San Gimignano And Winery Experience With Light Lunch From Lucca

Off the bat, we went on this tour in early September, to give you an idea of how potentially there might be some differences in the look of the scenery and numbers of people in San Gimignano. Now, the good bit!!! Our driver, Massimo, was a really nice chap. Very friendly, spoke really good English and very funny. He was also very knowledgeable about the area we were in and the other surrounding areas. From Lucca, the drive to San Gimignano was apparently an hour or so, but it doesn't feel that long. You get to stop at a couple of places on the way for photos (we didn't have great weather but I think with the sun out, these photos would be 'canvas-worthy'!!) San Gimignano is a lovely place, with more chances to see the amazing Tuscan countryside and also plenty of shops etc., should you want to spend your 'hard-earned' there. You will find this out from your driver, but they love a bell tower there, and there is one that you can climb (though my wife and I had been up Torre Guinigi in Lucca the day before and presumed that it would be a similar experience (busy and confined at the top). I think on a sunny day, it would very much be worth the fight with the other tourists for the view/photos you could get, but just not for us. Side note, it is very, very busy and in the sunshine, I would think busier still The winery was something else!! Again, if it's not biblically raining, it would be AMAZING, but even through the wall of water, it was fantastic. Amazing buildings and surrounding area were just 'wow', though as we were leaving, someone from another group who had just arrived slipped over (due to the rain), so just be wary of that (I'm sure this isn't a frequent incident) Food was awesome and there was a decent amount (I'll not spoil the surprise), and you get 6-10 wines to try, depending on if you ask about any other wines on the list... The host left us with open bottles on the table, so you can top yourselves up, if the wine you like is there. Host and staff were really lovely and attentative, and always happy to help with anything. You can buy bottles to take there and then or arrange for them to be shipped. Just to warn, there are no £7.00 bottles of wine here, but you can get some around £30-£40 bottles, which we have bought for special occasions (as we're not necessarily big wine drinkers on a weekly basis). The trip back to Lucca was the same as the way there, though being a little 'lubricated' you might find that everyone is a bit more chatty. All in all, we had an amazing day and Massimo was a bit part of that. San Gimignano is another amazing place that we wouldn't have known about or seen, without this tour, so really pleased to have gone. Winery was AMAZING, and I guess you would only go on this tour if you like wine in the first place, so you will love it. I am jealous for you!!!

The experience was great. We had Emilia as our tour guide and she was incredible. So full of knowledge, insight and passion for the region - it was infectious. We loved our trip to San Gimingano, our only criticism is it wasn't enough time for us to do everything. Gorgeous little town that is well worth the visit for the incredible building, delicious ice cream, and stunning views of the Tuscan region. We then headed to the winery. Let me be clear, the "light lunch" was a full three course meal including tasting platter, lasagne and then a beef and vegetables dish. It was all delicious but way more than we expected, so don't fill up before hand. Then we had a relaxing trip back with a couple of more pointers about the region before returning to Lucca and home. A really great tour that went quick because of how enjoyable it was. Thank you Emilia!

I stayed at Lemon Tree Hotel, Baddi from 6th to 7th September and had a wonderful experience. The staff was very polite, the room was neat and comfortable, and the food was tasty. The pool area was really great and relaxing. Overall, I am very happy with my stay. – Pardeep Kumar

This was a very good tour but the most excellence goes to our guide Massimo. He was informative, knowledgeable and fun. The long drive seemed shorter because of all the information he provided along the way. He even had exceptional information about the wines we tasted and how to best enjoy them. He made this experience much more than 5 stars for my husband and me.

Our guide Simona was very knowledgeable, warm and interactive and was able to answer any questions asked. We were given ample time to visit each site.

The whole trip was amazing but the best was our tour guide!!!! She made the whole experience easy and fun!

I must say that my parents and I, as well as the rest of the people on the tour today were very disappointed that we only experienced one winery. The description says wine tasting in both Siena and San Gimignano and we only had the one tasting in San Gimignano. The time spent in Siena was wasting 2 1/2 to 3 hours before returning to San Gimignano for a short tasting with mediocre wine compared to what we have been experiencing. The olive oil tasting consisted of five bottles of olive oil and some balsamic being dropped at the table with little packets of bread. This was a birthday gift for my father and we all walked away very disappointed. Stephen was wonderful and we tipped him accordingly. We all felt very misled as to what our expectations were from the description of the tour compared to what we actually received. I would like to hear back as to what you would consider to be the fulfillment of your duties as the tour operator. Thank you and I’ll look forward to hearing back from you. Nancy Pope

This tour was great if you only have a little time and want to see a few parts of Tuscany. The morning in Siena was not crowded at all. Spent a lot of time in the Duomo. San Gimignano was beautiful. Massimo our guide was very helpful. Generous pours at vineyard.

Absolutely amazing experience, had the best time going around these beautiful cites with such a good driver who's also an incredible guide that truly wants to give us the best experience and reveals more about the beautiful culture here! I felt truly happy being on this tour, learning about and seeing the beautiful Tuscan history and nature. Beautiful cities, beautiful culture, an incredible guide and happy memories, what more could a curious tourist ask for?😁❤️ ... Ah yes, excellent wine too!

It was accurate tour, just as was promised. Massimo, our driver, was great to lift the spirits and to explain the surrounding. We had great time in Duomo di Siena and with the world champion jellato in San Gimigniano. The winery La Marronaia had an exellent view to make photos and we tasted wonderful proseco, vermencino and two chianties with some antipasta and various extravirgin oils. Every moment was wonderful.

This full day tour was perfectly managed by our driver, Stefano and his partner in the other vehicle. We arrived at our destinations as promised, and were free to explore San Gimignano on our own. A little bit more time (and perhaps , a guide), would have been appreciated. Our time in Siena was excellent, and our guide Kieria, was full of informative and wonderful stories about the city, and her life there. The final stop at a nearby winery was terrific. We sampled excellent wine, and enjoyed a perfect light lunch overlooking the Tuscan country side.

<p>Our Guide was Michele who was very insightful and entertaining . San Gimignano and Sienna was very picturesque and the history of both is so fascinating. The last stop of the tour was a quaint Organic Winery in the Tuscan Hills, what a lovely way to end the day.<br/> Thoroughly enjoyed this tour.</p>

<p>Another fabulous trip! San Gimignano was by far my favorite town! Don't miss this! And the wine tasting at the vineyard is an amazing experience- very true to a Tuscan style! Loved everything about this trip and our guide, Luca, was also wonderful! He was so enjoyable, answered lots of questions, kept smiling all day long!</p>

<p>Luca is a very energetic and enthusiastic tour guide. His Engliah is excellent and easy to understand. His knowledge, interest and lore of Tuscany makes the destinations all the more interesting. </p> <p>He met us in the town center of Lucca, where we were staying. It was not automobile accessible, so he came to our Bed and Breakfast and escorted us to the air-conditioned Mercedes van that was located about three blocks away. He was right on time.</p> <p>He was both the tour guide and driver. He then picked up the other riders in Lucca and Pisa and drove us on toe San Gimignano. He gave us the correct pronunciation so we could practice it a few times before our arrival. Meanwhile, we would point out sites along the way. We saw the Tower of Pisa from a distance, the olive orchards, vineyards, marble quarries, the Apennines, ruins from the middle ages and explaining some of the histories in the locations that we were driving through. Luca explained the importance of the different types of marble and how green marble was often used in the churches. Today the green looks almost black. The supply of green marble is so rare now, that it is hard to find to mine nowadays. </p> <p>He provided us with maps of San Gimignano and walked us through the town, pointed out several points of interest, explaining their significance and allowed us about 45 minutes of free time to explore on our own. With the town being relatively small but with a lot of interesting shops and architecture, it proved about the right amount of time. After a 15-minute wait, one of our guests never showed up. Lucca walked back into town and found her. We waited perhaps another 15 minutes. He was very good about handling the situation and not embarrassing the lady nor making much mention as to what occurred. </p> <p>Our next stop was Siena. What a magnificent town. We opted for the personal tour. A local guide, Michela, who grew up in Siena, gave us a detailed account of the town. He started by taking us into St. Catherines Cathedral. There, he was able to explain to us the significance of the large paintings, the viewing of her head and finger. He did thoroughly explain her history. </p> <p>We then walked around the town where he pointed out the architecture, its significance, the place where St. Catherine grew up, the neighborhood boundary markers that are still used today, whereby there are about 16 major groups that make up the annual horse racing that each neighborhood sponsors horse and rider. Micheles descriptions made the place come alive at times. We also saw photos of the horse racing in Sienas main plaza.</p> <p>Michele then gave us free time, about 45 minutes to get back to our van and to grab a bite a lunch. This proved to be exactly the time we needed. We all got back into the van and toured the Tuscan countryside as we headed back toward San Gimignano. We went to a reconverted farm house that now houses an organic winery just across the valley, where you could easily see many of San Gimignanos towers. </p> <p>The wine and olive oil samplings were served on outdoor tables under needed umbrellas as the sun was out and no clouds visible. It was very relaxing, peaceful. We had plenty of time to stretch our legs, purchase any wine/olive oil that we may have wanted. </p> <p>Then we had another beautiful drive back to Pisa and Lucca to drop off us passengers. Luca was very attentive, fun to be with, and drove quite well. We had zero white knuckle moments! </p> <p>The tour, the Mercedes van and Luca made this tour an exceptional value for the money spent. Trying to find places to park and negotiate driving in these towns would be difficult for a person unfamiliar with the region. The tour in small groups may cost a little more, but you get so much more out of it. You are able to ask more questions, hear everything that is going on, have a tour that may be slightly tailored to the groups interest. </p> <p>Thank you, Luca!</p>

<p>We had a wonderful day! Alessandra and Piero were so knowledgeable and friendly. We 2 travelers were picked up in Lucca at our hotel on time and greeted with a welcoming smile. Two additional couple were picked up along the way and Alessandra kept the conversations going. Once in San Gimignano and Siena, Alessandra walked us to the main areas explaining the sights and then we were allowed time to explore the areas ourselves. We were allowed ample time to explore. Then we went to a winery with a beautiful view of San Gimignano. We sampled wine and were given cheese, Bread, olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Bellisimo! Would highly recommend this tour!</p>

<p>A great day with Alex and Luca. They were really informative and showed us around a bit and then let us explore on our own. We traveled with our 6 year old and she really enjoyed the ride, the walk through the towns and of course the food. We paid for a private guide in Siena and we walked with Chiara. She had a wonderful sense of humor and was extremely knowledgeable about Siena, since she was born there and still lives in town. We highly recommend this tour with the add on of the private tour!</p>

<p>Our driver/ tour guide, Luca, was a charming and informative travel companion. He was very helpful during he entire tour. In Siena Chiara showed us around town, and was very helpful in explaining the history of Siena. The wine-tasting on the way back was delightful</p>

<p>the driver that picked us up was excellent and very knowledgeable and funny. He made the tour very pleasant despite the rain storms. San Gimignano was wondrous. then we went to siena, we also booked a guide for Siena that I would not recommend. she was not at all interested in really spending time with the group and would not wait for those who were physically impaired and could not keep up. She could not wait to get to her next group that were waiting at the end of her whistlestop very brief guide. I would not recommend this part of viewing Siena, that was very disappointing. The wine tasting was fabulous, the staff were tremendous and the owner went out of his way to provide us with additional entertainment, wine and food that we were not expecting.</p> <p>I would recommend the tour but don't bother with a tour guide in Siena</p>

<p>Really enjoyed this tour especially San Giamatti and the view of it from the wonderful vineyard <br/> Thank you to our guide lucca</p>

<p>Though it was an early start and a long day, this was a great trip. Our guide/driver Emilia was lovely - so friendly, bubbly, and a fountain of knowledge. We opted to have a specialist guide in Siena and she too was terrific. San Gimignano and Siena are both beautiful and just wish we could have had more time in each. Perhaps a separate tour to San Gimignano might be possible in future? We also enjoyed the wine tasting at the end of the day so wouldn't wish to miss out on that. A very worthwhile and excellent value tour.</p>