DINING ACTIVITIES
Having an entire, full-equipped villa at your disposal could be the perfect chance to experiment and learn how to prepare pasta, pizza, a gourmet menu with the estate's cooks and Chefs or experiment anything you are curious of. These and many more dining activities are available in the villas.

The Breakfast
Starting the day in the best way is very important and have a tasty breakfast ready, waiting for you to wake up is a real luxury! The cooks can prepare a delicious breakfast for you and your guests right in the kitchen of your villa or have it delivered daily to enjoy it at your leisure.
The Brunch
For any late starters, if you wish to organize a slow day at the house the cooks can prepare a buffet brunch, from 11.30am to approximately 3pm for you to slowly enjoy your morning and have a taste of the cooks’ abilities.
Full butler service
While enjoying your day trips and tours in Tuscany you may decide to rely on one of the chefs to prepare all your meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner) or just the breakfast in combination with the lunch or dinner. You can decide the best combination and the chef will take care of everything else!
The Aperitif
You just have to decide the night and an aperitif box with the best gourmet snacks will be delivered to your villa to enjoy with a bottle of bubbles or your favorite liquor.


Cooking classes
Thanks to the villas’ and Casali’s beautiful and fully equipped kitchens, you and your guests can enjoy a cooking class held by a professional Chef or one of the local cooks. Be it a full menu lesson, a pasta, or a pizza class the chefs and cooks offer one of the most beloved experiences at Casali di Casole. The lesson normally begins at 11:00am or 5:00pm allowing you to have lunch or dinner with the meals you prepared in the privacy of your villa.

Full menu cooking class
A fitting introduction to the culture of cooking and eating by means of single, hands-on lessons or tailor-made short courses. The goal of the courses is to introduce a natural and practical way to simple and genuine Tuscan cooking, so that once back home you can recreate a taste of Tuscany and treasure your memories. 

Pasta Class
You can learn how to prepare homemade pasta with the help of the cooks and fully enjoy it at the end of the lesson. You can choose to prepare your preferred pasta among: pici, ravioli filled with ricotta and spinach, maltagliati, gnocchi or tagliatelle.

Pizza class
You can get to know the secrets of the true Italian pizza’s preparation: a fun activity for both kids and adults! You can learn how to prepare a dough starting from the basic ingredients: flour and yeast. You will then learn the process of preparing and baking in a wood burning oven your own pizza as a real “pizzaiolo”. All Casali and villas have their own wood burning oven for pizzas except for the Villa Scuola units and Bargagli. For the latter the master pizzaiolo can bring over a portable oven to let you experience the lesson at the best!

Cooking class with market
The visit to an open market is the shortcut to discover a country’s culture and food traditions. The closest market day is on Wednesdays, meeting with the cook is at 8.30am for an Italian breakfast at a local café followed by the visit to the small market and to the butcher of the village. You will create the menu together with the cook, right on the spot, shopping and choosing just the freshest ingredients. The creation of your meal will then happen either at your villa or by the cook’s house (max. 6 guests) depending on the availability of the cook.

Private chef dinner
A private chef dinner is the perfect way to spend a pleasant evening in the privacy of your home and enjoy a gourmet meal. A professional, English-speaking chef will prepare for you refined meals, taking particular care of all the details of the preparation and the presentation of the dishes. Guests are welcome to watch the chefs while they prepare the dinner. The chefs will take care of the groceries and the necessary ingredients, beverages are not included in the service, however they can be provided upon request.

Dinner at Home with local Cook
Experience a lovely, traditional dinner at home prepared by a Tuscan “mamma”. She will select for you the most genuine and fresh ingredients to prepare the best traditional meals you ever tried! She will also take care of serving the dishes and tidying up the kitchen afterwards. 

Catered pizza dinner
The cooks can also bake tasty pizzas in the wood burning oven of your villa. Any sort of toppings will be brought to your villa so that you can choose your favorite ones in the very moment she prepares them for you. The pizza menu is always accompanied by a salad and a dessert (tiramisu or ice cream).

Making pizzas on your own
Should you decide to prepare pizzas on your own, the cooks can make the dough and deliver it along with the flour and pans to your villa. Once back home from your day trip the wood burning oven will be ready so what is left for you is just the fun of rolling and baking your pizzas. All Casali and villas have their own wood burning oven for pizzas except for the Villa Scuola units and the Bargagli.

From the butcher to the table – Tuscan BBQ night
The butcher will select the best meat and vegetables to organize in your courtyard a delicious barbeque experience to share with your party of guests. Nothing is better than getting together around the grill with a glass of wine to enjoy a Tuscan dinner at home! A couple of hours before the starting time of the dinner the butcher will come to the villa to set up his impressive OFYR barbeque and start the preparations of the meal. To complete the night with a blast, the dinner will be paired with a selection of wines made by the sommelier who will become the butcher’s assistant for the night.

Welcome dinner
Order a welcome dinner simply delivered to your villa on your arrival day. A delicious Tuscan dinner will be delivered in the afternoon directly in the kitchen of your villa. The service during the dinner is not provided, allowing you to enjoy the meals at your leisure, warming up the meals when you are ready to enjoy your tasty dinner!



WELLNESS AND FITNESS
In any period of the year and for all the guests wishing to comfortably experience in-house treatments, you can enjoy massages, facials, special treatments or Yoga/Pilates classes with professional therapists and instructors.

Color Analysis – Armocromia
Through a colour analysis you can finally find out the colors that enhance and illuminate yourself getting tips for clothes, make-up and hair colors that bring out the best in your complexion. The estate's seasonal colour specialist will come to the villa with her kit of analysis and you can find out with her your own colour palette. The service lasts approximately 

Fitwalking
The fitwalking consists of a fast-paced walk with particular attention to breathing, foot support, arm movement and body posture to observe a correct movement mechanics. In other words, it is "the art of walking", a simple technique to transform normal walking into a sporting form suitable for everyone. Join the guide who will teach you all the techniques and alternate the walk with exercises to reach the maximum results.



OPEN AIR ACTIVITIES

Bike tour
Enjoy Tuscany and explore its paths from a different perspective: the bike! You can arrange a bike tour with a professional guide who will meet you and take you through the breathtaking Tuscan countryside. 

Hiking tour
Hiking in Tuscany is one of the greatest traveling experiences. You may join a professional English-speaking guide for a great hiking tour to discover new perspectives and panoramas, hike through vineyards and olive groves, visit old Abbey ruins and hamlets, relishing the peace and harmony of the landscape. The tours accommodate walkers of various abilities and pace appealing to the casual but enthusiastic walker as well as to the experienced hiker. Otherwise, you may ask a map of the property to your concierge and enjoy the beauty of the nature and the gravel roads on your own.

Horseback Riding
Enjoy a ride through the lovely Tuscan landscape in a very nice farm located about 35 minutes driving away from Casali di Casole. You will be paired with a horse suitable to your skill and height and provided with a cap and proper safety gear too. The duration of the walk may vary depending on the experience and age of the riders.

Pony riding
Children from 2 years of age can learn how to ride a pony in a lovely stable located 30 minutes away from the residence. Pony riding is a great way for kids to experience the thrills of horse-back riding in a safe environment and under the supervision of a professional teacher.

Truffle Hunt
A walk through the woods and countryside with a hunter and his dog to find one of the Tuscan treasures: truffle! The hunt lasts about one and a half hours and is followed by a tasty lunch at the ‘Osteria del Caffè Casolani’, located in the center of Casole d’Elsa, 10 minutes’ drive from the estate, where you can taste the most traditional Tuscan recipes made with truffle. According to the season, you can find different varieties of truffle. From September to late December: white truffle. From January to the end of April: Marzuolo (a type of black truffle). From June to September: Scorzone (another type of black truffle).

Foraging in a Tuscan castle
Castello di Poggiarello is a small winery located in an impressive fortress dating back to the XIII century (1250 ca.) where Sveva, the lady and owner of the castle, will be delighted to open the door to her home, disclosing all the hidden, amazing corners of her medieval residence, bringing you back in time. The owner, with the help of an expert botanist, can arrange foraging in the countryside surrounding the castle to gather wild herbs that will be used to prepare a tasty lunch.

Golf Clubs
The closest Golf Club to Casali di Casole is Tenuta La Bagnaia, an exclusive resort in the heart of the Tuscan Country, approximately 45 minutes driving from the property. It is a medieval estate in the kingdom of cypresses which offers to the guests in love with this sport an 18-hole course designed over 130 hectares of wooded hills and relaxing landscapes.

The Golf club Ugolino, located close to Florence and approximately 50 minutes driving from your residence, is considered one of the most suggestive natural golf courses of the world. Ugolino is a natural course designed and built in 1934 in the Chianti hills and it exploits at best the natural characteristics of the Tuscan landscape: the cypress trees and olive trees, the slopes that curve and follow the magnificent scenery, the small greens. These are the obstacles that the golfer comes up against on a course which is part and parcel of Italian golfing history and severely tests players of all sorts.

The course of the Golf Club Castelfalfi, located about one hour driving from the residence, is one of the most fascinating in terms of landscape and views and one of the most challenging, built according to principles of sustainability without the addition of superfluous artificial elements. With its 27 holes, divided into two courses, it invites experts’ players to rise to the challenge and is fun for practicing
amateurs.

Hot Air Ballooning
Hot air ballooning expeditions capture the imagination, as each flight is a unique and magical voyage. The staff of the hot air balloon will pick you up at the villa around 6/7am (depending on the period of the year), escort you to the field from where you will take off and bring you back home at the end of the experience. A drink and tasting of local products at the end of the flight as well as the certificate of flight are included in the experience. 

CITIES TO VISIT

SAN GIMIGNANO (40 minutes driving from Casali di Casole)
San Gimignano, the city of towers, is a true jewel of medieval urban architecture. While other cities, such as Siena or Florence, have lost most or all of their towers to wars, catastrophes, or urban renewal, San Gimignano has managed to preserve fourteen of its towers. They are all of varying heights and have become the city’s international symbol.

VOLTERRA (45 minutes driving away from the estate)
Volterra was once an important Etruscan center, the town dates back to 7th century BC and it is well-known for its magnificent Etruscan and Roman ruins. Some of its more famous ruins are the Roman theatre (1st century BC), excavated in the 1950s, and Piazza dei Priori, one of Italy's most beautiful squares.

PISA (1 hour and 30 minutes driving from Casali di Casole)
Pisa is famous around the world for its leaning tower which is part of the beautiful cathedral complex, whose architecture mixes Moorish, Byzantine and Roman motifs recalling Pisa’s glorious past as a Mediterranean seaport.

LUCCA (2 hours driving from Casali di Casole, about 30/40 minutes driving from Pisa)
It is a beautiful medieval town that you might love to visit thanks to its rich history, from the trace of the Roman amphitheater that can be seen in the shape of the Piazza dell'Anfiteatro to the archeological remains under the 12th century church of Saints Giovanni and Reparata, to the various towers and villas from the 12th to 16th centuries. Hidden behind imposing renaissance walls, this quiet city is an essential stopover on any Tuscan tour.

ACTIVITIES FOR FAMILIES – CHILDREN ORIENTED

If you are travelling with children, we will plan your itinerary in the best way to let them fully enjoy this unique experience such as visiting Tuscany with their family! Upon request, pack n’ play beds, highchairs and baby monitors are available, you can find them ready in the villa upon arrival. 

Babysitter service
While you are enjoying a day trip, a winery visit or a special dinner one of the estate's qualified, English speaking baby sitter will come to your villa to take care of your children until your return.

Kid’s Club at home
The babysitter can arrange for specific activities for your children such as sport activities (yoga or sport matches), create an herbarium, board or music games, create your Piggy Bank, baby dance, create a bird’s house. Select the activity you want your kids to do, our nanny will take care of everything else!

Pottery class – molding and decoration courses
An activity loved by both, kids and adults wishing to experience the joy of creating something with their own hands, styling it as they want and encouraging their own creative side. In the main pedestrian road of Casole d’Elsa (10 minutes’ drive from Casali di Casole) the pottery expert Marta has just opened the door of her shop and lab to Casali di Casole’s guests. She created 2 types of course for beginners, one dedicated to creating ceramic objects and the other one on artistic decoration. Each participant will be involved with demonstrations, activities and exercises that will lead him to approach ceramics in a dynamic and fun way, trying to stimulate the creative side.
Molding course:
- Introduction to the ceramic and deepening on the essential tools for the production.
- Molding the clay using the coiling (colombino in Italian) technique.
Decoration on ceramic course:
- General introduction on the colors to use and deepening on the decoration tools.
- Free decoration on the selected ceramic object (she has few options ready that you can choose from).

Painting – watercolor class
A qualified artist teaching you the technique of water painting and design outdoors while enjoying a breathtaking view.

Family tours in Siena: wine, pottery, smartphone photography tour and much more
Thanks to professional guides and educators the whole family can freely enjoy a visit to the town of Siena certain that also the kids will be entertained throughout of it. In a special space right above Piazza del Campo you could learn everything about grapes and have a wine tasting with the “Vendemmia in città” tour -harvest in town. Still in these spaces the kids can participate to a Ceramic lab or create their own Palio after visiting its museum. For curious kids we can organize a visit to the National History Museum and botanical garden of Siena to become explorers; teenagers could have fun instead on a photography tour with smartphones all around Siena.

Gelato Class in San Gimignano at the Dondoli gelato shop
Kids and kids-at-heart can enjoy a wonderful workshop in the most famous gelato shop in San Gimignano, probably the best one in Tuscany, located in the main square of the town, Piazza della Cisterna. The owner will welcome and introduce you to this delicious delicacy, explaining its fascinating history, which begins at the court of Caterina de Medici, and the process of the production. He will create with you two flavours of gelato, one with fruits and one with cream, that you will taste at the end of the class.

Lost in Tuscany
Immerse yourself in nature through this fun and adventurous experience that will teach you how to orient read a map. The experience takes place on this beautiful estate’s ground: after a theorical explanation, equipped with maps and compasses you will explore the property in search of lanterns (the objects used in orienteering). Depending on the number of participants you can also organize a competition among the group’s member for more fun. Upon availability, the guide can bring along his own, very well trained and behaved dog, that will show you how easy it is for them to search for objects and people in nature.

Meet the Alpacas
Fattoria Pernici is a young and exclusive farm, the 1st educational farm near Siena to propose activities with Alpacas. Their working method guarantees an empathetic/ludic approach that will allow you to spend a peaceful and happy moment discovering constructively all the curiosities of our Alpacas and the other animals present on the farm.

Olive oil tour
One of the favourite activities for families is the olive oil tour, that can be arranged in a nearby farm called Tenuta Mensanello, located about 15 minutes of a drive from Casali di Casole. They are available all year-round for tours of their cellars, the mill and “birrificio” where they produce their own beers. In the winter months (November – January) you can assist to the olive oil making process and learn how the colour and the taste of the oil changes after the press. You might be able to see the locals bringing their own olives to be pressed at the mill to obtain the olive oil for the whole family and friends. During the tour you will also have the possibility of visiting the wine cellar and taste the wines of this estate. Even when the press is over the tour is available for you to learn everything about extra virgin olive oil!


ONE-OF-A-KIND ACTIVITIES

Ferrari day tour

Luxury, power, elegance: these are the cornerstones of a lifestyle capable of telling the story of a unique world, the world of Ferrari. Conceived to satisfy your desire for exclusivity, a series of experiences designed for those who have the Prancing Horse branded in their blood can be arranged.
SUPERCAR TOUR - a full day tour along the Tuscan roads on board of your favorite car along a beautiful itinerary, full of breathtaking views, fun, and safe roads. After a briefing with an expert Supercar driver, you can leave for a wonderful day trip which includes small stops for breakfast, lunch and an ice cream before getting back home.

Sileno Cheloni – voyage in the fragrances
In the heart of Florence, along via di San Niccolò, Master Perfumer Sileno Cheloni celebrates the ritualistic side of life and the value of smell within the walls of his laboratory. The experiences offered are:
“Profumoir” - personalized perfume experience
An authentic educational path of initiation to the alchemical art of creating a personal perfume lasts around 1,5 hours with the assistance of a Fragrance Specialist or Master Perfumer Sileno Cheloni himself. By the end of the experience a 100ml bottle of customized perfume with a handmade Carrara marble top will be ready for you.
“Visit of Master's Perfumer laboratory”
A unique opportunity to look behind the scenes of the magical process of creating fragrances and visit the laboratory with the Master. During the tour you will discover the origins of perfumery, will see a unique collection of raw materials and oils used in the creation process and discover more about the perfumery world from Master Perfumer himself.

Cooking class with a Michelin star Chef – Gaetano Trovato
At the Arnolfo restaurant you can take high level cooking classes in a welcoming atmosphere. Participants will not only be guided step by step but will also live an incredible experience becoming part of the Arnolfo brigade. Each course will feature bread and fresh pasta making. The advantage of taking a cooking class with Chef Gaetano Trovato is that individuals will find themselves working in a real ‘brigade de cuisine’ and feel like an authentic Michelin star chef. Once the course is completed, the creations will be served at the restaurant.

Once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see the Florence Baptistry’s mosaics at an eye level
Opera Santa Maria del Fiore gives you the unique opportunity to admire the mosaics of the vault, climbing up the spectacular restoration site with an itinerary dedicated to visitors allows you an exceptionally point of view, very close to the beautiful mosaics. The Baptistery is a symbol of the city and masterpiece of Romanesque architecture with its vault entirely covered with mosaics, a massive amount of scaffolding rises from floor to ceiling but unlike most construction projects where access is restricted, here, the public is being allowed to climb to the top for a once-in-a-lifetime experience.



WINE TOURS AND TASTINGS
Casali di Casole is conveniently located not far from 2 of the most well-known wine areas of Italy: the Chianti (1 hour drive) and the Brunello di Montalcino (1 hour and 30 minutes’ drive). Because of the distance in between them it is not possible to combine a Chianti and Brunello winery in the same day trip but you could focus on your favourite type of wine or dedicate 2 days to the Tuscan wineries’ discovery.

Colle Bereto - Radda in Chianti
Colle Bereto is located near Radda in Chianti, right in the heart of the Chianti Classico area, about one hour away from Casali di Casole. It is a small and exclusive winery treasured by the estate's guests both for the quality of the wine produced and the private services provided. Great attention to details, care of the environment and nice and professional attitude of the staff make the experience an unforgettable one. You can book a tour of the estate and enjoy tasting sessions of Colle Bereto wines and see the traditional olive press and the storeroom for oil-jars where they make their extra virgin olive oil.

Fonterutoli – Castellina in Chianti
The Fonterutoli winery is located 5 km south of Castellina in Chianti, at about 45 minutes drive from Casali di Casole. Owned by the Mazzei family since 1435, it still retains its original form, that of a peaceful country village: a cluster of houses, the church of San Miniato and the villa, built at the end of the 1500s where the medieval castle once stood. They have recently built a spectacular underground cellar that guests can visit during the tours.

Gagliole
Gagliole, located about one hour of a drive from Casali di Casole, is a small gem that captures all of Tuscany’s beauty. The cypress-lined road and the villa evoke the peace and quiet of another era and a sense of history that stirs the soul. The cellar is marked by a balance between the modern and the ancient that allows the fruit to be transformed into a great wine. The owners recently purchased another winery in the beautiful Panzano in Chianti, it’s possible to visit both the wineries or just one of them, according to the option you choose.

Antinori nel Chianti Classico
The new Antinori winery is a jewel of contemporary architecture, and it is impressive for its beauty and majesty. The

cellar was opened in 2012 and it is unique in Italy in its type, created in 7 years of work. The tour will wind you through
six centuries of history of the Antinori family and their passion in producing wine. It is always possible to book a table
at their restaurant Rinuccio for a wonderful, tasty lunch overlooking the Chianti hills.
All the tours must be paid in advance on their website and the cost is not refundable, the cancellation policy is within
reservation however the tour can be moved to a more convenient date if necessary and upon availability of the winery.

Brancaia
Brancaia is a wonderful winery located in the middle of the Chianti hills, 45 minutes driving from the property. From the winery you can enjoy amazing panoramic views on the surrounding hills. The winery comprises of the three estates, two located in the Chianti Classico area, and one in the Maremma area. Today Brancaia is one of Tuscany’s leading wineries, receiving important national and international awards every year.

Podere le Ripi – Brunello area
A wonderful estate where you can taste a fine selection of wines, while enjoying a breathtaking view over the Orcia Valley. While walking through the Golden Cellar, the winemaker will explain the productive processes of the biodynamic from tillage to the winemaking and the refinement of the wine.

Fattoria Poggio di Sotto – Brunello area
Poggio di Sotto was founded in 1989 and is nowadays part of the Colle Massari estates, listing other great properties in Tuscany such as Grattamacco in Bolgheri. The new owners have adopted his sustainable and natural methods in full respect of Nature and in these years the winery distinguished itself for wines of great elegance and complexity, standing between Brunello’s greatest estates. The estate is organically run, guaranteed and certified.

BADIA A PASSIGNANO – CHIANTI CLASSICO, 1 hour drive from Casali di Casole
A wonderful winery located in the Chianti area about 50 minutes driving from the estate. Their ancient cellars are fascinating and are located in a magnificent, fortified abbey. Badia a Passignano has an outstanding restaurant with a creative cuisine; they prepare all the dishes with seasonal, local ingredients. And the wine list that accompanies the meals is, of course, excellent! They have been awarded with a Michelin star. Tours of the vineyards and the cellars are offered as well as wine and olive oil tasting.

MASTROJANNI – BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO, 1 hour and 30 minutes’ drive from Casali di Casole
The Mastrojanni winery, founded in 1975, has become one of the most respected Montalcino producers, collecting awards from all over the world. Located near Castelnuovo dell’Abate, about 15 minutes driving from Montalcino, the winery is immersed in a beautiful countryside overlooking the Orcia river and the Mount Amiata, adding charm to a special environment. The wine making process is the most accurate, beginning from the selection of the grapes: since 2008 all grape clusters go on a selection belt, where between six and eight people choose cluster by cluster, ensuring to make wine only from perfectly healthy Sangiovese grapes. The cellars are beautiful yet operational, and during the tour the guide will show you all the rooms, from the concrete tanks for the fermentation of wine to the wooden barrel room.

AVIGNONESI – NOBILE DI MONTEPULCIANO, 1 hour and 30 minutes drive from Casali di Casole
One of the best vino nobile producers is Avignonesi. This winery is located on the XIX century farm called Le Capezzine, near the town of Valiano, just a few kilometres from Montepulciano and approximately one and a half hours away from Castello di Casole. Le Capezzine was carefully renovated and is the heart of the estate and home to the winery with maturation cellars, the vinsantaia (the room where Vin Santo is made), storage rooms, warehouses and offices. It’s possible to take a unique and interesting tour of the Avignonesi winery, and afterwards have lunch and sample their delicious wines.

TENUTA ORNELLAIA – BOLGHERI, 2 hours drive from Casali di Casole
The famous Tenuta dell’Ornellaia, was established by Marchese Lodovico Antinori then sold to Frescobaldi family in early 2000’s. Set in the hills of Bolgheri, Ornellaia represents a superb synergy between the quality of its wines, few but each superlative, and the high level of its hospitality. It is possible to visit their vineyards, then the cellar, admiring the contemporary artworks installed in different locations along the tour and the barrel cellar, the “barricaia,” where the French barriques enfold and mature the base wines that will make up Ornellaia and Le Serre Nuove dell’Ornellaia, their second vin.