boat for Vernazza.

Please, feel free to ask me any questions you have regarding your specific tour requirements. These are only some of our suggested tours, and we can organise custom tours on request. Usually the departure is in the morning, 9.00 am, directly from your apartment, where Beppe will pick you up; the return is usually around 6:00 pm, always directly back to your apartment. You are kindly requested to pay Beppe directly for his services, in cash.

Italian Cooking Class

Cooking classes are held on request, usually in the morning, and are followed by lunch, where guests can enjoy the dishes they have just prepared. Each class lasts from 3 to 4 hours.

Cooking classes are hosted by Paola, and whilst they are not 'professional', they offer a true insight into traditional homestyle Tuscan cooking, allowing you to learn how to make typical Italian dishes for you to share with your family and friends when you return home. On request I am pleased to arrange cooking lessons for specific purposes and for larger groups.

Prices are in accordance with the type of course, group size and content of the class. As a guide, based on 2 people takign part, the price is 65 euros per person for one 3-4 hour class.

Location

Classes are held in the fully equipped kitchen of your apartment.

Typical dishes

Here, there are some dishes "students" usually prepare and eat:

• Appetisers: Tuscan canapé (crostini) (made with chicken liver); Mushroom canapé; Bruschetta (toasted Tuscan bread, topped with with fresh tomato and olive oil)
• First courses: (pasta) Hand made pasta. Tortelli and ravioli (for example tortelli are pasta pockets stuffed with mashed potatoes, parsley, egg, parmigiano cheese, garlic). Meat gravy. Spaghetti alla Carbonara (egg, bacon, black pepper, seasoned cheese sauce).Bavette al pesto (a sort of spaghetti with a basil, pine seed, olive oil, seasoned cheese sauce), Lasagne; Pasta al Ragout Bolognese, etc...
• Second courses: Stufato alla sangiovannese, arista.
• Desserts: Bianco mangiare (a sort of panna cotta, but in its traditional form), Rice pancakes, Tiramisù
  All lunches are accompanied by fine Chianti!