Tour
Details/Dates/Prices
Farmhouse Cooking –
in the heart of Tuscany!
Price $2,060 CAD*
Special Interest Group Travel
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Optional Extended Stay in Florence
Saturday
Breakfast
Check Out + Transfer to Florence Hotel
A day in beautiful historic Florence – sightseeing,
market and museum visits & shopping for kitchenware
to take home with you. Florence is widely known as the
Italian centre for cuisine, hospitality, wine, design
& art. The city itself gives unparalleled opportunities
for amazing first-hand gastronomic experiences. Spend
the evening at your Florence Hotel and return
on Sunday.
Little Extras
• Aprons are provided for your use
• Bring your notepad to jot down the week’s
recipes (you decide upon recipes prior to cooking)
Custom Designed Gourmet Safari
If you’d like to spend more time in the kitchen
we can easily arrange it for you. There is also a plethora
of other activities in the area if you’d like
to spend less time in the kitchen or if your partner
doesn’t like to cook: from hiking and walks through
the surrounding woods and then a meal at the restaurant,
to a visit to the abbey with its magnificent 16th century
courtyard, to a tour of the old wine cellars followed
by wine tasting, to exploring San Gimignano, Siena or
smaller area towns such as Radda in Chianti, Monteriggioni
& Volterra (they are all an easy drive away offering
stunning atmosphere & scenery).
Car Rental
We highly recommend car rental for this itinerary –
just contact us. There are
so many lovely little villages and interests vary so
widely, a rental car is truly necessary for you to have
the flexibility you desire.
Tour Length: 7 days/6 nights
Tour Begins: Florence, Italy
TOUR CONCLUDES: Florence, Italy
Tour Dates 2011:
SMALL GROUP
TRAVEL (minimum 5 members – smaller groups can
be accommodated at a different price)
Culinary vacations are available all year round upon
request and are subject to availability. The best time
to visit is May and June – let us know when you’re
ready!
Tour Price for 2011: SMALL GROUP TRAVEL
Please contact us for 2011 prices, thank you.
Tour Price for 2010: SMALL GROUP
TRAVEL
$2,060
*Double Occupancy per Person. Prices in Canadian Dollars (excluding
airfare).

Please note:
We can create a custom week for you and your group,
just say the word!
This is a perfect setting for special interest groups – yoga, painting and many unique activities can
be readily accommodated and combined with cooking. The
owner, Maria Teresa can also make arrangements for local
artists to instruct painting or fresco painting.
If you would like to purchase airfare please let us
know and we’ll arrange it for you right away.
Airfare prices to Florence can range from $1,186 CAD
to $1,651 CAD, check with us for the most current prices
(group rates may be applicable as well).
All dates and prices are subject to availability.
Prices may be affected by international exchange rate
fluctuations.
Interested, or questions just contact
us.
Payment:
Form of Payment.
We accept VISA, MasterCard, American Express, Diners, cheque or money orders in CAD $.
Place a Deposit on Your Dream.
A deposit of $700 CAD per person is required at time
of booking to secure your culinary vacation dates.
Please note: Your deposit is non-refundable due to the fact that our travel partners will be in receipt of monies, however in most instances the deposit can be applied to future travel.
Balance due.
Balance is due no later than 60 days before departure.
Number of Participants: (smaller numbers of participants can be accommodated
at a different price)
Minimum: 5
Maximum: 18
Travel Accessories:
Local
Weather
Currency
Conversion
Local
time
Questions? Just email or call
E-mail: jackie@gourmetsafari.com
Phone: 416.238.9987 (local Toronto) or 1.800.839.5795
(toll free in North America)
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My Safari Notes. (my personal experience)
Maria Teresa and her 2 friendly dogs warmly greeted us.
We were immediately ‘taken’ by the setting,
placed high on the hilltop, the views were breathtaking.
The farmhouse is huge and has been lovingly renovated
brick-by-brick. It has taken Maria Teresa 6 years from
start to finish and it has been a labour of love –
you can see this in the attention to every detail.
The rooms are bright and airy, with comfortable furniture
and mainly Tuscan antiques, that have been hand-picked
and painstakingly restored to their original splendor.
The kitchen and the common areas are beautiful –
you immediately feel at home and can imagine the rooms
filled with fellow food enthusiasts sharing the Tuscan
flavours and the incredible aromas of their culinary
creations. The kitchen is very special – Maria
Teresa told us that she has always liked to cook and
that the final kitchen was her gift to herself. After
spending 6 years on the project, the kitchen really
demonstrates that a lot of thought and consideration
has gone into its design. The large kitchen is practical,
user-friendly and ergonomically designed to accommodate
groups of budding chefs. The view from the kitchen balcony
is beautiful– imagine cooking in a beautiful hilltop
kitchen overlooking Tuscany.
We also had a quick tour of the wine/olive oil cellar
which is impressive and naturally carved into the hilltop
– perfect for storing wine.
Maria Teresa kindly invited us into her home for some
wine and typical Tuscan aperitifs of local breads, salamis
and olive oil. The olive oil is the best that I’ve
ever tasted and happens to be made from the olives that
are grown on the property…it’s incredible.
I’ve never really noticed the difference between
olive oil flavours in the past, but now I will pay closer
attention to my taste buds. I felt a definite immersion
into the Tuscan culture and also felt very far away from
North America…it was a great feeling.
Jackie DeKnock – Gourmet
Safari Creator
Safari Notes – Lasting Impressions
Dan Duran, Toronto, Ontario, January 2005
This is a great place to go if you’ve got a group, any window that you look out of you have a view from the hilltop. I love the fireplace and the wine cellar has an interesting story.
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