Gluten Free LUXURY BOUTIQUE TOUR TO TUSCANY
9 nights
Oct 4-13 2024
Enquire now: admin@glutenfreejoy.com.au
PRICING
2024:
$5899pp twin share**– Land costs only
(10% non-refundable deposit required)
For solo travellers, a mandatory single supplement of $950 applies
(unless a room share arrangement is possible)
**Finalised payments required by May 2024. Payment plan possible.
HIGHLIGHTS
Meander through the quaint cobbled streets of the tiny hilltop town of Certaldo, off the beaten track and away from the tourist crowd.
Be treated to an authentic Italian pasta lunch in the courtyard of a traditional trattoria, with views stretching for miles across the rolling Tuscan landscape.
Visit the winery of a world class Brunello vineyard to learn about the mastery behind creating their unique blends, with tastings and a tour of their wine cellar part of the fun.
Explore an abbey and climb the famous bell towers of San Gimignano. Be overawed at the beautiful frescoes adoring the walls and ceilings of the Duomo.
Swim in the stunning waters of the Cinque Terre with your backdrop a kaleidoscope of colourful dwellings clinging to the cliff side.
Wander the gardens of an original Medici country mansion to imagine life at the height of Florentine dominance.
Learn the art of ceramics and watch as true Tuscan artisans craft their product.
Roll up your sleeves in a private cooking masterclass to learn how to create pasta the authentic Italian way in the historic kitchens of the 16th century renaissance villa that will be our home for our 7 nights in Tuscany.
Explore the Florentine produce market guided by our resident chef as he introduces us to the finest & freshest ingredients essential for creating authentic Tuscan flavours.
Fulfil your foodie travel dreams with an itinerary full of authentic gourmet Italian eats all pre-vetted and coeliac safe*
Stay in centuries old authentic accommodation that literally envelop you in the historical culture of the region.
Enjoy gourmet breakfasts complete with locally sourced gluten free pastries, unique to Gluten Free Joy Tours, so that you do not have to miss out while everyone else has all of the foodie fun!
ACCOMMODATION
With only 2 separate delux accommodation venues included you will only have to unpack twice, leaving you plenty of time to relax & unwind in your stunning surroundings.
Florence (2 nights) – Palazzo Guadagni, a 16th century palace overlooking a beautiful piazza located in the historical centre of Florence
Tuscany (7 nights) – Villa il Poggiali, a 16th century renaissance villa set high on a hill in the Chianti region of Tuscany surrounded by tall cypress pines, vineyards & olive groves.
ITINERARY OVERVIEW
Day 1: Arrive Florence
Pick up transfer to Hotel (optional*). Settle in to your delux accommodation, then head up to the rooftop loggia ready to meet your fellow guests for sunset drinks & views over Florence. Dinner at local pizzeria, hosted by our very own coeliac guide…our passport to all things gluten free in Florence!
Day 2: Explore Florence
Start the day with a 3 hour historic walking tour of Florence with a local guide, before heading off to explore this beautiful city yourself…you can visit the Duomo (with optional climb to the top for breathtaking views), Uffizzi, Gallerie Acadamia, or wander through the grandeur of the Pitti palace & its stunning gardens. All options are just a short walk from the hotel. You will also be orientated to all of the best GF foodie venues to incorporate in your exploration! Dinner at local gluten free ristorante.
Day 3: Florence + Tuscany Transfer
After having the morning free to explore Florence some more, perhaps incorporating a museum visit, indulging in some shopping or just wandering around eating GF gelato, we then head out to settle into our gorgeous Tuscan Villa, our home for the next 7 nights. Dinner together at Villa.
Day 4: Hidden Treasures of Tuscany
Full day tour of the Val D’Orcia region incorporating the hidden hilltop towns of Pienza & Montalcino. Along the way we explore an ancient Abbey, enjoy a Brunello wine tour and indulge in a gorgeous lunch with stunning views. Dinner locally to Villa.
Day 5: Markets & Cooking
Today is all about understanding & creating the cuisine the Italians are famous for! We start with a morning visit to the Florentine produce markets with our resident chef, before heading back to the Villa’s renown cooking school, Acadamia Italiana di Cucina Pandolfini, to learn how to create some of the favourite dishes of the region, before sitting down to enjoy together a 5 course feast of our own creation! The afternoon is free for you to explore or rest. Dinner self cater.
Day 6: Delights of Tuscany
The most picturesque medieval hilltop towns of Tuscany are on the agenda for today. We visit San Gimignano, Certaldo & Sienna, incorporating a breathtaking cliff top lunch and an appertivo overlooking Sienna’s famous central piazza. And of course, there will be plenty of time to wander the streets to soak in the history and culture of the region, indulge in some shopping or explore a museum. Dinner is a grazing platter on the Villa’s patio.
Day 7: Rest Day/Optional Activities*
This is your chance to catch your breath & relax in the Villa’s beautiful surroundings…perhaps have a swim in the pool or enjoy some quiet moments on the patio, or if you still have plenty of energy, why not head out for some more excitement… a tour to Pisa & Lucca, an extra cooking workshop, or the chance to head back into Florence for a day trip. Dinner self cater. *optional activities not included in price
Day 8: Cinque Terre
A full day trip to this stunning seaside region, one of Italy’s famous locales, with it’s cliffside towns awash with the colour of its ancient dwellings set against the backdrop of the clear blue waters of the Mediterranean. We visit the towns of Manorola, Vernazza (incl lunch) & Monterossa (bring your swimmers!), enjoying an additional return boat ride (weather permitting) to capture the beauty of the region from another perspective. Dinner self cater.
Day 9: Medici Villa & Ceramics Tour
Today we set off to explore one of Medici’s residences in Poggio A’ Caiano, Artemino, a nearby medieval hamlet, as well as enjoying a visit to a local ceramics factory. A wander through this grand villa, built for Lorenzo the Magnificent in the 15th century, with its ancient frescoes & beautiful gardens, provides a relaxing wind up to this ‘pinch me’ holiday. Includes lunch. Optional extra afternoon cooking workshop. Farewell Dinner back at Villa.
Day 10: Depart
Sadly here we must part, with transfers to take you back to Florence, the train station or the airport.
Tour Inclusions:
Accomodation & daily full buffet breakfasts
5 lunches + 6 dinners
GF cooking workshop with qualified chef
Florence market visit with chef
Guided historical walking tour of Florence
Wine tour & tastings
Medici Villa & Ceramics Factory tour
2 Full day tours to the stunning Chianti and Val D’Orcia regions
Full day tour to Cinque Terre, incl a swim at Monterossa
All transportation & transfers as indicated in itinerary
Bilingual tour leader
Apron & recipe book
Exclusions:
Travel to and from Italy
Pick up transfer (optional add on)
Some meals as indicated in itinerary
Why Travel with Gluten Free Joy Tours?
All tours incorporate coeliac vetted culturally authentic gourmet dining. Jane, your tour host, has utilised her extensive travel knowledge and experience as a diagnosed coeliac of 17 years to craft tours absolutely brimming with ‘pinch me’ travel moments, without any of the normal stress associated with coeliac travel. She has done all of the research so that all you have to do is show up and enjoy the trip of a lifetime.
Each tour group is capped at a maximum of 10 persons to ensure that while you will be free of all of those pesky details of travel, you will never need to feel as though you are part of a tourist herd. You get to explore each destination like a local.
Utilising insider local knowledge and partners on the ground in each destination, as well as incorporating delux historically cultural accommodation, Gluten Free Joy Travel allows you to immerse yourself completely in an authentic travel experience.
We know that every traveller is not the same. This is why our itineraries purposefully include free time with optional activities so that you can modify your pace or tailor the experience to suit your needs more completely.
BENEFITS
Small Group – Max 10 persons per tour ensuring you get to travel like a local, with experiences tailored to your needs We Get Travel – These tours are birthed from a love & passion for travel and a desire to become immersed in new cultures. Authenticity and connecting with the quintessential experiences each destination has to offer are the keys to creating travel memories that last a lifetime. Creating ‘Pinch Me’ moments are our forte. We Get You – As a diagnosed coeliac of over 20 years, your tour host Jane comes with a wealth of understanding of the stress of travelling coeliac safely. She also owns and runs a Gluten Free Events company whose sole purpose is to connect coeliacs with more joy in their life by removing the stress barriers to eating out safely. She works closely with Coeliac Australia & raises funds for coeliac research through some of her events. Her blog Gluten Free Joy helps hundreds of coeliacs daily understand their health better and rediscover the joy of eating well. “Good food and good company are two of life’s simplest pleasures”. Authentic Cultural Experiences – There simply is not much point to travel if you cannot engage fully with the local culture. And this includes the food. Where some coeliacs travel just with a suitcase full of muesli bars content to sit on the sideline while others around them have all the foodie fun…strolling the Seine eating a croissant or enjoying authentic pasta and a glass of wine at a sidewalk café, we believe this is not truly experiencing a destination. We have strategically crafted itineraries that included quintessential cultural experiences in each destination. High Standard – We only include food that is sourced locally from fresh produce to create authentic flavours, and accommodation that delivers on cleanliness, service, location and presentation. No Stress – We look after the pesky details of travel so that you don’t have to…all you have to do is show up and immerse yourself in the experience Learn From The Best – Our cooking workshops are led by local chefs who live and breathe the regional cuisine, and are passionate to help you discover the joys of cooking! For our day trips we partner only with respected local tour operators with years of hands on experience creating experiences of quality. Have Fun – As a small group, our tours are very relaxed and have the feel of a group of friends simply hanging out together!So, for the ultimate gluten free travel experience, with unique experiences only available on our tours, book with Gluten Free Joy now!
Email Jane: admin@glutenfreejoy.com.au
Disclaimer ^While it is our intention to adhere to the itinerary as described, it may be subject to slight change due to variable weather conditions, venue availabilities & forces beyond our control. We also look to tailor the experience as much as possible to suit the participants on each tour. *While each meal & venue are vetted for compliance to coeliac safe food handling practices, not all of the venues included are 100% GF, and therefore cannot guarantee against accidental minor cross contamination. Participants should assess their own risk in this regard.