Authentic Cooking Vacations in Italy

Join Francesco Private Cook and Patrizia, the owner, for a fantastic culinary holiday in Tuscany! Francesco Private Cook and the property that will host you have recently been rated 5-star for hospitality and cuisine. Your stay includes cooking lessons with typical local dishes, home-cooked breakfasts, dinners, and much more. You'll immerse yourself in places renowned for their food and wine, discovering and tasting excellent products, and exploring unique landscapes and villages. There will also be moments of pure relaxation in the spa. You'll learn the secrets of Tuscan cuisine and return with a wealth of precious recipes, created by you!

Meet the instructors

Francesco portrait
Francesco
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Highlights

  • Relax in a dream property: Enjoy a unique stay in a villa that will envelop you in its charm.
  • Fabulous breakfasts: Every morning, delicious breakfasts await you to start your day with a smile.
  • Working with dough: Discover the secrets of local cuisine with hands-on lessons, learning to prepare typical Tuscan dishes and authentic homemade pasta and pizza. You'll take home authentic recipes to make with your loved ones or for your events.
  • Zero-mile flavors: Visit local producers to experience and taste the freshness of local products.
  • Art and taste: Not just cuisine, but also an exclusive ceramics class to express your creativity.
  • Delight yourself every evening with traditional Tuscan dinners, accompanied by our selection of local wines or craft beers, and learn the art of perfect pairings.
  • Total well-being: Relax and rejuvenate with moments dedicated to wellness in the spa.
  • Seven nights of pure enchantment: Pamper yourself for a whole week in this Tuscan paradise.

Skill level

  • Beginner
  • Intermediate

7 days with instruction in English

The organizer also speaks: Italian, Russian
Group size: 2-12 participants
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Accommodation

Check-in Time:
16:00
Check-out Time:
11:00

Facilities

  • Shopping
  • Spa
  • Swimming pool (outdoor)
  • Table tennis
  • Air-conditioned public areas
  • Air-conditioned rooms
  • Barbeque facilities
  • Dining area
  • Fireplace
  • Garden
  • Kitchen
  • Lounge
  • Luggage room / storage
  • Meditation garden
  • Multilingual staff
  • Picnic area
  • Restaurant
  • Special menu request
  • Free parking
  • Free Wi-Fi
  • Ironing / ironing board
  • Laundry
  • Parking lot
  • Tour assistance

Imagine staying in an exclusive country villa, where elegance blends harmoniously with the pristine beauty of the surrounding nature. A true retreat, a jewel of elegance, completely immersed in the tranquility and beauty of nature. We have been named an oasis of rare beauty and elegance, perfectly nestled in the most lush nature.

A flower-lined avenue with aromatic herbs leads directly to the property's parking lot. At the entrance, you'll find a staircase leading to the upper floor, a guest bathroom, and a spacious dining room with a fireplace and a large table for 12. The fully equipped kitchen includes a dishwasher, refrigerator, oven, microwave, toaster, espresso machine, and drip coffee maker.

The Rooms: A Journey Through Their Unique Names:

Ground Floor

  • Le Papere: A spacious double bedroom in lily tones, with a king-size bed (180 x 210 cm), memory foam mattresses and pillows, and natural linen and Italian cotton sheets. It features a private bathroom with an extra-large shower. It was originally called "the Henhouse." Their nests are located at the entrance and are our logo. Thick walls and silence in this delicate room will envelop you, just like a hen, offering intimacy and a restful sleep.

You know the difference between a duck and a duck: the beak.

  • Sogni d'Oro: Equipped with a king-size bed (180 x 210 cm), memory foam mattresses and pillows, and a bathroom with a travertine shower.
  • Monelli Room: Adjacent to the Sweet Dreams room, this children's room offers two single beds with orthopedic mattresses (80 x 190 cm). The bathroom is shared. Recommended for 2 adults and 2 children or teenagers.

The Sweet Dreams Suite offers ideal and comfortable accommodations for families. It embraces and envelops, making the little ones sleeping in the adjacent Monelli bedroom dream, ensuring their independence while still enjoying the reassuring closeness of their parents' double bedroom. A small connecting corridor between the two rooms, a bathroom with a comfortable shower, and a private exit to the garden are the exclusive spaces of this suite.

From the living room, a separate entrance leads to the Mercatante Suite, consisting of a hallway and two double bedrooms:

  • Il Pizzo: a spacious bedroom with a double bed, an antique oak bench, and two black stone sinks. You'll find a king-size bed (180 x 210 cm) with memory foam mattresses and pillows, and a bathroom with a blue shower.

In the quiet outdoor area of the villa, a room of rare elegance and refinement awaits you, designed to make you feel in a truly special space. The harmonious interplay of colors, the carefully chosen furnishings, and the delicate shades of the linens create a precious and welcoming atmosphere, where every night turns into a dream. Everything is designed to envelop you in a luxurious and inviting atmosphere, ensuring a peaceful and unforgettable rest.

  • La Turquesa: This room features a double bed (180 x 210 cm), memory foam mattresses and pillows, and a bathroom with a large shower and floor-to-ceiling window. The Mayans already used turquoise as a precious stone. This room once held the secrets of a noble lady, whose elegance was matched only by her passion for jewelry. It is said that she adorned her body with precious stones every day, even during her walks in the estate's woods. Many of these were turquoise, just like the mysterious color of her beautiful eyes, it was said. Let yourself be enveloped by an aura of nobility and whispered secrets.

Returning to the entrance, a comfortable staircase with 14 steps leads to the upper floor. Here you will find the spacious Gran Camino living room with comfortable sofas, satellite TV, DVD player, and a splendid panoramic terrace with a table, perfect for enjoying the sunset and the view of the pool and the towers of San Casciano. The living room leads to two double bedrooms:

  • Dama Bianca: This room features soft, elegant colors, a double bed (180 x 210 cm), memory foam mattresses and pillows. The exclusive bathroom features a Devon & Devon bathtub and a small shower. The magic of this room is that you enter a room where the very air vibrates with love. Imagine two heads resting on the same pillow, in a world where only the deep security of being together matters. Located on the first floor of the villa, this room is the perfect setting for your sweetest awakenings and most tender goodnights, enveloping you in an atmosphere of pure romantic magic.
  • Barone Rosso: This double bedroom features a double bed (180 x 210 cm), memory foam mattresses and pillows. The bathroom is finished in black travertine and features an extra-large shower. All materials used are locally sourced and handcrafted: the floors are antique oak, the bathrooms are Rapolano travertine, and

The beams and terracotta floors are original. The room overlooks the forest with a window that acts as a small porthole onto the world. With its window opening onto the forest, this room invites you to dream, like a privileged observation point for an adventurous soul seeking moments of pure escape. Here, rest becomes a journey, an opportunity to disconnect from routine and be inspired by the imagination.

The house, built in the late 1700s with subsequent extensions, boasts an excellent distribution of space, and each room offers sufficient privacy. Thick ancient walls protect the house from the summer heat.

Outdoors and Amenities

A large 10,000-square-meter garden surrounds the villa, offering numerous relaxation areas. Between the villa and the pool is a large pergola with a table seating 14, ideal for outdoor lunches and dinners. There are also paths perfect for walking and jogging.

The fully fenced pool, surrounded by greenery, features a charming covered area with a canopy, sun loungers, and chairs. All rooms in the villa are equipped with air conditioning or heating. Wi-Fi is available in all rooms.

Program

Program highlights

  • Immerse yourself in Tuscan cuisine: Take hands-on lessons to prepare typical local dishes and learn the art of traditional pizza dough.
  • Complete gastronomic experience: Enjoy delicious dinners and barbecue evenings with authentic Tuscan flavors every day.
  • Relaxing stay: Unwind in a 5-star property, with every comfort and uniquely designed rooms.
  • Moments of pure well-being: Treat yourself to rejuvenating relaxation in a spa.
  • Zero-mile flavors: Visit local producers and farms to discover and taste fresh local products.
  • Exclusive tastings: Participate in guided tastings to appreciate the best local wines. Home wine tastings are also available.
  • Recipes to take home: Return home with the precious recipes created during the cooking class.

It is recommend to have your own car, Francesco does not offer transfers. He can organize transfers with an extra cost on request.

Itinerary

Day 1

  • Arrival and Accommodation: Check-in and settle into your room.
  • Welcome to Tuscany: You'll be treated to a welcome aperitif with an excellent Montepulciano red wine, followed by a full dinner.
  • Overnight stay: In your comfortable double room, all with private bathrooms.

Day 2

  • Breakfast: Featuring homemade sweet and savory products.
  • Free morning: Dedicated to an appointment with the art of ceramics (please specify whether it's a visit or an activity).
  • 16:30 Pizza class: At this cooking school, you'll learn how to prepare traditional pizza dough and a special pizza dough for pan-fried pizza. A delicious snack awaits!
  • Relax and pizza preparation: Free time in your room before meeting again two hours later to roll out and topped the pizza.
  • Dinner: Accompanied by a beer tasting and a charcuterie board to pair with the pan-fried pizza.

Day 3

  • Breakfast: With homemade sweet and savory products.
  • Spa day: Relaxing day at the San Casciano dei Bagni spa, with 38°C water, about 2 km from the villa. A pleasant walk through the woods to reach the spa is recommended; alternatively, your host will be happy to accompany and pick you up at no additional cost.
  • 17:00 / 17:30 Return to the villa: At your preferred time.
  • Relax: Free time in your room.
  • 19:00 / 19:30 Barbecue: A delicious barbecue awaits you, along with a tasting of two local wines.

Day 4

  • Breakfast: With homemade sweet and savory products.
  • Visit to the dairy: Departure for a local farm and dairy.
  • 16:00 / 16:30 Return to the villa: Free time to relax.
  • 17:30 / 18:00 Cooking class: You'll make two types of homemade stuffed pasta.
  • Dinner: The pasta you've prepared will be served, accompanied by salads and seasonal vegetables, with a tasting of two types of white wine.

Day 5

  • Breakfast: Featuring homemade sweet and savory products.
  • Wine Tasting: Departure for a local winery for a wine tasting, or alternatively, a tasting at the villa.
  • Relax: Free time in your room.
  • 17:00 / 17:30 Cooking class: You will learn how to prepare a typical Italian Sunday lunch, making tagliatelle, a main course, and a side dish.
  • Dinner: The dinner will be served with the dishes prepared during the class.
  • Wines Included: Two types of wine are included throughout the entire cooking experience and dinner.

Day 6

  • Breakfast: Featuring homemade sweet and savory products.
  • Thermal wellness: Departure for a spa resort about 30 minutes away, or the option of a massage or relaxing treatment (specify if additional fees apply).
  • Relax: Free time in your room.
  • 17:00 / 17:30 Cooking class: Limoncello preparation / Tiramisu making / Legendary lasagna preparation.
  • Dinner: With the dishes prepared during the class and a surprise dish!
  • Wines included: An excellent Rosé and an excellent Rosso di Montepulciano.

Day 7

  • Breakfast: With homemade sweet and savory products.
  • Woodland adventure: Departure for a guided walk in the woods, with the option of using assisted bicycles.
  • Relax: Return to the villa and free time in your room.
  • Farewell dinner: Prepared with us; you can decide the time.
  • Toast: Farewell drinks.

Day 8

  • Breakfast: With homemade sweet and savory products.
  • Check-out: Departure from the villa.

Instructors

Francesco Falciani - portrait

Francesco Falciani

Location

This retreat will take place in Tuscany, Italy, between the picturesque Val d'Orcia and Val di Chiana.

The villa is located just 1.5 kilometers from the small, enchanting village of San Casciano dei Bagni, a magical village with renowned thermal waters. It is easily accessible via a well-maintained dirt road through the woods, ensuring complete privacy. Villa Vetrichina is immersed in pristine nature, surrounded by centuries-old oak trees, yet equipped with all modern comforts thanks to a recent, meticulous restoration.

Within an 80-kilometer radius, you can discover places of unique beauty and Tuscan renown, such as Montepulciano with its wineries and vineyards, Pienza, famous for its architecture and pecorino cheese, Montalcino, the heart of Brunello, Siena with its rich history, Orvieto, and the Val d'Orcia, a unique landscape.

The villa is also strategically located halfway between Rome and Florence.

Features

Activities

  • Cooking classes
  • Mountain biking
  • Mountain walking
  • Shopping
  • Spa
  • Swimming pool (outdoor)
  • Table tennis
  • Tennis court
  • Trail running
  • Wine tasting

General

  • Air-conditioned public areas
  • Air-conditioned rooms
  • Balcony
  • Barbeque facilities
  • Dining area
  • Fireplace
  • Garden
  • Kitchen
  • Meditation garden
  • Multilingual staff
  • Picnic area
  • Restaurant

Services

  • Child care
  • Dry cleaning
  • Free bottled water
  • Free parking
  • Free Wi-Fi
  • Hair dryer

Food

During this holiday, we will delight you with an authentic variety of traditional Tuscan products, carefully selected for their authenticity. You will savor prized Chianina beef, fresh vegetables straight from our garden or the local market, and wines that reflect the region. Different courses are served daily, including soups, homemade pasta, our fragrant pizza and artisanal bread, appetizers that showcase the flavors of local producers, unique cheeses, and locally sourced game and poultry.

The cuisine draws primarily from the Val di Chiana and Val d'Oricia, the beating heart of Sienese Tuscany, famous for the renowned Chianina breed. Francesco, Private Cook, with his experience, will pair traditional local dishes with the exquisite food and wine delicacies of Tuscany, Umbria, and Lazio, offering you a truly unforgettable culinary experience full of authentic surprises.

The following meals are included:

  • Breakfast
  • Dinner

The following drinks are included:

  • Water
  • Coffee
  • Tea
  • Alcoholic beverages

The following dietary requirement(s) are served and/or catered for:

  • Vegetarian
  • Vegan
  • Gluten Free
  • Raw food
  • Regular (typically includes meat and fish)
  • Pescatarian
  • Fruitarian
  • Lactose Free
If you have special dietary requirements it's a good idea to communicate it to the organiser when making a reservation

Things to do (optional)

Francesco Private Cook offers additional paid services to enrich your stay. They can organize your transfers, additional tastings, special events, and other personalized experiences not included in the indicated program and package.

Spa treatments

Just minutes from the villa, a renowned wellness center with odorless thermal waters at 38°C (98°F) offers the perfect opportunity for a day of total relaxation.

Access to the large thermal pool is included in the price. If you'd like to enhance your experience, treatments, massages, and more can be arranged for an additional fee. Francesco Private Cook provide you with a complete price list for all additional services upon your arrival.

What's included

  • 7 nights accommodation
  • Daily breakfast
  • Cooking classes
  • Use of thermal pool at the spa
  • Wine tasting on the farm or at the property
  • Walks in the woods or guided bicycle tours
  • Drinks and wine are included with your experiences and dinners at the property
  • Dinners with a special treat
  • Pizza cooking
  • Barbecue

What's not included

  • Transfers are not included. It is recommended to have your own car (or a rental car). Francesco can arrange transfers, but there will be additional costs
  • Any additional meals outside the property or other personal activities you may arrange are not included in the price

How to get there

Driving directions from Florence

  • As you make your way out of the Chiusi-Chianciano exit, turn right, then follow the Chiusi-San Casciano dei Bagni n 146 direction. At the roundabout, turn right following the Cetona-San Casciano dei signs.
  • After crossing the freeway, at the intersection, turn right towards Cetona 321.
  • At the beginning of Cetona, after the Fina distributor immediately turn left, at the first intersection turn left towards Piazze-San Casciano dei Bagni.
  • Coming through a beautiful area of ​vineyards in the village of Piazze, continue on the main road in the direction of San Casciano. After about three kilometers, you will see on your right a picnic area, shortly after, you will meet a blue road sign that warns of electronic speed control and immediately after a hazard warning of gravel on the asphalt, on the opposite side, exactly opposite, you will see the dirt road and a wooden sign indicating Villa Vetrichina.
  • Take it and after 900 meters of bright wood, you will come to the relais and welcome.

Driving directions from Rome

  • Exit at Fabro toll booth, exit at Chiusi-Ponticelli.
  • Follow a straight road on the flat, parallel to the railway, arrived at Ponticelli, turn left. Follow the signs for Piazze-San Casciano from the Town of Squares.

Arrival by airplane

  • Please book your flight to arrive at Rome Fiumicino Airport (FCO) or Florence Airport (FLR).

Arrival by train

If you come by train, the stop is Chiusi-Chianciano Terme. There, someone from Francesco Private Cook will be waiting for you to take you with their vehicle inside the structure.

GPS

  • N 42° 87,912
  • E 11° 89,128

Cancellation Policy

  • A reservation requires a deposit of 50% of the total price.
  • The deposit is non-refundable, if the booking is cancelled.
  • The rest of the payment should be paid 30 days before arrival.

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8 days / 7 nights
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Minimum group size

This trip requires a minimum of 2 participants

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