Tuscan Escapes
ភ្នាក់ងារទេសចរណ៍ កឥការតាក់តាញ អាហារ និងភេសជ្ជៈ ទីភ្នាក់ងារទេសចរណ៍កម្សាន្ត ដំណើរកម្សាន្តស្រាស្រា ទីភ្នាក់ងារទេសចរណ៍អាហារ ការធ្វើដំណើរថ្ងៃ ទេសចរណ៍ឯកជន Via Stalloreggi, 28, សៀណា, ធូកានី, 53100, អ៊ីតាលី
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About Tuscan Escapes
We operate daily Tours and Activities departing from town as well as Private services throughout central Tuscany. Our aim is to guide you through this charming region and help you to experience the love of " the little things " that decorate the Tuscan way of life.
Contact & Hours
Via Stalloreggi, 28, 53100, Siena Italy
Opening Hours
- Sunday: 09:00-17:00
- Monday: 09:00-17:00
- Tuesday: 09:00-17:00
- Wednesday: 09:00-17:00
- Thursday: 09:00-17:00
- Friday: 09:00-17:00
- Saturday: 09:00-17:00
Nearby Attractions
Highlighted deals
Reviews (1195)
Tuscan Classics Wine Class
I had the pleasure of learning about wine during the Tuscan Classics Wine Class led by winemaker Mattia Barzhagi. We drank good wine, and learned so much about the local wine region's practices, certifications, and different kinds of wine. The class was two hours but he stayed overtime to answer all of our questions. I highly recommend this activity.
Amazing, personable, guides!
We went on 2 fabulous tours with 2 amazing guides. Kekko for San Gimignano and Chianti, and Guillermo for Val d'Orcia. Had a fabulous homemade lunch at a vineyard with a lovely family on our Chianti tour, and saw amazing scenery and were very entertained by Guillermo in Val d'Orcia. Truly a great tour company- very down-to-earth, informal, knowledgeable, and organized! And, one of the few trips I've gone on where I wasn't pressured (or even asked at all) to write a review- which made me want to write one even more!! Thanks!!
Private Tour: Montalcino and Montepulciano Wine Tasting
We did a private tour with Marco. Marco was an excellent guide. He was on time to pick us up and made sure throughout the day that we were comfortable and that our needs were being met. He was knowledgable, friendly and entertaining. He started off the day by explaining the Italian wine classifications and the differences of the types of wines that we would be tasting. We first went to a small winery in Montalcino and tasted some excellent wine including a Brunello Reserve and of course ended up purchasing a case of wine. Our next stop was a private lunch at a small winery. The lunch was prepared by the owner's mother and was delicious and abundant, with their wines accompanying the meal. Our next stop was Montepulciano, where we spent a small amount of time exploring the village then off to another small winery. At this stop grape harvesting was in progress and we got to see the process as it unfolded. Wines were excellent here also. It was a full day and Marco was accommodating in our requests for photo stops and answering our questions. A 10+ tour and a 10++ tour guide.
An wonderful experience, thanks to Marco our guide
There were 5 of us on a full day private tour from Siena that covered a visit to the Montalcino hills for a Brunello winery tour and tasting; a visit to Pienza with a stop at a local farm for lunch; then a visit to the town of Montepulciano with a Vino Nobile tasting and free time. The day was FANTASTIC. Right from the get go when our driver / guide Marco met us at our hotel, we knew it would be a great adventure. We cant rave enough about Marco. Knowledgeable, informative, personable, a wonderful sense of humor, and always accommodating to our questions and desires.
Tuscan Wine Tour
Our wine tour was on June 19, 2024. Our tour through Tuscan Escapes was excellent. Our guide Marco was wonderful and extremely knowledgeable with regard to the geography we were traveling through and the wine growing process. He paced the tour in a way we never felt rushed and were able to enjoy the two wineries we visited. Marco had a great rapport with the owners of each. If we were to return to Tuscany we would use Tuscan Escapes and definitely request Marco as our guide.
Great private tour in Tuscany with Guglielmo
We did a private wine tour in Tuscany during our honeymoon. We had Guglielmo (we ended up calling him Bill) as our tour guide. He was fantastic from start to finish. Super knowledgeable and enthusiastic. We had a great time from start to finish. Every question we had was met with a quick and thorough answer. We would do this tour again in a second. It was the best day of the trip from the food, wine, and sight seeing. I would highly recommend this tour especially if you are able to have Guglielmo as your tour guide.
Fabulous Private Transfer Tour
We booked a private tour with pickup in Rome, a stop in Montepulciano, and drop off in Siena with Tuscan Escapes. From the first email Giorgia was very helpful with organizing and planning our custom daytrip. Andrea, our driver, was nice, punctual, and an excellent driver. They coordinated lunch at a winery for us after our visit to Montepulciano, and allowed us plenty of time to explore the town by ourselves. We also did a group tour from Siena to San Gimignano and Volterra which was also great- I left a separate review for that but I just wanted to note that whether a group or private tour, you are in good hands with Tuscan Escapes!
Holiday in San Gimignano, Volterra, & Monteriggioni
The guide provided an historical perspective with extensive knowledge. A wonderful day of food, wine, and touring that we highly recommend.
Ouch!
Cava D'Onice excellent Family owned, good wine / surroundings and experience. Other two wineries unimpressive. There are many better wineries in the region. Overall this was over-priced for what it was.
Tours That Give You a True Tuscan Experience!
We did three separate Tuscan Escapes tours while we were in Tuscany and absolutely loved each of them. On our first tour, we visited San Gimignano, had a lovely lunch with wine at local family winery, and then visited Siena. Our tour guide Guillame was funny, warm, and welcoming. On our second tour, we visited Pienza, had lunch at a dairy farm, and then visited the Montepulciano village where we bought several bottles of wine. Our tour guide Daniela was experienced in wine making and extremely knowledgeable. On our third tour, we did a farm cooking class and truly got to experience Tuscan cuisine. After the class, we went to family run winery in Chianti where we were able to explore the cellars and bought several bottles of wine. Our guide Kiko was free spirited and friendly. If you are in Tuscany, absolutely book a tour through this group to receive an authentic Tuscan experience!
Excellent Private Tour for 8
We had a private tour of Chianti (pickup from our remote villa near Gaiole) including stops at San Gimignano & Monteriggiano as well as a FABULOUS lunch / wine tasting at Terre di Savernaja and wrapped up with a wine tasting at Montemorli. Our dedicated English speaking driver / guide was Guglielmo. He was SUPERB, fun, informative and very helpful to us for everything from recommendations for the rest of our stay to confirming future meal reservations. The tour was advertised as 8 hours but it turned out to be 9+ hours (pick up at 9:30 am, return by 7:00pm) to cover all that was advertised. We did not regret that at all. We paid 50% in advance and then had the option to pay cash onsite tge day of for the remainder with a 15% discount for cash. (Tour was advertised as 170 Euro pp, we paid 85 euro upfront and 70 euro the day of. This does not include tip and we tipped our guide / driver for his excellent service.)
Great day out
We did the small group San Gimignano and Volterra Day Trip from Siena with Will as our driver and tour guide. Will was very informative and delivered his stories of the history of Tuscany and surround with great enthusiasm and humour. A great day out which included an authentic lunch in a private property. Highly recommend.
Must do! Worth every penny!
We did a private day wine tour from Siena to Chianti with Daniele, and boy, it was the highlight of our trip! The tour was amazing - we visited 3 wineries, the Brolio Castle, a couple small towns and had the most marvelous lunch at La Lama. Can't speak highly enough about the logistics by Giorgia and the tour guide. Truly terrific!
If you're going to Sienna, don't miss this opportunity!
The trip was a fantastic experience! It was a great day among many great days! Daniele was an an excellent host! His knowledge and expertise really enhanced the experience. The wineries were amazing and the Tuscan landscape were breathtaking.
Montalcino Guided Wine tour
The tour was informative and fun. The guide Daniello was great. (I might have misspelled his name. Sorry) Best day of our Italy trip. The wineries were off the beaten path. The wine was great as were the hosts. They sat with us answered our questions and chatted. Lunch was fresh and tasty. The scenery was a pure Tuscan delight. It was a great day!
Best Italian experience
Excellent choices of wineries, great guide, Elio, had lots of information. Would love to do this again. Small van was a great trip!
Fantastico
Did a private tour for 8 adults to 3 Brunello wineries with farm table lunch and visit to the Abbey and town of Montalcino. Our driiver and guide Guillermo who said to call him William was fantastic. He was very knowledgeable of all of Italy. He made the tour so much fun. I wil highly recommend Tuscan Escapes to all my family and friends traveling to Tuscany.
Wonderful Val d'Orcia private tour
Our Private val d'Orcia tour with Guglielmo (William) was excellent. He was a superb tour guide and added insights and humor that made the tour fun and informative. The wineries in Montalcino area and in Montepulciano were excellent. Particularly the small Brunello (Montalcino) winery in the country. However, the farm lunch near Pienza was the highlight of the day. Excellent food and wine and views.
Sunset Dinner Tour - Top Notch
Our party of four went on the Chianti and San Gimignano Sunset Tour with Dinner. Our small group tour guide - William was fantastic. He was so enjoyable and informative on the history of the area. All of us enjoyed this tour: Wine Tasting, Visting two historical hill towns and finally having a authentic Italian dinner on a local farm. It was one of the best tours I have taken and would recommend it to anyone.
Perfect tour with Marella!
We booked the tour by walking into the office and talking with Milo. We chatted and drank wine while he was making arrangements for our tour the next day. We had the most amazing private tour with Marella. She picked us up round the corner from our accommodation in Siena, she was on time and the van was easy to find. The first stop was a winery, where the host gave us a very comprehensive tour with wine tasting. Then we went to Monteriggioni, where we had a while to walk around by ourselves. On the way out, Marella stopped at a place by the road that offered wonderful views of the fortress. Next stop was San Gimignano, and we started that part with delicious gelato, then we were given some history of the town and again some free time to roam on our own. The experience ended with a farm to table dinner on a farm surrounded by beautiful Tuscan landscape. The places were beautiful, the food delicious, but the real star of the tour was Marella, or guide. She was knowledgeable, professional and told us many things we hadn't known about Tuscany, but she's also a charming human being, who at the end of the tour felt like a friend.
Amazing wine tour with Davide Dionisi
We went on a sunset Wine Tour with Davide, last minute booking but absolutely THE best tour we had in Tuscany. Davide was super cool and easy going - we had such a good time listening to stories of the local towns, wine and Cuba. He took us to an amazing local winery, San Gimigniano and the Tuscan Dinner was absolutely divine. Highly recommended. Go book Davide now, he's only in Italy for 6 months every year!
Brunello Wine Tour
We did the Brunello wine tour today with David. David was wonderful. I believe the tour accommodates up to 6, but we were the only 2 on the tour. David took us to 3 wonderful vineyards. Great tours and tastings at 2 of the 3 vineyards, and a spectacular lunch with more tastings at the 3rd vineyard. Plus, we had stops along the way, including an Abbey and the town of Montalcino. And while our guide David was the star of the show, those at the vineyards and of course the wines themselves were wonderful too.
Wine and Lunch
This tour was the highlight of our trip to Tuscany. Our tour guide, Amber, was amazing. She is extremely knowledgeable. She presented information about local history thoughtfully and with humor. The vineyard visits themselves were fantastic. Request Amber as a guide if you go!
Two Transfer Tours and Two Small Group Tours
My wife and I used Tuscan Escapes for four tours over five days: a private transfer tour from Florence to Siena, the Small Group Brunello Wine Tour, the Small Group Chianti Sunset Tour and then a private transfer tour from Siena to Rome airport. All four tours were excellent. Communications with Giorgia while planning the tours was great. She was patient and helpful through multiple emails with good recommendations. David was our driver for the two transfer tours, and we had Leonardo and Ambra for the group tours. All were safe drivers, knowledgeable, entertaining and just good people to spend a day with. The small wineries included in both the private and group tours were well chosen. We enjoyed meeting the owners of these wineries and got a good feel of their passion for wine making and pride in the products. The group tours were both 9.5 hours which was a little long for us, but that's a personal preference. Others on the tours didn't seem to mind. The private tours were door to door with pickup and dropoff at our apartment / hotel. However, the group tours could not drop us off at our hotel in Siena due to driving restrictions. Both drivers got us as close as they could and offered to call taxis, but we ended up walking since it was fairly close. We highly recommend Tuscan Escapes and wouldn't hesitate to use them again.
Private Chianti wine tour for 7- Amazing!!!
We had a full day private wine tour in the cHianti region of Tuscany and this tour was everything we hoped for and more! Some background- i have coordinated private wine tours in other areas in the past, including Montalcino, Santa Barbara, Sonoma County, Willamette Valley and Napa Valley. One thing i have learned over the years is that it is very difficult to drive yourselves around Italian wine country for tastings- between knowing where to go, driving the windy roads and the reality that tastings are very different than in the US. We asked for tastings at small family run wineries in region. They suggested 3, i asked if we could do 4 and they said that would be tough in one day- I was ok with that, but just assumed the day would end by 4pm. Boy was I wrong- we were picked up at 9:30am and dropped back off at 7pm- it was really a full day. The details: The pickup: the driver was on time a tour villa and everything went very smoothly from the booking to the pickup. The guide: Daniele was amazing. My wife was hoping we would have an Italian that spoke some English and I wanted a guide that was knowledgeable about wine and the Chianti region. We both got what we hoped for in Danielle!!! He was amazing- not just because of his knowledge, but because he was so hospitable throughout the day - clearly new the wines, the wineries and the area and was happy to share. We never felt rushed and enjoyed every aspect of the day. Winery # 1: We arrived at Le Filigare at around 10am. It was a small, but commercial operation. Our visit here included a brief tour of the grounds around the winery, followed by a tour of the barrel room and then our tasting of three wines, olive oil and brandy in a private tasting room. Winery # 2: Le Masse- This was a small family operation. When we arrived we met the winemaker and the owner. The owner apologized that he could not spend more time with us, but he was starting the grape harvest that day. We were guided to a small tasting room where a table was set for lunch. We were served antipasti, including bruschetta, melon and prosciutto, and fennel salad. That was followed with pasta with an eggplant sauce and dessert was a focaccia topped with Carmelita's grapes and coffee. Everything was amazing!!! The wines were shared with us during the meal and we tasted one white and two reds. All were very good. We were at this winery, met the owners family that lives there, used their bathroom and spent close to 3 hours there! Winery # 3: Campo Corto- this was our favorite stop. We went to one of the smallest producers in Chianti. The owner (Marco) greeted us at our van and took us through his home to his back yard where a table was set up for a tasting with amazing views of the vineyards and valleys. Marco was extremely outgoing and hospitable and really someone special to meet. We felt like we were hosted at locals home for a party and he was sooo eager to share his wines, property and story with us. Not only did we taste three great red wines but Marco put together snacks of bread cheese salami and figs for us. This stop was very special as Marco shared so much of himself with us, which we really appreciated. I would highly recommend Tuscan Escapes for a private tour- they delivered amazingly for us.
Brunello wine tour
This tour is fantastic. We met our guide Ambra at San Domenico church and boarded a minibus for the tour. There were five of us on the tour which was just right. Ambra was full of knowledge, we visited three vineyards for wine tasting. The staff at the three stops were very friendly and extremely knowledgeable. The lunch provided was very nice too. The wines were great and it didn't matter that we weren't experts. We stopped at Montalcino for Half an hour and took in a quick tour of the abbey of saint Antimo before heading back to Siena. We had a great day out. Thank you and thanks to Ambra.
Nice trip to Pienza and Montepulciano
I enjoyed the day trip very much. We were just 3 visitors - so plenty of space in the big Mercedes SUV and our driver and guide Guillermo (not sure I spell the name correctly) could focus on our individual interests and made many photo-stops. He told us a lot about Tuscany's history and gave us practical tips for our further stay. He was very sympathetic and a real " Ambassador " for Tuscany. For lunch we stopped at a local farm with delicious organic food. The tour was worth the price and gave a perfect impression of two very famous and nice towns in Tuscany.
Day trip to Montepulciano, stop in Pienza, sunset dinner at diary farm
Our guide Guillermo (William) was a wealth of information on the history of the Tuscan region and Italy as a whole. He was enthusiastic and so accommodating. The day wrapped up with a sunset dinner at a dairy farm overlooking the val d'Orcia valley. Stunning views and delicious food (totally farm to table). We even got to " meet " some of the animals who produced the amazing cheeses served to us on an olive wood plank. When we return to Tuscany (hopefully in the near future) we will request William once again!
Three Tours-All Excellent
During our recent trip to Siena, my husband and I used Tuscan Escapes for three separate tours, all of which were excellent! Our first experience was a private transfer and tour from Florence to Siena, in which we visited a lovely small winery for A tasting and lunch, then stopped to explore San Gimignano and Monteriggioni, along our journey. Even though our originally scheduled plans for lunch on a saffron farm fell through at the last minute, the company found us a fantastic alternative and we loved it!! Our guide, David, was incredible.... kind and so very knowledgeable about anything and everything we could possibly wish to know about the area, it's history and culture. We did the small group Brunello tour, which was also fantastic! We visited three diverse wineries, all very good. Once again, they treated us to an incredible traditional Tuscan luncheon! Guillermo was our guide this day and he was great too.... incredibly knowledgeable and had a few great photo-op stops along the way! Finally, we enjoyed the small group Pienza and Montepulciano tour. Again, this experience was comprehensive and featured a beautiful venue for lunch.... and delicious! We were lucky to have Amber as our guide this day- we enjoyed her energy and once again, learned so much! I was very impressed with this company-not only the memorable experiences they package and their truly amazing guides-but the planning and booking process was easy too! They were always quick to respond to all questions and concerns, along the way. Highly recommend!!
Day tour
My wife and I enjoyed our tour very much. Lots of fun and our guide was very personable, funny and informative. The towns and wineries we visited were great and interesting. We would use this company again and recommend it to anybody visiting Sienna
Fun and Educational
Our guide, Ambra (Amber), was knowledgeable, enthusiastic and very personable (and very proud of Siena). We covered a lot of territory and learned a great deal about the history, culture and important sites of this beautiful city.
Tour in Siena
I don't remember the name of the tour, but the guide was Ambra and she was amazing. I just recommend the use of the microphone and earplugs because with a large group sometimes we don't hear everything 100% well. But it was a great experience.
Fantastic!
Our guide, Ambra, was knowledgable and personable. She took us to three wineries, one including an incredible lunch. Ambra was a delight, the Tuscan countryside was a delight. Great experience. Thank you again, Ambra!
Fantastic day tour of the Chianti region
David, our tour guide, was very informative and an expert driver. We visited several wineries and each one was unique and fun. We had a fun time, while enjoying some of the best food and wine in the area. I highly recommend this tour!
Fantastic experience
We took the Chianti sunset tour with dinner. Ambra was our guide. She did a fantastic job. She drove very well and explained about wine and Tuscan region. The whole trip was planned very well. We went to a beautiful organic winery and it was a lovely place with nice wines. Monteriggioni and SAN gimignano were the two places we visited. The dinner was excellent and sumptuous. Thanks Ambra for making us enjoy a true Tuscan experience.
Three days, three tours
Our visit to Siena and surrounding area was all the more enjoyable thanks to Ambra and Elio. Two excellent stand out tour guides, just thinking about them makes me smile in remembering our fun time together. Their passion and enthusiasm infused the stories and shared information in different tours as we walked around Siena, tasted Brunello wine, and visited some of the Tuscan towns on our way to Florence. It was a pleasure to work with Tuscan Escapes to plan our local adventures.
Highlight of Our Trip
We spent a week in Tuscany after our cruise.. and had the very best of times. Our guides were very knowledgeable and personable. The vineyard tours were outstanding and the guides knew exactly where to visit for the scenery.. which is breathtaking. Wine and food were very enjoyable. We also did a tour of Siena, which was very well animated by our guide. The tour from the cruise port to Tuscany is a great way to transition from the busyness of cruising to the serenity of the countryside. Everything about the tours was well planned and executed... no glitches. We hope to do a return visit !!
Private Wine Tasting and San Gimignano / Monteriggioni with Rustic Lunch
Tuscan Escapes was very accommodating and customized a tour for us on Dec 24 and it was great! Traveling with recent college grad son and he had certain things he wanted to see and they got it done for not much more than their standard tour cost. Elena was a wonderful guide, wine tasting at Castellare di Castellina (Strada Provinciale 130 di Castagnoli, 14-15, 53011 Castellina in Chianti SI, Italy) was informative / fun (novices here) and the home-style meal at Il Castagnolo (SP1, 1, 53037 San Gimignano SI, Italy) was wonderful!
Wonderful wine.... wonderful day
The day was great from beginning to end. Our guide was very charming and knowledgable. The wineries were small. The food and wine were amazing. It was a highlight of our Italian holiday.
Siena, Pisa and San Giamano day tour
Took a day trip with Ciao Florence, our guide Viola was fantastic. Knowledgeable, pleasant and responsible for a large group of 55 and a 12 hour tour. on 9-25-18,
Best wine tour of Montecino
Our guide Daniele was extremely knowledgeable not only about wine, but about the region. We couldn't have asked for a better guide and tour.
Nicely done
Georgia was a well-informed and engaging guide to Pienza and Montepulciano. An Australian on the tour asked her to summarize the history of Italy; which she did amiably. David the next day had the advantage of San Gimignano, which despite crowds, remains a gem, plus Volterra, and he had some additional translating to do. They hosted us at relaxed and informative farmhouse lunches. Worthy stewards both.
Excellent walking tour
We had Claudia as our guide for the two-hour walking tour of Siena. She literally brought the place to life! Claudia was born and raised in Siena, and her animated descriptions of the Palio (she is from the Unicorn contrada) was very interesting. Also, our tour of the Duomo came to life with Claudia's knowledge, and not a single question that she was not able to answer. Regardless of how much or how little time you have in Siena, this tour is a must.
My food highlight in Monterosso
The cafe had a small food preparation / cooking area and had about 12 seats outside in a narrow lane. We had lasagne and spinach and ricotta crepes plus a 375 ml bottle of the local red wine. We ordered inside after the chef / owner quietly shared his knowledge of what was available. We then made our decisions and ordered. The prices were very reasonable, the quality good and the location was perfect for people watching. Our best food experience before leaving Monterosso
What a tour!!!
We are a couple from Australia and we highly highly highly recommend!! We had Davide as our lovely local Siense, and took a group of just 6 of us through the beautiful Tuscan countryside in a neat air conditioned mini van. He was exceptionally knowledgeable, charming and took us to 1 family owned medium sized winery which was good quality and affordable, a visit to Monteriggioni and finally an exceptional traditional Italian restaurant and winery in which the service, the food, the people and the incredible view were something we will never forget. We will be back!
Brunello wine tour from Siena with Daniele
Fantastic. Daniele was a great guide. We went with 2 other groups, total of 7 people, leaving from Siena. Daniele was very informative, funny and patient with us. He provided a lot of background information on winemaking in general, and on the 3 wineries we visited in particular. You can tell that he is passionate about showing visitors the area, and making sure we are well informed about the winemakers. Daniele is funny and a pleasure to hang out with. Would recommend this tour, and Daniele to everyone.
Brunello wine tour
I have only positive feedback for this tour. Our guides were welcoming, informative and great company and the wineries were excellent; great balance between information and tasting. Countryside is beautiful. Lunch was very special and it felt like we were friends rather than guests. The abbey was a fantastic bonus. Everything you expect and more. Just book it.
This is the way to see Tuscany!
Our day tour to San Gimignano and Volterra was a highlight of of time in Tuscany. The advance booking process was simple, with excellent communication about all details of the tour. We were collected on time by our excellent guide Elena, shared the day with one other couple, in a very comfortable vehicle, and with plenty of time to enjoy each stop along the way. Our first stop was Monteriggioni, where we arrived before the big bus crowds for a leisurely look around, then on to Volterra, including a visit to a traditional alabaster workshop - fascinating to watch a master craftsman at work. Lunch was in at a saffron farm in a beautiful part of the countryside, with the best antipasti I have ever tasted in twenty years of visiting Italy - thank you to our talented hostess Carmela. The day finished with an hour or so in San Gimignano before our return to Siena. Elena's knowledge and good company really helped to make the day a success. We have since done a day tour with another company - half the price, and about a quarter of the value. With the benefit of hindsight, I would wholeheartedly recommend traveling with Tuscan Escapes.
Too many tours, not enough time!
We chose three tours during our stay in Siena. We did the Sunset Chianti and San Gimignano Tour, the Brunello di Montalcino Tour and the Montepulciano and Pienza Tour. All the tours were spectacular. The food on the Sunset Tour was incredible and the wine was endless. The wine and food on all the tours was excellent. We fell in love with the country-side and the wine. Highly recommended for those that enjoy great food and fine wine.
Fantastic tailored tour of Siena and San Gimignano!
My wife and I enjoyed our wonderful day trip with Silvia. She picked us up in Florence spot on time, drove us to San Gimignano where we started our day's outing. In SG, she provide a remarkable history of place and people. From San Gimignano we stopped for a lovely farm lunch, with beautiful views of the city and towers in the background. But it really was after lunch when we arrived in Siena that Silvia's star shown its brightest. She is walking encyclopedia of Siennese art, culture and history. Her guided walking tour of Siena 'made the trip' for us. Silvia was such a joy, with incredible warmth and a great sense of humor. We enjoyed every minute of the experience.
Brunello - Montalcino
Just finished a fabulous day in Tuscany with 2 wonderful couples & our fantastic tour guide Elena. Elena is very knowledgeable & tour was great excellent wine & Food & Tuscan landscape is beautiful. Definitely recommended for a day trip from Siena. Mike from The Woodlands Tx
An Unforgettable Journey!
Exciting, informative tours, delicious lunch in saffron farm. Warm & friendly guides, small group, lots of laughs. Magnificient countryside & scenery clearly explained &detailed; professional guides with excellent knowledge of the local areas. Visited Chainti region, wine tasting from good to excellent wineries, very well thoughtout program, excellent lunch with accomapnying wines. Had several tours with Tuscan Escapes, all excellent. We have recommended them to our friends already!
Great Tour Company
We were in Siena for 4 nights in October 2017. I booked two " Small Group " tours with them, Pienza / Montepulciano and San Gimignano / Volterra. Both tours were fulldays with no more then 8 people in the minivan. Our tour guide was Elena, she was excellent. She had a clear understanding of the areas we visited and had a great personality. Both tours exceeded our expectations. The lunches were spectacular at both locations and views during lunch were amazing. Definitely use Tuscan Escapes if you are planning a trip to Tuscany.
Small-group tours: Pienza / Montepulciano and San Gimignano / Volterra
We had wonderful experiences on both our tours out of Siena. Davide and Elena are both excellent guides. We never felt rushed on our hill town stops and appreciated the free time to explore on our own. The two lunches were fantastic--highlights of our dining experiences in Italy. Though this did not affect our satisfaction with the experience, we would have preferred paying by credit card (no foreign transaction fee) instead of in cash (exorbitant ATM transaction fee using our bank's debit card). I would gladly have paid in advance of our trip, but I was told the guides would have credit card machines. Unfortunately, they did not. I hope Tuscan Escapes considers offering one of these options.
The highlight of my Euro trip
I did the brunello wine tour and it was beyond amazing. The meeting spot is conveniently located in Siena, comfortable minibus, not too many people crammed into one tour. Knowledgeable guide. Great Tuscan lunch. The places we went to on the tour were spectacular.
Pienza and Montepulciano: Extraordinary day tour!
We scheduled 5 days in Siena, but were unwilling to rent a car to see the famous Tuscan Hill Towns. We were lucky to experience Tuscan Escapes' Pienza and Montepulciano tour. The trip description hardly does justice to this small-group (8) trip. We left promptly with our engaging guide, David. A second van was piloted by Elena. Within minutes you are in the crete country, famous for clay soil barren of crops at this time of year but with beautiful vistas of rolling hills. Our van stopped several times for photo opportunities as David explained the terrain. Soon we were in the tiny town of Chisure for a caffe and cappuccino break at a shop operated by a charming couple. Back on the road, David explained the historical significance of Pienza, and soon we had an hour to walk about this charming town with stunning vistas of val d'orcia. On from there to a dusty road to the farm restaurant for regional wines, a platter of six cheeses produced on site, bread baked there, and bowls of pasta. This was a fine lunch with high-quality cuisine. We departed for Montepulciano, our vans dropping us at the town's highest elevation. It would have been a strenuous walk up, but all we had to do is follow the winding corso down. Lined with shops offering local products and wines, we had an hour to stroll and sample wines like the famous Brunello. We had beautiful, clear weather and David's sunny disposition throughout. We thought this tour was a terrific value; so much packed into the 9 hours we were aboard. This was also a very efficient way to see 2 of the most-visited hill towns.
Best wine tour ever
I took the Brunello tour with my girlfriend last month and it was incredible. Great selection of the wineyards, divine lunch, and the best of all: the people. Special thanks to our guides Milo, Helena and Marella for the exceptional attention given to us. If you are considering a tour near to Siena, this is one of the best you can get.
They made our honeymoon special!
We booked two transfer excursions through Tuscan Escapes, and they were two of our favorite days. First, Daniel picked us up in Florence and we had an amazing adventure on our way to Siena. He was very personable, and knowledgeable about all of the areas we visited. Our trip included San Gimignano (he took the secret way so that we could take amazing photos), a six-course lunch at a farm near SG (one of our best meals yet), Castellani in Chianti and Monteriggioni-all were amazing! He imparted much wisdom and warmth before getting us safely to our hotel in Siena. Our second transfer was just as lovely. Our driver, Marella, picked us up in Siena and we visited Orvieto (so charming), before having lunch at an amazing place in Civita di Bagnoregio (a fairytale place), and then continuing on to Positano. It was a long day, but she filled it with joy and laughter, and it passed before we knew it. She was also a wealth of knowledge and a pleasure to be with. We would definitely use Tuscan Escapes again, and recommend anyone looking for a great adventure or transfer in Tuscany do the same.
Outstanding Chianti / San Gimignano Experience from Siena
My husband and I celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary on 24th August; we had our honeymoon in San Gimignano back in 1990, so one of the aims of our mini tour (by train) of northern Italian towns was to find ourselves, even if briefly, back in San Gim. Some online research showed me exactly what we needed - a sunset tour that would allow us some time there, include a wine-tasting opportunity nearby and would end with dinner with a view of the many-towered town. The forecast on the 19th August threatened rainstorms, but we knew the day would be magical whatever the weather. We met up with our wonderful guide Marella Favruzzo in Siena and set off into the beautiful Tuscan countryside with her in the very comfortable minivan. On that day only myself, my husband and our daughter (19) were on the tour, which made us feel wonderfully indulged. (We appreciated the fact that the company doesn't have a minimum number of guests required to run the trip.) Marella is one of those people who impress instantly with their warmth, intelligence and local knowledge. It's obvious from the start that she wants her visitors to get the maximum pleasure out of their day - we established immediately that we are the kind of family that loves history, art and food / wine so she had lots to tell us about all of those subjects. However, I am utterly sure that had I said " take me shopping " she would have known all the best places to go as well. She is fluent in Chinese as well as English - not something we needed to invoke but that must be a real boon for Chinese visitors to Tuscany. Our first stop was Il Poderino where we were welcomed by another wonderful woman, Elena Barucci, at her gorgeous estate that produces Chianti, Vin Santo, grappa and olive oil and which is also an agriturismo with a swimming pool. We are seriously tempted to return there some day to stay. Foolishly we had lunched before embarking on our tour (mistake!) - however, the delicious prosciutto, oil-drizzled bread, tomato crostoni placed before us to accompany the wine-tasting soon won us over and we hope we did justice to the lovely platters on the table. The wines were delicious, of course. Elena and Marella had given us a quick tour and explanation of the wine-making process and a chance to admire the beautiful barrels currently quietly working on creating more Chianti magic. Over the food we talked more about Elena's life as a wine-maker and the traditions that she feels so passionately about. We felt privileged to get a glimpse of the joys and the trials of that kind of vocation. Marella is an excellent interpreter but she was also plainly happy to let me chat to Elena in Italian (we lived 7 years in Naples till 2011, so my Italian is still there). There was no sense of pressure about ordering wine, but we knew before we went on the trip that we wanted to have this chance to have some of the holiday memories last a bit longer! So we did place an order and in fact the boxes arrived yesterday here in the UK. It was tempting to stay longer talking to Elena but we also wanted some San Gimignano time so in the late afternoon Marella drove us there, and readers of this review may imagine what a charge of emotion my husband, Jim and I experienced as we walked through the gate into the streets of S. G. Marella asked if we wanted to explore by ourselves but since we were so enjoying her company we asked her to stay with us. One of the things we really wanted to do was locate the house we'd stayed in 25 years ago and as I remembered it was called Casa Santo Stefano that was the part of town we headed to. We asked some local folks who were on their doorstep but they didn't know any house with that name. Luckily Jim had some memory of the street leading to it so we did discover the place and it was a great thrill to see it once more. We followed up this triumphant return with a gelato and with some more happy wandering through the town, Marella giving us some fascinating information about the buildings as we went. Our final stop on the tour was at the Fattoria Poggio Alloro, another farm / restaurant set in ravishing countryside. This was our location for a sunset dinner and such it proved to be, despite the bleak predictions of the weather forecasters. We ate al fresco with a number of other lucky travellers at tables commanding a view of San Gimignano on the next hillside. Another moment of slight regret - this time that we'd eaten lots of food at Elena's place! Here at Poggio Alloro, the antipasti alone would meet an average appetite, but then the primi and secondi were also spectacular and generous. See my photo of the menu. All included in the price of the tour, by the way. Everything organic and 90-95% produced at the fattoria. As you might say a theme of the day was Romance, we were delighted with the view, the company, the sunset, the crisp, pretty moon that rose into a velvet blue sky. We were also so happy chatting about so many things with Marella whose knowledge is so broad and who is such fun. She and I discovered we both paint, and that always makes a bond to discover another artist. At the end of a really exceptional afternoon and evening, we headed back to Siena brimful of memories. All 3 of us think it was the absolute highlight of our visit to Italy and if we find ourselves back in Siena, we'll most definitely do another tour with Marella or one of her colleagues. The tour was excellent value, fulfilled and exceeded all the promises it made. I can't praise it highly enough.
Absolute best tour we took in Italy
Our tour was a one day tour of Tuscany. Our tour guide was Marella Favruzzo. She was fun and exciting and gave a fabulous tour. Her knowledge of history, politics, culture and economics was incredible. Visiting the old forts was like taking a trip back through time. Her English is excellent and she was so excited to tell us about every site we visited. She is so passionate about what she does. There were so many highlights of the tour: I will mention just a few. The first fort (walled-city) Her descriptions of fights that took place were thrilling. Our visit to San Gimignanbo was incredible, telling about Saint Fina and the construction of all the towers. The farmhouse where she took us for lunch was unbievable. A several course meal with wine at a working saffron farm. The lunch was included in the price of the tour. This was also the most reasonably priced tour we took in all of Italy. Our hosts at the farm for lunch were her good friends and they greeted and treated us like old family friends. One of the last places she took us too was the factory where they made alabaster artifacts and we met and watched the old artist make a beautiful piece which we ended up buying. Gracious, ebullient, exciting, energetic I can't say enough nice things about Marella.
Best way to experience Tuscany. Small shared tours
Milo has a very good thing going with his company Tuscan Escapes. My wife and I booked three tours. Unbelievable experience. 1st tour with Marella was to Monteriggioni, San Gimignano and Volterra. There was only one other couple and we had a lot of fun. Tasted Vernaccia white wine from San Gim, a great lunch at a Saffron farm, and visited an Alabaster workshop in Volterra. Second tour was the Chianti & Villages wine tour. Our tour guide Daniele was outstanding. There were eight of us. Stopped in Castellina & Greve and both were having their Saturday Market. Had lunch at a small farm and was entertained by Marcos Monnececchi and tasted four of his wines. Third tour we visited south of Siena. Elena is a pro and took us to areas that large tour buses can't reach. Amazing. Visited Penza and Montepulciano and had lunch at a Pecorino farm. The underground winery in Montepulciano and its Nobile wine was amazing. These are small tours where large bus tours can't get to. The farms are small and you see the " real " Tuscany. Best way to see Tuscany. Thank you Milo and your great guides.
Daytrip to San Gimignano and the Hill-country
What a tremendous day this was going to to an old fortress on the way to San Gimignano and more. Our guide Elania was tremendous very knowledgeable charming and fun. The days excursion was one of the highlights of our stay in Sienna and I would recommend this company and their guide to anyone I know.
Тур Брунелло и хайкинг-тур до Монтериджони
Я провела в Сиене 5 дней, из них два - с Tuscan Escapes. Сначала был тур Брунелло с Еленой - нас было трое (девушка из Японии, молодой человек из Гонконга и я. Мы посетили три фабрики, прекрасный монастырь (слушали пение монахов), продегустировали больше 10 сортов отличного вина, пообедали на одной из фабрик, погуляли в старинном Монтальчино - все было прекрасно. На следующий день у меня был хайкинг-тур в Монтериджони в компании чудесной молодой пары из Австралии и, конечно же, Мило! Я от него просто в восторге - до поездки я переписывалась с ним и очень благодарна за советы по выбору туров. А в течение нашего пешего тура по паломнической дороге он рассказывал столько интересного! Пейзажи тосканских холмов были просто потрясающими. Завершился наш поход дегустацией органических вин под сыры, салями и вкуснейшую трюфельную пасту с каперсами и выдачей обратных билетов на поезд в Сиену. Поезд идет из соседнего городка, до него примерно 3 км. Монтериджони - " корона Сиены ", просто очаровательный тихий старинный городок, всего 200 метров в диаметре. Погулять там и посидеть в ресторанчике после долгой прогулки было несомненным удовольствием. Моя благодарность и самые лучшие рекомендации Tuscan Escapes за полученное удовольствие от этих двух туров!
Castles and Chianti Tour
Milo led our small group made up of an American couple and an Australian family of three though a day-long tour of the Chianti region of Tuscany. We visited three wineries and two castles and had a lovely lunch at a small family run winery. Milo was charming and he was absolutely wonderful with the 5 year old child who was on the trip. The fact that he could be such a great guide for the adults while entertaining this little girl so that she didn't get too bored speaks to his skill as a tour guide and also as a father of his own young children. We had a great time on the tour. It was a bit pricey but it was well worth the expense. We highly recommend taking a tour with Tuscan Escapes.
Lovely day in Tuscany
Milo was our guide through our lovely day in Tuscany. At first I thought the price was a bit too high for what I expected to get, but how wrong I was. He took us to places we'd never imagine existed if we had just rented a car and wandered by ourselves. Delicious lunch, great wine tasting experience and the view... Oh, the view! Milo told us a lot about the history of Tuscany and the wine making process. Don't think twice about hiring their services, it's worth every penny!
For Brunello Lovers
We booked a tour of Montalcino and Brunello wineries with Tuscan Escapes. After a number of private tours, we wanted to do a group tour for a change of place and this tour was perfect. Our guide, Danielle, inspired us with his passion and knowledge of the wine making process. He took us to three very different wineries in the Montalcino area, so we could experience different Brunellos and wine-making philosophies. Each were fun, educational, and absolutely delicious. My cases shipped home should show up any day! At one of the wineries, we had a lunch that we'll remember for many years. It was the " picture perfect postcard " of what you think of for an Italian meal - a rustic ambience, great food, conversation and laughter, and of course, wine! I'd highly recommend this tour and any time spent with Danielle will improve your knowledge of this wine.
Hill Towns of Tuscany tour
FIVE STARS!!! TERRIFIC! My husband and I had to be in Rome in February 2014, so we decided to add a visit toTuscany beforehand. We knew we wanted a tour, we looked at three tour companies, but this particular tour caught our eye, the price was good, and they were willing to be flexible, adding a place here and there that we wanted to see. Our travel was obviously during the off-season, but we were extremely lucky with the weather (50's and low 60's with no rain). We had an amazing visit, to small villages and regions, including Chianti, val d'Elsa, Crete Senesi, Volterra, Greve, Certaldo, Monteriggioni, Pienza and Montalcino, and WE STAYED TWO NIGHTS IN SAN GIMIGNANO AND TWO NIGHTS IN SIENA. Among other things, during the tour days we enjoyed a traditional lunch at a small family farm, a fabulous cooking class, wine tastings, and another visit to a larger farm in a spectacular setting, with lunch and a tasting of their cheeses. Driving through these regions offered spectacular views! MILO IS A TRULY EXCEPTIONAL GUIDE. The tour helped us learn, understand and appreciate so much about the region, and Milo is extremely knowledgeable, likable, easy-going but professional, and very smart and witty, not to mention an excellent driver! His English is perfect, which we appreciated, not speaking any Italian ourselves. And he knows his wine! His wife, Silvia, gave us an excellent half-day tour of the town of Siena, which has a fascinating history and perhaps the most beautiful Duomo in Tuscany, and Silvia was wonderful and knowledgeable, too. We would love to do another tour with this group, and we will recommend them to friends and family! Ciao!
Amazing day! Milo made it all worth it!
As you may see, there is a common thread to these reviews. The guides are amazing! We had Milo on our trip and were lucky enough to have it just be my husband and I and one other person. We traveled to three different wineries, all with different focuses (other then Brunello of course :)) as well as a monestary with chanting monks! It was a wonderful day spent with Milo and our other companion. He has so much information to share with us about Italy and had us laughing the entire trip. It was hands down our best day on the trip! We love Milo and Tuscan Escapes!!!
Milo is honest and informative!
Milo endured driving into Roma during the bus strike to take me on a private tour along the coast, to Talamone, Maremma and safely took me to my hotel within Siena. This was a private tour with specific goals in mind for my research. We had lunch in Talamone, the cook and his family all came out, and shared a glass of wine with us (chin-chin). I have no idea who appreciated us eating together, the owners, or us! Milo is warm, intellgent, thoughtful, and if it is important to you, a good driver. We spent the day together and it was relaxing, fun, and as if I was with an old friend. I wish I had more photos of Milo, instead I am sharing some of our locations I cannot thank Milo and Sylvia enough! They are young couple eager to please their " guests ". I would use them again for my pick up from airport in Roma or any type of tour. Milo, you are better then gold... you are platinum! Grazie!!
Fantastic day in Tuscany
Silvia Romano from Tuscan Escapes took our group of six from Oregon on a wonderful private tour through Tuscany to visit beautiful sites, landscapes and to tour two wineries in Chianti, one in S. Appriano and the other in S. Donato. She picked us up at our hotel in Florence at 2pm and dropped us off at one of her favorite restaurants at 8pm. She gave us background information on the geology and history of the region as well as information about wine making (and she willing served as our group photographer).
Great for those who don't have a car, otherwise, doable on your own
My husband and I did the Montepulciano and Pienza tour. The landscape was beautiful, and we had a good time, but to be honest, I felt that it was expensive for what it was, and if you have a car and even the slightest sense of adventure, you can totally do this tour on your own. Just drive to the nearest noteworthy small Tuscan town (and there are many), park your car outside the town wall (there's usually public parking in every town, a blue parking spot means you have to pay, a white parking spot is free), and do a walking tour of the town yourself. If you get lost, even better, because the drive is sure to be beautiful anyway. Next, Google " lunch at a Tuscan agriculturismo " or " lunch at a Tuscan farm " and you've pretty much recreated the entire tour while saving yourself hundreds of euros. Please don't get me wrong, it's a great tour and our tour guide was enthusiastic, but all I'm saying is you can very easily do this on your own. We happened to be on our honeymoon so we didn't mind splurging a bit. I guess the only bad thing I can say was, when we got to the lunch at the farm, they served us a vegetarian meal. We're not necessarily purely steak and potatoes kind of people, but I like meat and I was jealous of other diners (not on the tour with us) enjoying what looked like lamb chops. For 135 euros pp, I would have liked to at least have had the option. That being said, if you don't have a car, then this tour is perfect for you.
Perfect way to explore Tuscany - Highly recommend!
We booked 4 tours with Tuscan Escapes - and our experience with them greatly contributed to making our trip a truly magical one. This was a special mother-daughter trip, and we had decided to stay in Siena as a central base to explore the different regions of Tuscany. I had explored many of the different companies providing private and small-shared tours, and while I initially intended to book different excursions with different providers, Sylvia was such a pleasure to deal with from the onset, that in the end I decided to entrust all of our planned outings to their company. An excellent decision on our part. The four tours we did were the following: - A private walking tour of Siena on the Sunday morning of our arrival - The Pienza and Montepulciano sightseeing and organic cheese farm tour - The Brunello tour - The Chianti & Castles tour Sylvia was the perfect guide for Siena -- knowledgeable, excellent communicator, genuine, and very enjoyable to stroll with through the beautiful streets and sights. For the following days, we had the great pleasure of being assigned Daniele as our guide. He was absolutely perfect - very passionate about the region, about wine and food, and about what is most important in life, and a lovely humble charm. Each of our excursions brought us to beautiful little villages, magnificent sights and absolutely beautiful scenery all along the way. Our absolute most favorite parts, and there were many, were the following: - the organic cheese farm where we had a beautiful tuscan lunch, with a delicious house wine, on a small cliff overlooking a Tuscan valley. It felt like a scene out of a movie - each of the small but top-quality vineyards of the Brunello wine tour, where we had an authentic, personalized and just-our-little group experience, with some of the best wines we have ever tasted. At our mid-day visit we were served a magnificent lunch prepared by the mother in the winery family's dining room, with every course being complimented with one of their lovely wines - and our entire visit hosted by one of the family's two daughters, who moves with an impressive grace and an obvious love for what she does, between picking the grapes from the vines, to explaining their wines and then travelling all over the world to promote them. In fact, the owners at each location were absolutely lovely, with some wonderful stories to tell about their lives in the business of wine. - on the Chianti & Castles tour, it was the villa and vineyard owned by a family descended from nobility with the property being passed from one generation to the next. The family business has now been taken over and successfully developed by the young and impressive son, who also managed to create a charming atmosphere and a wonderful food and wine experience to treat his guests on these private tours. To Daniele, Sylvia and Milo -- thank you, from my mother and myself, for providing us with the best possible Tuscan experience, it was everything we had hoped for. And we will certainly be recommending you to any family and friends visiting in the future.
Best way to get around with good people
This is not a big tour company... this is much more personalized. Quite simply, they will take you where you want to go and have a good background in the history of Italy to make the trip interesting so the time between destinations flies by. We had them pick us up in Rome and one of the owners, Daniel, was our guide. He used to help run several wineries and has a great knowledge about it. He drove us to Siena, with stops in Montalcino and Montepulciano along the way, including a small winery where we had a private lunch with the family that owned / ran it. The next day, one of the other owners, Milo, picked us up in Siena and drove us to Florence with stopping in San Gimignano and another local winery. Similar great experience. If you are not comfortable renting a car to get through Italy, this is a nice way to let someone else do the driving door to door with great conversation along the way. They were reliable and were always where they said they would be, when they said they'd be there.
One of the highlights of my trip!
I did the Pienza and Montepulciano tour and it was fabulous! We started out in Pienza, stopping to take pictures along the way. Pienza had amazing views of the valley below! We had lunch at a farm, on a terrace over-looking the Val D'Orcia - it was awesome and the food was fantastic! We toured an underground cellar in Montepulciano and did a tasting of the Nobile di Montepulciano - delicious! This day was excellent and I absolutely recommend this tour to anyone looking for a great, full-day tour in tuscany!
Fantastic Day
We had a wonderful day with Milo from the time he picked us up in Siena. Milo was so friendly and gave us information along our drive through Tuscany that we would have missed if we had driven on our own. For instance we found it so interesting that capers grow on the city walls. Our lunch at the olive and saffron farm prepared by Carmella was so delicious. Her tour of her garden was a highlight. We were there in early November just in time for the olive harvest and white truffle season. It was the most delicious time. Milo took us to see Omero carving Alabaster. It was very interesting and he was a delightful man. Since it was olive pressing time we had the opportunity to watch the process and taste the new olive oil. We even shipped some home. Tuscan Escapes seems to put so much thought into where they take you. Every person and place we visited really made our trip a wonderful experience.
The Hill Towns of Tuscany
My husband and I booked the Hill Towns of Tuscany Tour with Tuscan Escapes and it was a wonderful and memorable 4 days. Each day brought a new experience from lunch on a Vineyard to a cooking class, and visits to several of the towns that are located throughout Tuscany. Prior to our pick-up for the tour, Silvia was accessible via email and answered all questions quickly and provided us with information in a timely manner. Our guides were first rate and able to answer all the questions that we asked and shared their knowledge and love of Tuscany. We covered alot of ground in the 4 days and really got to explore and enjoy this beautiful area of Italy.
Fabulous Time Touring Tuscany with Silvia!
My boyfriend and I took a personal guided minivan tour through Tuscan Escapes to Montalcino, its surroundings and three lovely wineries. Silvia was our tour guide and provided us with a once in a lifetime experience that we will both cherish forever. The wineries and places we visited were extraordinary. Silvia was a very thoughtful guide and took us to a number of amazing places giving us as much time as we needed to snap some photos. While I loved every place we stopped and visited, the thing we enjoyed the most was the second winery we stopped at Piombaia, which is run by a very nice man and his family. They were so welcoming and kind. They provided lunch for us in a very rustic part of their home (which has been in their family for six generations) and had an old open door that allowed us a view of the countryside. The food they served us was warm & delicious and the experience of eating such good food in this beautiful setting was marvelous! The other wineries were amazing as well and served us some good vintages, which came with friendly faces. I cannot thank Silvia enough for providing us with such an exceptional tour of Tuscany. She is very well-versed in information about Tuscany and is super friendly and kind. She went out of her way to make us happy and I highly recommend taking a tour with her. She is the best!
Tuscan Escapes Tours near Siena
It was our first trip to Italy. We wanted a guide to introduce us to the culture and help with the language. And we wanted small tour groups that spent more time at each site and less time driving. Tripadvisor lead us to Tuscan Escapes. We booked 4 tours in and around Siena. From start to finish it was a great experience. Each of our guides, (Leonardo, Susannah, and Elena) were prompt, friendly, and knowledgeable. It was as if old friends were showing us around. The size of the groups ranged between 8 and 2. We toured the wineries and the hill towns and then a city tour of Siena itself. Each stop was just the right amount of time, not rushed and not too long. The wine tasting experiences at Poggio Rubino and BelloStento were great. It was a slow relaxing process of food / wine, food / wine, food / wine, desert / desert wine. All within sight of the grape vines and olive trees with cyprus trees and the rest of Tuscany in the background. Perfect. The city tour of Siena was really interesting and pointed out things that we had walked past but never noticed. The Il Palio horse race was run only a week before we arrived. We learned about the background story of this race and what it means to the neighborhoods of the town. And of course the Duomo was spectacular. At the end of our stay in Siena, Leonardo helped me with the train schedules to other destinations in Italy that we would go to on our own. It was very helpful and an indication of how they go the extra mile, err.. kilometer. I think Tuscan Escapes was worth every euro.
A Really Lovely Day Out
I took this tour on my own in June and had a really great day out. I got an early bus from Rome, met the tour when I arrived and then caught the bus back to Rome in the evening so it's def a day tour option from Rome as well as Siena. Leonardo was our guide, a really nice guy and we visited a few Tuscan villages and a couple of vineyards, trying some amazing sangiovese wines! I'm trying to remember the names of the vineyards however it was now over 3 months ago... I can say they were well chosen. We have the most amazing lunch at one of them, of course paired with more sangiovese wine. Interestingly enough I also have my own tour company in Sydney specialising in wine tours to the Hunter Valley (Kangarrific Tours) so from one operator to another... well done, you have a great tour there, I highly recommend it!
A great way to see and experience the brunello wine region
My wife and I arranged this tour as part of a birthday trip to Italy. Our guide Milo was funny, witty and hugely informative about Tuscan food, wine and history. We visited three wineries and were treated like family wherever we went - nothing was too much for our hosts. Highly recommended - Bravo Milo !
Sylvia and Milo-fantasticooooo
As a group of 8 female friends on a trip to Siena, we arranged 3 full day trips with Tuscan Escapes, which were personalised for our group and led by the owners, Milo and his wife Sylvia. We started with a walking trip of Siena on our first morning, with Sylvia, who's knowledge was fantastic. During the walk we were treated to some tasters of local pastries and delicacies. After lunch we met Milo for the sunset tour, who took us into the Tuscan countryside. The people carrier was ideal to accommodate the 8 of us. Milo is extremely friendly and chatty and has unbound local knowledge and very good incite into the local wines. During the tour we visited a vineyard and had a prolonged wine tasting facilitated by the owner. Later we visited some beautiful iconic Tuscan hillside towns including Giimignano. Then we had dinner at a farm that does all its own produce from veg, wine and beef. What a fantastic experience, Food brill, wine brill, location brill and Milo had the patience to put up with us, especially on the ride back home and our singing. What a day! Next was a tour taken by Sylvia to montepulciano, Pienza and Montalcino with lunch on a diary farm which was again outstanding, then on to another wine tasting (its rearly hard this tasting lark) and then on to a private dinner at another vine yard hosted by the daughter of the family in their lovely home. Here we had the privilege to have an exquisite 3 course meal cooked and served by her mother, whilst tasting the lovely different chianti wines of the house with each course. Then another sing song ride home! Well if Milo can put up with it...... Finally on the last day we did the Chianti castles tour with Milo, lovely, and of course a wine tasting or two. We arrived back in Siena in time for dinner. All I can say is a big thanks from all of us for making our tour a memorable experience. I should also mention that they also arranged for the return transfers for us within the package and were on time throughout and plenty of room for luggage as well. OUTSTANDING...
San Gimignano and Volterra tour
Even though I booked a group excursion, I ended up sharing with only one person. Elena was an absolute star of a guide. We had a brilliant day discovering Tuscany visiting all the little towns. She was great to chat to and very approachable. The lunch was delicious and the saffron farm owners were very friendly. All that was needed was the opportunity to dip in the pool on that very hot day. Thank you for a fantastic tour!
wish i could do this every week!
we did this tour on our honeymoon with Daniele. It was the favorite part of our honeymoon by FAR. He picked us up in Siena, took us to Greve, Castelina, and Montefioralo then to Campocorto (a local vineyard and olive oil producer) for lunch with the owners and their family and then to Losi vineyard. The entire trip was perfect. Daniele was knowledgeable and friendly. The lunch at Campocorto was our best meal in Italy and spending the day with Marco, Paola, and their family was really fantastic -- a moment we will never forget. HIGHLY recommend.
Great company for tours in Tuscany!
I went with this company for a day tour of San Gimigniano and Volterra, another day tour of Montepulciano and Pienza, as well as a private transfer service from Siena to Assisi. The tour guide for the day tours (Elena) was excellent. Very engaging, friendly and had lots of information about history and culture of the places we visited. The owner Milo did the private transfer and he was very accommodating, stopping and going off the highway so I could take photos of a sunflower field. The only improvement I would recommend is to remove the stop at Monteriggioni from the day tour to San Gimigniano and Volterra. The Monteriggioni stop is very short and the time would have been better spent extended the free time in Volterra. We only had about 30 minutes in Volterra, which was not long enough to explore much at all. I was mostly concerned with getting to the meet up point in time, on the other side of the village.
I want to go again!
Siena was so nice and peaceful. Love it! But it was even better to visit the countryside of Tuscany. This day tour was amazing. Thanks for the wonderful tour guide Marella Favruzzo, who told us so much about the history of the area, guide us to some nice little towns and have home cook meal with an Italian couple. The gentleman made his own wine and was also an artist! We had a wonderful time talking and dine with them. The food was prepared fresh from their kitchen and so delicious! The lady was a great cook! There was wine tasting along with the meal. Very relax and no sales pressure. The other wine tasting place was bigger and had more selection. I like them both. Bought some wine in both locations. They shipped them to our US home. Price is very reasonable. Happy that we can enjoy the wine back home now and also give some as gift. There are two things I especially appreciate: 1. There was only our family of 3 in this tour. But they kept the promise not to cancel tour because of low attendance. We paid the group tour price for a private tour. Thanks! 2. Marella, our tour guide is fluent in both English and Mandarin (Chinese). I don't know if it was because of our Chinese last names so the tour center assign her to this tour. We were two generations of American Chinese who speak both languages. Marella's mandarin was really good. If you prefer Chinese you are in luck! Ask for her!
Wow!
Tuscan Escapes is an exceptional company with amazing tour guides. Having never been in Tuscany before, I began to do my research a few months prior to my visit with a friend in September. Once I realized how extensive an area Tuscany really is, I had to call in the Professionals for some help. And HELP they did: In addition to booking the regularly scheduled tours offered by Tuscan Escapes, they helped us to really personalize our visit by helping us book a room in Siena, arranging a wonderful Hot Air Balloon ride in Greve, and a day tour to Cinque Terre. Our driver / guide for the day in Cinque Terre was Milo. What a gem! I have never met anyone so passionate about his work and the entire wine making process, not to mention his encyclopedic knowledge of the area of Tuscany. He drove us to Cinque Terre, where he then handed us off to a local guide for the next few hours, then picked us up again for our return to Siena, stopping off for a short visit to Lucca on the way. The next day we were once again whisked away, this time by the charming Daniele, for a tour of the Brunello region on our transfer tour to Rome. We visited a unique winery where Mozart is played 24 / 7 (Il Paradiso di Frassina), heard the chanting Monks at Sant Antimo, enjoyed a sumptuous lunch in the private family dining room of one of the wineries (cooked and served with wines from their own vineyard, by the wife of the vineyard owner), and made a stop at Montalcino. It was a wonderful experience, one I will not soon forget. Kudos to Milo, Daniele and Silvia for their charm, professionalism, and patience!
Hike to Monteriggioni
Super Silvia was our guide, she was a wonderful - Hiking gives you the chance to connect with Tuscany like you could never do on the train or in a car - we passed through forests and fields, vineyards and olive groves fon our way rom Siena to Monteriggioni. A medieval walled town, built in the thirteenth century to defend Siena against Florence. After arruving in Monteriggioni, we enjoyed a hosted tasting of local wines and cheeses. After the tasting we were free to explore the village and the surrounding area on own before taking the train back to Siena. Try it - it is an experience you won't soon forget.
Day trip to wineries
Kudos to guide Milo for a great day touring 3 wineries in beautiful Tuscany! Milo is personable, and knows both his wines and the region. We particularly appreciated that the 3 wineries we visited were very different; a smaller winery, a larger more commercial (but beautiful) winery, and an tiny family winery that recently migrated to organic viniculture techniques. Worth the money - you'll learn a lot!
A Delightful Experience
My Co-Travellers and I Spent 4 days with Tuscan Escapes. Milo Personalized our tour and made our Tuscan Experience one all of us will treasure forever. Milo is a book of knowledge and his sense of humor is a true delight. Milo picked us up in Rome and we started our journey to the Tuscan countryside. Our first stop was at a charming little farm were we had a delicous lunch and a bit of wine before heading to our Villa in the Montepulciano area. A couple of days later Milo picked us up at our Villa and we went on another adventure to discover the Chianti Region and a few hours in Florence. After a long relaxing week we were picked up at our Villa again and driven to the beautiful city of Verona for a short tour and dropped off in Venice for three days keeping part of our luggage so we didn't have the challange of dragging it through Venice. After of time in Venince Milo picked us up and drove us to Rome with a short stop to have lunch at a Restaurant in a Cave. As you can see Milo specialized our entire trip to meet our requirements. He made our trip hassle free and truly loves what he does. I cannot express how thankful I am that we had Milo as a tour guide for our Tuscan Journey. You will not go wrong if you choose Tuscan Escapes!
Amazing trip planning and execution
My three grown-up daughters and I wanted to spend 3 days in the hill towns of Italy but didn't want to drive because we wanted to do some wine-tasting. I gave Silvia at Tuscan Escapes some idea of what we wanted to do - truffle hunting, cooking class, wine tasting, sight-seeing, and she came back with wonderful recommendations, including hotels. We had a driver each day - Alessandra on the first day and Elena on the next two days - and they were both terrific guides. They were knowledgeable, gave us some options as the day went on, and were very patient with our luggage and our wanting to take photos. We wouldn't have found many of these places on our own and it was so nice not to worry about driving. I highly recommend Tuscan Escapes!
Amazing Milo and Sylvia
My family and I (8 adults including our grandma) spent 2 weeks in Italy covering Rome, Siena, St Cassiano in the Dolomites and Venice. Each place had its own charms and we loved every bit of it but out of the whole trip our 'Tuscan Escape' was sheer magic and we all agree that it was mostly due to the wonderful Milo and Sylvia! Milo and Silvia are 2 of the most warm and welcoming people we have met during our travels! Their service is impeccable; their knowledge of the local food, wine and culture, vast. Always obliging and extremely thorough, they helped me with all the planning from accommodation, transport and excursions. We are already preparing for our next adventure in Tuscany and the first plan on my list is the mail to Milo and Sylvia asking them to sort it out for me!
Breathtakingly Beautiful.
A day with Milo is a day to remember. What a lovely man we chose to show us Tuscany. The day Milo planned for us from Siena to Florence was beyond our expectations, and something we will remember forever. We certainly enjoyed the special day visiting numerous interesting people and places.... Thoroughly recommend a Tuscan Escape with Milo...
Small group, Montepulciano & Pienza Day Trip
We took two day trips with this company. The first was wine tasting in the Brunello region and the second (the above day trip) with a cheese and wine tasting. Both trips were great. Groups just small enough so that everyone got to know each other a little and we became group having fun vs. individuals having a good time. Our guides Daniele on the Wine tasting trip couldn't have been more informative or any more fun. Charming with a great sense of humor and then to turn around the next day and have Marella, who couldn't have been better, so personal and attentive with a diverse small group. I especially was thrilled because she took time to stop a points where we could capture some great photos. (My weakness). All in all not only I, but our group seemed to have a great time with both guides. I would heartily recommend this company to those I know planning their trip to Italy! FYI: I re-choose this company for my second trip to Tuscany because of how perfect our first trip was with them, due much in part to the awesome Elana who was our guide at that time.
Fabulous tour
What a fantastic tour Milo ran for us. We were an extended family of 8 with a wide age bracket, drinkers and non-drinkers, and varying interests. Milo managed to get the mix just right: Visiting the pretty towns of Montepulciano and Montalcino, having a lovely alfresco lunch at an organic cheese farm, and fitting in a tasting at the very unique winery, Abbadia Ardenga, which (I think) is owned by the church and run by a delightful elderly couple. The Brunello Riserva was so good that my husband felt compelled to have three cases delivered to us in the UK. Milo was ever so helpful throughout, and even went off in search of our aunt who went missing in the pretty shops in Montepulciano. As we stayed in the outskirts of Siena, there were large distances to cover, but Milo managed to ensure that everyone got something out of the trip, be it wine, cheese, organic produce, or good old fashion shopping. The only criticism (if you could call it a criticism) is that the Tuscan Escapes is not the easiest to find, and that Milo (and I guess Sylvia) seem to spend more time ensuring that we get our memorable tours, and therefore potentially selling themselves short on promoting Tuscan Escapes. Still, if they keep doing what they're doing, the reviews from happy customers ought to ensure their continued success.
Best way to spend a day in Tuscany
I found Silvia via Trip Advisor. I'd never done that before and was a little nervous about it, but it turned out to be a great decision. She is a charming, friendly young woman. We'd arrived in Siena via train and were staying at the Hotel Duomo (great location by the way. We even stopped at vineyards and ate grapes off the vine). She picked us up at 8:30am and drove us to San Gimignano and Volterra (no vampire sightings). Of course the scenery was stunning but the highlight of the trip ended up being our lunch stop at the Tuscan farmhouse agriturismo Il Castagnolino. The food was some of the best I'd ever had and the hosts were great. Silva got us back by 6:30pm. It was a lot of money but it was worth it; I'd rather not drive, and wander around trying to park (good luck at those hill towns). My husband and 18 year old son agree, this was a fantastic day we'll never forget. Thanks Silvia!
You must do this, it was the highlight of our trip!
We luckily came across Tuscan Escapes business card at our hotel and boy were we happy that we did. We called at 10am and were able to join a tour starting at 2:30pm. We did the Sunset Wine Tour. The experience started out great when I called and they immediately provided solutions and offered to come and pick us up at our hotel since we didn't have transportation. It only got better. Silvia - our guide was amazing in all aspects of the word. We started in a 'larger' vineyard with a lovely tour of the operations where we tasted I think 5 or 6 wines (and some olive oil). Then we went to a lovely medievel city where by my husband's delight - we got a gelato, yum! After we visited a small, family owned vineyard- a great contrast to the larger one and not a lot of overlap in the tour which was great. We tasted several more types of wine and all of them were quite good. The wines at the first place were a bit more reasonably priced (if you wanted to buy) - you don't need to buy anything!!! Then we visited the small town of San Geronimo- and we got the most beautiful pictures and were given some time to walk around and do a little shopping. Silvia was quite accomodating to the group - so she asked how long we wanted to spend there! Finally, at sunset we ended up at an Organic farm / vineyard (Poggio Alloro) michelin awarded restaurant-- what a way to top off the evening!! They had a table set up for us, where we got the best food of our entire trip and unlimited wine, limoncello and grappa. We didn't want to leave. Again Silvia allowed us to stay a bit longer than planned and then drove us back to our hotel which was 40 KM away from Siena. TIPS: She made sure we saw all of the most beautiful things and BRING your camera. Wear comfortable shoes! Pack a bag with mosquito spray, extra layers, umbrellas, etc. -you may not need it but just in case. You can keep the bag in the locked van if you need to so you don't need to haul it around. Please take this tour if you go to Tuscany, you won't be disappointed!!!! It is well worth the money!
Chianti, Montalcino, Pienza & Montepulciano!
My family and I (4 adults) booked three private tours with Tuscan Escapes and each one was unique and enjoyable! On our first tour of Chianti, Milo picked us up and drove us through the quaint town while giving us the history and the explanation of Chianti Classico and Super Tuscan wines. He was like driving around with an old friend; we became comfortable with him right away. He brought us to three wonderful wineries, two for tastings and one for a fabulous 4 course meal. All the wineries were different and distinct in their own way. The last one was at the home of a gentleman by the name of Marco who not only was a fine winemaker but a talented artist! We enjoyed a pleasant conversation while sitting in his kitchen, sipping wine and eating cheese! Just when we thought it couldn't get better, our second day excursion started with a pick up from our hotel by Danielle for the Montalcino / Brunello tour. Brunello is my husband's favorite wine, so we had high expectations for this day and driving to three hand picked wineries by Danielle did not disappoint. Being a winemaker himself, he is extremely knowledgeable and passionate about wine. We learned so much from him, and his pleasant and personable demeanor made him a pleasure to be with. All the wineries were wonderful, but the one where we had lunch in the winemakers villa topped the day. We sat in their beautiful dining room and enjoyed another 4 course meal prepared by the winemaker's wife (or mom, as the winery is now run by their two daughters). We had the pleasure of not only dining with Danielle but also with Julia who now runs the family business. We ended our perfect day being dropped off by Danielle in Montalcino where we spent the night. Day three we were picked up by Sylvia who took us to the small village of Pienza. As in all of Tuscany, the landscape is so beautiful and Sylvia made a roadside stop so we could do a family photo. She was very friendly and knowledgeable of Tuscany. We didn't realize that because it was off season, many of the stores in Pienza and Montepulciano for that matter were closed. It was a little disappointing although we were able to buy some wonderful cheese. We had lunch at a dairy farm, which also was somewhat disappointing as it was not in full operation because it was nursing season for the goats and not cheese making season. I would think that the spring / summer would be a great time to visit this location. All in all, I would HIGHLY recommend Tuscan Escapes for a wonderful experience!
Wonderful tour of the Chianti region
My husband and I took a sunset tour of Chianti in May of 2012. We had a wonderful time with Milo. He is very upbeat and personal. He gave us lots of information about the region. It was great getting to know a young, local resident who is a great conversationalist with a broad world-view and very professional. We will contact Milo again when we return to Italy and would highly recommend his company.
Amazing Brunello Wine Tour
My friend and I did the Brunello wine tour with guide Marella - what an amazing day! Marella was a great guide, very knowledgable and friendly, and the wineries we visited were wonderful. The best part was having lunch at a Tuscan villa - truly a Tuscan escape to remember!
The best guides in Siena!
I booked a one-day tour of Volterra and San Gimignano and because I happened to be the only guest that day, my booking almost did not get accepted. Thankfully, Tuscan Escapes did because that day ended up being one of the absolute best days on my trip thanks to Milo! I got a personal tour of the Tuscan countryside by the very knowledgeable Milo, whom you can tell loves his job in the tourism industry. He is bright, energetic, and knows a lot about the area and is fun to converse with (which was good since I was the only one on the tour that day!). He was a great sport when I asked if we could bypass the Alabaster tour and go for a short hike to see the cliffs (balze) outside of Volterra. Neither of us were dressed properly, but he energetically took me on a short hike to see what I had hoped to see, and it couldn't have been more perfect. The lunch was amazing (I am still dreaming about it) where we dined at a farmhouse just outside San Gimignano. There was a fresh assortment of dishes grown and prepared on the farm and it could not have been more amazing. Oh, if I could only have that meal again! I cannot speak highly enough about Tuscan Escapes or Milo and highly suggest any of their six great tours if you are in the Siena area and have a day to escape to the countryside.
Think you can't bike the hills of Tuscany, think again you can...
So I just hit 50 and I am in good shape but not a cyclist like my husband! So a great compromise was found, electric bikes which are amazing! We are traveling with our two teenagers and wanted an outdoor experience and indeed our goals were meet with this tour company! We did a full day tour and it exceeded all expectations because of the driver Milo and bike guide, Domenico. Milo is so entertaining and quite the foodie and wine expert both of which made for an exceptional picnic lunch at a medieval fort overlooking the Tuscan hills. Lunch was homemade by Milo, zucchini frittata and a farro salad with vegetables and of course Chianti wine, an extremely memorable experience! Never thought I would be cycling through this region but the electric bike made it possible, to be immersed in this magnificent countryside, with the smell of lavender and lilacs as you hear the sounds of birds and dogs serenading you along the way! Domenico, our guide was extremely patient and attentive and also an archeologist by trade which meant we learned a lot while having an exceptional day. The combination of Milo and Dom was like a great pairing of food and wine! They do many other tours and I would highly reccomend this company, small, attentive and passionate about all things Tuscan.
Most rememberable tour on our trip to Italy (great way to see Tuscany!)
We found Tuscan Escapes on Trip Advisor while doing a search on a good way to see Tuscany. Our base was Siena and we decided to do the sunset tour. Silvia picked us up at our hotel in Siena at 2:30 and we began our day driving into the hills of Tuscany. It was the only day on our 12 days that called for rain but Silvia made it work from start to finish. We started with some amazing gelato on our way to the first winery where we tasted 4 wines. Next was the walled midieval city of San Gimignano. Silvia took us the the highest point for some amazing views and then we had some time to walk around and enjoy this beautiful city. We ended the day by seeing an agricultural farm and then having the most authentic and amazing dinner. Usually, they set the table outside where you have a fantastic view of the valley and vineyards along with a wonderful site of the city of San Gimignano perched on a cliff in the distance (pictures could not capture this experience!) Dinner was true Italian and we were full on appetizers, but then came the salad followed by pasta, main course, dinner, and coffee. We almost had to be rolled out of there. Not once did Silvia rush us through any one of the sites she brought us to and she dropped us back to our hotel close to midnight. Do not hesitate to do this tour; it is well worth the money and will give you an experience of Tuscany you will not forget! Silvia and Milo are a private company and you really get the personal touch from their tour which puts them far ahead of any of those mass tours that heard you around with 30 to 50 other people.... our tour consisted of 6
Excellent choice of Vinyards
Milo arrived promptly at the meeting point in Siena for our tour of Montalcino. Since we had 11 people, we were divided into 2 buses, each with a guide including Milo. It was too early to start drinking, we stopped in the town of Montalcino for a brief 45 minute visit. We then stopped at a small vineyard that makes only 10000 bottles a year. They who took us right into the vines right before harvest to taste the grapes and get a feel for the wine making process. Milo led the tour as the owner of the house did not really speak English. On our way to the 2nd vineyard we stopped in St Antimos to go the famous Abbey where Monks chant in Latin for 15 minutes every day. At the 2nd vineyard a few minutes away, we did a brief tour before sitting down for a home cooked meal in the home of the family who owns the vineyard. Milo obviously had a great relationship with the family who welcomed us like we were long lost relatives. Again the wine was excellent, the food even better and we really got to know the group and Milo. After lunch we headed for the last vineyard Paradiso di Frassina, a small vineyard famous for making wine with the music of Mozart. The vineyard owner gave us a personal tour and passionately explained his love of wine and music and how we came up with the idea to play Mozart to the grapes all the time. The universities of Florence and Pisa and now both conducting long-term experiments on the vineyard and Bose has contributed millions to install speakers throughout the property. This was the very best Brunello we tried that day. All in all, the best wine tour I've ever taken. I would highly recommend using Tuscan Escapes.
Tuscan Perfection!
I have taken my time writing this review because I kind of want to keep Tuscan Escapes a secret! Milo was an awesome and very knowledgeable host. I learned more about Italy and Italian life from him in a day than in months from my Italian friends. We stopped at 2 wineries and several small villages during the day. Having lunch with Marco and his family at their small winery was truly an incredible experience that I still can't stop talking about. I can't wait to go back! Thanks Milo!
Two FANTASTIC Tours with Tuscan Escapes!
We took two tours with these wonderful people, and cannot speak highly enough of our experiences!! First Tour - A Marvelous Day in Montalcino with Milo! My husband is a big fan of the Brunello di Montalcino wines. As such, we were looking for a private tour that would allow us to see a few special wineries, and enjoy the region for the day. We wanted to rely on the guide's expertise and familiarity with the region, but also have some input on where we wanted to go. We found Tuscan Escapes on Trip Advisor. We booked the tour with Milo, and then worked with him in the months leading up to our tour day to come up with a perfect itinerary. All the while, Milo was helpful, patient with our requests, and very accommodating. In the end, our day with Milo wound up being our best day in Italy! He picked us up at our hotel in Siena, and from the very start, the day was great. He began by telling us about the city of Siena itself, and as we made our way to the Montalcino area, he shared knowledge and stories about the area, wines and wine-making, and himself! Throughout the day, we visited three amazing wineries that produce the fantastic Brunello wine of the region - two of his choosing, and one my husband requested -and all were unique and interesting. We had a wonderful lunch in a tiny hilltown, and even had time to visit an ancient abbey and spend time in the city of Montalcino, too. All while being educated and entertained by the wonderful Milo! When we travel and go on tours, our biggest concern is the knowledge and the passion of the guide we travel with. Milo knows so much about the region, the wines, the land, the people, the culture - and he just exudes his passion for it all, which is infectious! It's hard to even describe how great the day was. Second Tour - A Splendid Sunset Tour with Silvia! We had such an amazing time with Milo, that we went back to our hotel that night, and booked another tour with his partner for later in the week! This tour was with Silvia, was a small group tour (only 6 of us), and it was an afternoon / evening tour of Chianti and San Gimignano areas. And, it was fantastic! Our first stop was a small Chianti hilltown - it was raining, so our time there was limited, but we had enough for a short walk along the medieval walls and some gelato! Next was a Chianti Classico winery - great wines and olive oil! Then on to San Gimignano - Silvia led us to the walls of the city for great views of the region, and then left us with some time to ourselves to wander a bit and enjoy this little town. Perfect! The real highlight, though, was the final stop. We made our way to a farm outside of San Gimignano that provided AMAZING sunset views of the hilltown and the surround region. We had an opportunity to tour the farmlands - the vineyards, the barns where they raised and kept the animals, the herb gardens, the winery. So beautiful, and relaxing. Then, they prepared dinner for us, and it was quite the feast! Fresh, delicious, and so much food! Everything was incredible - including the wine, of course. It was one of our favorite experiences of the entire trip! As we did with Milo, we found Silvia to be an absolute delight - knowledgeable and passionate about the region, the wines, and her tours! A true joy to spend the day with. If you are thinking of taking a tour with Tuscan Escapes - stop thinking, and just book it! They are wonderful people, who care about their clients and go the extra mile to make sure you have a great trip. You're guaranteed memories to last a lifetime!
The highlight of our trip in Tuscany!
We did the Brunello tour in the end of October. It was really an experience to remember, absolutely worth the time and money we spent. Sylvia was a great guide; passionate with her work, kind, communicative and easygoing. The wineries and places we visited were all a must-see. The wine and food delicious. The perfect weather also contributed in us having an amazing day! When in Tuscany, don't miss it!
Sunset Chianti and San Gimignano - A Great Way to get Introduced to Tuscany
We took the Sunset Chianti and San Gimignano tour out of Siena, While it is called a " wine tour ", it is really much more than that as it combines history, scenic drives and ancient villages with a tour of one winery. Our tour guide, Silvia, was super knowledgeable about the history of the area - something we appreciate in tours. We were in a nice van with a total of 8 guests. i highly recommend this tour.
Fabulous afternoon and evening
I was a bit nervous about this tour because of the cost and the fact that it appears from the website that this is a big tour company (think Viator.) I was afraid that it was one of the overpriced tours marketed to unsure tourists who want someone to handle things for them. However, it's very hard to find small, shared tours for this area so I decided to take a chance. As it turns out, I had nothing to worry about. The tour started from a piazza just a couple of blocks away from our hotel. The seven of us were met by Elena, the driver / guide. From that moment, we were in capable, friendly hands. Not only is Elena a born-guide but an excellent driver as well. She quickly engaged everyone in conversation, more than willing to answer questions but also very happy just talking as she drove, giving us insight into the country, the culture, the wine and food and the areas we were visiting. (Her English is excellent. She majored in languages in college and it shows.) We loved that the tour started in the afternoon which gave us time to do some other things in the morning. Also, as billed, it gave us a chance to visit San Gimignano in the early evening while it was still light but most tourists had left. We really enjoyed stopping in Monteriggioni (an intact walled city) and San Gimignano but the two highlights were: 1) the visit to a family-owned winery for a Chianti and olive oil tasting with LOTS of food (be sure to be hungry when you go). The woman winemaker was delightful, talking happily away nearly non-stop in Italian, smiling all the while, clearly very proud of the family product. (The guide, Elena, translated when she could get a word in edgewise!) It was interesting to hear all of the rules that pertain to making Chianti Classico which gave us an increased respect for the wine. 2) the dinner and wine-tasting at a beautiful local restaurant / farm just outside of San Gimignano. They served TONS of food and more wine than we could drink. One of the nicest things is that Elena sat with us, sharing the meal and talking about Italy in a very similar fashion to the way Italian families enjoy a long, festive meal together. We got back very late but it was worth it for the great experience Based on our experience, I would highly recommend any tour that Elena leads. Because of our experience with her, I would imagine that any of the company's other tours would be wonderful as well.
Amazing Day
Took a day trip to San Gimignano and Voltera with three other travelers and Elena as our guide. The small group allowed us to stop for scenic pictures without pressure. The real highlight of the day was our lunch at an olive oil farm that also produces saffron. The meal began with an appetizer plate that might have been enough in itself. Then we had a pasta followed by dessert. The meal was organic and utterly delicious. Our hostess gave us a brief tour of the herbs grown around the house. We ate on a terrace overlooking rolling hills. The hill towns are worth seeing and easy to navigate. The meeting point was easy to find.
Fantastic guide
We had the pleasure of doing a small group city walking tour of siena and the duomo with Claudia on 7th June. She was a fantastic guide, altering the pace as needed for our group (just 4 people on the day) and taking a thoughtful approach - allowing us to stand in shade or sit as needed. She kept our attention throughout and offered a great insight into living in siena and the different areas there. We felt we had covered the main sites, got an inside experience impossible on our own and gave very good value for money. Thoroughly recommend.
Memorable Experiences with Tuscan Escapes!
Tuscan Escapes gave us memories that will last forever! I traveled back to Siena in October with a group of friends as a class reunion trip to celebrate 10 years (almost) that had passed since we all studied in Siena together. A large group of us rented a villa together and we had booked tours with Tuscan Escapes. 11 of us booked Tuscan Escapes' private wine tour of 3 Brunello di Montalcino vineyards. Milo and Daniele picked all of us up directly from our villa and drove us through the Tuscan hillside on a wonderful day in October. They gave us an unforgettable experience by showing us 3 privately owned Brunello vineyards, and provided us with knowledge of Tuscany and Italian secrets that we will never forget. Later in the week, I booked a special tour for 4 people of San Galgano, Monterrigioni, and Montagnola. At Montagnola, we stopped at a farm where we visited adorable farm animals (the donkey was my favorite) and tasted fresh cold cuts. We also ate an amazing lunch at San Galgano. This tour was not offered on Tuscan Escapes website, so I specifically asked them to customize the tour for us, and I could not be any more grateful for that experience. Elena was our tour guide for the day and was such a delight! She was very knowledge of Siena and Tuscany, and was very fun to hang with for the entire day. I definitely recommend any tour with Tuscan Escapes. I want to thank them again for such memorable experiences! If, and when I return back to Siena, I will request another tour!
These small group tours are always the highlight of our trips
My husband and I took a one day tour to Pienza and Montepulciano with Elena as our guide. I thought Elena did a wonderful job as a driver, speaker and overall fun person to be around. She is very professional and you can tell she enjoys what she does. This tour offered just what we wanted: meeting other people, seeing beautiful countryside, walking through quaint villages that are not overcrowded with tourists, eating some unique fabulous food, drinking wine, hearing about the history and other little known facts and just enjoying a beautiful sunny day in Italy! One of my favorite stops was the farmhouse lunch. I had always dreamed of sitting outside under some trees in Tuscany, with a group of people, eating different Tuscan foods and drinking local wine---so now I can check this off the bucket list! It was a very special treat and one that we could not have really found on our own. This trip was well worth the money especially considering you get a lunch and two wine tastings! The other people in our group were from New Zealand, Canada and Singapore so it was very interesting to get to meet and chat with other people from all over the world. I highly recommend this tour.
Highlight of Italy
Spent a week in Italy and this was the highlight. Daniela did a great job with insights into wine, Italian history, and culture. It's no easy job being entertaining for 8 hours but he did a wonderful job. He took us to 3 great wineries where we tasted some very quality wines and had a great homecooked lunch (probably the highlight). Then at the last stop, when we were chatting it up with the son of the vineyard owner who led the tasting and bought down extra bottles, he let us stay past the prescribed end time.