We did the day tour to Siena, San Gimignano with Alessandro. He was an amazing tour guide! Very…read moreknowledgable, energetic, & kind, & you could tell he wanted to make sure we had the best experience possible. Siena's Cathedral alone was worth the trip!

Had a great Cinque Terre Walk About tour with our guides Naomi and Luca. Both brought their…read morepersonalities and knowledge of the area to the tour. You should be proud to have them as employees. Since they went the extra mile and smile, I have a little suggestion. It's best done to the Aerosmith song "Walk this Way". Enjoy... Walk About ( To the song Walk this Way by Aerosmith) Cinque Terre lovers There's a tour like no other Who can fill with your day with so much fun From the bus to the train Their always there to explain As you travel town to town in the sun Always with a smile They go the extra mile Naomi and Luca should really be praised For the hard work they do I have a suggestion for you How bout giving them both a raise Walk About We all shout Without doubt Don't cop out Just give them a raise Seaside villas Lined up and down the hillas Stretching up the Italian Coast With breath taking views So many we never knew An experience we all will boast Speaking for the rest These two really gave their best A credit to your industry by far So maybe tomorrow You can give them some more Euros And on Yelp I will give you 5 STARS Walk About We all shout Without doubt Don't cop out Just give them a raise

This is a wonderful food tour by an American & Italian dual citizen who's lived in Florence for…read moreover 20 years and has been guiding for most of them. She knows the shopkeepers by first name and by the quality and pricing of their goods. A truly friendly lady who really enjoys her work.

My family and I had a great tour with Alessandro. Florence…read moreis paradise for foodies, and he knew some great places for us to try and was able to explain the background of the food. Some of the old places won't be around much longer, given how things are changing. Taste it while you can. It was a great experience for us, and, if you love food, this will make you happy.

It has been a couple of years since I took this tour, but I had a dream about it last night and I…read moreremembered that I never wrote a Yelp review about it - which is crazy because it is the best tour my husband and I have ever taken! Our day with Italian Days Food Experience was the highlight of our one month in Italy. I don't say that lightly. We've traveled a lot and we've eaten a lot. Still this stands as an absolute top notch experience in our travels. I highly recommend it to anyone! (I have pictures of the factories (cheese, balsamic vinegar, ham) and also of the platters of food served during our feast. I even have video of the parmigiana reggiano cheese from the vats into huge cheese balls that will blow your mind! I'll try to attach them to this review.) The out-going, energetic, and extremely knowledgeable Alessandro is the owner and tour guide for the Italian Days Food Experience. It's important to mention him because his excitement and intensity make a wonderful day even more fun and special. First an early morning visit to a Parmigiano Reggiano factory - so interesting - like something none of us had ever seen before. Starting with the big vats of milk and watching each process, step by step until it is turned into stacks and stacks of big wheels of authentic Parmigiano Reggiano cheese - The King of Cheese! You will learn the importance of DOP (Denominazione di Origine Protetta) the European Union system of laws protecting the names of specialty food products with a specific geographic origin. For example, authentic DOP Parmigiagno Reggiano cheese can only come from the Parma / Reggio region of Italy. It's sort of a big deal. Next we visited a small "farm house setting" where we ascended to the attic to see the processing and aging barrels to produce balsamic vinegar - Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Modena. I had no idea that for most Italians, making balsamic vinegar is not about making money, it is a family tradition and labor of love. When a baby is born a new batch is started and the barrels are carefully tended to through the next 20 years or so until both the vinegar and the child becomes of age. Then when that adult has a baby, the cycle repeats itself. It is a lovely and of course delicious family tradition. Last we visited a ham factory to see the hams processing. This was my least favorite part, but many people enjoyed seeing the hams curing and also the refrigeration unit. After our busy morning, we were promised a "light lunch" - which I quickly discovered was actually a FEAST. It was the most food I have ever been served - at least ten courses. The servers just kept bringing out platter after platter of amazing dishes of food - different types of pastas, steaks, chicken, veal, vegetables, desserts and of course always bottomless bottles of wine. What an incredible feast! In addition, our relatively small group (of like-minded tourists from around the world) quickly became friends as we bonded over our passion for food and wine. All the while, our guide Alessandro dashed from guest to guest, making sure everyone was happy and satisfied with the food and the service. That man is a delight - so smart, hardworking and passionate about his work. I don't know where he gets all of his energy, but it is lovely - the man is nonstop and wonderful. At the end of the day we were given the opportunity to buy some of the DOP products at very affordable prices, and we did, but there was absolutely no sales pitch or pressure to do so.

Such a fun day exploring the foods of Bologna! First we were picked up promptly, first thing in…read morethe morning (the sun hadn't come up yet) at our hotel in a passenger van, and drove to the first experience which was the cheese factory/farm. We actually got to see how the whole processing of making Parmigiano Reggiano,from start to finish, which was very enlightening. I have to say their Ricotta cheese is the best I have tasted from all over the world. Next we drove to a family owned DOP balsamic vinegar vineyard where we were able to see the process of making balsamic vinegar. Did you know it takes years and years to make just a small amount of vinegar. Very fascinating to hear and to taste. We got to compare balsamic venegar that isn't DOP and some that is. We were also able to taste the 25 year old, and 50 year old vinegar. This is tightly guarded as it is quite an arduous process, and very, very, time consuming just to get a few bottles out of the 25 and 50+ vinegar. Let's just say it's yummy. Make sure you buy a bottle while you are there. I didn't, and I could kick myself as it's more expensive is the USA from the same vineyard. Then it was off to the place where the prosciutto di Modena is made. That was interesting as well all these ham hocks hanging up, and the process of how the most tasty prosciutto is made. Final stop was to have lunch at a cantina on a sprawling estate. Great views. Did I say FOOD, lots, and lots of Italian food and wine. Very tasty and a good variety of Italian dishes. Then off to our hotel we go. We had our driver drop us off closer to city center so that we could enjoy the city before heading back to our hotel since this was or last night in Italy. She was very happy to oblige us. Such a fun day. I highly recommend this tour.

Tomas was very knowledgeable of Assisi, Cortona, and all of Italy. He also spoke English very well…read moreand was very friendly. He was an excellent and very safe driver and knew the area very well. My wife and I highly recommend him as a driver and tour guide.

We had a great time on our tour with Roberto from We Drive You Tuscany! We did the 8 hour San…read moreGimignano and Chianti Classico as well as the Pienza, Val d'Orcia, Montalcino wine and Pecorino cheese private tours with Roberto. This was my first trip to Italy, we enjoyed a comfortable ride throughout the countryside in the clean, air conditioned van! Roberto was so knowledgeable and made sure we knew all the best places to visit along with the history of the beautiful Tuscan countryside! He even gave us recommendations for our second leg of the trip to Rome. We will definitely use this service again!!

My mom and I had a wonderful tour with Darren. The small group was fantastic and it gave the…read morefeeling of a group of friends exploring a new city. Darren was wonderful and provided excellent recommendations for other places to try in the city and was very knowledgeable. The food was fantastic and everything was well worth the tour price. It was about four hours and a perfect way to get to know the city!

Definitely, worth it!…read more Stumbled upon this tour, while doing some research for my trip. It had great reviews, so I was in. So I reached out to them on very short notice. The booking person, Andrea C. was so kind and went above and beyond to accomated our group so we could go the next day. Our total group size, upon arrival, was 10 total. We arrived at their requested meeting place, central location of the Basilica Petronia. Valentina was our tour guide, and she was so sweet. She gave us lots of fun facts and a little history, which I loved, along with each visit. They have several tours: Bologna Wine Tasting Tortellini Making Experience Cooking Class Sunset Food Tour Classic Tour We did the Classic tour. Includes yummy pasta tasting, with traditional broth, which tasted like a warm hug. We had several stops (dress comfortabld/sneakers), including traditional coffee shop, bread shop, and cheese shop, and farmers market. The group got along well, and enjoyed walking in and out of the cobble stone streets, and stopping to hear from Valentina. Great tour!

Hand-crafted pasta since 1912, the owner Giuseppe has been in the family business since 1950, is…read moreextremely friendly and informative, and made us feel welcome for our free, private tour. During World War II, the Nazis took over the building, a villa, making it their headquarters in 1944. The family had to walk for two days to Florence while the Germans occupied their home. Once the Nazis fled from Allied Forces, they returned home and were the first pastificio (pasta factory) of 36 in Pistoia to resume operations after the war. They are the only remaining pastificio of the original 36. The factory has been somewhat automated since 1950, but many of the pastas are still handmade. They have numerous varieties of pasta, including their signature brands, made with only Tuscan flour from the Pisa area. They recently unveiled a pasta in the shape of Pinocchio characters called "Le Bugie" ("the lies"), the result of a scholarship competition in the local schools. The factory employs only six people, but they produce a wide variety of pastas using old family recipes and processes. The small river behind the factory once spun the turbines beneath the building which allowed them to resume operations so quickly after the war. Special drying units maintain constant temperatures between 32 and 35 degrees Celsius (90-95 Fahrenheit) , ensuring that the pasta does not break, reducing waste, and resulting in quality products. Pastas take from 24 hours to six days to dry depending on the shape. The bronze pasta forms used to give the pastas their various shapes result in a special consistency not found in mass produced brands (De Cecco, Barilla). Their pastas take much less time to cook because the pasta from the brass forms allow the boiling water to saturate the pasta instead of cooking it from the outside. The water they are boiled in also has much more starch then that of the mass produced brands, allowing the water to be used to thicken sauces before serving. The valley in which the villa sits is quiet, green, lush, and much cooler than smoldering Florence, so it was a breath of fresh air, literally, after a month in 100 degree Florence and its wall-to-wall tourists. Giuseppe is working on adding a small gift shop and cafe, culinary demonstrations, and possibly pasta making and cooking classes in the near future, but in the meantime a tour of their operation is a must if visiting Tuscany and tell him CombatCritic sent you! CombatCritic Gives Pastaficio Chelucci Tour The Coveted 10 Bombs Out Of 10 ... IT'S THE BOMB ... More Bombs Are Better!

From the owner: Production of hand-crafted pasta utilising bronze forms as has been done for over one hundred…read moreyears. Our facility has been in the family since 1912 and was confiscated by the Germans during World War II, serving as their headquarters in 1944. We were the first of 37 pasta factories in Pistoia to reopen after the war and are the only remaining open to this day. We offer tours of our facility by appointment.

Andrea / Massimo / Olga, thank you for the hospitality! I appreciate it greatly that you offered to…read morehelp pick me up and drop me off at my Airbnb (which I learned was not at the greatest part of town). I had a great day exploring Bologna. From the food tours (Parmigiano-Reggiano, prosciutto, balsamic vinegar, and all of that wine pairings!) who knew that bad mix vinegar was delicious on vanilla ice cream?! The day ended with a 6 course meal in Modena. The restaurant and scenery was beautiful. The food was of course delicious, you can never have too much pasta. You'll get treated like family here! Andrea and Massimo were always helpful, offering to take pictures and checking to see if we needed anything. See attached pics for a preview of what the day was like! Highly recommend this tour!

Fantastic tour. Totally worth the money. The two of us were picked up early at our hotel, we then…read morepicked up one other couple and were off for a day of food and wine. Started at Prosciuttificio Nini Gianfranco which was as small operation but cranked out a ton of prosciutto hams. We saw the entire production and tasted some various pieces with the owner. Then went to Parmigiano Reggiano in Modena and saw how they make the giant wheels of Parmesan. Also had an opportunity buy a wedge at a fantastic price. Then went to Azienda Agricola Romano Boni where they make some of the finest aged balsamic vinegar in all of Italy. Really nice guy running the place. Then went to Chiarli 1860 winery and saw the operation and tasted various wines including an amazing Lambrusco. Finished with a long lunch with several courses at La Ca' Bianca in Modena. Went upstairs to meet the dream team of ladies making all the various pastas and tortellini. Then a ride in the early evening back to our hotel. Took a ton of pictures, ate all kinds of food and wine and had a great day. Our guide Andrea and driver Ricci were spectacular. Totally worth doing this tour.

TL;DR - this tour is a delight to those who truly care about the entire winemaking process,…read morehistory, and culture. My wife and I planned our dream vacation to Italy with a focus on food and wine. Our time in the Florence area mandated the intentional trip to my (and now OUR) favorite winemaking area - Montalcino. We spent months planning and researching and came across this wonderful local company - "Italy & Wine Tours." Upon review of their website we were captivated by their intentionality to have the time be an intimate and thoughtfully curated all day adventure from Florence through the Chianti region, into the romantic hills of Val d'Orcia, and onto the hillside of Montalcino. To our delight - on the day of the trip we found that we were the only couple who signed up to go that day. Our tour guide Nicolò (who was INCREDIBLE and has formal WSET training/certification) was joined by the delightful daughter (Ippolita) of the company's owner. It was the best experience traveling with them. From the moment we were introduced to the moment we were dropped off at the end of the day we never stopped talking, laughing, sharing stories, and learning more about our favorite shared passion - Italian wine. Now onto the WINE! I won't spoil your trip with too many specifics, but our tour began from the beginning - how did Brunello di Montalcino come to be? We toured the streets of Montalcino and immersed ourselves in local history, tradition, etc. following the city, we were off to the first winery. The first winery focus was on the (traditional) aspects of Brunello. The centuries old family fortress made it abundantly clear. It was an idyllic location through the cellars, learning about the soil, property history for pilgrimages, ancient Rome, and crusades. We sampled 4 wines produced by the site which trended towards elegant, refined, and approachable. During the tasting we were blessed with a delicious and traditional private Italian lunch. Afterwards we went to the second winery which was slightly more modern (in winemaking style) but nonetheless a delight. We dove deeper into soil composition, weather, aging conditions, and micro-factors. The wine at the second location was big, bold, wonderfully complex and personally my preferred style. We concluded our time thanking our hosts and guides over and over again with multiple bottles in hand to bring home and shared with our family. We sincerely hope you (the reader) get to experience Italy and Montalcino in the same way we did. Personal highlights / Why choose this company: - historic, locally/generational owned wineries - not large corporate productions. - 2 production styles helped compare/contrast the same type of wine helping me choose future bottles more accurately. - The tour guides / owners. They care about you, and hospitality is so genuine. Please support companies like this. Thank you so much Nicolò and Ippolita. You are forever in our hearts and we hope our paths cross again in the future!! *David & Kenzie (Seattle, WA)

Our Montepulciano wine tour was one of the highlights of our trip to Italy, and much of that was…read morethanks to Niccolò. From the moment we left Florence, he transformed what could have been a simple drive into a fascinating journey through Tuscany. We spent the day discussing Italian history, culture, education, and different perspectives on life, which added tremendous depth and meaning to the experience. Niccolò is knowledgeable, engaging, and genuinely passionate about sharing his country with visitors. By the end of the day, he felt more like a friend than a guide. The wineries themselves were equally impressive. We especially appreciated visiting family-owned vineyards where generations of winemakers have preserved traditions while producing exceptional wines. The hospitality was warm and authentic, and each winery offered a unique glimpse into the rich heritage of the Montepulciano region. The wine tastings were outstanding, but it was the stories, family histories, and personal connections that made the experience truly memorable. This tour provided far more than wine tasting--it offered an opportunity to experience the culture, people, and traditions of Tuscany in a meaningful way. If you are considering a wine tour from Florence, I highly recommend this experience, and if you are fortunate enough to have Niccolò as your guide, you are in for a remarkable day. Thank you, Niccolò, for making our day so special and for sharing your knowledge, insight, and enthusiasm with us. We will remember this experience long after the last bottle of wine is gone.

Linda was an excellent guide and had an excellent personality and attitude that quickly had us…read moreopening up about all our culinary adventures over the past 2 weeks of European honeymooning. She gave us excellent tips to finding the best of what we loved. My personal highlight of the trip was tasting the best truffle fois gras of my life! Great samples of Prosecco and Chianti as well as authentic Italian snacks and a store that had an amazingly diverse and splendid selection of wines and hard alcohols under one roof, and owned by a family. Little bits of history and shared experiences from other lands all added to the experience and the fact that it ended up being a personal instead of group tour for the same rate was an amazing bonus. A great way to spend 2.5-3 hours and learn about some future favorites in cuisine.

Absolutely amazing tour! We got Linda, the manager and did the Apertivo: Tour of Florence…read more Wonderful experience. Linda has such a great sense of humor, lots of knowledge and experience. It felt like I was meeting up with a friend who knew all the hidden gems (and not so hidden) lol. Such a great time. We ended up having a private tour so it was a lot of fun. Linda is great! Will meet up again if ever back back in Firenze (Florence). Thank you so much Linda for the memorable experience.

Can't say enough positive things about Easy Touring and its owner operator Wolfgang. We met…read moreWolfgang by chance as he was our transfer arranged by a restaurant in 2013. Since then we have traveled with him for custom tours to Chianti, Bolgheri, montecarlo, and Montalcino as well as for many train station and airport transfers. He's the best. Professional, knowledgable, kind and very good at helping you coordinate your tour or transfer needs. A valuable resource for your trip in tuscany! He even planned transportation for our wedding, getting 75 guests to a hillside church outside of Lucca!

From the owner: I am a private-hire in Tuscany and can take you from your hotel to the airport for example but also…read morespend the day on a tour of your choice. I am fluent in English, German and Italian and like culture, history, good food and wines!