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Tuscany Wine tours

BenLynn

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BenLynn

BenLynn

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We will be in Florence on May 25,2006 and are interested in taking a tour through the Tuscany wine country. We would appreciate any recommendations for drivers/guides and tour companies. We would also appreciate the names of wineries for tastings, places to eat lunch, and sites to see along the way.

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Jane110

Jane110

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We will be in Florence on May 25,2006 and are interested in taking a tour through the Tuscany wine country. We would appreciate any recommendations for drivers/guides and tour companies. We would also appreciate the names of wineries for tastings, places to eat lunch, and sites to see along the way.

 

I can't recommend anyone since we spent a week in Tuscany on our own.

 

However, I would recommend contacting your hotel in Florence. I'm sure they can arrange either a private guide or a group tour, with no problem. If you email them, I bet they offer you a few nice options.

 

Jane

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Andym

Andym

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We took Celebrity's Tuscan Countryside tour with lunch. Probably the best tour we have ever had, and the best lunch with 'lots' of wine. The bus only had about 20 people on it.

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keith.cowan@shaw.ca

keith.cowan@shaw.ca

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We were on the Carnival Liberty and took a private wine tour. We used Papillon and Driver "Max". Ths tour was beyond belief! Email them and ask LINA for a synopsis of what they do.
Will you please post the contacts information for contacting Papillon, Lina or Max? We are on the 10/1/05 Millennium cruise and have both seen Pisa so looking at combining Florence and Tuscany...

Thanks ...Keith

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BenLynn

BenLynn

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Thanks to everyone who replied. I've sent an e-mail to Lina for information. Has anyon used Paolo of Unforgettable Tuscany.com ? He has been recommended to us. Keith and Fay you might want to contact him.

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corkpopr

corkpopr

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and then the rest of the pack.

contact Country-Tours.com Antonio or Alexandra. they live in sienna and know all the back roads winery owners/cheese factorys/olive oil makers, and places to eat. six of us had lunch at one winery with the family that owns the place and had wild boar salami that he made from the one he shot in his vineyard!

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BenLynn

BenLynn

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and then the rest of the pack.

contact Country-Tours.com Antonio or Alexandra. they live in sienna and know all the back roads winery owners/cheese factorys/olive oil makers, and places to eat. six of us had lunch at one winery with the family that owns the place and had wild boar salami that he made from the one he shot in his vineyard!

Thanks for the recommendation. I just received some information on their wine tours and they are the best I've seen. However, they are very expensive about twice the amount others are charging for a day. We have 4 people and they want 250 Euros per person or 1000E's for the 6/7 hour day tour. Most of the other tours are 500 Euros for a 9 hour day. Do you know if they'll negotiate? Anyone thanks for the recommendation.
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Andym

Andym

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BenLynn

I don't know which cruise you are on, but the Celebrity Offering as I said was possibly the best value we have ever had and half the price you have been quoted $120 per person

 

After a 2-hour drive through medieval hill-towns and beautiful surrounding valleys, stop at San Gimignano. "The Town of the Fine Towers," as it has been called, well earns this name because of its tall, majestic towers. You'll have time at your leisure to explore or shop. For a taste of Tuscany's legendary cuisine, a local farmhouse will serve a generous lunch with typical local specialties.

 

Driving west, reach the village of Volterra where the sightseeing on foot will include Piazza dei Priori, one of the most beautiful squares in Italy. Proceed to Piazza San Giovanni to admire the Baptistery and Cathedral. See the ruins of the Roman Theatre (dating back to the 1st century BC), brought to life again only at the beginning of this century.

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WeBeCruisin'

WeBeCruisin'

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We took Celebrity's Tuscan Countryside tour with lunch. Probably the best tour we have ever had, and the best lunch with 'lots' of wine. The bus only had about 20 people on it.

 

We just returned from the July 23 Brilliance Med trip, and also took the ship's Tuscan Countryside tour. It was one of the highlights of our trip, with stops in Volterra and San Gimignano and lunch was at a farm/winery which featured a lavish buffet of local foods, sausages, and unlimited wine, including a delicious dessert wine. Almost everyone bought some of their wine and olive oils. We had been to Florence and it was the perfect tour for something a little different. There was also a visit to an alabaster workshop at Volterra.

 

Allen

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thehen

thehen

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Just happened on your question. We are doing a combination Florence/Chianti Classico tour with Carla Giomi in late October. (Her web site is http://www.abcwine.it). She is a sommelier and specializes in wine tours. We had no desire to see Pisa, so Carla is taking us to Florence in the morning and returning to the ship, in Livorno, through the Chianti region. We will be visiting one vineyard. Her cost for six people is 450 Euro. If you're interested, I'll be sure to let you know details after we've returned.

 

Elaine

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BenLynn

BenLynn

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Just happened on your question. We are doing a combination Florence/Chianti Classico tour with Carla Giomi in late October. (Her web site is www.abcwine.it). She is a sommelier and specializes in wine tours. We had no desire to see Pisa, so Carla is taking us to Florence in the morning and returning to the ship, in Livorno, through the Chianti region. We will be visiting one vineyard. Her cost for six people is 450 Euro. If you're interested, I'll be sure to let you know details after we've returned.

 

Elaine

i tried the website and couldn't reach it. Can you please check it. I'd be interested in your comments. Hope it's a great trip.
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thehen

thehen

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Sorry that you had a problem, just tried the website and it seems to be functioning fine. All I can say is try again.

 

http://www.abcwine.it/

 

As you all know, it's a leap of faith whenever you book a guide 'long distance', but I learned about Carla through another forum, so I figured we'd take a chance. I'll be sure to post on my return with comments about her services. Best advice, after you've read her credentials and are satisfied that she might appeal to your group, see if she can book your dates. You can reserve the time without any financial penalty. She requests you reconfirm thirty days prior to your trip.

 

Elaine

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Dbedros

Dbedros

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We have Carla booked for September 2, 2005. We are doing Florence and San Gimignano. We took a ships tour before and it was rush, rush, rush and we did not want to go back to Pisa this time. Her web site speaks of her reputation as a sommelier. We took her because her price was reasonable compared to others as there will only be two of us. She answers all email promptly.

 

The private tours prices continue to climb and it was nice to get someone reasonable with the quote. Her price for two was 330 Euros.

 

I also will post details upon our return.

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  • 2 weeks later...
corkpopr

corkpopr

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250 each, when are you going. we paid 800 for six of us and it was from 9:30 to 5:30. afterward we had more wine at their bar on them. call them and negociate the terms. tell them Bruce from Los Angeles sent you.

Also however, the only other person i would recommend is Carla. My friends used her once and loved her. I called her in person and we talked for 10 minutes but she was busy the time i was going to be there.

i think you can't go wrong with either. I don't like email as i always call and get a name and establish some personal connection. i called the american express office in rome (at the spanish steps) and they did great advance work for me. i called 3 hotels in different cities and in our first stop when we were two hours late the desk clerk i had been speaking to had the restauant 4 blks away that usually closed at 10 pm stay open until we got there at midnight. i bet i only spent 30 dollars in phone calls but got fantastic service because at each place they were looking forward to meeting the person they had been speaking to!

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