As a newly wed couple, we counted this week in Tuscany as somewhat of a bucket list-slash-honeymoon trip. I love cooking (not an experienced home cook by any means, but I enjoy making meals for friends and family) and my husband loves wine, so Tuscany was a natural choice for a culinary-based vacation. The great thing was that my husband could join Tuscookany as a non-participating guest, which meant he didn't have to pay for the cooking classes, but could still enjoy all the amenities of the villa and the wonderful dinners and company of everyone. He has the most relaxing week reading, running, Swimming, hot tubbing and of course eating in the beautiful Torre del Tartufo, and never once did he complain that he was bored. We also took day trips frequently - cooking class starts at 3 pm on 4 of the 7 days we were there - and travelled to wineries in both Chianti and Brunello regions (Brunello region needed the full free day), did the hike around the villa. I did a massage (he didn't) and it was incredibly relaxing after a week of intense cooking!

The cooking lessons themselves were truly world class. I learnt a lot about Italian food and ingredients, from anti pastis to pastas, main courses and desserts. The structure of the class forces everyone to try out different things, those who weren't comfortable with desserts would still have to try their hand at baking, etc. We were always challenged but it was fine as we worked in teams and we could help each other and learn from each other. Some days got a little crazy and there would be missteps here and there but it always miraculously turned out fine under the tutelage of Franco, our teacher, and his ninja assistant (and partner) Paola. We rolled out pastas, made and grilled our own pizzas, gelatos, tiramisu (oh the hazelnut crumble), and many other innovative and delicious food (Squash tart! Tomato soup! Limoncello!). The menu is seasonal so everything is always fresh and different depending on when you come.

All in all, we had an excellent time. The group dynamics made up for a big part of this experience. We were fortunate to have a very fun and outgoing group, lots of laughter and good conversation through dinners. Everyone stayed up late after dinner, drinking the array of alcohol that Franco would bring out, and just hang out. Very memorable week!

We have been all over the world. This cooking experience belongs now to my top three most appreciated trips. So Galapagos Islands and Machu Pichu in Peru face serious competition...

Location in Tuscani is perfect, the building very well maintained, superior decoration. Cooking lessons both interesting and fun. We might not be experts in Italian cuisine, but from now on, we do know how to create some awesome dishes.

Most striking were the people of Torre del Tartufo. Both staf and visitors. Staf highly dedicated to arrange 100% client hapiness. It comes from their hart, these people are real!

In short: TOP!

Our Tuscookany experience at Torre del Tartufo was like living in a dream. The villa was spectacular in every way. We had a suite with two bedrooms, a living room, and a master bath that was huge, beautifully designed with marble everything, luxurious finishes and first-rate amenities. The property was remote, private and felt very safe. Lots of gorgeous outdoor space to lounge by the pool, sit with a drink and a book in a quiet courtyard, or go for a walk, and we ate outside at every meal since the weather was so good. Again, exceptional service--we were spoiled to within an inch of our lives. My husband loved, loved, loved the four cooking classes, and Chef Franco and Paolo did a great job instructing people at many cooking levels and making sure everything we ate was expertly prepared and artfully presented. Property managers Lena and Alex went out of their way to accommodate everyone, and were very, very caring and gracious hosts. Bonus points for having a washer and dryer the guests could use at no charge, although we didn’t use the dryer but instead hung our clothes to dry on the outside clothesline under the Tuscan sun!