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VIEW PHOTOS
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Host: Costanza

Florence, Italy

USD
$304-$338 per person

Authentic Florentine feast and garden tour in a stunning Florentine estate

Host offerings
  • Rural farmhouse
  • Home cook
  • Pets
  • Vegetarian
  • Alcohol
  • Transportation
  • Cooking class
  • Market visit
  • Food tour

Meet Costanza

Costanza is a warm and wonderful Italian host who makes you feel like family the moment you meet her. She owns a stunning Tuscan estate right outside Florence that has been in her family since 1839. Stepping into her property is like walking into paradise with its picturesque olive groves, typical Tuscan architecture and lush vegetable gardens! Costanza works with her family to maintain a gorgeous farm and two villas, one of which is converted into a bed and breakfast. Your experience will take place in her grandparent’s villa, a beautiful home filled with antiques from the 16th century. Unlike many villas in Italy, this villa has been in the same family for several centuries and has a magical charm to it. Cooking has been Costanza’s biggest passion ever since she was a child watching her parents cook wonderful meals for their family and friends. Her family would host large food gatherings and she often relates being with her parents to cooking for other people. Her love for cooking grew because her grandmothers were amazing cooks and she always loved to eat! Through her degree in agriculture Costanza learned how to grow what we eat and has a deep love for farming and the tradition of farming. She enjoys meeting new people to pass on a little bit of her history and to learn from them about their history and traditions – she says that hosting travelers has special meaning to her because it makes her feel like she is traveling the world! On days that Costanza is busy, her equally wonderful sister Serena will be your host.

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.

In-home meal: (4-12 guests) Join your host Costanza in her family’s beautiful dining room to enjoy a seasonal Florentine feast from family recipes passed down through generations in her family. Prepare for a delicious six-course farm to table meal! Your menu may include dishes such as crostini Toscani (a traditional Florentine appetizer of sliced country sourdough topped with liver paté) or crostini (leeks and Gorgonzola), seasonal vegetable frittata topped with fresh bufalo mozzarella or fresh green salad with garden vegetables, herbs and flowers, a first course of pasta such as tagliatelle with artichokes and shallots, gnocchi with wild boar ragu, risotto fungi porcini (risotto with porcini mushrooms) or lasagna and a main meat such a agnello arrosto (lamb in a red wine sauce) or fish with a couple of beautifully prepared vegetable sides such as cavolo verza (sautéed cabbage in wild fennel seeds, garlic and chili) and carciofi fritti (fried artichokes). Your meal will conclude with a dessert such as flourless chocolate cake with raspberry sauce or raspberry tiramisu (mascarpone with fresh raspberries and biscuits) or the traditional tiramisu. 

Please note that because Costanza sometimes has guests staying in their B&B they may be present during your meal and cooking experience, hence the experience will not be private.

Cooking experience: (4-12 guests) Begin your Florentine culinary journey with Costanza in her lush garden filled with olive and fruit laden trees, aromatic herbs and a huge vegetable garden. She and her family grow seasonal vegetables from leeks, brassicas and fennel in the winter to tomatoes, eggplant and zucchini in the summer and tries to use as much of their own produce in their cooking. Pick some of the fresh seasonal vegetables that you might use in your cooking class together. With a basket of vegetables in hand, enter her family’s beautiful, spacious kitchen to learn to cook a seasonal Florentine meal from scratch. Your garden tour will last about 45 minutes. Start a cup of hot coffee or tea before rolling up your sleeves to begin your hands-on Florentine cooking class. Learn to cook a full menu of an appetizer, a salad, first course, meat, side dish and dessert from scratch. Your cooking lesson will last about three and half hours which includes a break for a glass of wine and a snack. Enjoy recreating her family’s recipes before you sit down at a formal dining table to share the meal you helped prepare. If you’re interested, Costanza would be happy to take you on a 20-minute tour of a few of their historic rooms furnished with a collection of antiques from the end of the 1500s. 

Please note that because Costanza sometimes has guests staying in their B&B they may be present during your meal and cooking experience, hence the experience will not be private.

Notes: On days when Costanza is not available, her sister Serena will be your host. This experience is not private.

Languages spoken: English, Italian

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.
  • First course of pasta al ragu or risotto
  • Main of meat like roast lamb or seasonal fish
  • Two sides such as cavola verza (green cabbage in fennel and garlic), carciofi fritti (fried artichokes) or peperonata (peppers and eggplant saute)
  • Dessert such as torta della nonna or tiramisu ai lamponi

Traveler reviews

5.0 (2)
Fantastic experience our host shared a unique day, amazing cooking class, and delicious recipes. We were taken aback at their work to make the meal feel first class; the preparations and dining area beat the fanciest restaurants we dined out at on our trip.
- 623pet April 06, 2023
We had a very nice time with Cinzia in Florence!She took us around to visit authentic foodstores in the middel of the historica centre of Florence.Shegave us beautifull stories about the old citycenter and its stores.Then we went to her lovely cookstudio and cooked a wonderfull meal with beautifull ingredients.Thanks Cinzia for this amazing event!Ciao, Rosan, Jan and Marleen
- Marleengrol April 22, 2019
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Costanza

$304-$338 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 2-4 ppl 5+ ppl
Cooking Experience + Meal
 Not offered $338 $304
Alcohol
 $26 per person
*Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
1 person 2-4 people 5+ people
Cooking Experience + Meal
 Not offered $338 $304
Alcohol
 $26 per person
*Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
Experience Timings
 Lunch Dinner
Cooking Experience+ Meal
 9:30am-12:30pm 2:30pm-5:30pm

Meet Costanza

Costanza is a warm and wonderful Italian host who makes you feel like family the moment you meet her. She owns a stunning Tuscan estate right outside Florence that has been in her family since 1839. Stepping into her property is like walking into paradise with its picturesque olive groves, typical Tuscan architecture and lush vegetable gardens! Costanza works with her family to maintain a gorgeous farm and two villas, one of which is converted into a bed and breakfast. Your experience will take place in her grandparent’s villa, a beautiful home filled with antiques from the 16th century. Unlike many villas in Italy, this villa has been in the same family for several centuries and has a magical charm to it. Cooking has been Costanza’s biggest passion ever since she was a child watching her parents cook wonderful meals for their family and friends. Her family would host large food gatherings and she often relates being with her parents to cooking for other people. Her love for cooking grew because her grandmothers were amazing cooks and she always loved to eat! Through her degree in agriculture Costanza learned how to grow what we eat and has a deep love for farming and the tradition of farming. She enjoys meeting new people to pass on a little bit of her history and to learn from them about their history and traditions – she says that hosting travelers has special meaning to her because it makes her feel like she is traveling the world! On days that Costanza is busy, her equally wonderful sister Serena will be your host.

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.

In-home meal: (4-12 guests) Join your host Costanza in her family’s beautiful dining room to enjoy a seasonal Florentine feast from family recipes passed down through generations in her family. Prepare for a delicious six-course farm to table meal! Your menu may include dishes such as crostini Toscani (a traditional Florentine appetizer of sliced country sourdough topped with liver paté) or crostini (leeks and Gorgonzola), seasonal vegetable frittata topped with fresh bufalo mozzarella or fresh green salad with garden vegetables, herbs and flowers, a first course of pasta such as tagliatelle with artichokes and shallots, gnocchi with wild boar ragu, risotto fungi porcini (risotto with porcini mushrooms) or lasagna and a main meat such a agnello arrosto (lamb in a red wine sauce) or fish with a couple of beautifully prepared vegetable sides such as cavolo verza (sautéed cabbage in wild fennel seeds, garlic and chili) and carciofi fritti (fried artichokes). Your meal will conclude with a dessert such as flourless chocolate cake with raspberry sauce or raspberry tiramisu (mascarpone with fresh raspberries and biscuits) or the traditional tiramisu. 

Please note that because Costanza sometimes has guests staying in their B&B they may be present during your meal and cooking experience, hence the experience will not be private.

Cooking experience: (4-12 guests) Begin your Florentine culinary journey with Costanza in her lush garden filled with olive and fruit laden trees, aromatic herbs and a huge vegetable garden. She and her family grow seasonal vegetables from leeks, brassicas and fennel in the winter to tomatoes, eggplant and zucchini in the summer and tries to use as much of their own produce in their cooking. Pick some of the fresh seasonal vegetables that you might use in your cooking class together. With a basket of vegetables in hand, enter her family’s beautiful, spacious kitchen to learn to cook a seasonal Florentine meal from scratch. Your garden tour will last about 45 minutes. Start a cup of hot coffee or tea before rolling up your sleeves to begin your hands-on Florentine cooking class. Learn to cook a full menu of an appetizer, a salad, first course, meat, side dish and dessert from scratch. Your cooking lesson will last about three and half hours which includes a break for a glass of wine and a snack. Enjoy recreating her family’s recipes before you sit down at a formal dining table to share the meal you helped prepare. If you’re interested, Costanza would be happy to take you on a 20-minute tour of a few of their historic rooms furnished with a collection of antiques from the end of the 1500s. 

Please note that because Costanza sometimes has guests staying in their B&B they may be present during your meal and cooking experience, hence the experience will not be private.

Notes: On days when Costanza is not available, her sister Serena will be your host. This experience is not private.

Languages spoken: English, Italian

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.
  • First course of pasta al ragu or risotto
  • Main of meat like roast lamb or seasonal fish
  • Two sides such as cavola verza (green cabbage in fennel and garlic), carciofi fritti (fried artichokes) or peperonata (peppers and eggplant saute)
  • Dessert such as torta della nonna or tiramisu ai lamponi

Traveler reviews

5.0 (2)
Fantastic experience our host shared a unique day, amazing cooking class, and delicious recipes. We were taken aback at their work to make the meal feel first class; the preparations and dining area beat the fanciest restaurants we dined out at on our trip.
- 623pet April 06, 2023
We had a very nice time with Cinzia in Florence!She took us around to visit authentic foodstores in the middel of the historica centre of Florence.Shegave us beautifull stories about the old citycenter and its stores.Then we went to her lovely cookstudio and cooked a wonderfull meal with beautifull ingredients.Thanks Cinzia for this amazing event!Ciao, Rosan, Jan and Marleen
- Marleengrol April 22, 2019
Pricing (per person)*
1 person 2-4 ppl 5+ ppl
Cooking Experience + Meal
 Not offered $338 $304
Alcohol
 $26 per person
*Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
1 person 2-4 people 5+ people
Cooking Experience + Meal
 Not offered $338 $304
Alcohol
 $26 per person
*Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
Experience Timings
 Lunch Dinner
Cooking Experience+ Meal
 9:30am-12:30pm 2:30pm-5:30pm
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 3% 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. Transportation is typically charged on a per car basis. 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 transportation as an optional add-on for travelers. Typically this is round trip transportation with pick up and drop off at your hotel. Pricing is quoted per car. Specific instructions for transportation will be provided in your confirmation details when your booking is confirmed.

    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.