A PERFET DAY OF CHEESE AND WINE IN TUSCANY
If you want to explore an area of Tuscany away from overtourism that offers excellent food and wine, this is the tour for you!
Join us for an exciting journey through the Pisan Hills, not far from the Tuscan sea, in the area of the Santa Luce Nature Reserve.
A Family Tradition of Cheese making Excellence
Our private tour starts with a guided visit to a local cheese factory. This cheese factory is one of the region’s leading producers of high-quality cheese. A family-run business for generations, it has perfected the art of cheese making, earning a reputation for excellence. It’s story began in 1955 when the two brothers, Alessandro and Remo, shepherds by trade, established a small production facility near the village where they still operate today. Nowadays, Stefano and his family continue this legacy, blending traditional techniques with modern innovation to produce some of the finest cheeses you’ll ever taste.
Here, you’ll learn the secrets behind crafting a vast variety of cheesesmade from cow, goat, and sheep’s milk. Watch as traditional methods are carefully preserved and combined with the latest technologies, and enjoy a tasting of their finest cheeses, freshly made on-site. The selection is really wide – up to 73 different kinds! – , offering a rich range of flavors and textures. Afterward, indulge in a delicious lunch at the cheese factory, savoring local delicacies paired with their best cheeses.
The visit to a panoramic winery
In the afternoon, head to a beautiful panoramic winery known for its exceptional Super Tuscan wines. The winery is located in the area called Northern Maremma, about 180 meters above sea level. Given the vicinity of the sea, their soil varies from pure calcareous and marine origin, to stony and arid due to a magmatic-volcanic origin, with elements of some deep-sea sedimentary clay. This gives the possibility to create uniquely balanced, structured top-quality wines.
Crafted with passion and expertise, their prestigious wines blend tradition with innovation. You’ll tour the vineyards and wine cellars, learning about the winemaking process, and enjoy a tasting of their finest wines.
With breathtaking views of the Tuscan hills, this tour offers a perfect blend of flavor, culture, and scenic beauty, making it an unforgettable experience for all.
This is a list of specialties that you are likely to sample as part of the program of this tour. Please, note that the specialties of the tasting session and/or lunch may vary according to the season and the availability of the products in the day of the tour.
Pecorino cheese is the most famous cheese from Tuscany. It derives from sheep milk, from which the name comes: in Italian sheep is “pecora”. It can be fresh or long-aged and its taste can vary from mild to very sharp.
A plate of local prosciutto, salami and pecorino cheese is a typical appetizer in the Tuscan cooking tradition. A plate of mixed cold meats and cheese can often accompany a guided tasting of Tuscan wines.
The Tuscan soil provides a wide variety of red wines, from easy-to-drink young table wines to full-body and robust riservas. Tuscan red wines are often based on Sangiovese, Canaiolo, Ciliegiolo or Colorino grapes and sometimes on international grapes like Merlot, Cabernet or Syrah. The most curious experiements are recently involving Alicante and Tempranillo!
Tuscan white wines are often based on a typical grape called Vermentino, which provides strong minerality and freshness to the wines made with it. The area of San Gimignano provides the one and only white wine DOCG in Tuscany: Vernaccia. Other very common grapes for white wines in Tuscany are Trebbiano and Malvasia.
Even if it does not belong to a very old tradition, Tuscan Rose Wine has recently become a much desired kind of wine. Often it is based on Tuscan Sangiovese grapes, rose wine is a great match to most Tuscan foods, especially in the hot summers. Rose wine is very frequently served in our wine […]
In our tour we like showing you places off the beaten track and introducing you to Tuscan people with their personal stories, careers and characters.
You will have one of our guides with your party during the whole tour. Please, see below all the guides who can be with you.
During this experience you can also meet some of the Tuscan friends involved in the events. Please, see below which friends you are likely to encounter.
Alessandro
guide
Alessandro
Tour leader at Arianna & Friends'
Ciao! My name is Alessandro and i'm 30 years old. I was born and raised in a charming village near San Miniato, I've spent my life immersed in the beauty of Tuscany. After traveling to England and Spain, I returned home to share my passion for my region.
With years of experience in the hospitality industry, including roles in restaurants, hotels, and pubs, I've honed my skills in providing exceptional guest experiences. My sommelier training has deepened my knowledge of Tuscan wines and cuisine.
Now, as a proud member of the Arianna & Friends team, I'm thrilled to share the stories and traditions of my homeland with visitors from around the world. Join me on a journey through the heart of Tuscany, where history, culture, and breathtaking landscapes come together.
Cristiano
guide
Cristiano
Tour leader at Arianna & Friends'
My name is Cristiano. I was born in 1971 and I live in San Giuliano Terme near Pisa.
When I was a child I has lived in Mexico with my family, where i attended an international school in English.
I graduated from the linguistic high school, speaks English, Spanish and French.
I worked as a travel agent for many years and managed tourist reception activities in Morocco.
Since 2024 I have been working for Arianna & Friends.
Passionate about traveling around the world, I love meeting new people and exchanging experiences and stories with them.
In my free time I play tennis, love traveling to Asia and hiking through the Tuscan hills with my friends and my dog Ciccio.
Moira
guide
Moira
Pisa city tour guide & and tour leader at Arianna & Friends'
Ciao a tutti! My name is Moira and I'm the "foreigner" here at Arianna & Friends! In fact I come from the north west of Italy, from the town of Turin, and I moved to Tuscany in 2012, falling immediately in love with the culture, the arts and foods and of course - my favourite! - wines of this beautiful region.
I started working at Arianna & Friends' back in 2013 as an assistant at the Tourist Information Office of a small hilltop village, where our office was initially located; then I got my licence as tour guide and I am today the city tour guide in the team for the main towns of Pisa, Volterra, San Miniato, but also for all our less famous tiny villages, which hide lots of secrets and such a loooong history!
Last year, together with my colleague Luca, we got a licence as official truffle hunters, but I'm still mainly a truffle eater!
When I'm not walking around in our amazing places talking about arts, culture and history, or discovering together with our guests the local specialties, you find me in the office, taking care of bookings and reservations.
I really hope to meet you soon to show you around our beautiful land, and as I come from another region, I can also reveal some of the secrets that Tuscan people will never confess!!
Luca
guide
Luca
Tour leader and sales manager at Arianna & Friends'
Ciao Amici!! My name is Luca. I'm in my 40s and I'm for sure the craziest guide at Arianna & Friends
As all my other colleagues, I am a multi task personality in the company. I take care of bookings, I am one the content managers of our websites and I'm a tour leader.
When in season, I lead almost all types of tours and cooking classes at Arianna & Friends'. My favourite ones are the truffle, olive oil and vespa tours. Riding a vespa through our wonderful hills is a must to do while in Tuscany... of course only if you know how to ride a scooter!
When I started working for Arianna & Friends, back in 2011, I was only able to prepare a very simple "pasta al pomodoro" (pasta with tomato sauce). Now, after more than 10 years of cooking classes and thanks to our wonderful cooks, I am a very good chef (but please, don't tell it to my wife!).
My motto is "smile you are in Tuscany". I'm happy and very proud when I see people enjoying my country and having fun in Tuscany.
Join us! Join me! Let's have fun togheter!!
LOCATION OF ATTRACTIONS:
This tour takes place in the rural area of San Luce natural reserve, about 30 minutes from Pisa and 1 hour from Volterra and Lucca.
MEET-UP LOCATION:
The tour guide meets you at an agreed meeting point which might vary due to the position of your accommodation. Meeting point and time will be specified during the booking process.
DURATION:
This program takes 6 hours. Time for transportation not included.
AVAILABILITY:
Available all the year through, from Mondays through Fridays.
LANGUAGE:
This tour is available in English language. German, French, Spanish, Russian or Italian are also available with no surcharge.
DIFFICULTY LEVEL:
Easy
CHILD FRIENDLY:
Ideal for children.
CLOTHING:
No particular clothing required.
FOOD RESTRICTIONS:
The foods served during this tour might contain gluten, lactose, nuts and alcohol. If you have any food restriction, please inform our personnel during the enquiry process.
TRANSPORTATION:
This program and its rates do not include transportation and are set on a self-driving base. For further information see the box "transportation options".
The destinations reached during this activity are in the Tuscan countryside, in areas off the beaten track that cannot be reached by public transport. We highly recommend renting a car or a scooter in order to reach them. As an alternative, we can offer a valued service by chauffeured car, van or minibus. Any cost of transportation is to be added to the rates displayed on the rate table of this page.
If you want to explore an area of Tuscany that is off the beaten path and offers excellent food and wine, this is the tour for you. Join us for an exciting journey through the Pisan Hills, not far from the sea, in the area of the Santa Luce Nature Reserve.
If you want to explore an area of Tuscany that is off the beaten path and offers excellent food and wine, this is the tour for you. Join us for an exciting journey through the Pisan Hills, not far from the sea, in the area of the Santa Luce Nature Reserve.
If you want to explore an area of Tuscany that is off the beaten path and offers excellent food and wine, this is the tour for you. Join us for an exciting journey through the Pisan Hills, not far from the sea, in the area of the Santa Luce Nature Reserve.
Wine & Food Tours
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