My wife and I started planning a trip to Tuscany a year ago. We own timeshare through
Marriott and started looking at some of the tours they are affiliated with as part of our
research. We saw the Tuscany Tour offered through Edible Destinations at Villa Schiatti in
Cortona and we were sold. Many people plan trips to Italy on their own. Perhaps like me
they will schedule a few tours using a site like Viator and then spend hours looking at
restaurant reviews on various websites trying to find some interesting places to eat. All of
this was handled by the people at Edible Destinations and Villa Schiatti.
They have taken all of the guess work out of travelling through Tuscany. They did an
amazing job scheduling each day of our visit. Each day started with a beautiful buffet
breakfast and fresh espresso. After that we boarded a tour bus with Aleen, the owner of
Villa Schiatti to visit a different Tuscan hill town. Some days included a walking tour of the
town with a local guide who explained the character of their hometown, and some days
included tours of the historic sites of the towns. Every day included a wine tasting. Aleen is
a very modest person. He is one of only seven sommeliers in Tuscany, and he also
produces his own very delicious wines, which flowed freely at dinner every evening. His
knowledge and friendships in Tuscany provide his guests with access to wineries and
experiences that the average tourist would never discover on their own. Grazie mille,
Aleen!
There were thirteen of us in our tour group and at the end of each day, we would all grab
an Aperol spritz and gather on the panoramic terrace before dinner. Rosario, the head
chef, prepared a different four course dinner each night of Tuscan specialties. The food
was truly wonderful. We also had a few cooking lessons with him, which I greatly enjoyed.
This is a fantastic trip, and I could not be happier with the experience!