HANDS-ON FOOD EXPERIENCE WITH A LOCAL BUTCHER
Arianna & Friends invites you to enjoy a unique and authentic Tuscan experience: spend a day with a local butcher and discover the real traditions behind Italian meat preparations. This is a fun, tasty, and educational experience, perfect for food lovers who want to go beyond classic cooking classes.
Meet the butcher and learn the tradition
Together with your guide, you will reach a local food court, where you will be welcomed by the butcher Tommaso and his crew. Here you will learn about Tuscan meat culture, the choice of ingredients, and the difference between good meats and cheap meats.
With the butcher's help, you will prepare some classic Italian recipes such as fresh sausages, meatballs with simple tomato sauce, and tasty meat rolls. These are typical preparations that are part of everyday Italian home cooking.
Hands-on meat preparation
This is not only a cooking class, but a real hands-on experience. Together with Tommaso, you will start from the basics and prepare everything with your own hands. Become a butcher for a day!
For the sausages, you will choose the right cut of meat and the correct amount of fat, learn how to balance them, and season the mixture following a traditional Tuscan recipe. Then you will help stuff the sausages and see how they are made from start to finish.
For the meatballs, you will choose the right cut of meat, grind it, add simple seasonings, and mix everything by hand, learning how texture and flavour are created. The butcher will explain each step and share tips from his daily work.
Everyone will actively participate, learning techniques and small secrets passed down through generations. This experience is informal, interactive, and also suitable for families.
Enjoy the meal you prepared
After the cooking activity, you will sit together and enjoy the dishes you prepared, accompanied by bread or focaccia and a simple side dish. It is a relaxed and friendly moment, sharing food and stories just like in a real Italian style.
Visit to the town of Peccioli
After the meal, enjoy a guided visit to the charming hill town of Peccioli, where history and contemporary art meet. Walking through the old centre, you will discover panoramic views, historic buildings, and many modern art installations spread throughout the town, making Peccioli a surprising open-air museum.
In our tour/class we like showing you places off the beaten track and introducing you to Tuscan people with their personal stories, careers and characters.
You will have one of our guides with your party during the whole tour/class. Please, see below all the guides who can be with you.
During this experience you can also meet some of the Tuscan friends involved in the events.
Cristiano
guide
Cristiano
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!
Alessandro
guide
Alessandro
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.
Moira
guide
Moira
Pisa city tour guide & and tour leader at Arianna & Friends'
Ciao a tutti! My name is Moira, and I originally come from the north-west of Italy, from the city of Turin. I moved to Tuscany in 2012, immediately falling in love with the culture, the arts and history, the food, and of course, my favourite!, the wines of this beautiful region.
I started working with Arianna & Friends back in 2013 as an assistant at the Tourist Information Office of a small hilltop village, where our office was initially located. Later, I obtained my city guide license, and today I am the city tour guide on the team for the main towns of Pisa, Volterra, and San Miniato, as well as for some of our less famous tiny villages, which hide many secrets and have such a loooong history, such as Lari, Lajatico, and Peccioli.
I also obtained a license as an official truffle hunter, but I’m still mainly a truffle eater! My enthusiasm for learning new things never stops. I even learned how to become a professional olive tree pruner. When I’m not on tour, walking around our amazing places talking about art, culture, and history, or discovering local specialties together with our guests, you’ll find me in the office, taking care of bookings and reservations. I specialize in organizing active and fun weekends for groups of girlfriends.
I really hope to meet you soon to show you around our beautiful land, and since I come from another region, I can also reveal some secrets that Tuscan people will never confess!!
Luca
guide
Luca
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!!
ACCESSIBILITY:
This tour includes some stairs and a few more challenging stretches. If you have any accessibility needs — whether mobility-related, sensory, cognitive, or any other requirements — please let us know in advance and we will do our best to adapt the itinerary for you. LOCATION OF ATTRACTIONS:
This tour takes place in Peccioli, a small village just 30 minutes from Pisa, 1 hour from Florence, 7 km from Selvatelle, about 20 km from San Gimignano and Montaione. MEET-UP LOCATION:
Unless differently specified, the tour guide meets you at our office in la Rosa, Terricciola DURATION:
This program takes 4 hours. Time for transportation not included. AVAILABILITY:
Available on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays. LANGUAGE:
This tour is available in English language. German, French, Spanish or Italian are also available with no surcharge. DIFFICULTY LEVEL:
Easy CHILD FRIENDLY:
Ideal for children CLOTHING:
No particular clothing required. FOOD RESTRICTIONS:
The program of this tour includes the preparation and tasting of local meat. If you have any food restriction, please inform our personnel during the enquiry process. TRANSPORTATION:
This program and its rates do not include transportation and are set on a self-driving base. For further information see the box "transportation options".
The destinations reached during this activity are in the Tuscan countryside, in areas off the beaten track that cannot be reached by public transport. We highly recommend renting a car or a scooter in order to reach them. As an alternative, we can offer a valued service by chauffeured car, van or minibus. Any cost of transportation is to be added to the rates displayed on the rate table of this page.
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