The Florence Pottery Experience: Factory Tour & Masterclass

The most authentic ceramics experience you could find. Matteo and Salvatore tailored the tour to me and my own ceramics skills. It was so casual and enjoyable. Salvatore a true master with 50 years of skills, taught me his incredibly fast way of centering and throwing a piece on the wheel. The tour felt more like catching up with an old friend than a tourist attraction, Matteos kindness and local knowledge was helpful. Alberto was a highlight at the factory tour, 70+ years experience. If you are thinking of taking a ceramics experience in Italy - choose this one.

Great experience!! Matteo, his mum and dad were really friendly. Salvatore (dad) helped us making 2 plates, which will be shipped to our house. Great souvenir of a fantastic experience. Just book it, you won’t regret it. Jerome from Belgium

Matteo gives an exceptional experience to his visitors!! The tour through the factory and the ride through the countryside back to the classroom... all filled with facts, history, personal recommendations, and lots of laughter and fun. We met people who have been handcrafting pottery for over half a century... pieces that you and I might see ALL OVER THE WORLD! The experience went way beyond any expectations I may have had. My 17-year-old daughter and I had an absolute blast. Would definitely recommend to ANYONE coming to Italy to book with Matteo!

Matteo and his family are very passionate about what they do and it is evident during this tour. The opportunity to see the ceramic making in progress and purchase custom pieces is unique and appreciated.

It was so interesting to see the factory. Matteo and his family were wonderful. Their ceramics were beautiful

Amazing! Mateo was so personal and informative. The pottery is beautiful and the master potter (Mateo’s father) is beyond knowledgeable! I highly recommend this tour and then have lunch in the adorable Montelupo.

Very much enjoyed this experience. I work with clay so chose this activity as an opportunity to expand my skills in working with clay. My husband and I wanted to try the wheel to if we might be interested in learning to throw. I hand/slab build. Experience is informative and interesting whether you do or don’t work with clay. Very impressive factory. Enjoyed the hands on intro to throwing. Highly recommend for older kids/families/adults. We also were given a recommendation for a local restaurant for lunch. That turned out to be one of our best meals of the trip. Very impressive family operation.

I treated my friend to this experience for her birthday and it was perfect! The family was so kind and welcoming, and we enjoyed seeing every step of the ceramics process while touring the factory—truly so impressive! We have a new level of respect for these artisans after wheel-throwing the clay, and we're so excited to see the bowls we made. Thank you!

My family of 4, including twin 10 year old girls, loved this experience so much and felt so welcomed by Matteo and his family. We first headed to the factory to see how and where all of the pottery is made. It was amazing to see the skill of the artisans as they finished and painted the pottery completely by hand. We also got to visit the factory showroom to see all of the finished pieces and ordered a few pieces to be shipped to our home in Texas. All of the pieces can be customized, and we were able to order a plate with our family name that will be a cherished keepsake from our time in Italy Next, we headed to the shop where each one of us made a bowl on the wheel with the master potter and Matteo's dad, Salvatore. With his hands on direction and attention, we each felt like a real potter and were able to make a beautiful bowl which will be hand glazed and fired and shipped to us. Salvatore worked excellently with my kids, who were thrilled to be able to use the wheel and make their very own creation. After the pottery experience, we stayed in the small village of Montelupo and enjoyed the park and had dinner in a lovely restaurant. This was a nice break from the craziness of Florence and was a much needed relaxing day. We will always cherish our memories from this experience and love that we have hand made souvenirs to remember our time in Italy. We highly recommend this experience for adults and kids. Grazie to Matteo and family for a fabulous day!

My teen daughter and I had THE BEST experience learning about how pottery is made and making our own pottery. The description is exactly what you get. A full explanation of how pottery is made in Montelupo, from clay to shipping, and then one on one teaching to make your own piece. Our guide at the factory Matteo, was so friendly, and his father, Salvatore, was great teaching us how to use the pottery wheel. The whole family were so personable and in fact we had a great time in Montelupo. Super easy to get there on the train, the ceramic shop is an easy walk (we did it in 100 degree F heat with suitcases in tow!), and had delicious gelato from the shop next door. We highly recommend spending a day in Montelupo. What a refreshing change of pace.

This was an amazing experience. I was by myself and got a wonderful tour of the factory, met the actual makers of the amazing pottery and then made some bowls myself as well as ordered some Custom pieces!! Highly recommend.

I found this experience online and booked it for 8 women in my family while visiting the Tuscan region!! I have been in Italy for almost 30 days and this was hands down the best activity we have done here!! Matteo and his family are kind, patient, and amazing people!! It was so fun to learn how to throw pottery from this amazing legacy family in Italy and purchase pieces to come home!! They made shipping everything home absolutely seamless. I could not recommend this experience enough!! Fun for all ages and groups :)

Excellent experience! Matteo is a fantastic host and we enjoyed the tour of the factory and the hands on pottery lesson. We ordered some additional pottery from the show room that they shipped home along with our creations. It looks great! Couldn't be happier. Only note for people considering this experience is that the shipping is expensive so be prepared for that if you want to bring home souvenirs.

This was such an amazing experience!!!! The family was so warm and lovely giving us a real view of what is it like to be a ceramicist in Montelupo. They showed us the beautiful town of Montelupo and their rich culture. They made us feel so welcome. Truly once in a lifetime experience!!! We made such a great friend with Mateo! Would recommend a 100000000000%. Do not miss this !!!!

The whole family made us feel welcome and part of the family. We learned real skills that we could apply to our own pottery work. Montelupo is a beautiful place to visit with great restaurants and interesting historical sites. A great visit!

I cannot rave enough about our experience! Matteo and his family were the most incredible hosts. Our ceramics experience was undoubtedly the highlight of our trip. Matteo, family and team went above and beyond our expectations. We were welcomed with open arms and treated to a fabulous experience. We made a point to recommend it to anyone we could—such a wholesome, authentic experience.

This was an amazing experience and I would highly recommend it to anyone. Matteo and his family are incredibly kind, affable, and passionate about their family’s beautiful pottery. They welcomed me openly and instantly made me feel welcomed and at ease. First, Matteo took me on a wonderful tour of their pottery factory and gave a thoughtful and detailed tour. We then went back to the main showroom and made bowls in the wheel with his father, an incredible artisan. I learned so much and will treasure this experience!

Probably the best experience we've ever had in Europe! This family run business is extraordinary and you can see the passion they have for their work. Matteo and his parents were so kind and welcoming and everything had a personal touch. Highly recommend this to anyone who wants to experience a true Tuscan ceramic experience! It's pretty amazing to meet the actual people who contribute to making the final pieces you see at places like Pottery Barn and Williams Sonoma. Thank you for such a wonderful day!

Matteo was amazing. The tour was interesting and informative. Salvatore was patient with sharing his art of pottery making.

This was truly one of our favorite experiences during our trip to Florence!! Matteo and everyone we talked to during our tour was extremely welcoming and friendly, and you can see the pride and passion in everything they do! Salvatore is an amazing teacher at the pottery wheel and we even got a bonus hands-on experience in the factory! I can’t even call it a tour, because you leave as friends, thank you Matteo for sharing your family’s passion with us and making us feel like a part of it for the day!

As an amateur potter, this was the absolute highlight of my trip! Matteo gave me a first class tour, which was fascinating and the lesson with his father was amazing! I went home and practiced the new techniques I learned. I would highly recommend this to anyone who has any interest in pottery, and whatever level you are at. If you've never given it a try, this is the place to do that!

I cannot recommend this tour enough. The entire family that runs this tour is kind, friendly, and helpful. The ability to learn from them is something I will be forever grateful for. It is easily accessible from Florence by train. My husband had no pottery experience, and he still found the tour informative and the class portion helpful. As a hobby pottery, I enjoyed every minute of it.

It was an amazing, informative, and relaxing trip full of fun. The history of the area and beauty of the city were unmatched. They family was warm and welcoming and patient with us as we have never made pottery before. Will definitely recommend.

This was by far the most talked about experience of our entire trip! My daughter who loves pottery was in awe of the family history and their multi-generational workshop. Mateo was fantastic and full of energy. He was very attentive and he himself was a bit of a highlight. You could hear his passion for the family business and bringing it into this digital world with experiences like this. His father helped my daughter learn new ways to work on the wheel and she gladly took my turn and made two bowls! We look forward to doing it again when in Florence! S

The most amazing experience! I got to see the entire manufacturing process of the handmade pottery they make! Learning techniques from a master potter was so cool and I'll bring some new skills back with me. Matteo was very welcoming and the family shop is absolutely beautiful. Would definitely recommend if you love pottery or any kind of art, the artistry in the making is extremely impressive. Will definitely have to come back to beautiful Montelupo and visit!

We really enjoyed our pottery experience with Matteo, his family and their team. The workshop tour was fantastic and Matteo is clearly very passionate and proud of Montelupo’s history of ceramics and told us some fascinating facts about the surrounding area - he also gave us a great dinner recommendation back in Florence. It was our first time doing pottery of any description and Salvatore made it so enjoyable and light hearted and was a wonderful teacher - we were so pleased with our bowls and can’t wait to see how the team decorate them. We would throughly recommend this experience, thank you to Matteo, family and team.

From time of booking months ago Matteo could not have been more attentive! His mother, father and their business partner Alberto were all truly delightful. I felt so welcomed and their 5 generations of passion for ceramics shines. If coming from Florence it ia a 20 minute train ride from SMN to Montelupo for a minimal fare, then a 3 or 4 minute walk to their store front where I was greeted by Matteo, who then drove us to the factory where they are partners with the sweet Alberto. A tour of the workshop follows from clay to firing and painting, glazing processes. Nearly all the techniques date back to the Renaissance, 95% done by hand i would say. A true behind the scenes look and if you manage to chat with Alberto you are in for a treat! Then back to the main show room to see much of their finished works (you can order pieces you like which then get made to order and shipped to you) before you go upstairs to make your piece with the help (thank goodness!) of Matteo's father. When you finish your information is taken and any piece(s) you ordered and the one(s) you make will be painted and finished then shipped to you some 3 months later. I cannot wait to get all of my pieces! And you should definitely do this workshop! So so wonderful. I will be back xo

This was one of our best experiences in Italy! Matteo is a wonderful guide. His love and passion for what he does is infectious as he tells you about it all. First he brought us to the ceramics factory and showed us how it’s really done. Not at all what we expected was happening there. I don’t want to spoil the surprise of it for you, I can just tell you it was wonderful and so interesting. The workmanship of the employees/family is amazing. They even allow you in the “sample room” where you can pick and order pieces that they will customize for you. Then it’s back to the shop where we got to meet his beautiful parents, Salvatore and Betty, for a real ceramics lesson on the wheel. Not only is Salvatore a master craftsman but he is also a wonderful teacher. He taught us how to center and then we turned it into a beautiful bowl! He doesn’t just show you, he really teaches you with patience and love. You really feel welcome and loved around them all. I can’t wait to go back to visit and explore their wonderful town. I highly recommend the experience with this amazing family.

This was my absolute favorite experience in Italy and I cannot recommend it enough. Matteo and his family were absolute gems - kind, generous, welcoming, knowledgeable, and really made a point to make us feel at home while sharing their families art. Truly a one of a kind experience.

This was so fun! Matteo and his family are so nice. The tour was super interesting and making the pottery was a blast! It was my first time ever making pottery and it came out fantastic! It's a great experience for solo travelers.

I researched a few ceramics classes and chose this one based on its length. As a ceramics teacher I was able to determine what I thought would be the most complete experience. I chose wisely. What a tremendous treat. Matteo was a fabulous host and guide. We went expexlcting a class but were introduced to a process, family, and factory that has been doing this very thing for more than 500 years. We learned much about the history, the town, and we were surprised to learn just how prominent this town and the company are in todays world. I won't spoil anything. Salvatore was a great teacher. I learned some new things and my wife who is not someone that does ceramics had a great time. The location is a 20 minute train ride from Firenze S.M.N and then a 3 minute walk from Montelupo-Capraia station. Great pizza on one side of the shop and gelato on the other side. A beautiful family and an experience far more enjoyable than I ever expected.

My wife and I booked the experience with Matteo and his family the minute we saw it was available. It has been one of the highlights of our trip to Florence. We arrived early and were met by Matteo at the gallery with warmth, kindness, and enthusiasm, which lasted throughout the tour. We were taken through sourcing and preparation of the clay, through to the creation and finishing of the pieces with humour and innate knowledge of the craft. The expertise of each member of the studio was highlighted and is almost beyond comprehension. We also can't say enough nice things about Matteo's father, who will guide you through making your ceramic experience complete. It's not hard to see where Matteo's personality comes from. He really is the "rockstar of Montelupo!" If you have any interest in pottery or ceramics, this experience can't be missed. 11/10, no notes.

It was the highlight of my 10 day Firenze trip! I was speechless and enamored the entire time. You feel so special, see literal magic in the form of art, and feel like family the entire time - from Matteo, to his father, mother, brother, & all the other artists. Do yourself a favor and sign up. Only then will you understand why it is a prized experience.

This was a truly special experience. We were lucky enough to be the only guests so our tour was private. The tour brought us to the factory and the private showroom where we were able to see hundreds of pieces in various stages of completion. Salvatore gave us a quick yet masterful demonstration and we were able to meet the co-owner of the studio. After the tour , we returned to the studio where my wife was given a private throwing lesson with Salvatore. It was a magical day. Matteo was such an amazing host and guide. We felt like family when we left.

A wonderful experience hosted by a wonderful family. We were shown the passion of ceramic artistry and taught how to make pottery the Montelupo way.

This was one of if not the the funnest events my wife and I have ever done on Viator. Matteo had great communication beforehand and is such a genuinely fun and energetic person. The factory tour was amazing, as was meeting his family. His father is an amazing teacher and we were able to make some really cool pottery through his patient and caring instructions. This is truly worth the time and trip. This is a train almost every hour from Florence with the station only a 3 minute walk to the studio and the ride is only 30 minutes and cost $5. Do yourself a favor and do this fun adventure.

If I could give this experience 10 stars I would. I enjoyed the ceramic class in December last year and I found myself booking this again for next year. I feel terrible I don’t remember the name of who gave me the tour but he was one of the most welcoming people I’ve ever met. I was taken around Montelupo and learnt about their culture and history. I then had the opportunity to go to their warehouse which I was told not many people get to go to. I saw how their factory worked, I met the people and saw so many beautiful ceramics. I was then able to make my own bowls which I use almost every day and am in love with. I’ve been to Italy 3 times and this was by far my favourite experience. I cannot recommend doing this more!

Montelupo is less than 30 minutes from Florence by train, and the meet up point a five minute walk from the train station. I thought I signed up for a ceramics class but what happened was like “I found a long lost family” experience! I went to the storefront and met Matteo there, he then drove me to their factory a few minutes away. I was given a full tour of the making of their ceramics located on the ground floor and then was shown to the upstairs showroom with all their finished products. They ship them all over the world. I met the kindly grandfather at the factory. We returned to the storefront where I met his beautiful mother, she was so excited to show me all the new pottery and Christmas items on display. She was interested in knowing my opinion! The father came in soon after and took me into the next room for the ceramics class, he taught me to throw clay on the wheel. I had so much fun making 2 bowls. He was so patient. They will fire and glaze it for me then ship it to California. I highly recommend this experience, worth every euro!!!

This was probably my best experience in Italy in any of my visits! I was so happy to find something so unique before I even started. This excursion is also a bit different from the typical pasta, pizza, gelato, museums, and leather making you’d expect in Firenze. Which adds to just how special it is to attend. I was able to catch a quick train from Florence out to Montelupo which was about 20 minutes. The host Matteo was incredibly communicative and enthusiastic. I contacted him the day prior saying I was worried I would have a scheduling conflict with my next excursion. Matteo looked into it and said he would be able to get me back to the city with plenty of time. Upon getting off the train I was able to walk to the shop and see some of the beauty of the square. Matteo was outside waiting for me and that is where the fun part began. Matteo and his family gave me the type of welcome one would expect from Italy. His aunt was there and brought cookies and they were happy to share. I immediately felt like a friend. From there he took me to the factory where they work collaboratively with his studio. The factory was an interesting mix of seeing people work with their hands to craft beautiful pieces with speed and efficiency as well as seeing the ancient traditions of pottery being melded with modern industry to provide some beautiful pieces that go to famous retailers in the US. There was also a studio tour above the factory for all of the pieces in the collection available this season and my response was wide eyes and a loud “wow”. That was only half of the excursion. We returned to the studio where I was to throw some pottery on a wheel with Matteo’s father who is a master potter. This was a fun experience guided by someone with very practiced hands. I was able to make bowls and they would proceed to decorate them and ship to to me. All at the cost of the excursion. I added a more in depth pattern to the design so there was a small extra charge that was well worth it! Matteo and his family were by far the best part of an otherwise already amazing experience. Matteo and I got into a conversation about how different buildings are treated in Italy than in my country and he proceeded to take me down to a store at the end of the street that sold small items and had a statue in it from the 1300s that was just part of the landscape no matter what shop occupied it. This was incredibly interesting for me to see and I would have missed it otherwise if it weren’t for the incredibly welcoming Matteo. This excursion was recently rated one of the best on Air B and B for the area and that award as well as all the ones in the future are well deserved! If you are looking for an amazing and unique experience with some incredibly friendly and kind people I would strongly recommend you book this when you are in Florence.

From start to finish, this experience is for potters and pottery lovers. You start with a tour of a pottery factory and see the process from raw clay to shipping. Matteo was a wonderful guide, explaining all the steps. You get to wander around the showroom and have the opportunity to buy a hand-crafted piece that will be customized for you (or if you are like me, several pieces!). Then you head back to the family-owned shop to have his father, the master potter, teach you how to throw a perfect bowl! A lovely experience all around!

This is one of the best experiences we’ve had as global travelers. The ceramics shop is owned by the most amazing family - Matteo (the unofficial Mayor of Tuscan ceramics), his Dad Salvatore (a master ceramicist), mom Betty (the best hostess ever), and brother Marco (familial support!). Seeing a working ceramics factory was brilliant, seeing their catalog of ceramics was stunning, being given a short production-pottery lesson was fascinating… from top to bottom it was a truly incredible experience!

Fabulous experience - highly recommend! Learning about this family business and the history of ceramics in the area was fascinating.

This was one of our favorite experience in Italy! Matteo and his family were incredibly warm and welcoming throughout the entire experience, as were all of the people we ran into during the factory tour. We learned a ton, saw some beautiful ceramics, and learned a new technique for making bowls, that we are looking forward to mastering. Matteo, our host, is quite possibly the happiest man I've ever met in my life. His love of pottery and Montelupo burst out with every sentence. Also, the little town of Montelupo is lovely. We spend a little time before and after the tour walking around, it's beautiful and a nice escape from the busy city.

This excursion is amazing! Book it now! It is conducted by the owners of THE pottery plant that sells to Home Goods, Pottery Barn, William Sonoma, etc. When shopping at these stores, you can see La Galleria Niobe Forme d'Arte stamp on your purchase. Not only do you meet at their store, but then the owner drives you to their plant. You meet the very few artists who throw the pottery and hand paint EVERY piece. It is insane! You'll want to buy a lot of pieces. The tour ends with a private pottery class. You create the paint design you want and then they ship it to you. It was also very nice to see the Italian country side after a short train trip from the city. When I return, I'm renting a car and seeing the outskirts of Italy.

Are 10 stars an option? We had an incredible time with Marco and his family. The pottery process was fascinating and the opportunity to view the showroom made you want to buy it all. The instruction his father, Salvatore, provided was informative and very patient. Worth the short trip on the train to Montelupo from Florence.

If you're interested in pottery at all, looking for a unique experience off the beaten path, or just need a relaxing break from the intensity of touristy Florence, you can't go wrong with this class. Matteo said he likes to under promise and over deliver, so I won't spoil too much. I'll just say this whole experience was a wonderful, unique, and surprising excursion that made for a welcome break from the chaos of the San Giovanni and Santa Croce areas of Florence. First, the town of Montelupo is a quiet little outskirt of Florence with a legacy as a production hub for stonework and ceramics going all the way back to the 15th century. It's an easy 20-30 minute train ride away from the main station in Florence and the trains run very regularly. We had no trouble getting out there, and Matteo's storefront is a quick 5 minute walk from the station in Montelupo. My head was spinning from the non-stop din of crowded piazzas, museums, and restaurants, so arriving in Montelupo at 2:30PM, in the middle of their siesta, felt like a breath of fresh air. Finding Matteo's shop was simple. Matteo and his family were extremely welcoming, enthusiastic, and patient with us, a couple of yankees who speak next to no Italian. The actual class experience was expertly tailored for my wife and I. She's a beginner potter who had lots of questions about technique and styles, and I've literally never touched a pottery wheel in my life. Matteo Sr. did an excellent job of showing my wife some new techniques that differ from what she's taught in the U.S. He patiently demonstrated everything and then helped her get to the point that she could employ his expert techniques without his help. As for me, he showed me everything and then literally held my hands through the whole process. I definitely learned a lot and he was incredibly patient with me. The whole experience was joyful and we all laughed a lot at my ineptitude. And my wife and I came away each with a bowl that we made with our hands! Matteo set up shipping and let us pick out glazes for them so know that you will get to keep your creations. He also let us pick out some items from their showroom (without being pushy at all) and said he'd put a special message on them to memorialize the occasion. We were happy to buy some of their beautiful pottery and support a small, 200 year old family owned business. The whole experience was a little over 2 hours long. It was incredibly positive and relaxing and I would recommend it to anyone visiting Florence. Bonus: there's a small ceramics museum in Montelupo that covers the history of ceramic production in Montelupo during the Medici era through archeological discoveries in the area. It's a quick must see for any pottery nerds visiting the area.

It was a fun, educational experience, and everyone was incredibly friendly and informative. Would absolutely recommend.

This tour was maybe our favorite day of our 12 day tour of Italy. Matteo and his family went far above and beyond to share their family business and it's workings with us and made the day truly memorable. We received a private tour of their gallery, then to the factory to meet each of their employees who sweetly showed us the process, love, and art that goes into making each piece. We then had a chance to try our hand at throwing our own bowl, guided by Matteo's father. We were so glad that we left the chaos of the city to experience this beautiful afternoon in the quiet town of Montelupo. Don't miss it!

This experience was simply amazing! Matteo was extremely passionate, kind, and made this a truly personal experience. Some background: I know nothing about pottery besides the bare basics. My girlfriend is a hobbiest potter. Matteo made it simple enough for me to follow along and went into advanced concepts and ideas about pottery that my girlfriend found extremely valuable. He first took us in his car to the factory, where we saw the process from start to finish. We even were able to speak to some of the workers and they showed us how to do certain techniques and answered questions with enthusiasm. We were allowed to take our time, ask questions, investigate further, and learn so much about each step. The pottery made in the factory is all handmade, all Italian workers, a real small business family vibe that manages to make such popular pieces sold all over the world in very famous brands. After the tour, we then went to make pottery with his father who is a grandmaster potter. This essentially means that he is one of the leading experts in the world and can spin up amazing pottery in seconds with his bare hands. My girlfriend and I each made a bowl. Matteo’s father took his time to each us, correcting our errors and technique. He was extremely patient with us and allowed us to mess up and then would fix our mistakes and have us retry so we really learned. We were able to stay over because Matteo and his father knew that pottery meant a lot to us. We were able to select a glaze and have our finished work shipped to us. We also were able to buy pottery from the showroom as well. It’s quite amazing in there. If you have any interest in pottery and ceramics at all, this is a MUST see. If you don’t, this is still a fantastic way to see a real Italian art/craft at the family level. The surrounding town is close to Florence and also beautiful. I cannot say enough nice things about this experience. If you are reading this, sign up now!