ideas for Tuscany
 

Wanting to know how to go about planning a trip to Tuscany - only parameters are walking amongst the olive trees, visiting a vineyard, attending a cooking class, and eating well - nice to stay at a villa for two, not wanting to spend a fortune...clearly, no idea where to start. Any ideas??

I'd start with some guidebooks. You can also check your public library (or Netflix?) for DVDs/videos on Tuscany. You need to narrow down your vision of a trip or comments here will likely be all over the place.

right about that - it's in the embryonic stages and didn't know if, for example, a pre-arranged tour type trip is recommended or not needed. I tend to prefer less structured but don't know how hard it will be to create my own itinerary. Grazie!

Of course creating your own trip takes some time and planning, but it isn't that hard. Get two or three guide books for Tuscany, read them, look at the pictures.

If you want more than one villa rental, pick two different areas. And maybe one in the country (villa) and an apartment in a small town.

Do you plan on driving? It is important for a country setting.

I have done some planning with the gorgeous books The Most Beautiful Small Towns in Tuscany, and The Most Beautiful Villages in Tuscany. Got them both at the library.

Set a budget, then pick a time of year.

I doubt if the kind of trip you describe in your original post can be done on a packaged tour. But check out Untours. They can do most of the work for you.

Here are several links from other threads in which folks have asked about cooking classes and Tuscany >>>

http://www.tuscanwomencook.com/
http://www.casinadirosa.it/en/links-...y-cooking.html
http://www.divinacucina.com/
http://www.amoresapore.com/
http://www.tuscanweb.com/accommodati...torre_vecchia/

Very helpful advice from all, many thanks! I've heard Chianti and Sienna are not to be missed for the kind of trip I envision - less museum/shopping and more bocci, wine, good food and soaking up the atmosphere. Of course, timing is terrible with airfare skyrocketing, but without a packaged tour, may be more feasible to rent a car and a little place and tool around that way.

I had this booked for a trip that I had to cancel. It sounds a lot like what you describe...

www.letorri.com

The Saturday communal dinner was something that really intrigued me.

You can arrange to stay at an agriturismo (farm stay) at a place that produces olive oil and wine. We are going to stay near Orvieto at la Rocca Orvieto. But it's actually in Umbria, just next to the southern point of Tuscany. Sorry I can't give you any URLs as I am out of town and don't have access to my favorites. But Google Agriturismo Tuscany.

TTT