Boston Flora

Tag: Siena

Saturday, September 28 – Saturday, October 5 – Tuscany

Join Pacific Horticulture Society for an Indian summer ramble through the golden rolling hills of Tuscany as we explore the Italian countryside and cities that gave birth to the Renaissance. Our itinerary features gardens designed throughout the ages, including Medici villas reflecting Renaissance ideals, theatrical Baroque landscapes, the influence of English landscapers on private romantic gardens, and contemporary creations bringing new life to this ancient landscape. Discover history, culture, cuisine, and beauty in Tuscany. Our program has a lovely combination of historical and contemporary gardens, villas, and palaces which we plan to visit while also enjoying the culinary delights of this land, complete with a farm-to-table cooking class experience. You will visit Lucca, Chianti, Siena, and Florence. $4,995, single supplement $950. The complete itinerary may be found at https://www.pacifichorticulture.org//srv/htdocs/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/brochure_Tuscany_2019_-_Signature-Italy.pdf

March 11, 2019
Saturday, October 7 – Monday, October 16 – Taste of Tuscany Tour

Hidden Treasures Tours is very excited to announce our Taste of Tuscany Tour. This incredible experience will allow the traveler the opportunity to utilize all their senses; the sights of the Tuscan countryside, the smells of working vineyards and cheese farms, the sounds of the locals enjoying the fruits of their labors, the touch of historical botanical gardens and buildings, and most certainly, the tastes of wine, cheeses, olives and olive oils, and much more.

We will lodge in authentic 18th century Tuscan villas that are located on working farms and experience true Tuscan cuisine with the opportunity to sample the best Tuscan wines; all produced on the working farms – this tour will be a paradise of flavors, fragrances and relaxed country living. Space is limited as each villa so get your reservations in early! Priced from $3,875 per person. Contact Kari Harper at 573-303-2872 or email her at kari@hiddentreasurestours.com.

Oct. 7 Arrive Florence

Welcome dinner

Oct. 8 Florence at leisure

Oct. 9 City tour Florence & Private Tour of Torrigiani Gardens

Recently open to the public, Torrigiani Gardens is the largest privately owned garden in Europe.

Oct. 10 The Orcia Valley & Siena

Gardens of Villa Vico Bello & olive oil tasting
Walking tour of Siena
Winery visit & tasting in Montalcino

Oct. 11 Castello di Celsa and Villa La Foce

Today we will have a full day excursion to the magnificent gardens of Siena.

Oct 12 Pienza and Palazzo Piccolomini – Montepulciano (B,L, D )

Visit to the historic center of Pienza and the Palazzo Piccolomini and gardens
Visit with an organic cheese maker
Transfer to Montepulciano for leisure time

Oct. 13 to Florence Villa di Maiano & Villa Gamberaia

Tour of Villa di Maiano Gardens (pictured below) and the ground floor of the Villa (Fiesole)
Olive oil tasting and lunch at Fattoria di Maiano
Tour of Villa Gamberaia in Settignano

Oct 14 Florence Gardens

Full day excursion for the visit of the Florence Gardens & Farewell Dinner

Villa Corsi Salviati
Villa Medici di Petraia
Giardino di Boboli

Oct. 15 Florence at Leisure

Oct. 16 Depart

June 18, 2017
Saturday, October 15 – Saturday, October 22 – A Tuscan Harvest

Join Ethne Clarke, Editor in Chief of Organic Gardening magazine, on Organic Gardening’s premiere reader tour – a trip through the beautiful Tuscan countryside of central Italy. You’ll be stopping (and sampling) at artisanal, organic wineries, olive groves and fattoria, beguiling gardens and more; dining at local organic restaurants, and sharing cooking lessons in true Tuscan kitchens to experience the authentic foods and recipes of Tuscany.

Ethne says “I hope you’ll come with me to learn about and savor the joy of a Tuscan harvest as celebrated in the Italian heartland. Our guide and gardening expert, Alessandro Tombelli, will share his knowledge of secret Tuscany, so it’s going to be a memorable journey – a once in a lifetime experience. Andiamo!” Touring will be by bus, with options to walk several hours on two days (walk rating: easy.) $4,995 per person, double occupancy, with a single supplement of $830, airfare not included, for the eight day, seven night trip. The tour begins in Florence and ends in Siena. Full travel services are available to meet this tour in Florence through Wayfarers’ Travel. For a complete itinerary, log on to www.thewayfarers.com/atuscanharvest.

May 14, 2011
Monday, October 11 – Monday, October 18 – Spannocchia, Siena, Italy

Explore the wonderful food and wine culture of Siena, Italy with Slow Food Boston for a whole week this fall. October 11th through the 18th, they’ve planned a schedule chock full – think Tuscan cooking class with the farm’s chef, visiting a goat cheese farm and organic winery, enjoying a special dinner, nostra cena, with friends from the Slow Food chapter in Siena, and also, a few Italian language classes for good measure.

Your base for the week will be the glorious working organic farm of Spannocchia (below). Many in the food world are familiar with Spannocchia already, as it is a center for education and enrichment, operating a three-month Internship Program where volunteers learn the ins and outs of organic farming, Italian culture and heritage, and their relationship to food and wine.

Despite a full schedule, we promise that there will be ample time to explore and become familiar with Spannocchia’s 1100 acres. There will be chances to hear about the historic villa and fattoria, to visit the vegetable garden, vineyard, pig pens, and bee hives, and to enjoy the beauty of the grounds for a hike, a glass of wine on the terrace or reading in the ‘Secret Garden’.

Cost for all of this is $1,650 per person. Please note that there are only a few remaining spots! You can reserve yours with a 250 Euro deposit. Please contact Nicole Nacamuli at nicole@slowfoodboston.com in order to complete the process.

July 12, 2010
Wednesday, January 13, 10:00 am – Community Supported Agriculture

Join members of The Garden Club of the Back Bay on Wednesday, January 13 beginning at 10:00 am at The College Club, 44 Commonwealth Avenue, for a January meeting featuring Chris Kurth of Siena Farms in Sudbury, Massachusetts.Â Over the last 20 years, Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) has become a popular way for consumers to buy local, seasonal food directly from a farmer.Â Here are the basics: a farmer offers a certain number of “shares” to the public.Â Typically the share consists of a box of vegetables, but other farm products may be included.Â Interested consumers purchase a share (a/k/a a “membership” or a “subscription”) and in return receive a box (bag, basket) of seasonal produce each week throughout the farming season.Â This arrangements creates several rewards for both the farmer and the consumer, and Chris will detail how this grass roots movement has had a profound impact on how we eat.Â Many of our members know Chris from The Farmer’s Market on Copley Square, where his beautiful produce is always in high demand.Â He supplies a number of Boston’s best restaurants as well.Â If you are a GCBB member, you will receive, or may already have received, a written notice of the meeting.Â If not, please rsvp to info@bostonflora.com.Â There is no charge for the meeting, but there will be an optional lunch at the Club following the talk, which will cost $20, and reservations are essential.

January 7, 2010