My fiancee and I are planning our honeymoon for Sept. We will be visiting Florence and Vienna, but we'd like to spend a week in Tuscany staying at a vineyard farmhouse, hiking, taking cooking classes, day trips to other towns... We're interested in hearing about anyone's experiences/recommendations for accomodations, which town to locate ourselves in etc. Also, what about locating in Umbria? <BR> <BR>Thanks in advance for any advice. Websites are appreciated!

Matthew, <BR> <BR>This is not in Tuscany, nor in Umbria, but I think it is very much worthy of your consideration: <BR> <BR>www.domani-usa.com/rome/vallerosa.html <BR> <BR>It's in Rieti, about 70 miles (maybe less) ENE of Rome, and the reason to stay here is Luciana Pancera. She will be your cooking teacher, private guide and a resource you will not find many other places. and you can stay there for less than a week, if you prefer (since you had your heart set on Tuscany or Umbria). <BR> <BR>Best wishes, <BR> <BR>Rex <BR>

We were looking for alot of the things you are seeking: <BR> <BR>Basing ourselves near Cortona since it's a little off the beaten path (until "Under the Tuscan Sun" was written). Staying at Il Falconaire (www.relaischateax.com), but Villa Fontelungo also looked very cool. <BR> <BR>Planning on the following: <BR> <BR>Exploring Montalcino and Montepulcino on our own. One of the two has a great Enoteca for wine sampling. <BR> <BR>Doing a one day Chianti vineyard tour which includes three vineyards and lunch (www.dolcetours.com). Wanted one day where I didn't have to be the designated driver. <BR> <BR>Also scheduled a one day cooking class with Anne Robichaud (email: [email protected]), recommended by Rick Steves. She was very responsive and it's an informal class which is what we wanted. You go to the market with her to buy ingredients and then go to her restored farmhouse to cook (and eat) lunch. All the other courses we saw were one week of cooking in a more structured environment. We just wanted the experience on a much lighter scale.

Try this website: www.portasole.it

I cannot recommend more highly Fattoria Pagnana (www.fattoria-pagnana.com). This is a working farm/vineyard 10 miles South East of Florence. They have converted a number of farm cottages into apartments for Agritourism. I just loved it. The views are wonderful, the apartments are large (not rabbit warrens as I have seen in other places), well equipped and furnished. The staff speak English and were terribly helpful when I was there and before my arrival when planning final details. <BR>They have a weekly tour of a private Agricultural Museum and wine cellars followed by a free tasting of their wines and Extra Virgin Olive Oil - superb. <BR>Unfortunately I could not attend a cookery course as not enough guests wanted to join me but I returned home with their booklet of typical Tuscan recipes and have fond gastronomic memories when I thumb through the pages every so often. <BR>The Pagnana estate is roughly 600 acres with plenty of opportunities for hiking and observing nature - I saw a whole wild boar family casually crossing through the vines on a couple of occasions as well as foxes, red squirrels, fallow deer etc. <BR>Plus a final plus - nearby you will find factory outlets of Gucci, Prada and Dolce & Gabbana. <BR>More complete than this I don't think you will find. <BR>BiBi, Ian

Thanks everyone for your advice. I am in the process of checking out all the websites everyone offered. I have to say that cooking schools in Tuscany must be a big business now. Most 6 night programs are averaging about $5,000.00 for the 2 of us. A bit steep for us casual non-gourmets! Still, we like the idea of staying at a farmhouse/on a working vineyard. <BR> <BR>Ciao! <BR>MAtt

I have not done this but have a friend who went to a casual cooking school in Tuscany he liked a lot. It was pretty cheap, was only 3 days as I recall, and had the same idea of taking you to the market, coming back to make something, having a group dinner together, etc. It is Tutti A Tavola (http://www.ware.it/Agritour/Itinerar...ola/index.html <BR> <BR>It's only about $100 a day (course only), although the women who run it also sort of run B&Bs so you can stay with them also if you choose. Another good one in Tuscany that is only about $100 a person (classes plus accommodations) is Il Pazzo di Radi which you can find on www.teacherstravels.com -- go to their section called Taste of Europe.

correction that is www.teacherstravel.com

I am planning to go to Fattoria Pagnana (www.fattoria-pagnana.com) myself in September and hope to attend one of their cookery courses but I am travelling alone. Anyone interested to make up the minimum number?

Clint, <BR> <BR>I've copied this from the site you listed: <BR> <BR>The advanced course lasts 5 days and it's especially addressed to those who already have a reasonable culinary confidence and wish to extend their knowledge. <BR> <BR>The 3 day course will give you an interesting panorama of typical Tuscan specialities. <BR> <BR>In the 1 day cookery lesson you will learn to prepare some typical dishes, including a few seasonal favourites enjoyed during the grape and olive harvests. <BR> <BR>Advanced course: the lessons will take place in the morning for five days starting at 9:30, followed by lunch. Every day you will learn to prepare one antipasto, one first dish, <BR>one second dish with vegetables and a dessert. Special attention will be given to the preparation of fresh pasta and to the choice of wines. <BR>Number Participants: minimum 4, maximum 12. <BR>Total Hours: 25 <BR>Price: Lit. 650.000 incl. all food and fine wines <BR> <BR>3 Day Course: the lessons will take place in the morning over 3 days starting at 9:30 followed by lunch. You will learn to prepare some typical Tuscan dishes, like crostini, fresh <BR>pasta and special desserts such as cantuccini. <BR>Number Participants: minimum 4, maximum 12. <BR>Total Hours: 15 <BR>Price: Lit. 400.000 incl. all food and fine wines <BR> <BR>1 Day Cookery Lesson: The lessons will be held during the olive and grape harvests. You will learn to prepare typical dishes using seasonal produce: fresh grapes, newly <BR>pressed olive oil, local mushrooms and Tuscan black cabbage. <BR>Number participants: minimum 10. <BR>Total Hours: 5 <BR>Price: Lit. 150.000 incl all food and fine wines <BR> <BR>Which are you thinking appeals to you? And do you have other plans for Italy, besides this? What size group do you envision as most appealing to you? <BR> <BR>I might be interested, and I know others who might be interested in something like this. <BR> <BR>

to the top... for Pam... <BR>

Man, this sunk quickly this afternoon! topping again for Pam. <BR> <BR>Postscript: If this forum had an easier way to locate and direct readers to a specific (previous) posting by a unique identifier (timestamp), it would not be necessary to top (and repeat) information so tediously. This is my new crusade, and I am thinking about adding this postscript (when applicable) to every new reply I make here. If you agree with me, then please write to Danny Mangin or David Downing - - [email protected] - - and encourage them to move forward with this improvement (and any others they have up their sleeves) to this best-on-the-web travel forum! <BR>

Thanks Rex. <BR>My preference is a 3 day cookery course either the 3rd or 4th week of September to coincide with the wine harvest at Fattoria Pagnana (www.fattoria-pagnana.com). <BR>Anyone game so as to make up the minimum number?

Clint - - and what else besides this would be in a trip to Italy for you? how many total days duration? I'm just trying to get a feel if this could become the nucleus for a group Fodorites trip. I'm assuming that you have given your real e-mail address? Is that an invitation to write. I generally don't write to anyone here, unless they write to me first. <BR>

Feel free to write as it's a real address for a change. I will write direct with plans etc.

to the top for Matt

To make things easy why not visit this site? <BR>www.tuscany.net <BR>Here they have everything from 2,3,4, star hotels in tuscany to farmhouses to osterie to villas. Just click on what you would like best and you will get the pictures of the places in that category. You take a look and click on the ones you like. You can also choose by location as well as by type of accomodation. I think this site is really complete and you can also find your cooking classes as well as wine tasting and doing all that is tuscan <BR>Have a nice time <BR>Eliana

Matt, Was just looking at NYTimes travel sections for the past 4 or 5 mos a few days ago before throwing them out--check out 11/5/2000, Hiking to the Kitchens Of Chianti By SUSAN ALLPORT (just searched it on their website). I think the article was a mom and 2 daughters and described a company that some little old ladies had set up, where you rotated cooking in their various houses--I just scanned it quickly but it spanned a couple of pages. The writer, like you, wanted to combine cooking and walking/hiking--I don't know whether they also stayed at the various homes, but it might be worth checking out. <BR>

I'm awaiting comeback, folks!

Hell might freeze over, Clint. <BR> <BR>I learned a long time ago that this is hardly the place to "fish" for people looking for some place to go or something to do. And I'm not talking about the "promotion" or "advertising" of "tours" - - just looking for people who are in the "formative stages" and who might like to travel together. <BR> <BR>The vast majority of people who come here have a certain idea of a trip they want to take already. <BR> <BR>This is not a complaint, just an observation. I sometimes wish I knew of another website that would fulfill this function. Fortunately this one is so enjoyable, I don't worry about the (nearly) non-existent possibility of "hooking up" here. <BR> <BR>I keep thinking that a lot of people here - - newcomers, veterans and everybody in between - - have friends in "real life" who talk with them about traveling to Europe - - and maybe some "referrals" might occur that way. <BR> <BR>This is NOT about "trawling" (which is not a synonym for the "trolling" that occurs here) for "customers". It's about finding people who might like to travel together. <BR>