As you consider a culinary tour of Tuscany, here's some food for thought: which is the greater Italian treasure: Michelangelo's David or a perfect little gnocchi in butter with a confetti of fresh sage? We're only half-joking when we argue that the landmarks of Florence, Siena and Tuscany's gorgeous hilltowns barely distract us from the wonderful food of the region. So we've given in to our appetites and arranged a few special Tuscan culinary tour departures that emphasize the tastes of Tuscany. As with every Classic Journey, we've planned walks so you'll miss none of the historic or scenic high points. But we've also arranged visits to private and hotel kitchens for tips on how to create the classics of the Tuscan menu. We'll have tastings of wine and olive oil. Visit cheese makers and bakers. Experience firsthand how Italians cook and eat at home. (And just think how much more your friends will enjoy your snapshots when you serve them with that crostata di ricotta you whipped up for dessert.) New Year's Eve in Tuscany! Toast the New Year in the city of Renaissance. You’ll end the year with a festive celebration dinner in Florence...followed by an open-air classical concert in Piazza della Signoria, the city’s most famous square. This unforgettable journey includes three nights in Cortona and three nights in Florence. Call 800-200-3887 for a detailed itinerary. Space is limited.

DAYS 1-3 - FLORENCE
We meet in Florence (3 nights). From our luxurious convent-turned-hotel, we explore the Duomo, the Ponte Vecchio and the rest of the city’s Renaissance splendors on foot. We’ll also pay a morning visit to San Lorenzo, the Florentines’ mind-boggling main market.

Out in the Mugello Valley, a walk includes a visit with a cheese-making shepherd followed by a cooking instruction and dinner in a friend’s farmhouse kitchen. We’ll also top off a stroll in Chianti’s vineyards with a little cooking in a country home…then visit the hilltop village of San Gimignano with its skyline of medieval towers.

DAYS 4-7 - CORTONA 
Passing through fields of sunflowers, we drive to Siena where superb sightseeing is matched with pasta-rolling tips in the noble home of another of our culinary acquaintances. Ending the day in Cortona (3 nights), we explore its Etruscan stone walls and wander the village streets depicted in Frances Mayes’ book Under the Tuscan Sun. After breakfast overlooking Lake Trasimeno, we walk to Montepulciano’s oldest winery and taste the locally pressed olive oil. On our final full day, we visit Catherine de Medici’s favorite Roman bath and walk the olive groves near Montalcino before a festive farewell dinner.