Pasta factory, castle, prosciutto and cheese tour
Wine & Food ToursDuration: 6 hours - not available from 10 to 30 August
Rates
CHEESE, FOOD & HISTORY IN JUST A DAY!
A fascinating full day private tour with visit to a cheese factory and cheese tasting. In the late morning guided visit to the medieval village of Lari with its unexpected attractions like the unique pasta factory Martelli, a traditional butcher’s shop and a medieval castle. Lunch in Lari with Pasta Martelli!
The visit to the cheese factory
The full day tour starts with the visit to one of the biggest cheese factory of the area. This is a family business that during the years reached the excellence of cheese production, and it’s today well known for the high quality of its cheeses. The company works several types of milk, from sheep to cow and goat to make the best cheeses that during the years won also a lot of food awards. The cheese production started in 1955 nearby the same village where today the factory is located, with the two brothers Alessandro and Remo, that were shepherds. Today the production continues with Alessandro and his family, blending tradition and innovation. Together with your English speaking assistant and a member of the staff you will visit the company and see all the steps of the cheese production, from the pasteurization of the milk to the moldy cheeses ageing in the cellars.
At the end of the visit you will sit at the able for a tasting of several
A butcher in his shop
After the visit to the cheese factory we will drive for 15 minutes to reach the medieval hamlet of Lari. We will park outside of the center and we will enjoy a nice walk up to the village.
Small villages like Lari offer the chance to do shopping in small boutique shops. Our tour to Lari starts with the visit to the butcher of the town and get to learn how his salami and prosciutto are made. You will enter the ageing cellars and the room where prosciutti are hanging or drying under salt. Finally, you will taste some of the cold meats that the butchers produces and sells in his shop.
The smallest pasta factory in the world?
The tour continues with the visit to the Pasta factory Martelli where spaghetti and penne are made in the “old way”
Whether the pasta workshop of the family Martelli is the smallest in the world or not is difficult to say. It is definitely the most original! . Our guide introduces you to the history of the family-run company and explains how a small artisanal production is able to reach the markets of all the world. The visit continues with an extremely interesting walk through the working rooms, from the giant bags of flour to the yellow packages, ready for shipping.
Lunch in town
After the visit to the pasta factory we will enjoy a delicious lunch at a restaurant in town with 2 different types of Pasta from the company Martelli and two delicious sauces (1 glass of wine per person included). Before lunch we will stop at a local bar to taste the very famous cherry liquor of the village.
The medieval castle of the vicars, the perfect ending of our tour
Why are castles often on hilltops? Why are they built that way? What were they used for through the centuries? Why are their dungeons so gloomy? If you want to know the answers to these questions and you want them while admiring the enchanting view from a perfectly preserved century-old castle, the castle of the vicars in Lari is the right place to go! You can personally experience how prisoners could feel when they were locked in the “inferno” dungeon, and you can enjoy lovely views from the walls of the castle.
What you taste
This is a list of specialties that you are likely to sample as part of the program of this tour. Please, note that the specialties of the tasting session and/or lunch may vary according to the season and the availability of the products in the day of the tour.
In our tour 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. 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. Please, see below which friends you are likely to encounter.
On the organic cheese farm of our tour some professional cheese makers are often in the process of making cheese. They are usually very busy with curdling the milk or creating the cheese wheels but they are very friendly and always available for questions and details during our visits. 
Mario and Chiara are two members of the family Martelli, a historical family from Lari who has been producing pasta in the old center of the village since 1926. They are proud of their company and family history and they are emblems of the Italian way to capitalism. 
The total rate for this activity varies according to the number of people in your party.
Check rates in the table below.
PASTA FACTORY, CASTLE, PROSCIUTTO AND CHEESE TOUR– RATES 2023 – |
|
|---|---|
NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN YOUR PARTY |
TOTAL RATE |
| 2 persons | € 400 |
| 3 persons | € 480 |
| 4 persons | € 560 |
| 5 persons | € 640 |
| 6 persons | € 720 |
| 7 persons | € 800 |
| 8 persons | € 880 |
| Extra Adult | € 80 |
| Extra Teenager (12-17 yrs) | € 70 |
| Extra Child (4-11 yrs) | € 60 |
Rates include
- A private English speaking tour leader for the whole tour. Also available in French, German, Spanish and Russian
- A guided visit to the cheese factory
- Pecorino cheese tasting
- A visit to the Castle
- A visit to the pasta factory
- A visit to a butcher’s shop with rich tasting of cold meats
- A visit to the cheese grotto with cheese tasting
- A tasting of cherry liquor at a local bar
- Lunch in town
- Tax
Rates do NOT include
- Transportation
Transportation is not included in the rates above. For more info on transportation, please see the box “Transportation options”.
This tour takes place in the area near Lari, a small village just 30 minutes from Pisa, 1 hour from Florence, 15 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 or at an agreed meeting point
DURATION:
This program takes 6 hours. Time for transportation not included.
AVAILABILITY:
Available on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays (not available from the 10 to the 30 August)
LANGUAGE:
This tour is available in English language. German, French, Spanish, Russian or Italian are also available with no surcharge.
DIFFICULTY LEVEL:
Easy
CHILD FRIENDLY:
Ideal for children
CLOTHING:
No particular clothing required.
FOOD RESTRICTIONS:
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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