If you have a special event in mind, or have been wanting to get off the beaten path, but weren’t sure which direction to go, let us guide you to some of our favorite places, where you will get behind-the-scenes and hands-on experiences that go beyond what you would see on a typical tour.
Event/Wedding Planning
Are you celebrating a special birthday/anniversary and want to share it with family and friends? We can organize the trip of a lifetime. We’ll create the setting for a great party, plan special day trips and help you find the villa to accommodate everyone’s needs. Make your dream wedding come true! Our professional wedding planner will cut the red tape and banish the long distance nightmares. We will find your perfect setting in a stately palace, medieval castle, country villa or a field of sunflowers. We are experts in making your Tuscan dream wedding into an effortless reality!
Cooking Classes
If you love to cook, there are many opportunities to sharpen your skills! We can arrange classes with professional chefs, either in their home or in a professional school setting. Or if you prefer, we can arrange for you to cook a more home-style meal with a “contadina” in a countryside farmhouse! You can cook for one afternoon or for as many days of your trip as you would like. Bring your friends or join a small group. Create your own menus, develop your own specialties! We offer completely flexible opportunities designed just for you.
Hands-On Crafts With A Master Artisan
Great for kids and adults! Why not try your had at paper making and leather crafting. Spend a morning (or more!) with a Tuscan master who will show you the secrets of his trade. Let your creative energies find their voice through an Old World piece of artistry!
Marbleized Paper And Leather Accessories
Enrico Giannini will introduce you to the art of marbleizing paper and binding your own diary or photo album. Make a leather picture frame or learn to gild leather. Enrico, a fifth generation paper and leather craftsman, has created pieces for Pope John II and Mikhail Gorbachev, and has appeared on The Martha Stewart Show.
Painting Ceramics
Learn to paint ceramics from one of the best artists in Tuscany. Get a feel for painting all different kinds of patterns, from renaissance geometrics to flowers to abstract. Everything will be fired for you and ready to take home. For ceramics lovers, this opportunity should not be missed!
Sports
Hiking, fly fishing, hot air ballooning, horseback riding, golf… Just ask, if you want to do it we will try to make it happen. If you just want to work off lunch or make your sport a central part of your trip, we can do it. Our itineraries are made for you.
“It was absolutely the most fantastic trip I have ever taken. Tuscany was breathtaking; better than I ever expected. It is the only place that I have traveled to where my photographs don’t do the scenery justice. Our guide was delightful-knowledgeable in every aspect. The 4 days that we spent touring the area were informal and informative. We saw sights and artisans that we would have never seen on our own plus everything that a tourist would want to see in the area. We also laughed until we were hurting. I can’t wait to return to Italy. My first call will be to Custom Tours.”
—STEPHANIE MAIERSON, HOUSTON, TEXAS
Event/Wedding Planning
Are you celebrating a special birthday/anniversary and want to share it with family and friends? We can organize the trip of a lifetime. We’ll create the setting for a great party, plan special day trips and help you find the villa to accommodate everyone’s needs. Make your dream wedding come true! Our professional wedding planner will cut the red tape and banish the long distance nightmares. We will find your perfect setting in a stately palace, medieval castle, country villa or a field of sunflowers. We are experts in making your Tuscan dream wedding into an effortless reality!
Cooking Classes
If you love to cook, there are many opportunities to sharpen your skills! We can arrange classes with professional chefs, either in their home or in a professional school setting. Or if you prefer, we can arrange for you to cook a more home-style meal with a “contadina” in a countryside farmhouse! You can cook for one afternoon or for as many days of your trip as you would like. Bring your friends or join a small group. Create your own menus, develop your own specialties! We offer completely flexible opportunities designed just for you.
Hands-On Crafts With A Master Artisan
Great for kids and adults! Why not try your had at paper making and leather crafting. Spend a morning (or more!) with a Tuscan master who will show you the secrets of his trade. Let your creative energies find their voice through an Old World piece of artistry!
Marbleized Paper And Leather Accessories
Enrico Giannini will introduce you to the art of marbleizing paper and binding your own diary or photo album. Make a leather picture frame or learn to gild leather. Enrico, a fifth generation paper and leather craftsman, has created pieces for Pope John II and Mikhail Gorbachev, and has appeared on The Martha Stewart Show.
Painting Ceramics
Learn to paint ceramics from one of the best artists in Tuscany. Get a feel for painting all different kinds of patterns, from renaissance geometrics to flowers to abstract. Everything will be fired for you and ready to take home. For ceramics lovers, this opportunity should not be missed!
Sports
Hiking, fly fishing, hot air ballooning, horseback riding, golf… Just ask, if you want to do it we will try to make it happen. If you just want to work off lunch or make your sport a central part of your trip, we can do it. Our itineraries are made for you.
“It was absolutely the most fantastic trip I have ever taken. Tuscany was breathtaking; better than I ever expected. It is the only place that I have traveled to where my photographs don’t do the scenery justice. Our guide was delightful-knowledgeable in every aspect. The 4 days that we spent touring the area were informal and informative. We saw sights and artisans that we would have never seen on our own plus everything that a tourist would want to see in the area. We also laughed until we were hurting. I can’t wait to return to Italy. My first call will be to Custom Tours.”
—STEPHANIE MAIERSON, HOUSTON, TEXAS