Spannocchia Tours & Activities
This list offers guests a brief overview of the tours and classes we offer at Spannocchia. For more information, prices and availability, please contact our guest services coordinator, Lucia Sonetti; guestservices@spannocchia.org
A note about our Education Director: Katie Phelan graduated from the Slow Food-founded University of Gastronomic Sciences in Parma in 2009 with a Master’s degree in Food Culture and Communications. She worked as a food writer in Ireland and Paris before coming to Spannocchia in February 2010. Katie’s passion lies in education, specifically in the dissemination of information pertaining to exceptional food that has been produced in a mindful manner.
Historical Tour
Your host will guide you through the Castello and its grounds. You will learn about the architecture of the Castello, the histories of the Cinelli and Spannocchi families, the mezzadria sharecropping system (by which Spannocchia operated for centuries) and past and present agricultural activities on the property. You’ll visit the chapel, the library, the cantina, the secret garden and lastly (weather permitting), you’ll climb Spannocchia’s medieval tower for a breath-taking view of the 1100 acres of rolling hills and farmland surrounding the Castello. All of the sites and information presented throughout the tour will help Spannocchia guests to better understand the history of the area and our passion for sustainable living. Duration: about 2 hours.
Time: Flexible
Price: FREE
Traditional Tuscan Cooking Class
The cooking class begins at 9 am with a tour through the vegetable garden at Spannocchia. Carmen, our Ortolana, will describe the cycle of the various crops through the year and her methods for providing the kitchen with fresh, flavorful products. Then to the kitchen, where along with Loredana we will prepare a three course Tuscan meal utilizing food products from the estate. The first course might be handmade pasta such as tagliatelle, ravioli, gnocchi or pici, or perhaps the typical “ribollita” Tuscan soup, or in summer a simple but delicious bread salad called “panzanella”. For our second course we may choose between our own farm-raised pork, beef, or lamb or perhaps even wild game, and this will be accompanied by fresh vegetables direct from the garden. We finish with a traditional dessert such as cantucci cookies with Spannocchia vin santo, pinenut cake, tiramisu, or our renowned chocolate salame.
A vegetarian menu is also available, and we will try to fill requests for specific recipes as long as they fall within the traditions of this local region. Each lesson concludes with lunch, tasting all the dishes created during the morning class, accompanied by Spannocchia wine and spring water.
Loredana Betti grew up on Spannocchia in the 1950’s when her family were tenant farmers here. As a young girl she learned how to prepare the traditional fare of the region and eventually developed a talent notable even in this area where every housewife seems capable of culinary magic. For nearly twenty years, Loredana cooked for the Cinelli family and Spannocchia’s students and guests, until her retirement few years ago to spend more time with her three grandchildren. She still loves to produce wonderful meals for friends and family, and enjoys staying involved at Spannocchia with her weekly classes in the kitchen she knows so well.
Time: 9:00-2:30 pm weekdays (includes lunch)
Price: 60 Euro per person - Student Group rate (minimum of 8 students); 90 Euro per person - Regular rate
Bambini in Cucina **NEW**
At Spannocchia we understand the importance of experiential learning, especially for the littlest of hands. We have designed a cooking class for 6 to 10 year olds that encourages them to form deeper relationships with their food, the place it comes from, and the person who has produced it. Katie will begin with a trip to the vegetable garden. Here, the children will pick an ingredient of their choice to be incorporated into their lunch. We’ll also meet Carmen, our gardener, and learn about worms and compost and all the cool stuff that happens within the walls of our Orto. Next to the kitchen for prep! Our recipes will get kids stuck in; fresh pasta, meat balls in sauce, real pizza, focaccia, salame dolce, panzanella, mini burgers, fruit salads, meringues, gelato… lots of hands-on work guaranteed! Together we will create a 2-course lunch (with snacks) in a fun and educational atmosphere. Lunch will be served in the dining room at 12.30. Not only is this a fun way for kids to spend a morning at Spannocchia, it allows parents time to relax or perhaps check out a local winery. Ottimo!
Time: 9.30am to 1pm, Thursdays (includes lunch)
Price: 30 Euro per child, minimum of 4 participants, maximum of 8
Bees & Honey
Agronomist Andrea Battino introduces participants to the wonderful world of bees! Andrea explains bee dances, bee keeping history and honey production. If it’s not too cold, or too hot, Andrea may just bring some bees along too. He concludes by leading the group through a honey tasting of several different varieties. The class lasts approximately 2 hours.
Time: Weekdays, depending on availability
Price: 75 Euro per group
Olives and Olive Oil
Have you ever wanted to know the whole story about olive oil and why it is such a prized product? Did you know olive oil is like wine, with different blends, and that there is a correct way of tasting it (and it isn’t on bread!)? Katie Phelan, Spannocchia’s Education Director, talks about the history of olives and olive oil, and explains how olive oil is produced. We’ll take a walk in the olive orchard and learn a little bit about olive trees from a botanical perspective. The class concludes with a guided tasting of several Tuscan oils — including our own award winning Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Duration: approximately 1.5 hours.
Time: Weekdays, flexible
Price: 5 Euro per person, minimum of 10
Cinta Senese Tour & Tasting
Do you know what a Cinta Senese is? Do you know how prosciutto is made? Spannocchia’s Education Director Katie offers a close-up look at our Noah’s Ark rare breed animals, our organic artisan meat production and the typical salumi (salt-cured meats) that we create. The tour includes a walk to see the pigs in their habitat, a glimpse into our seasoning/curing room, and finishes with a guided tasting of our salumi products such as salame, prosciutto, capocollo and lardo. This tour is highly informative, a lot of fun, and very, very tasty! Duration: about 2 hours.
Time: Weekdays, flexible
Price: 10 Euro per person, minimum of 6
Self-guided Nature Walk
Discover the native Tuscan flora and fauna through a self-guided nature walk on the Spannocchia grounds. A short pamphlet will guide you through our interactive museum, Casetta del Bosco, and continues through the Secret Garden, with examples of nearly every type of tree present in our surrounding forests. There is a good chance you will see or at least hear many birds on your walk, so bring binoculars if you have them!
Price: FREE
Vegetable Garden Tour
Spannocchia’s Garden Manager introduces participants to Spannocchia’s organic vegetable gardens. She explains why we choose to be organic and the different aspects of organic gardening including: crop rotation, cover crops, the creation and use of compost, and our two greenhouses. As she guides participants through the different areas of the garden, she explains the different seasonal crops growing, pointing out heirloom varieties and typical Tuscan crops grown only in this area. She also includes details about crop storage and transformation into secondary products like tomato sauce and pesto.
Time: 9am weekdays
Price: 50 Euro per group (when not done as part of cooking class)
Spannocchia’s Wine Production; a tour with Katie
Take a guided tour in our vineyards where, just maybe, we’ll hear Angelo’s dulcet voice from deep within the rows. Learn all about Spannocchia’s viti and viniculture, visit the cantina and finish with a tasting of Spannocchia’s vino rosso and bianco along with Tuscan bread and some of Spannocchia’s salumi — the perfect taste triad. Katie is happy to answer any questions you have about wine, in any context. And her ultimate nugget of advice? Keep drinking!
Time: Weekdays, flexible
Price: 10 Euro per person, minimum 4 people
Wine Demystification Class with Katie Phelan
This is a wine tour with a difference - at Spannocchia we tell it like it is! Oenology is a tricky business but appreciating good wine doesn’t have to be. What exactly is wine? What does terroir mean? What is a super Tuscan? From demijohns to D.O.C. labeling, together we will demystify the wine culture of Italy, with a little help from the very visually (and certainly nasally) stimulating aroma board. If you like, we can head into the vines for part of the discussions too. We will conclude with a tasting from at least five of Italy’s wine regions.
Time: Weekdays, flexible
Price: 180 Euro per group of 1-8 participants, for groups exceeding 8 (in multiples of 8), there will be a supplementary charge of 80 Euro. This is to cover the cost of extra tasting bottles.
Pasta in Italy; a class with Katie
Passionate about pasta? You will be! Pasta is synonymous with Italy — but why? If you would like to know the historical, cultural and geographical reasons behind certain methods of pasta production and consumption in Italy, this class will provide you with the perfect introduction. Through discussion (and just a little experimentation!), you will come to a better understanding of how pasta is made and how important it is within the Italian diet.
Time: Weekdays, flexible
Price: 7 Euro per person, minimum 5 people
Italian Regional Food Culture; a class with Katie
If you’ve every asked for lambrusco in Lecce, an arancino in Alto Adige or pecorino in Parma, you’ll know that Italians are deeply allied to their region in terms of food culture and identity. In this class, we’ll investigate the reasons behind regional food mentalities in Italy and how this has had an effect on other food cultures — specifically in the United States. We will discuss a number of Italian regions and their associated food ways and products; from knödel in Bolzano to sweet pastries in Sicily… it’s no wonder that Italy is a gastronome’s dream. Time: Weekdays, flexible Price: 7 Euro per person, minimum 5 people
Italian Language Lessons
Learn the basics of the Italian language during your stay at Spannocchia! Instructor Valeria is available for private or group lessons. Lessons usually focus on basic grammar and vocabulary, and Valeria always encourages conversation in class! Learn how to order at restaurants, ask about bus schedules, and find out where the nearest bathroom might be. Valeria’s teaching style is flexible and she can accommodate all levels of proficiency and can tailor the class to your particular interest (art, cooking, history, farming, etc). Each class lasts one hour and Valeria will provide lesson materials.
Time: Monday through Friday, Flexible
Price: 35 Euro per hour for private or small group lessons (less than 5 people); 40 euro per hour for more then 5 people
Basket Making Course
This course intends to give one a technical base on the intertwining of the wicker, summoning the manual and creative capabilities inherent in everyone. In each lesson, which lasts about 4 hours, participants make a small basket for fruit or bread.
Time: The lesson will take place Tuesday morning or another day that everyone agrees upon.
Price: The cost per person, per lesson is 20 euro. There is a minimum of 2 people and maximum of 4 people.
T’ai Chi
We can arrange for a local T’ai chi teacher to come to Spannocchia in the mornings before or after breakfast to lead participants through a series of stimulating and invigorating poses to get creative juices flowing. To arrange classes for your group, please send us the dates, times and number of participants.
Time: Mornings
Price: 30 Euro per lesson for a group of 3-6 people
Reflexology Treatment
The reflexologist works on pressure points on your feet or hands. Treatment sessions last between 30 minutes to 1 hour, depending on your body’s needs. For your convenience, the Reflexologist speaks English. Please let us know the date, time and number of people in your group who are requesting this service.
Time: Flexible
Price: 35 Euro per treatment
Massage
Offer your participants a break from work or study — we can arrange a Shiatsu full-body massage to ease away your travel pains and provide a moment of pure relaxation. The message is done by a certified masseur and typically lasts one hour. Please let us know the date, time and number of people in your group who are requesting this service.
Time: Flexible
Price: 45 Euro per hour
