Tour Details
Duration
2.5 hours
Product Type
Tour
Venues
Historic District
Photos & Highlights
- Discover some of Florence's most authentic and historic gastronomic establishments complete with tastings of the city's best snacks and sweets, from salamis to pastries
- Led by an Italian cuisine expert
Select a date
Tour Description
Food and gastronomy have always played an integral part in Florentine culture and identity. On this two and a half hour Florence food tour, you will join a local chef or food writer to explore Florence's great contribution to Italian cuisine. Along the way, you will taste a little wine, sample gelato, and sink your teeth into some amazing cheeses.
Florence Food Tour
You will begin our food & wine tour in the heart of the historical center, home to many traditional bakeries, shops, and cafes. Your guide will lead you to some of their favorite places to sample the city's best snacks and sweets. You will have the opportunity to sample several specialties, including truffle sandwiches, Tuscan salamis, focaccia, coffee, pastries, and, if the season is right, gelato. All the while, your guide will discuss local agricultural products, their origin, and how they differ from foods in other parts of Italy. You will also touch on the current restaurant scene in Florence for those interested in deepening their culinary experience while in town.
Tuscan Cuisine Through Time
As you make your way through the markets of this historic city, your guide will craft a tale about the integral role that food has played in Florence in the past. The history of the Florentines is represented in the foods they consume today. The Tuscan region is famous for its ample farmland, which produces much more than the characteristic wines they are known for. Wild truffles grow on the hills and in the forests, while the rich soil produces not only fine grapes but all manner of produce representative of Florentine cuisine. This rich history produces even richer food, all of which can be found in the markets of Florence.
Want a more hands-on experience in Florentine cuisine? Check out our Florence Market Tour and Cooking Class with a Local Chef.
Take Aways
Though the focus of this tour is on the food, you will also quickly learn how Florence's gastronomy is deeply intertwined with its social and political history. Our Florence food & wine tour will celebrate and delve into multiple facets of Florentine life. If you have a food allergy or other dietary requirements, please let us know in advance so that we can take this into account.
FAQ
What is a private tour?
Our private tours are limited exclusively to travelers in your party. They are designed to provide a learning experience that is completely tailored to you and your traveling companions. Private tours give you more flexibility with scheduling (you decide when the walk best fits in your trip), the ability to tailor your itinerary (we'll work to match the itinerary to the interests and dynamics of your group), and more personalized time with your guide.
Can I participate in food tours if I have food allergies or other dietary restrictions?
Can I participate in food tours if I have food allergies or other dietary restrictions?
Yes. If you have any specific allergies/intolerances, please indicate these in the Notes section when you're booking, and your guide will do his or her best to accommodate. This tour is not suitable for vegans or clients with gluten intolerance. Vegetarian diets can be accommodated.
Is this tour walking-intensive, and/or wheelchair accessible?
While we don't cover a large distance on the tour, nor do we take a fast pace, some streets in the city center of Florence are cobbled. Please contact us with any mobility questions; we will be happy to advise if this walk will be appropriate for you or propose modifications where necessary.
Experts
Where You'll Start
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253 Reviews
Reviews can only be left by Context customers after they have completed a tour. For more information about our reviews, please see our FAQ.
This tour was one of the highlights of our trip. Linda is not only very knowledgeable, but she is warm and outgoing. She was kindly greeted by all of the shopkeepers which made us feel like we were a part of the local community. Linda showed us places in Florence that we hadn't been to before in our many travels to that city. She is filled with fun facts about the city and that she intertwined with our tastings of decadent gelato, tartufo and chocolate. I had never done a food tour before and Linda set the bar.
Thanks!
Cristina
Reviewed on:
Oct 25, 2011
small group...love it! :)
Patti
Reviewed on:
Sep 25, 2011
The docent was very knowledgeable, but didn't take the time to understand anything about the 3 people on the tour. He started out great, but then took us to a coffee shop where we sat for 90 minutes and drank 4 espresso coffees. On an italian food tour we never discussed cheese, pasta or main courses. We talked about Gelato, but no other desserts. He never asked what interested us or what we wanted to learn. He had the coffee shop teach us about roasting coffee in Italian--which he translated. There was no opportunity to tell him to move it along because he had it outlined that we would compare the different beans.
The failure to discuss Italy's main food items and instead use 90 minutes of a 2.5 hour tour on roasting coffee beans is way out of line. That type of tour should be called a coffee tour. This doesn't even begin to discuss what 4 espresso coffees will do to a person who normally doesn't drink any espresso coffee!!
Lisa
Reviewed on:
Jul 8, 2011
