How to get here
We are conveniently placed for both Florence and Pisa airports. Ryanair and easyJet fly to Pisa from several UK airports; Meridiana flies to Florence from Gatwick. British Airways have direct flights into Pisa from London Gatwick and Heathrow. Alitalia have flights from Florence and Pisa to the UK, but currently all with changes in Rome or Milan. All four airlines have flights into Tuscany from other major European destinations.
Consider keeping carbon emissions down by taking the train. There are often special offers for Paris-Florence trains on www.raileurope.co.uk. Or make a week with us a part of a longer holiday travelling by train around Italy or Europe-wide, and buy an Inter-Rail pass (available for all ages).Certaldo
We run the courses from Villa San Giuseppe, three miles outside the medieval town of Certaldo. Certaldo is a little off the usual tour routes, so its charming historic centre is refreshingly free of tourists. Its claim to fame is that the author of the Decameron, Giovanni Boccaccio, lived and died there. Forty minutes away are the unique art towns of Florence and Siena, and half an hour away is the little medieval gem of San Gimignano (which we can see from the garden).Explore the surroundings
To be able to explore the area on your own, and tailor the week's cookery holiday programme to your wishes, car rental is a must. For example, following our afternoon visit to San Gimignano for a wine-tasting and a visit to the medieval city centre, you can stay and watch the city empty of tourists and dine at one of the excellent restaurants; alternatively you can explore the stunning countryside on your drive back, then have a dip in the pool and a healthy bite to eat in the garden outside the villa.
Villa San Giuseppe, where the cooking courses are held
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 The farms The hills all around are covered in vines  and olive groves, and there
are great walks to be taken. Horse-riding is another great way to see
the surroundings. The countryside is dotted with charming hamlets to
explore, and of course farms and vineyards to visit where you can buy
delicious produce and wines. Organic and biodynamic farming
has taken off spectacularly well in Tuscany: we take you
to see the local farms where we buy the fresh ingredients for the dishes
we make. |
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