Have you ever traveled to a new place and been taken by the hand of a friend who lives there and who shared the best experiences with you? Someone who knew where to go to enjoy the best food and cultural spots? Someone who knew how to get around in a relaxed way?
If you have always dreamed of seeing Tuscany, why not come as a guest with us, where the best of everything is already in place just waiting for you?
Tuscany is Carol’s ancestral homeland, and she has spent the past thirty years exploring and discovering the best places and experiences.
Her business partner, Alessandra Marchetti, a native Florentine, art historian, and the city’s best tour guide is also an expert on Michelangelo. She was born and still lives in a villa that was owned by the Artist in the hills above Florence. It was in her house that Carol wrote her book, The Stonecutter’s Aria.
Since 2013, they have created the most exclusive, small group excursions in Florence and within the region of Tuscany available today.
Step into the heart of Tuscany with a stay at our beautifully restored 17th-century villa. Surrounded by lush olive groves and sprawling vineyards, this spacious home offers the perfect blend of history and comfort. Unwind in one of the five cozy bedrooms, each with its own private bath and stunning views of the Tuscan landscape. Whether you’re lounging by the pool, enjoying a peaceful corner of the garden, or savoring a glass of local wine on the terrace, our villa provides the perfect space for relaxation and reflection. After a day of exploring the region, return "home" for a delightful dinner, feeling truly immersed in the beauty and tranquility of Tuscany.
We create a week of beauty and immersive experiences for our guests and no two weeks are alike. Because we take very small groups, we have the flexibility to customize the itinerary. This is one of the reasons many of our guests return with us year after year. Here are just a few of the special and exclusive experiences that await you.
Joining a truffle hunt in Tuscany is no easy invitation to obtain. There is an exclusive and secretive aura around finding truffles that is closely guarded. Fortunately for our guests, we are friends with a family who produces delicious products from the truffles they find. Taking a romp through the woods with their darling truffle dogs, then sitting down to a sumptuous fettucine lunch with the family in their beautiful home is a real treat. Watching them shave the very fresh truffle onto homemade pasta is a singular experience. Truffles begin to deteriorate soon after they are captured, so if you’ve enjoyed truffled pasta in a restaurant, you cannot imagine how superior this plate of pasta truly is.
The doors of an historical residence in Florence owned by our friends are open when we bring a small group of guests with us. In this case, one of the most beautiful olive estates near Florence is a Villa built 500 years ago by the Gherardini Family, known for Leonardo da Vincis’ most famous portrait sitter. We enjoy a private tour of the chapel, first floor and gardens of this magnificent home. The hospitality of the current owners (the family has owned it since the 1800s), extends to the dining table, where the matriarch and her two children prepare a traditional Tuscan meal for us, paired with high quality local wines.
The late Signora Simonetta Puccini, the maestro’s granddaughter and last living
descendant, created a foundation which is based in the home where Giacomo Puccini lived
and composed most of his masterpieces.
In 2013, prior to her death in 2018, Signora Puccini read Carol Faenzi’s book, The Stonecutter’s Aria, which is partially a tribute to her famous grandfather. She invited Carol and her group to the home to enjoy a private concert in the salon the year we launched the Aria tour and we continue to have an open invitation.
Accompanied on Puccini’s very piano (recently restored and only allowed to be played on a
few times per year), a glittering soprano steps into the room and sings many of Puccini’s most
famous arias from Madama Butterfly, Manon Lescaut, la Boheme and others.
This isn’t just a concert. It’s time travel. Our time there includes a private tour of the home. Our donation from our tour proceeds goes directly to maintaining the home and educational outreach.
A number of years ago, thousands of people stood in line at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City to view an exhibit under glass of many of Michelangelo’s drawings, poems, and letters. In this private visit to the Scholar’s room, a selection of these are brought out for our private viewing. Alessandra is an expert on Michelangelo, and the provenance of her home which was owned by him, grants us access to this archive. The donation made from the proceeds of our tour go directly to restoring documents in the archive.
Carol’s great grandfather was a marble carver and opera singer in Carrara, Italy, the site of the purest white marble in the world. Romans started excavating marble 2,000 years ago and there is still a vast amount of it that remains.
Carol’s book, The Stonecutter’s Aria, chronicles the life of her great grandfather and his immigration journey to America. The trip up to the quarries is by jeep and we take an adventurous ride up to the top. Our guide shares the facts, myths, and legends about the marble, including Michelangelo’s frequent visits to choose perfect blocks for his masterpieces. Carol will read an excerpt from her book, as our guests enjoy the incredible view of mountains and sea.
Because we believe in keeping things simple and carefree during your time with us, we include everything in the tour fee except airfare, travel insurance, visits that require a donation, and gratuities. That means every glass of wine and every meal is covered. Most tours do not include everything in order to appear less expensive. All you have to do is arrive and we take care of the rest.