Gourmet Tuscany (6240)

8 Day Tour from Montecatini to Montecatini

2025 Tour Details View 2024 Tour Details »

On this affordable Italy tour small group discovery package, the town of Montecatini serves as your home base from which to venture out to explore the surrounding landscapes of breathtaking Tuscany and getting to know its culinary and wine traditions. You’ll indulge in picturesque scenery, world-class local wines, traditional cuisine, and cultural discoveries. From the rolling hills of Montalbano to Vinci and beyond, we’ll take you through bountiful vineyards, olive groves, and chestnut trees. You’ll even visit the birthplace of Leonardo da Vinci to experience the Renaissance master’s life and art. Traveling through some of the most stunning and lush natural landscapes in Italy, you’ll embark to visit idyllic spots, including the gorgeous Chianti Valley and the Etruscan Coast. As you visit quaint wine shops, cafes, historic estates, and museums, you’ll feel immersed in the history and traditions of each destination. In addition to sampling the local gourmet Tuscan fare, you’ll also be treated to an Italian cooking lesson. You’ll prepare an authentic Italian dish inside a rustic Tuscan farmhouse where you and your travel companions will enjoy your culinary creations—complete with master-chef prizes. You’ll also learn the art of Italian dessert making at your hotel and get to taste some of the celebrated Chianti and Super Tuscan wines right where they are produced. You’ll revel in the beauty of becoming familiar with a single destination of Montecatini while making priceless discoveries of locales that are off the beaten path—perfect for the smart, creative, and budget-minded travel lover.

Small-Group Discovery Dates Available

Cosmos offers Small-Group Discoveries on select Europe dates. A Small-Group Discovery is limited to an average of just 24 guests per departure. There’s always room to roam with extra space between you and other travelers—while still getting up close and personal to the experiences you’ve been dreaming of. Small-Group Discoveries include all the features of a traditional Cosmos escorted tour, complete with expert Tour Director, Driver, and Local Guides who ensure that your health and safety is our top priority. A Small-Group Discovery trip is the perfectly sized tour—without the crowds.

Adventure is knocking with everything you need for perfectly affordable touring. Cosmos includes hand-selected accommodations, guided sightseeing, and seamless transportation between destinations—with value-minded travel lovers in mind. Explore with expert Cosmos Tour Directors and Local Guides, complimentary headsets, and private, first-class, air-conditioned motorcoach with free Wi-Fi. Enhance your free time to explore like a local with your CosmosGO mobile app! For maximum enjoyment of the included activities, on this tour we only operate small groups.

Gourmet Tuscany map

 Photo Highlights

 Meals

 Meals & Itinerary

Buffet breakfasts daily; 4 lunches; 3 dinners, including dinner at a local farm in Montecatini


Notes:

Nearest airports for Montecatini are Florence or Pisa

 Itinerary

Day 1 ARRIVE IN MONTECATINI, ITALY

Check into your hotel. Tonight, meet your Tour Director and travel companions for a special welcome dinner.

DinnerDinner

Day 2 MONTECATINI. EXCURSION TO VINCI

This morning, head out into the lush, rolling landscape of the Montalbano hills. Pass terraced grape vineyards, olive groves, and chestnut trees on your way to the quaint village of Vinci, birthplace of Leonardo da Vinci. Here, learn all about the Renaissance master at the museum dedicated to his life and many areas of interest from painting, sculpting, and inventing, to anatomy, music, and cartography! Round up the morning with the visit of a local bakery. Learn how bread is made and enjoy a light lunch with an opportunity to sample local products such as focaccia bread, sandwiches, wine, cheese, cold cuts, and olive oil.
Today’s Distance: 25 mi/ 40 km

Breakfast Breakfast
LunchLunch

Day 3 MONTECATINI. EXCURSION TO THE CHIANTI VALLEY

Cradled between the provinces of Florence and Siena, the Chianti Valley is the heart of Tuscany, and has been hailed for its exceptional wines since the 13th century. Your journey today takes you to Greve, with time to visit the village and to enjoy lunch at a charming wine shop. Complete the day with the visit of a historic Tuscan estate known for its Chianti wine production.
Today’s Distance: 96 mi/ 155 km

Breakfast Breakfast
LunchLunch

Day 4 MONTECATINI

Enjoy a leisurely morning in Montecatini. Maybe go for a walk in the Parco delle Terme with its tall shady trees. Most of the afternoon is dedicated to the Italian cooking lesson at a rustic farmhouse in the Tuscan countryside. Once you arrive at the farm, enjoy a welcome drink, explore the orchard to pick some fresh ingredients, learn about Italy’s most famous delicacies, and then roll up your sleeves for a fun, hands-on cooking experience. This evening, relax with your traveling companions and taste the delectable dinner you prepared—maybe your team will win the master chef prize!

Breakfast Breakfast
DinnerDinner

Day 5 MONTECATINI. EXCURSION TO LUCCA

Visit Lucca, a stunning showcase of medieval architecture and layer upon layer of rich history and culture. Marvel at the beautiful art and tapestry collections at the baroque Palazzo Mansi National Museum, then take a guided walking tour around the Old Town with its fine, intact Renaissance-era wall, cobblestone streets, and café-lined piazzas. A lively café-crawl snack brunch is included, followed by a main course at a local restaurant. Then, your Local Guide will introduce you to the stunning ornamental gardens and grand arched ceilings of Palazzo Pfanner.
Today’s Distance: 39 mi/ 62 km

Breakfast Breakfast
LunchLunch

Day 6 MONTECATINI. EXCURSION TO BOLGHERI

Travel through the vineyard-dotted countryside and along cypress tree-lined Viale dei Cipressi for your grand entrance into enchanting Bolgheri. With its red-brick castle and atmospheric Old Town, it’s not hard to imagine that Bolgheri jumped right off the pages of a storybook. There’s time here to visit one of the wine cellars and taste Bolgheri’s celebrated Super Tuscan reds. First created in the 1980s, many wine experts believe these now rival French Bordeaux. Later, stop at nearby Castagneto Carducci, known for its splendid panoramic views of the Etruscan Coast. Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant and the chance to sample the local liqueur.
Today’s Distance: 155 mi/ 250 km

Breakfast Breakfast
LunchLunch

Day 7 MONTECATINI

This morning is yours to do as you please. You could choose to explore more of the city on your own, to relax and shop for souvenirs, or to join an exciting optional excursion. This afternoon is dedicated to a baking class at your hotel, focusing on the creation of cakes and desserts.

Breakfast Breakfast
DinnerDinner

Day 8 MONTECATINI

Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning.

Breakfast Breakfast

 Tour Director

With COSMOS, there’s no better way to get to know your destination than through the eyes of a Tour Director. We’d like you to meet one of our Tour Directors, who average over a decade of experience and are representative of the type of expert that will be with you on your vacation.

DANIELA SPISSU

Escorting tours for more than 15 years

I was born in Sardinia, a beautiful Italian island. Since I was young, I dreamt of working in travel, my dream became reality when I became a Tour Director. Although I initially escorted European Panoramas tours, nowadays I specialize in Italian tours. When on tour one of my favorite things is watching the faces of people that are seeing or experiencing something amazing for the very first time, those are the moments that stay with us forever and on a tour we try to create as many memorable ones as possible.

Tour Director - DANIELA SPISSU

 Accommodations

 Optional Excursions

No matter what you’re into: food, wine, history, art, music or anything else, we give you the freedom to personalize your vacation with optional excursions that speak to your interests.

When you book your excursions with us, you can be assured that every optional excursion that we offer coordinates with the free time that you'll have in your destination, so you'll never have conflicts between included and optional activities. Our team of travel experts carefully selects each optional excursion that we offer to ensure that you receive the highest quality at a great value. Our tried-and-true partners have a finger on the pulse of the city in which they operate so they deliver the very best experiences. We offer experiences you cannot create on your own and because you’re booking with us, we coordinate all your transportation and timing needs.

The following optional excursions are examples only for this vacation. These may or may not be offered, and availability is subject to days of operation and seasonality. Please select a departure date to view optional excursions and pricing for a specific date (due to currency fluctuation, pricing shown is subject to change until purchased). Optional excursions are available for purchase on our MyCosmos site 90 days prior to the tour start date.

Price Ranges

$ ($50 USD and under)
$$ ($51 - $100 USD)
$$$ ($101 - $150 USD)
$$$$ (Over $150)


Montecatini

Montecatini

Tuscan Dinner

Tuscan Dinner

Enjoy a wonderful dinner in the delightful Tuscan countryside, featuring authentic traditional dishes using the finest local ingredients.

Price Range: $$

Carrara Marble Caves & Culinary Delights

Carrara Marble Caves & Culinary Delights

Embark on an exclusive excursion to the Carrara marble caves, nestled amid the majestic Apuan Alps and the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines.

Price Range: $$

 Private Touring

Private Touring: Cosmos European Private Touring enables you to experience all of the attractions, sights and highlights of your selected Cosmos tour as a private experience - delivered just for you and your traveling party. With Private Touring, you'll have your own dedicated Tour Director, your own private transportation and driver, and your own professional local guides. All with greater flexibility in pace and your experience. For your selected tour, there will be additional per-person cost for the size of your party - from 1 to 24. This additional supplement is reduced with each traveler you add to your party. Here's a sample of the additional cost:

6 guests in a party: $979*
18 guests in a party: $97*

Contact Cosmos or your preferred travel agent for pricing for your specific party size as well as any other information on Cosmos Private Touring.

*Supplement pricing is per person (USD) and will be added to the standard published price for your given departure date and is based on availability. Supplement price is valid for 2021 travel year. Occasionally some included and optional activities & excursions may be operated with other guests. Additional restrictions may apply. Not applicable for custom groups. No Group allowances or promotions are available on Private Touring. Published itineraries only. Note that blackout dates may exist where the Private Touring option is not available.


The "Starting at" or listed price is based on the lowest price available to book. Price is per passenger based on double occupancy and does not include International airfare; additional fees/charges are not included. If a price is crossed out, the new price includes a limited time promotional offer(s) – please review current promotions or deals for additional information. Some tours require intra-vacation flights (and in some cases intra-vacation segments must be purchased from Cosmos).