When I booked the week at Torre del Tartufo, it was intended to be the once in a lifetime celebration of our 10th Anniversary. By the second day, the experience had so exceeded all our expectations we said to each other, “This is too wonderful to happen only once in our lifetimes.” The breathtaking setting of the 17th century villa, the warmth of all staff, the stealth service that provided everything we could need, the quality of the food we cooked while learning from Chef Franco and Paola—all of the experience was magical. Learning in a small group (in the beautiful teaching kitchen) enabled us to make sophisticated Italian dishes at the same time we were making friends. We shared the dinners we had cooked together each evening, with excellent wine pairings, followed by a vast selection of liqueurs. The balance of cooking time and free time felt exactly right. The road trip to the small farm coop for lunch, the winery, and the fabric weaving shop was a great immersion in the skills and people that make Tuscany unique. We experienced a truffle hunt one afternoon, right before we cooked with truffles. We also participated in the first olive harvest at the villa, which is now becoming a special experience offered in the last two weeks of their extended season. Pizza Night gave us the most incredible pizza we had each made, baked in 90 seconds in the original wood-fired stone oven. And throughout the week, the staff treated us like well-loved family, making us feel completely at home and never like we were in a hotel. You could plan a week in Tuscany going from place to place to place in order to find what you were looking for when you booked the long flights to get there. OR, you could spend the week with Tuscookany and actually know that you are in the Tuscany you came for.

Please also see this great review on Tuscookany at Torre del Tartufo on TripAdvisor