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Accidental Tourist
To treat strangers as guests...
...to turn guests into friends
What To Expect
- A peaceful escape in the Chianti region, just outside of Florence
- Open doors to a century-old, real Tuscan home
- A sensorial, hands-on class, followed by a plentiful meal including wine and dessert
- Traditional Tuscan wine and food, prepared together in an intimate setting, with “body & soul health” in mind
- Custom classes for families and groups
- Unlimited local headache-free Chianti wine for our guests!
- Transportation included with pick-up and drop-off in the heart of Florence
- Less than a half hour drive to the Chianti countryside
- Farm-to-table, organic, non GMO ingredients
- Our own secret low-gluten pasta recipe
Why Choose Accidental Tourist?
- The privilege of small numbers… without the price of luxury:
- We run any activity with as few as 2 guests and a MAXIMUM of 8 (unless you book a private party with more guests)
The intimate feel of a real Tuscan home…without the language barrier:
- Friendly, knowledgeable, English speaking hosts
The competence of over 1/4 century experience…without the academic feel:
- We have been welcoming guests into our ancestral homes since 1998
What is the Accidental Tourist, really?
FAQ
Here is a list of the most Frequently Asked Questions about our activities. If you cannot find a satisfactory answer to your questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.
We are here for you!
The class:
Our mission is to offer a full immersion experience in our home: cooking, chatting, drinking, eating. The Family & Friends class is about 60 minutes. The Evening Cooking class/Sunset Wine & Tour class are about 90 minutes. If you are looking to spend the whole time cooking, we may not be the right choice for you.
We take a maximum of 8 participants, unless a group of friends/family/students decide to come as a larger group. In this case we offer a private event for the group.
YES! We often host groups of friends/family/fellow students. For groups of more than 12, we divide into 2 groups and work in 2 different kitchens in the same location, so everyone gets all the attention needed.
Please note: no transportation included for groups over 8. Price discounted accordingly.
Though tipping is not expected as it would be – for example – in the USA, it has become a much appreciated way to say “thank you, you have done a great job and made my day really special!” So if that is how you feel at the end of your experience with us, feel free to tip our staff. The amount is absolutely up to you, your possibilities, and your enthusiasm.
The food:
Our cooks prepare everything from scratch each day, picking what is freshest and in season at the market, and prepare what appeals to them that day, as all artists do… But they stick to this structure:
– 3 appetizers
– 2 pasta courses (which are prepared during the class)
– dessert
– unlimited wine
YES! Our menu is in fact mostly vegetarian! Only if there are no vegetarians in the group, our cook may be in the mood for sausage in one of the sauces or in one of the three appetizers.
Our pasta recipe calls for egg, and our classic ravioli stuffing involves ricotta and parmiggiano…if you can handle egg and dairy during the class, we will be sure to have vegan options for you to eat. Just make sure to inform us when you book.
Just inform us at time of booking about your dietary restrictions, and we will make sure to have enough food for you. If you are intolerant to dairy and not specifically allergic, however, you will find that Italian dairy is much less allergenic, due to the lower amount of chemicals fed to livestock
While we can make gluten free appetizers and dessert, natural wheat – the main ingredient in homemade pasta – does contain gluten. However, if you are intolerant to gluten and not specifically allergic, you will find that Italian gluten is soooo much more digestible that any other. We have a long list of guests who eat a gluten-free diet back home, that can really indulge with no reaction, when in Italy.
Absolutely! Be sure to inform us when you book, and we will definitely have enough food for you.
Logistics:
UNFORTUNATELY….Florence has a very strict LIMITED TRAFFIC AREA. Only public transport, taxi, emergency vehicles or residents are allowed. Most hotels are within this Limited Traffic Area.
Our meeting point is the closest possible location outside of that restricted area, on the south side of the river.
A leisurely walk or a quick taxi ride is all it takes to reach it! We are happy to stop on the way, if your accommodation is en-route. Thanks for your understanding.
Of course! Just let us know in advance.
We have an optional meeting point outside of the city center, more convenient if you are driving your own vehicle. You can also drive directly to our location. There is a discount for that!
From our home to yours and yours…
You can now order our House Wine and Extra Virgin Olive Oil online! Available to ship to the USA and beyond!
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PRIMAVERA Tuscan Rescue Box
€69,00 Read more -
1,2,3 CHIANTI! Tuscan Rescue Box
€69,00 Add to cart -
BACIAMI Tuscan Rescue Box
€84,00 Read more -
LIQUID GOLD Tuscan Rescue Box
€90,00 Read more -
BRAVO!
€132,00 Read more
Tuscan Rescue Box -
Sale!
FAVORITA
Original price was: €79,00.€75,00Current price is: €75,00. Read more
Tuscan Rescue Box -
ANDIAMO
€66,00 Read more
Tuscan Rescue Box
OUR PROJECTS
€625,00
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THE EMERGENCY ROOM
This home has a century-long history of OPENING TO STRANGERS in hardship:
It was an ORPHANAGE in the 16th century;
It offered SHELTER to men and women from different nationalities, during WWII.
Since 1998, the Accidental Tourist have hosted over 30,000 guests in this villa, for a cooking class or to spend the night.
So it was natural to honor this legacy by creating a room that is available to stranded travelers.
HELP US KEEP IT OPEN!
It can sleep a family of 4. If you need to use it, CONTACT US
CLICK PICTURE TO READ MORE AND VISIT THE EMERGENCY ROOM!
Guests From Around the Globe
Our very favorite letters from guests
“Thank you, Thank you, Thank you. What a wonderful day! We enjoyed ourselves thoroughly. It was the highlight of our trip to Florence...
What you didn't know, was my sister, Nancy, has terminal cancer. Her dream was to go to Italy, so Kathy & I made it happen. She said that day was one of the best days of her life. Thank you again for making our trip so special.”
— Mary Jane
Majla,
I hope this note finds you well. As I look through old photos & reflect on this year, I realize that our day with you may have been our best. It was beyond doubt the most meaningful to our daughter, Helen, about to leave for university. In a summer of tumult, she was so calm in your kitchen. So present, so taken by the kindness. She loved working with her hands. I think something shifted in her brain, or maybe her heart. When we left, she said to me on the walk home, “Steve is the happiest person I’ve ever met.” She realized: he had designed his life. Lived as he wanted to live: fully, with richness, beauty, and kindness. She saw a carpet of options unrolling before her. Her life would no longer be a box.
Finally, thank you for all you do to make this world a more beautiful place. If you ever feel it goes unnoticed, it does not. Your fingerprints are all over my child.
Fondly,
– Holley C
