A special winery: monovarietal wines and pasta making lab

Tour leader at Arianna & Friends'

Buongiorno! My name is Alessandro. I was born and raised in a charming village near San Miniato, and I’ve spent my life immersed in the beauty of Tuscany. After traveling to England and Spain, I returned home to share my passion for my region. With years of experience in the hospitality industry, including roles in restaurants, hotels, and pubs, I’ve honed my skills in providing exceptional guest experiences. My sommelier training has deepened my knowledge of Tuscan wines and cuisine.
I am a thoughtful and patient person, always ready to solve problems and ensure every guest feels cared for and well looked after. Now, as a proud member of the Arianna & Friends team, I’m thrilled to share the stories and traditions of my homeland with visitors from around the world. Join me on a journey through the heart of Tuscany, where history, culture, and breathtaking landscapes come together.

Tour leader at Arianna & Friends'

My name is Cristiano, and I live just outside the walls of Pisa, not far from the Leaning Tower. When I was a child, I lived in Mexico with my family, where I attended an international school in English. I graduated from a linguistic high school and speak English, Spanish, and French. I also worked for many years as a travel agent and managed tourist reception activities in Morocco.
Since 2024, I have been part of the Arianna & Friends team. Passionate about traveling the world, I love meeting new people and exchanging experiences and stories with them. I’ve been told I am a very charming and fun person, and many of the cooking classes where I act as the story-teller end with me singing traditional Italian songs alongside the chef, and sometimes even with our guests! I’m energetic, love sharing entertaining stories, and enjoy laughing with our guests while introducing them to Tuscan recipes, culture, and lifestyle.
My role here also includes being a tour leader for e-bike and Vespa tours, and my favorite activity to lead, beyond cooking classes, is the hands-on cheese-making experience
In my free time, I play tennis, love traveling to Asia, and enjoy hiking through the Tuscan hills with my friends and my dog, Ciccio.
I look forward to welcoming you in Tuscany and sharing unforgettable moments together!

Founder and owner at Arianna & Friends'

And that’s me, Arianna. When I was a student at the University of Pisa, I had a dream. I already knew that I somehow wanted to spread our Tuscan culture, but I didn’t yet know in which ways. I also knew that I first needed to educate myself more, to go deeper into what, for me, belonged to everyday life, before making it available to others.
Together with a team of enthusiasts like me, we carried out a lot of research, made many contacts, and finally found a good way to become ambassadors of Tuscan culture, traditions, and lifestyle. Yes, I admit it: the power that moved everything was my passion for food! For good food, and in particular for the delicious food of my mamma and my nonna, hehehh! It was by learning from my family that I started thinking I couldn’t miss the opportunity to share everything I knew with others. It couldn’t be any different, because here where we live, food is culture!
So we came up with a name for our project, our future business, that had to convey this message: spend time with us, your Tuscan friends, and you’ll feel like part of a family and experience Tuscany in a very authentic way. Also, meet our friends, all the farmers, cooks, and storytellers who represent our territory. The name Arianna & Friends was chosen as the best option.
Personally, I love planning, making people happy, organizing, and having crazy ideas… so crazy that sometimes my colleagues need to bring me back down to earth! I like making sure that people are more than satisfied when they return home from their Tuscan experience. I’m lucky to have Consuelo, Moira, Luca, Davide, Anna, Diletta, Yvonne, Alessandro, and Cristiano with me, along with all the cooks and assistants and all the other “friends” who help us provide excellent services, all of us, always with a big smile on our faces :)

Tour leader and wine expert at Arianna & Friends'

Dé – people smile at me, when I say it
But this is what Livorno, my beloved port town at the Tuscan sea, did to me – it placed itself into my heart. My name is Yvonne, and I have been living in several places on the world, but Tuscany kept calling me …
and here I am.
I love the wind, the sea, good wine and nature. In one word: Tuscany.
I love to share my passion and expertise about wine as a gift of nature with people. It makes me happy, when I hear people laugh while they enjoy a stunning E-bike ride through the rolling Tuscan contryside. And I love seeing their eyes shine when they discover the fascinating transformation of olives into delicious extra virgin olive oil.
Let’s enjoy it together – as your travel companion and tour guide, I am happy to make you discover the hidden gems and dive into the vibes of Tuscany.

Tour leader and websites content manager at Arianna & Friends'

Ciao Amici!! My name is Luca. I’m in my 40s and I’m probably one of the most energetic and fun-loving guides at Arianna & Friends
Like some of my colleagues, I have a multi-tasking role in the company. I am one of the content managers of our websites, especially during the winter, and when the season starts, I work as a tour leader.
Sometimes I also take care of bookings directly, and I often carry out site inspections to meet new collaborators and service providers, so we can be sure that every year the company offers new and interesting tours. From March to October, I lead almost all types of wine & food tours and cooking classes at Arianna & Friends. My favorites are truffle, olive oil, e-bike, and Vespa tours. Riding a Vespa through our wonderful hills is a must-do while in Tuscany, of course, only if you know how to ride a scooter!
When I started working for Arianna & Friends back in 2011, I was only able to prepare a very simple pasta al pomodoro (pasta with tomato sauce). Now, after so many years of cooking classes and thanks to our wonderful cooks, I am a very good chef (but please, don’t tell my wife!).
My motto is “Smile, you are in Tuscany.” I’m happy and very proud when I see people enjoying my country and having fun in Tuscany. Join us! Join me! Let’s have fun together!!

The family Caputo runs a beautiful winery in the hills right halfway between Pisa and Florence. Their business is famous for focusing on monovarietal wines based on Malvasia, Colorino and Trebbiano Toscano. They are all clones of ancient vineyards present in their estate.

Mi chiamo Carlo, the only "boy" among the chefs of Arianna & Friends. I am a cousin of Lorena, who has worked with the company for long now and who introduced me to them back in 2022. I live in Pontedera, home of Vespa, and I have been cooking all my life, since preparing delicious food has always been my great passion. In my working age I was an operator for an insurance company, so I know plenty of local people and I am very friendly and talkative. I then retired and decided to dedicate myself to the things I like the most: cooking and joining friends. I have limited English but miraculously all our guests can easily understand me through my body language and face expressions. I will be waiting for you for great barbecue dinners and traditional dishes of all kinds!

Hi everybody, ciao a tutti. I am Elisabetta and I am the youngest one among the chefs of Arianna & Friends. I have been working with the company for several years, initially just as a sous-chef and eventually as a proper chef. I have accumulated many years of experience while learning from all my other colleague chefs, but I also added my personal taste and knowledge to the whole. I am really happy to be part of this team and to be able to meet people from all over the world. In my free time I enjoy the company of my lovely puppy for long walks or just hanging around for shopping. Ciao a presto!

Ciao, I'm Silvia, one of the youngest cooks at Arianna & Friends'. Cooking is my real passion and I like to prepare any traditional dish both for visitors and for my family. I also love baking pizza as well as trying innovative food and special contemporary techniques, especially in my kitchen at home. When I started working for this company in 2018, I met an incredible team of collaborators and with them I finally feel joy and serenity in what I do. Any time I work as a cook I can breath freedom and this makes me happy.
As I really love the sea, in my free time I like being at the beach. I have a passion for travelling and being in the company of my friends. I could define myself as a "free spirit" with a big attraction to ... hats !!!
Looking forward to meet you all!

Ciao, I'm Ester, one of the cooks of Arianna & Friends'. I've been working with them since the beginning of their adventure in 2007.
I love cooking together with people from all over the world, especially with young kids.
What I prefer to cook is pasta dishes, pizza and desserts, like for example the stunning cake I made to celebrate my 50th wedding anniversary.
I live, like Davide (my nephew), in the little village of Lajatico, birthplace of Andrea Bocelli and from my home I can hear his voice and see something when Teatro del Silenzio takes place in July.
I live on a farm and I have chickens, rabbits, a large vegetable garden. I make my own olive oil and wine together with my family.
I hope to be able to cook with many of you in the years to come and teach you a lot of our typical Tuscan food.

Eccomi! My name is Margherita, mother of 2, who lives in Santa Croce sull'Arno. I was born and raised in the fantastic wine region of Fiano, Greco and Taurasi, namely some the best wines from the South of Italy. I have been living in Tuscany for decades and I have always cooked both for my families and for several restaurants. My very mild and sweet personality is able to create a very relaxed working ambience and my guests really appreciate this atmosphere. I am a curious person who likes learning and I am ready to share my knowledge with all visitors who take on a cooking class or a chef service. Grazie a tutti!

Hi everybody! I am Paola, a talented cook who is never tired. I have been cooking all my life both privately and in the kitchens of a series of restaurants in the area I live in, near the central town of Empoli. I joined Arianna & Friends in early 2022 as the whole world was recovering from the difficult years of the pandemic and as the company was quickly restarting its operativity. I was very glad that I could join such a dynamic and friendly team and share with them all my knowledge and passion. I deal with cooking classes and chef services in all the region together with the various story-tellers and chef assistants who participate in the service. In my free time I enjoy cycling in the spectacular Tuscan hills that surround my home town. I can't wait to cook for you an unforgettable meal!

Maria Grazia, in our team called MG, is a very positive thinking lady who works as a sous-chefs at Arianna & Friends, when she is not busy helping children get born. In fact she is also a professional
obstetrician! A nice irony in her character, combined with an intrinsic calm when working, create
an incredible effect during the services provided.