Olive Harvest Wellness Week in the Tuscan Hills Above Florence

The villa sits on the Fiesole hills looking out over the Tuscan countryside toward Florence. It dates back to the 1400s and is still a working farm, with olive orchards and gardens on the estate. You are 5 km from the historic centre of Florence, close enough to go in for a day and far enough that the evenings are quiet. The stay runs seven nights, check-in from 4:00 PM on arrival day and check-out between 8:30 and 10:00 AM on the last morning.

Each morning starts with a guided meditation — the hosts run these for all levels, including people who have never meditated before. From there the day opens up. On the Florence day you get skip-the-line access to Michelangelo's David at the Accademia Gallery, skip-the-line entry to the Duomo, and a walk through Piazza della Signoria and across the Ponte Vecchio, with the history of the Medici family woven in. The Pisa day is the opposite approach — a local guide takes you away from the main tourist route into the streets, stories and legends most visitors never hear.

The truffle day is probably the one people remember. You walk into the Chianti Classico forests with a truffle hunter and his trained dog, hunting as you go, and the walk doubles as a slow meditative one. Afterward there is a three-course Tuscan lunch at a countryside estate built around the truffles you just found, served with two Chianti Classico wines. Another day pairs a horseback ride through vineyards and olive groves near a working farm with honey tastings, a stop in San Gimignano for the main sights and an award-winning gelateria, and a winery visit for a Tuscan lunch with olive oil, truffle oil and wine tastings. Round-trip transport from central Florence is arranged.

The cooking class happens in a medieval tower dating to the 1200s, close to Brunelleschi's Dome. You make three pastas — ravioli, tortellini and tagliatelle — plus the sauces that go with each, including butter and sage, a Pomerol sauce and a classic Tuscan ragù. All equipment and ingredients are provided, and you eat what you made with Tuscan wine and unlimited drinks.

The food across the week is farm-to-table: organic breakfasts daily with seasonal produce, artisanal breads and things made on nearby farms, plus seven planned lunches and dinners in total. Private vehicle transport covers every excursion, and the hosts can sometimes arrange airport pickup depending on your arrival time — otherwise it is an easy taxi from Florence International Airport to the villa.

Trish has been travelling Italy since childhood, from Piemonte in the north to Calabria in the south, and speaks both English and Italian. Tommaso was born in Vinci, has spent over 22 years creating travel experiences from Thailand to Egypt, and also works in both languages. Between them they handle the guiding, the introductions and the local access — the winery, the truffle hunter and the tower kitchen are their contacts, not a coach company's.

What's included

- 7 nights at a 15th-century agriturismo villa in Fiesole - Daily organic breakfast made from local ingredients - 7 curated lunches and dinners - Daily guided meditation sessions - Half-day guided walking tour of Florence - Skip-the-line entry to the Accademia Gallery (Michelangelo's David) - Skip-the-line entry to the Duomo - Truffle hunting experience in Chianti Classico with expert and trained dog - Meditative walk through the Tuscan forests - 3-course truffle lunch with two Chianti Classico wines - Horseback ride through vineyards and olive groves - Honey tastings at a working farm - Visit to San Gimignano, including an award-winning gelateria - Wine tasting at a local vineyard with Tuscan lunch - Olive oil and truffle oil tastings - Guided walking tour of Pisa with a local expert - Homemade pasta making class in a medieval tower - Dinner with Tuscan wine and unlimited drinks after the cooking class - Private vehicle transport to and from all planned excursions - Access to the villa's private botanical gardens - Small group setting with local hosts Trish and Tommaso

What's not included

- International and domestic flights - Airport transfers (may be arranged by host depending on arrival time) - Travel insurance - Personal expenses and souvenirs - Meals not listed in the itinerary - Optional activities outside the planned programme - Tips and gratuities - Anything not expressly listed as included