Activities & Services
Make your stay extra specialMake memories of a lifetime!
During your stay, we can point you towards a range of carefully selected Tuscany villa experiences, from private chefs and cooking classes to wine tastings, guided walks and cultural tours. We’ve spent years building relationships with trusted local providers, so you can enjoy authentic experiences with confidence.
If you’d like advice on what would best suit your group, we’re always happy to offer personal, honest recommendations.
Food & Wine
Outdoor Adventures
Tours & Excursions
Other Services
Food & Wine Experiences
Learn how to create classic Tuscany Cuisine with Francesca from Il Giardino Segreto.
Enjoy a hands-on cooking lesson at your villa with Francesca from Il Giardino Segreto. Passionate about Tuscan food from a young age, Francesca has spent years refining her skills and sharing her love of traditional recipes.
Menus are suggested by Francesca but can be adapted to suit your preferences. Guests typically prepare one first course (usually pasta), one main course and one dessert before sitting down to enjoy the meal together.
Prices from €60 per person.
For inspiration, follow Francesca on Instagram: @ilgiardinosegreto2020
Visit Rita at her cooking school
Enjoy a hands-on cooking experience in Rita’s professional kitchen, learning authentic Tuscan recipes in a relaxed and welcoming setting. Classes include all ingredients, expert tuition, wine served with your meal, and a gift apron and recipes to take home.
Prices from €100 per person, with a reduced rate for groups of three or more. Transport can be arranged if required.
Introduction to Tuscan Cooking (3–4 hours) is Rita’s most popular course. Choose the style of cooking you’d like to focus on and enjoy a hands-on lesson in authentic Tuscan recipes, guided by experienced Italian chefs.
A Taste of the Best
Enjoy a selection of traditional starters, freshly prepared pasta with seasonal sauce, and finish with a homemade Tuscan dessert.
Pasta & Sauces Masterclass – A lesson dedicated entirely to handmade pasta and traditional sauces, using an authentic pasta machine to create classic Tuscan dishes from scratch.
Pizza Party – Learn to make authentic Italian pizza, baked in both a traditional oven and a wood-fired oven, before enjoying your creations together.
Full Tuscan Lunch Experience – Learn how to make a full traditional lunch including antipasti, freshly prepared pasta, a main course and a homemade dessert.
Chef at home
Treat yourself to a private dining experience in your villa, with a professional chef preparing a tailored menu using fresh, seasonal ingredients. Sit back, enjoy the evening, and let someone else do the cooking.
We work with several experienced local chefs. Get in touch to discuss options and pricing.
Wine tasting
Embark on a wine tasting journey with award-winning sommelier Simone Vergamini, exploring the wines of Lucca and the surrounding region.
Simone has curated four distinct tasting experiences, each shaped by his deep knowledge and passion for Tuscan wines. Tastings include carefully selected wines paired with local cheeses, bread and olive oil.
Prices from €35 per person. Minimum of four participants, with private tastings for couples available on request.
Vineyard tours
Tuscany’s rolling hills and vineyards are world-renowned, and few regions are more closely associated with fine wine. Join Simone for a guided vineyard tour exploring the history, landscape and flavours of this remarkable wine-producing area.
Tours include visits to carefully selected wineries, tastings of local wines paired with regional food, and transport by car, van or minibus.
Prices from €130 per person.
Outdoor Adventures
From relaxed guided walks to exhilarating mountain bike tours, we work with Apians to offer a range of outdoor adventures in the mountains and valleys of Garfagnana.
Discover the wilder side of Tuscany with Apians, our trusted outdoor partners in Garfagnana. From scenic guided walks to mountain biking and canyoning, their experienced guides lead safe, rewarding adventures through rivers, forests and dramatic mountain terrain.
Apians was founded to promote outdoor sports while respecting and protecting the natural environment, offering visitors an authentic way to experience the region.
For further details, visit www.apians.com
Caving
Embark on a guided caving adventure beneath the mountains of Garfagnana. Follow the course of an underground stream through dramatic cave networks, where you can admire stalactites and stalagmites formed over millions of years. The experience concludes with a swim in a crystal-clear underground lake, a truly unforgettable way to explore Tuscany’s hidden landscapes.
Trekking
The Apians team offer guided trekking excursions suitable for a range of fitness levels. Accompanied by experienced local guides, you’ll explore some of the most spectacular mountain scenery in Garfagnana, from panoramic ridgelines to peaceful forest trails.
Mountain biking - Enjoy Garfagnana on two wheels
Garfagnana is home to some of Tuscany’s most scenic and varied biking trails. Accompanied by experienced guides, you’ll ride through rolling countryside and past beautiful medieval villages, discovering the region from a different perspective.
Routes can be tailored to suit different fitness levels and abilities.
Canyoning / Gorge walking
Climb, jump and slide your way down a dramatic mountain ravine in Garfagnana, guided by experienced and enthusiastic professionals. No special athletic ability is required, though participants must be confident swimmers.
Explore crystal-clear pools, natural rock formations and hidden stretches of river during either a half-day or full-day descent — an unforgettable way to experience Tuscany’s wilder side.
Tours & Excursions
Bespoke tours with Simone
Simone designs personalised excursions to suit your group, combining his local knowledge with over a decade of guiding experience. Whether you’d like to explore vineyards, discover hidden hilltop towns or enjoy a private tour of Florence, Lucca or the Cinque Terre, each day is thoughtfully arranged around your interests.
His 8-seater minibus allows for relaxed, comfortable travel for small groups.
Art classes & walks
Lead by Tony Phillips, an English artist who has lived in Barga for more than 15 years. Tony has exhibited widely in the UK, with work in recent shows at the V&A and Tate Britain and has work in many public collections. For the last 7 years he has combined his passion for the local landscape with his love of walking, taking groups around Barga and the Serchio Valley.
Sketching trips
As featured on BBC’s Amanda & Alan’s Italian Job, join a sketching tour in the beautiful Serchio Valley, drawing directly from nature under Tony’s guidance. Sessions include pen-and-ink, watercolour and pastel, and are suitable for both complete beginners and those with drawing experience.
Walking tours
Discover the hilltop towns and landscapes around Barga and Garfagnana along a network of scenic footpaths, including routes through the Apuan and Apennine Alps. Led by knowledgeable local guides, these walks combine history, mountain views and peaceful countryside.
Tours are flexible in length, ranging from approximately 3½ to 7 hours, depending on how much walking you’d like to do. Some routes include the opportunity for wild swimming in clear local rivers.
Services
Pre-arrival shopping service
Send us your itemised shopping list at least 48 hours before arrival, and your groceries will be delivered directly to your villa ready for when you arrive.
This service is particularly helpful for guests travelling with young children, arriving late in the evening, or unfamiliar with the local area. You’re in Italy for the food — let it be waiting for you.
