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Host: Ilaria

Fivizzano, Italy

USD
$176-$222 per person

Cheese Tasting, Cooking Class & Farm-to-Table Experience in Tuscany

Host offerings
  • Rural farmhouse
  • Home cook
  • Pets
  • Vegetarian
  • Alcohol
  • Round-Trip Transfers
  • Cooking class
  • Market visit
  • Food Tour

Meet Ilaria

Ilaria learned to cook as a child from her grandma, who owned a trattoria in Florence. So, she grew up eating authentic Tuscan meals cooked by her grandmother. Ilaria’s grandmother not only taught her how to cook and but also how to choose the best quality ingredients. And now she is happy to share her knowledge, passion for cooking and secret recipes she learned from her grandma, with travelers who would like to learn. Through this experience, Ilaria wants travelers to know how locals eat and live, and want them to taste and cook an authentic, homemade Italian meal, using her grandmothers recipes!

What to expect

Please note menu might vary. If there are particular dishes you are interested in trying, please include your request in the booking form.

Cooking experience: (3-12 guests) Ilaria hosts this experience in her home, in the north of Tuscany, in a hamlet dated back to the 15th century. Her home has outstanding views of Apuan Alps, where you will feel like you’ve travelled back to another era, as donkeys and cows pass by in front of the courtyard! Start your Tuscan cooking experience with cheese tasting in a nearby local farm. If you're lucky you may even get to see the cheese making process. Later pick herbs and organic vegetables from Ilaria’s garden for your cooking class. And then join her in the courtyard to cook traditional Tuscan dishes. The dishes you cook will vary depending on the season, however you will be using recipes Ilaria inherited from her grandmother. All the dishes you prepare will be simple so that you can easily recreate it back home for friends and family. You might learn to cook an appetizer, a main dish and dessert. After cooking, enjoy the meal you helped prepare, together as a family with local wine.

A few dishes that you might try are bruschetta with fresh tomatoes collected from Ilaria's organic garden and marinated eggplants with herbs, or tomato and basil soup and soft potato dumplings with tomato sauce, or a local pasta made with chestnut flour and slowly cooked sausage sauce, or a very special gnocchi made with ricotta and spinach. You will end your meal with a dessert, such as tiramisu or cheesecake with raspberry sauce from Ilaria's garden. Please note that the menu will change as per season.

Notes: Please note that 1-2 glasses of wine is included in the price of the experience. Ilaria can do a vegetarian menu as well, so please let her know while booking the experience online. Also, if you select optional paid transportation, Ilaria will pick you up and drop you off at Aulla Lunigiana station, and not from your hotel.

Please note that, as is common in many Italian homes, this residence does not have air conditioning.

Round-Trip Transfers: If you choose this optional add-on, you will be picked up by private car from your hotel, accommodation, port, or other designated location and dropped off after your experience.

Languages spoken: English, Italian, French

Sample menu

This is just a sample menu to give you an idea of the types of dishes the host cooks. Your menu will vary according to seasonal availability.
  • Appetizer: Tomato bruschetta or Panzanella (a Tuscan style salad) or Tomato soup and Eggplants with herbs
  • Main: Pasta made with chestnut flour served with a sausage sauce or Soft potato dumplings with tomato sauce or Gnocchi made with ricotta and spinach
  • Dessert: Tiramisu or Raspberry cheesecake

Traveler reviews

5.0 (2)
This was by far our favorite tour. Ilaria was a sweetheart. She went above and beyond to make our experience special. Her home is beautiful. She was very easy to communicate with and felt like she was a good friend by the end of the day. The food we made was delicious. Highly recommend.
- Susan_O August 31, 2023
Ilaria was the most beautiful host, she is very warm and welcoming and very easy to understand for us non-Italiano's :-) My husband, daughter and I were lucky enough to arrive at the farm for the cheese tasting when the farmers were in the process of making some cheese so were able to watch and learn about the process, as well as sampling some of their delicious wares. On to Ilaria's gorgeous home for the cooking class and we all agreed, 100/10 to Ilaria for this experience. Delicious yet simple to make food, excellent vermentino (and I don't even like wine normally but had to buy a bottle to take with us it was so delicious) and amazing history in her small hamlet (10 inhabitants!). Thanks Ilaria, this experience exceeded our expectation, molto molto bene!!!!
- Leigh June 01, 2022

Ilaria

$176-$222 USD

per person
100% VETTED
Learn more
  • 100% satisfaction guarantee or your money back
  • Credit card is not charged until the host confirms your booking
  • Private experience
Pricing (per person)*
1 person 3-4 ppl 5+ people
Cooking Experience + Meal
 Not offered $222 $176
Alcohol
 $4 per person
Round-Trip Transfers
 $221 per car
*Does not include 4% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
1 person 3-4 ppl 5+ people
Cooking Experience + Meal
 Not offered $222 $176
Alcohol
 $4 per person
Round-Trip Transfers
 $221 per car
*Does not include 4% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
Experience Timings
 Lunch Dinner
Cooking Experience+ Meal
 10:00am-2:00pm

Meet Ilaria

Ilaria learned to cook as a child from her grandma, who owned a trattoria in Florence. So, she grew up eating authentic Tuscan meals cooked by her grandmother. Ilaria’s grandmother not only taught her how to cook and but also how to choose the best quality ingredients. And now she is happy to share her knowledge, passion for cooking and secret recipes she learned from her grandma, with travelers who would like to learn. Through this experience, Ilaria wants travelers to know how locals eat and live, and want them to taste and cook an authentic, homemade Italian meal, using her grandmothers recipes!

What to expect

Please note menu might vary. If there are particular dishes you are interested in trying, please include your request in the booking form.

Cooking experience: (3-12 guests) Ilaria hosts this experience in her home, in the north of Tuscany, in a hamlet dated back to the 15th century. Her home has outstanding views of Apuan Alps, where you will feel like you’ve travelled back to another era, as donkeys and cows pass by in front of the courtyard! Start your Tuscan cooking experience with cheese tasting in a nearby local farm. If you're lucky you may even get to see the cheese making process. Later pick herbs and organic vegetables from Ilaria’s garden for your cooking class. And then join her in the courtyard to cook traditional Tuscan dishes. The dishes you cook will vary depending on the season, however you will be using recipes Ilaria inherited from her grandmother. All the dishes you prepare will be simple so that you can easily recreate it back home for friends and family. You might learn to cook an appetizer, a main dish and dessert. After cooking, enjoy the meal you helped prepare, together as a family with local wine.

A few dishes that you might try are bruschetta with fresh tomatoes collected from Ilaria's organic garden and marinated eggplants with herbs, or tomato and basil soup and soft potato dumplings with tomato sauce, or a local pasta made with chestnut flour and slowly cooked sausage sauce, or a very special gnocchi made with ricotta and spinach. You will end your meal with a dessert, such as tiramisu or cheesecake with raspberry sauce from Ilaria's garden. Please note that the menu will change as per season.

Notes: Please note that 1-2 glasses of wine is included in the price of the experience. Ilaria can do a vegetarian menu as well, so please let her know while booking the experience online. Also, if you select optional paid transportation, Ilaria will pick you up and drop you off at Aulla Lunigiana station, and not from your hotel.

Please note that, as is common in many Italian homes, this residence does not have air conditioning.

Round-Trip Transfers: If you choose this optional add-on, you will be picked up by private car from your hotel, accommodation, port, or other designated location and dropped off after your experience.

Languages spoken: English, Italian, French

Sample menu

This is just a sample menu to give you an idea of the types of dishes the host cooks. Your menu will vary according to seasonal availability.
  • Appetizer: Tomato bruschetta or Panzanella (a Tuscan style salad) or Tomato soup and Eggplants with herbs
  • Main: Pasta made with chestnut flour served with a sausage sauce or Soft potato dumplings with tomato sauce or Gnocchi made with ricotta and spinach
  • Dessert: Tiramisu or Raspberry cheesecake

Traveler reviews

5.0 (2)
This was by far our favorite tour. Ilaria was a sweetheart. She went above and beyond to make our experience special. Her home is beautiful. She was very easy to communicate with and felt like she was a good friend by the end of the day. The food we made was delicious. Highly recommend.
- Susan_O August 31, 2023
Ilaria was the most beautiful host, she is very warm and welcoming and very easy to understand for us non-Italiano's :-) My husband, daughter and I were lucky enough to arrive at the farm for the cheese tasting when the farmers were in the process of making some cheese so were able to watch and learn about the process, as well as sampling some of their delicious wares. On to Ilaria's gorgeous home for the cooking class and we all agreed, 100/10 to Ilaria for this experience. Delicious yet simple to make food, excellent vermentino (and I don't even like wine normally but had to buy a bottle to take with us it was so delicious) and amazing history in her small hamlet (10 inhabitants!). Thanks Ilaria, this experience exceeded our expectation, molto molto bene!!!!
- Leigh June 01, 2022
Pricing (per person)*
1 person 3-4 ppl 5+ people
Cooking Experience + Meal
 Not offered $222 $176
Alcohol
 $4 per person
Round-Trip Transfers
 $221 per car
*Does not include 4% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
1 person 3-4 ppl 5+ people
Cooking Experience + Meal
 Not offered $222 $176
Alcohol
 $4 per person
Round-Trip Transfers
 $221 per car
*Does not include 4% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
Experience Timings
 Lunch Dinner
Cooking Experience+ Meal
 10:00am-2:00pm
ABOUT TRAVELING SPOON

Traveling Spoon connects you with meaningful culinary experiences, from private cooking lessons to homecooked meals in people's homes. Enjoy an immersive cultural experience that gives you a glimpse into the local way of life.

FAQ

    You can cancel your reservation up until 48 hours before your experience for a full refund minus a 4% processing fee. Experiences within 48 hours are not refundable.

    If you have a question for your host, you can include a note in the field "Write a note to your host" during the booking process. Once your booking is confirmed, you will be emailed your host's direct contact information and you will also be able to message the host through your profile. You can always cancel your booking and receive a full refund 48 hours or more before your experience. If you have other questions you can also email us at reservations@travelingspoon.com.

    Most of our hosts are able to accommodate dietary restrictions and allergies, including vegetarian and gluten free options. For vegetarian travelers, we have an icon on each host profile to indicate whether that host can also offer a fully vegetarian menu. There is a section in the booking form to note any allergies or dietary restrictions which will be sent directly to your host.

    Some hosts offer alcohol as an optional add-on for travelers who are of legal drinking age. Pricing for alcohol is visible on the host profile page and includes one to two glasses of wine, beer or local alcohol.

    Have a flight or other tour planned and can't make the timing provided? If the timing listed on the host's profile doesn't work for you, our hosts can often accommodate timing changes. Because all of our experiences are private our hosts are happy to tailor experiences to meet your travel needs. Simply note your request in the booking process.

    Your card will not be charged until your host accepts your booking. Typically hosts respond to bookings within 72 hours. In the event your host is unavailable on your selected date and your host rejects your booking your credit card will not be charged.

    Your host's detailed contact information, including their phone number, address, and direction notes, will all be provided immediately upon successful confirmation of your experience (after your hosts accepts your booking and your credit card is successfully processed). This information will be emailed to you to the email address you used to sign up, and will also be visible on your Traveling Spoon profile.

    All prices are noted per person prices unless otherwise specified. Transfers are typically charged on a per car basis, not per person. Children aged 5-11 are 50% off, and infants aged 0-4 are free. Hosts set their own prices and Traveling Spoon marks up the experiences; on average hosts receive over 70% of the price paid by the traveler.

    100% of Traveling Spoon experiences are private! Just you and your host and host's family.

    Hosts typically respond to booking inquiries within 72 hours. If for some reason you have not heard from your host or if you have any questions you can always contact us at reservations@travelingspoon.com.

    Your safety and security are our top priority. To ensure this, Traveling Spoon personally vets 100% of all hosts, including an in-person host visit, to ensure each host and experience meets our strict quality requirements.

    Some hosts offer round-trip transfers as an optional add-on. A driver collects you from your hotel or residence, takes you to the experience, and brings you back at the end. Pricing is quoted per car, not per person, so a group shares one fare. Your host's exact pickup instructions come with your confirmation details once the booking is accepted. A few hosts arrange transfers differently — a one-way ride, or a pickup from a central meeting point — and where that is the case their profile says so in place of the round-trip wording.

    Many of our hosts accommodate solo travelers. You can see if a host accepts solo travelers by looking at the traveler range found next to the experience descriptions on the host profile (indicated by the numbers in parentheses next to "In-home meal", "Cooking experience" and "Market visit").

    Most of our Traveling Spoon experiences are incredibly family friendly and can accommodate infants and children. If a host is unable to accommodate children that will be noted in the "Notes" section of their profile. Our child pricing policy is children aged 5-11 are 50% off, and infants aged 0-4 are free.