Cook in Tuscany: Weekend in Chianti

A Weekend in Chianti
Greti, Tuscany

Next > < Previous

About the location: Your home during your Tuscany cooking tour is the Chianti Classico, which offers travelers stunning views over the countryside in all seasons. Wild cherry trees bloom in the spring with white flowers and later on violet carpets of iris can be found among the olive trees. This self-drive cooking vacation itinerary will lead you along roads lined with yellow scotch broom in early summer and reddish vineyards in the fall.

The Castello di Verrazzano is a late-Renaissance estate built around an eleventh-century tower. Located on a hilltop in the Chianti Classico area, the Castle looks out onto the vineyards that fan out across the slopes to the edges of the wood further down the valley. The castle was an Etruscan then a Roman settlement before becoming the property of the Verrazzano family in the seventh century. There is a great tradition of winemaking here: the “vineyards situated in Verrazzano” are mentioned as far back as 1150!

The castle is known for being the birthplace of the family Verrazzano to which the Navigator Giovanni belonged (after whom the bridge in New York is named). The Verrazzano family became extinct in 1819, but after having undergone changing fortunes over the centuries, the castle has now rediscovered its ancient splendour thanks to the patient work of Cavalier Luigi Cappellini, whose family owns the castle.

The historical cellar attracts many visitors to Chianti, and the recently rennovated farmhouse on the estate offers accommodations in double rooms and apartments. All the rooms are furnished in typical rustic Tuscan style, each with private bathroom, and there is a common room for reading and relaxation. Outside there is a patio with tables and chairs to enjoy the fresh country air.

About the cooking lessons: Your hands-on cooking lesson will be with one of our most popular chefs, Chef Claudio Piantini. The class will in the nearby town of Figline Valdarno, in Chef Claudio’s teaching kitchen at his farmhouse. You will learn to prepare classic dishes for a full, multi-course meal. Claudio is a generous and patient teacher, a true favorite among the clients and staff of The International Kitchen.

A Weekend in Chianti Itinerary

Day 1

  • Arrival at your farmhouse accommodations on your own in the afternoon.
  • Check in and settle into your room overlooking the vineyards and the Chianti hills.
  • Meet Sauro or his assistant in the evening for a welcome aperitif or a glass of the famous of Verrazzano wine.
  • Afterwards dinner reservations have been made on the welcoming terrace of the Castello di Verrazzano restaurant, during which you will also try their best 5 wines!
  • Overnight at the estate.

Day 2

  • Breakfast with coffee or tea, homemade cakes and marmalades, breads, yogurt and pastries at the castle.
  • At 10:00 am meet Gino or Sauro for a guided exploration of the medieval castle, discovering its historic cellars (cantine) and and old terracotta jars for the extra virgin olive oil (orciolaia). The guided visit will be followed by a wine tasting.
  • After the tour time at disposal to discover the quaint medieval castle of Montefioralle and the lively “capital” of the Chiantishire, Greve in Chianti. Explore the aromas of the underground aging cellar for cheese at the historic Falorni butcher shop and taste the typical Tuscan salamis and hams in their tasting room.
  • Lunch on your own in one of the local trattorie in Greve.
  • Early in the afternoon travel on your own to the nearby town of Figline Valdarno. Meet Chef Claudio at 4:30 pm for a special hands-on cooking class.
  • Dinner to follow based on your efforts, local wine included.
  • Return to the estate (about a 40 minute drive) and overnight.

Day 3

  • Breakfast.
  • Driving down a street shaded by old cypresses will easily take you to the Vignamaggio estate, one of the historic buildings in the area, where people say the “Mona Lisa” was born. Enjoy a guided tour through its beautiful gardens surrounded by camelias and olive groves.
  • Afterwards, partake in a wine tasting in an authentic vaulted room of the villa.
  • A large buffet Tuscan lunch to follow, traditionally prepared by the elderly Tuscan cook of the estate and paired with local wines made at the villa.
  • After lunch, an opportunity to rest by the villa’s pool or return to the Castello di Verrazzano.
  • In late afternoon visit to the medieval castle of Panzano in Chianti and its artisan shops.
  • Dinner tonight in Panzano at the original Tuscan Trattoria Solociccia for a meat-based menu. The trattoria is not simply a restaurant, it is the home of the renowned Tuscan butcher Dario Cecchini. The restored two-story building has exposed stone walls, floors are connected by a glass stairway, and the space is decorated with modern art. Here is the chance to enjoy Dario’s family recipes and good company. Clients dine at group tables during two servinges per day (one at 7:00 pm, one at 9:00 pm), enjoying a fixed menu that Dario decides day by day, The menu includes 3 appetizers, 3 main meat courses, vegetables, coffee and cake. (If you do not eat meat, another restaurant can be substituted at time of booking).
  • After dinner return to your accommodations on your own (about a 15 minute drive) and overnight.

Day 4

  • Breakfast followed by departure.

Back to Top