Here is just a glimpse at what we are offering:

• Dine with stars Sharon Stone and Jeremy Irons at an exclusive post-concert gala dinner hosted by the highly rated winery Tenimenti d’Alessandro, famous not only for its 95+ rated wines but also its extensive contemporary art collection.
• Wine tasting, a tour of the estate and lunch at the prestigious Il Borro Wine Estate hosted by Salvatore Ferragamo himself.
• Tickets to the opening performance of the Festival in the intimate atmosphere of Cortona’s Teatro Signorelli. Dedicated to Argentina and its most seductive dance, legendary pianist Martha Argerich leads an exceptional night of Tango variations by composers such as Ginastera, Piazzolla and Bacalov. Attendance includes pre-concert and interval champagne and an exclusive post-concert reception and dinner in honor of the performers.

View the full itineraries here!

The Savoy Hotel, Florence

The beautiful, 5-star hotel located in the Piazza della Repubblica is the perfect place to sip “Flirt-inis, ”munch on olives and cheese and make new friends. The drinks are not for the budget-conscious traveler and the food is not for the educated pallet, however The Savoy Hotel proves its worth in its fun-loving atmosphere and the characters it attracts. There’s just something about this place.

As I like to say, “Sit outside at The Savoy and the action will come to you;” And that’s exactly what we did. Each day, within moments of taking our seats on the terrace a photo shoot would occur in front of our eyes, the Jersey Shore would stroll on by, or we would strike up a conversation with an international food, wine and travel writer. No matter what the occurrence, we could always count on stumbling upon at least two to three people that we know which would always turn into what we like to call, “a business meeting.” Perhaps this was simply a way of rationalizing the expensive drinks, but true nonetheless.

Amidst all the excitement, I must say the most amusement resulted from a relationship with a very special pigeon, who we later name “Alfred.” We were entertained for hours by Alfred as he twirled a piece of calamari around on his beak trying to eat it but mostly just tossing it from one end of the sidewalk to the other. Feeling sorry for the little guy we fed him a peanut. Bad idea. From this moment forward our table was a gold mine to Alfred and he would stop at nothing to reach it. His many attempts at our table included sneak attacks from the above umbrella. His exaggerated and ominous shadow inspired his name Alfred (like Alfred Hitchcock).

Maybe Florence has special pigeons (they do taste yummy there) or maybe we simply find fun in everything. Either way, happy hour at The Savoy Hotel is a sure way to observe the bustle of the magical city or Florence.

On our most recent trip to Tuscany we had a very special visit with a very special woman by the name of Pamela Sheldon Johns. A California native and well established chef and author whose recipes and stories have appeared in Cooking Light, Willams-Sonoma cookbooks, and several cookbooks of her own Pamela moved to Montepulciano about 10 years ago with her family and opened a bed and breakfast. She now offers cooking workshops all around Italy, from the Cinque Terre to Sicily and even offers private cooking classes from her home. The latter is what we had the pleasure of experiencing.

Our afternoon consisted of rolling picci pasta (my absolute favorite) on her kitchen table with a glass of prosecco and group of mother and daughters spending the week at the bed and breakfast. Our ingredients included Pamela’s homemade olive oil as well as herbs and vegetables from her garden in the backyard. All the while, her husband quietly prepared a beautiful four-course lunch that had been completely handmade by the group of women earlier that day. Lunch was served out on the terrace. Between the view of the countryside and the presentation of each course, the meal was a sensory circus.

One key character at the lunch table that I have not yet mentioned is Pamela’s adopted Grandfather, Viro. Though he spoke no English he somehow managed to become a vital part of this culinary affair.  I don’t quite know how to explain it. The old, grey Italian man never failed to keep a smile on his face and laugh along with an English-speaking group of Americans.

In fact, Pamela dedicated a section to Viro in her newest book, “Cucina Povera: Tuscan Peasant Cooking.” She was kind enough to let us preview the drafted copy that she has been working on over the past couple years which will be released in September. This inspiring book includes Pamela’s recipes but more importantly tells the story of her life in Tuscany as well as the dozens of unheard stories of the region. More than a wealth of culinary knowledge, Pamela shares her cultural insight in this unique new book.

Eventually the group of women set off on a shopping excursion within the city walls of Montepulciano (our favorite little shopping hub) and we chatted with Pamela over cappuccinos. We spoke about the challenges and pleasures of working in such a different culture.  Though she is a decade ahead of us our experiences are similar. Pamela has been blessed with much success, The New York Times rated her in the top 10 travel guides in the world (only 2 in Tuscany). However trials and tribulations were no stranger to her journey.

Pamela, Alaia, Courtney "Johnny" Johns, and Sugar; Photo credit: Andrea Wyner

Suddenly Pamela’s 14-year-old daughter arrived home from school. She was an endearing upbeat girl who almost bounced into the room. She skipped straight to her mothers lap to greet her and spoke the words that stunned me, “Ma, I need a pause. Can I please have McDonalds today?” Suddenly this home didn’t seem so different from an American one. Of course, the teenager prefers fast food to a home cooked meal prepared by a world-class chef. Some things remain the same no matter what country you are in.

Nevertheless, Pamela’s villa makes for the perfect stop on any girls trip.You will not find a more genuine Tuscan experience than one occurring within an authentic Italian home. An afternoon at Pamela’s is nothing short of an extraordinary meal and experience yet still preserves the simplistic sentiment of living and dining in Tuscany.

Bravo, Pamela!

The Tuscan Sun Festival is an annual music and art festival that includes signature world class concerts as well as an inspiring display of fine art, food, wine, local culture and history and much more. The remarkable itinerary can be found on the Tuscan Sun Festivals website and is the perfect event to accompany a girls trip to Tuscany.  If you have been waiting for a reason to travel to Tuscany, consider the Tuscan Sun Festival the perfect push to make you jump.

As if that’s not enough, Girls Fun Under The Tuscan Sun can customize your itinerary to give you the best of both worlds: the Tuscan Sun festival and everything else under the Tuscan sun.

Contact us now to book you trip!

This type of “magia” (magic) can only be found in Florence, Italy at Divino Tuscany, an event designed to celebrate winemaking in Tuscany.

Palazzo Corsini

Four Seasons Hotel in Florence

Sting and Trudie Styler

The impressive itinerary spans from June 2nd through June 5th. Tickets to the entire festival can be purchased for €1596 per person or separately for each tasting event for €150 per person.

For the sophisticated traveler Divino Tuscany is the perfect way to relish in the absolute best of the best in the Tuscan region.

Happy travels fellow Tuscan-lovers! And, if you happen to dine with Sting and Trudie, please give them a “ciao” for us!