Tastes & Textiles: Wine to Dye For
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2025: September 9–19 (CONFIRMED DEPARTURE)
2026: September 8–18 Availability: 2025: FULL (waitlist only)| 2026: 9 places Sign up for our newsletter to receive updates This small-group textile and food tour takes you to the cities of Pistoia and Pescia and the Renaissance hunting reserves of the Medici dynasty in Tuscany. Our game is their textile and culinary traditions, both preserved and renewed. You encounter rich silks woven for the church and aristocracy and the handiwork of peasant women. In Florence you learn about velvet and brocade. You weave a basket with marsh reeds, try your hand at the vanishing art of making watermarked paper, learn to knot a fishnet and embroider it and do workshops with a young man who has discovered the magic of using his wine as a mordant for dyeing leather and fabric. You'll dine in private homes and at a biodynamic vineyard, analyse what green tastes like during an olive oil tasting, and find out how to make pecorino cheese. Very small group (only 8–10 guests). Extend your stay: a 5-night extension to visit weavers and food producers in Sardinia. Find out more at Tastes & Textiles: Sea Silk in Sardinia You may also be interested in Our new Tastes & Textiles tour Carpet Weavers of Sardinia, the original Tastes & Textile tour Hanging by a Thread (not running this year, but if you're interested, I'll try to programme it for 2026) and our most popular tour Tastes & Textiles: Woad & Wool To request a booking form email [email protected] |
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Itinerary at a glance Pistoia Day 1 — Meet at Palazzo Puccini, Pistoia, and welcome dinner Day 2 — Get acquainted with Pistoia (European Capital of Culture 2017), visit textile museum and family producer of wedding sweets Day 3 — Day in Florence with visits to: Fondazione Lisio which is dedicated to weaving velvets and brocades by hand, Scuola di Cuoio which carries forward the leather tradition of Florence in modern designs Day 4 -- Basket-making workshop with marsh reeds, visit crocheted model of a Tuscan town, olive oil tasting ‘What does the colour green taste like?’ Day 5 — Free morning; vineyard tour, tasting & lunch; meet the Etruscans Day 6 — Filet a modano (embroidery on fishnet) workshop at Medici villa, tour of villa Pistoia to Pescia Day 7 — Transfer to Fattoria La Torre (Montecarlo), dyeing workshop using wine Day 8 — Use dyed leather and cloth to make a handbag Day 9 — Visit coppersmith, lunch from his pots & pans, watermarked paper workshop, Tuscan cocktails and felicette (not telling) Day 10 — Visit cheesemaker and farm, tasting lunch, visit villa with 17th-century silk bed hangings and grandfather’s needlepoint Day 11 — Departure For more details, please click Itinerary tab above and read text in window below it Highlights of tour Fibre & Textile Experiences
Gastronomic Experiences
History, Art & Architecture
Other Activities
For more details, please click Itinerary tab above To request a booking form email [email protected] |
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Pistoia Day 1: Tuesday Arrive at Pistoia train station and find your own way to Palazzo Puccini, an elegant B&B inside the old city of Pistoia. Introduction to the tour and dinner in quirky restaurant Il Capitano. Accommodation: Palazzo Puccini, Pistoia | Meals: dinner Day 2: Wednesday Since we’re spending the next five days in and around Pistoia, today we become acquainted with its charms. Today is the weekly market and you have some free time to look around the stalls. Just off the main piazza is the Palazzo Rospigliosi where we have a private tour of a collection that calls itself an embroidery museum, but is far more than that. The objects ranging from undergarments to handbags to a stunning depiction of the Miracle of the Madonna del Letto (Madonna of the Bed) gives us an insight into the daily lives of women of only a generation or two ago. After a light lunch we meet Michela ‘Miky’ Ricciarelli who was born and bred in Pistoia. The love of her city radiates from her eyes and her smile as she takes us to some of her favourite places and recounts the history and legends surrounding them. Dinner at Ristorante Rafanelli, a beacon of good eating in Pistoia since it opened in 1927. After nearly a century, it is still run by the same family. Accommodation: Palazzo Puccini, Pistoia | Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner Day 3: Thursday We catch the train to Florence for private tours of Fondazione arte della seta Lisio and Scuola di Cuoio. Both institutions were originally set up as private charities to provide skills and employment for young people, and they continue their mission. The Lisio specialises in hand-woven velvet and brocade, while the Scuola di Cuoio carries forward traditional Florentine leather craft. We return to Pistoia for a seafood dinner at Ristorante Corradossi (non-fish dishes are also on the menu). Accommodation: Palazzo Puccini, Pistoia | Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner Day 4: Friday Padule is a Tuscan variant of palude or marsh. We’re guests of the guardians of the marsh reeds, a charitable association that conserves the original vegetation and teaches young disabled people to make traditional articles to sell. The environmental guide leads us along boardwalks to see the reeds and migrating birds (maybe flamingoes and storks!). Back at the research centre we learn how the reeds are dried and have a hands-on lesson plaiting them and stitching them into a useful container. On the way to dinner we detour to a stunning model of the town of Cerreto Guidi (including the Medici villa) done entirely in crochet by a woman with MS. For the next treat of the day my friend and professional olive oil taster Elisabetta is taking us to her friend Andrea’s agriturismo (farm restaurant). Before dinner Elisabetta leads us in an investigation of the flavour of the colour green, a tasting of extra virgin olive oil. Accommodation: Palazzo Puccini, Pistoia | Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner Day 5: Saturday Today we visit the biodynamic wine estate Fattoria di Bacchereto inside the walls of a Medici hunting reserve. Weather permitting, we lunch in the garden, and the charming owner Rosella Bencini Tesi leads us on a personal tour of the estate and the cellars. In the 16th and 17th centuries the Medici family had thirty villas (country residences), so it’s not surprising that there are several near Bacchereto. Before Rosella's family and the Medici's and even the Romans, this land belonged to the Etruscans. We'll visit a 7th century BCE tomb and a museum displaying daily artefacts, including many loom weights, and grave goods. It's time for aperitivi, and then dinner at the Osteria dei Mercanti (Carmignano), where mamma presides over the kitchen. Accommodation: Palazzo Puccini, Pistoia | Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner Day 6: Sunday It was Elisabetta who sent me a link to this enchanting video about an exhibition of filet a modano needlework at Villa Magia, yet another Medici villa where there was a filet school for young women in the 1930s. We have a hands-on workshop with five women who still practise the art, as well as a tour of the villa and gardens. Elisabetta furnishes our picnic lunch. For our last evening in Pistoia we dine at a restaurant serving traditional cuisine of the city. Accommodation: Palazzo Puccini, Pistoia | Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner Pistoia to Pescia Day 7: Monday Travelling west along the base of the Pistoia Mountains we arrive at the wine estate Fattoria La Torre at Montecarlo, where we stay for the rest of the tour, not far from our hosts Tommaso Cecchi de’ Rossi and his wife Chiara Cantini. They are eager for you to experience the culture and lifestyle of their part of Tuscany. After settling in we go to Tommaso’s workshop where Chiara has organised our lunch, and Tommaso leads a hands-on dyeing workshop using wine as a mordant. Tommaso studied agronomy at university in preparation for taking over the vineyard at his family's estate Marzalla. During the harvest he accidentally spilled vinaccia (grape skins and seeds left after pressing grapes) on his favourite leather briefcase and was enchanted by the resulting colour. He started experimenting, finally patenting the method and designing his own collection of bags and sandals. Dinner at the home of their friend Letizia, expert and knowledgeable cook of traditional Tuscan cuisine. Accommodation: Fattoria La Torre, Montecarlo | Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner Day 8: Tuesday We spend the day with Tommaso using the leather and cloth you dyed yesterday to create a bag he designed. You’ll learn how to use a pattern and to cut and glue the leather. At the end of the day, you’ll have a beautiful piece of work to take home with you. Chiara delivers our lunch to the workshop, and we have dinner at a completely whacky restaurant at a vineyard (it's all vineyards at Montecarlo). Accommodation: Fattoria La Torre, Montecarlo | Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner Day 9: Wednesday First up today is a visit to a coppersmith who shows you how he makes a copper cecina pan. Then we head into his kitchen to make the batter for cecina, a chickpea galette often cooked in a wood-fired oven, but easy to do in a normal oven too. After lunch in his home, we head a few minutes down the valley to the Paper Museum which is busy rescuing the disappearing art of watermarks formed and stitched by hand for a paper-making workshop. Chiara and Tommaso have invited us to dinner. Chiara is a mixologist and Tommaso mans the wood-fired oven. Which cocktail are you going to choose? Accommodation: Fattoria La Torre, Montecarlo | Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner Day 10: Thursday This morning we travel back in time to arrive at Villa Torrigiani where our tour takes us behind its extravagant baroque façade to an interior where original silk bedclothes mingle with granddad’s needlepoint. Then up and up onto the Pizzorne plateau overlooking the Lucca plain and out to sea beyond Pisa. Lunch at a cheesemaker's restaurant. After lunch she'll show you how she makes pecorino cheese and ricotta and you'll visit the sheep (and guinea fowl). Farewell dinner at Fattoria La Torre. Accommodation: Fattoria La Torre, Montecarlo | Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner Day 11: Friday After breakfast, transfer to Pescia train station or to Amerigo Vespucci airport Florence (from where there is a shuttle to Pisa airport and a tram to central Florence) To request a booking form email [email protected] |
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Erica JarmanFollowing Heather’s careers as archaeologist, orchestra and artist manager and chef, she Italianised her name to Erica and came to Lucca to pursue her passion for traditional artisan food. Her tours, inspired by her infectious curiosity, open captivating new worlds to her guests.
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Palazzo Puccini, Pistoia A truly palatial B&B inside the 18th-century Palazzo Puccini only five minute's walk from the main piazza of the city. Huge rooms, frescoed walls and ceilings and antique furniture combined with modern conveniences, including air conditioning, wifi, hair dryers and a lift (elevator). |
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Price Per person: 3890 EUR Single supplement: none (single room included in fee) Deposit: €300 when you book Balance: due 8 weeks before course starts Claim your 5% loyalty discount if you've booked a small group tour with us before. Includes Friendly knowledgeable English-speaking guide throughout your stay 10 nights welcoming, relaxing accommodation, en suite bathrooms Local ground transportation for 11 days (includes one group transfer after the tour). Please check with us before you book your travel to make sure it fits the tour schedule. Transfers at times other than those provided for the group will be at your own expense. Daily continental breakfast, 9 lunches, 10 dinners Guided visits and workshops with artisans, cooking lesson, museum and villa entrance fees Does Not Include Airfares Travel and cancellation insurance (compulsory) Wine and drinks other than those served with meals, additional meals Personal expenses Meeting Point Hotel LSM Palazzo Puccini, Pistoia, no later than 4 pm. You can get a direct train from Santa Maria Novella railway station in Florence to Pistoia station and a 5-minute taxi ride from the station. Nearest airport: Amerigo Vespucci (Florence-Peretola) Next nearest airports: Pisa or Bologna Next: Rome or Milan The rail system in Italy is very good. You can get easily by tram (Florence-Peretola) or train from any of these airports to Santa Maria Novella station in Florence from where you can catch the train to Pistoia. If you are flying from outside Europe, we suggest you arrive a couple of days early to recover from jet lag so you can fully enjoy your time with us. We are happy to advise about where to stay and eat and what to do before and after your tour. Departure Point Pescia railway station from where you can get a direct train to Pisa (1 hour) and from there the PisaMover to Pisa airport (every 15 minutes and takes 5 minutes) or Amerigo Vespucci Airport (Florence-Peretola) (40 minutes, but allow 1 hour) One transfer will be provided no earlier than 8.00 am. We can pass Pescia station on the way to Florence airport. If you need to travel earlier, a taxi can be arranged at your own expense. MORE DETAILED INFO ABOUT PLANNING YOUR TRAVEL Diet Most dietary requirements can be accommodated as long as you tell us in advance. There is a space on the Booking Form for this information. Please bear in mind that as well as textiles, the tour focuses on the art of choosing, cooking and eating good food. If your diet is very restricted, you may not get full enjoyment from it. Physical Fitness You must be fit enough to walk on steep cobbled streets and rough farm tracks, climb stairs, stand during museum visits. Dress Informal. Jeans or smart trousers are acceptable everywhere. Raincoat/jacket advisable. Comfortable walking shoes are recommended. Weather Weather is no longer average, but here’s what the statistics say: September: 14–26°C/57–79˚F, precipitation 89 mm/3.5 in The itinerary is subject to change if necessary due to weather or agricultural conditions or other events outside our control. To request a booking form email [email protected] |
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You have gathered together a group of dedicated artisans, who embody the skill and resourcefulness of Tuscany. As well as young tour assistants who clearly and delightfully follow in your footsteps. In sharing Tuscany with us, I believe we all felt that we could step away from the tour van and seamlessly become a part of Tuscan life. It was truly a life changing experience!
Julia Mcdonald, weaver, USA, Wine to Dye For & Sea Silk in Sardinia, September 2024
I can’t say enough about the fabulous trip tours you created to give me and others a truly fantastic experience in Italy. Everything you planned from places to see, handcrafts to experience, food and wine to eat and most importantly the hospitable citizens of Italy we met made this one of my most memorable vacations.
Margie Finn, weaver, USA, Wine to Dye For & Sea Silk in Sardinia, September 2023
Already missing the group, missing the anticipation of surprises, missing camaraderie and shared meals and laughter….thank you Erica for assembling this band of travelers and giving us experiences unsurpassed and unrivalled!
Edelma Huntley, USA, Wine to Dye For & Sea Silk in Sardinia, September 2023
A thoughtful and skillful blend of activity with exposure to traditional skills and the cultural life of Italy topped off by the best food (and wine) you’ve ever tasted. Real people, real food. I feel privileged to have had this experience. I just want to do it all over again.
Jill Peters, weaver, Canada, Wine to Dye For & Sea Silk in Sardinia, September 2022
Totally charmed by my experiences in Italy with Erica Jarman. The introduction to the culture, food, wine and history of the area was exceptional and the artisans that we met and worked with added so much to the authenticity of my experiences. Ready to book another tour.
Judith Krone, textile artist & instructor, USA, Wine to Dye For & Sea Silk in Sardinia, September 2022
My first trip to Italy with Erica and Sapori e Saperi was more than I hoped for. Besides seeing many of the local sites, we managed to go a little deeper than the average tour by spending time with local families and crafts people and enjoying their hospitality. Especially enjoyable was sharing meals and wine tastings with them along with fun conversations. Because Erica keeps her tours small, you also get a chance to make friends with your fellow travelers. I want to come back to Italy and I want to do it with Erica and Sapori e Saperi.
Judie Dysart, textile artist, USA, Wine to Dye For & Sea Silk in Sardinia, September 2022
I just wanted to say thank you again for everything you arranged for us on this trip. I had such a wonderful time! Met a lot of wonderful new friends & got to experience many things that I never would have if I hadn't joined your tour. You & Simone are awesome :)
Carey C, Finance Coordinator, USA, Wine to Dye For, June 2022
This was my second tour with Erica. I loved meeting her favorite artisans, enjoyed wine tasting, hands-on workshops, and eating the fabulous food, often in people’s houses. Her tours are small groups and you skip the large tourist areas and really focus on the people and history of this beautiful country.
Marian Sticht, weaver, USA, Wine to Dye For, June 2022
Erica searches out people and places unavailable to the casual tourist: plaiting reeds in the Padule di Fucecchio; learning filet a modano from women who are keeping the technique alive; seeing artisans create the copper pans used for making farinata. I have thoroughly enjoyed Erica's tours and through them supporting local artisans. I hope she continues to add to her offerings.
Marilyn Geary, textile artist & author, California, Wine to Dye For, June 2022
You truly offer unique tours, yet it is very hard to describe exactly why—we go off the beaten path, visit small towns, and some large; you provide a direct connection to the people, the places, the past and the current culture. The quality and beauty you show us in the textiles and other arts from the past, are more than matched in the excitement we see in the newest artisans and their efforts to preserve traditions while still moving them forward and ensuring their relevance to the current local and Italian culture. These artisans are exemplars of what could be the future of these and other crafts globally—from art across the spectrum to, of course, the delicious food.
Sue Scott, USA, Tastes & Textiles: Wine to Dye For, September 2019
Tourists have been going to Italy for hundreds of years. In fact, I have been many times myself, but had not yet experienced the Italy of Sapori & Saperi. Because of Erica’s expert knowledge of the culture and her respect and affection for the artisans, our experiences were unique. Each day was filled with personal interactions and hands on activities. We lingered over multiple courses of delicious traditional food often prepared for us in people's homes and then retired to perhaps the most charming lodging I have ever inhabited. A part of me is still bumping along those narrow winding roads of the Garfagnana. I am so grateful to have been on this journey.
Gynnie Moody, USA, Tastes & Textiles: Wine to Dye For, September 2019
Erica, thank you for the Italy tour/experience — Wine To Dye For. I’ve traveled alone through Europe and thought tours were for skimming the surface. How wrong I was! Your tour met all my expectations and more. We experienced small Tuscan towns I would never have found on my own, met locals and their families in their homes and shops. I now realize these are NOT guidebook tours. Many thanks.
Pam Shelley, USA, Tastes & Textiles: Wine to Dye For, September 2019
Thank you for the great tour. We saw so much that we would never have seen on our own.
I sent a photo of me doing filet to a friend from my rug hooking group and now they all want me to show them how to do it! This craft will be taken to Australia! I hope I remember how to do it! I plan to try making pasta this week if I can find a large rolling pin. I have learnt so much on our trip.
Kathy Saint, Australia, Tastes & Textiles: Wine to Dye For, September 2018
I had such a rewarding and wonderful trip with you. You really do your research and make the trip an experience. I will treasure the adventure forever!! We met so many nice people and saw their humble yet inspired lifestyles. They were so welcoming and really seemed to enjoy us being there. You have been a blessing in my life.
Janet Castro, artist & weaver, USA, Tastes & Textiles, September 2016
Our Tastes and Textiles tour was so unique! You took us to destinations I would have never found on my own or with another tour. We met enthusiastic and inspiring people who have created a rich and sustainable lifestyle which also preserves the traditions they hold so dear. Our textile and fiber workshops were fun and intriguing. And, we met plenty of characters along the way! With both gorgeous scenery and charming lodging, this trip was a hit with me! Thank you, Erica!
In December 2016, Carol wrote again: Since returning home, the impact of our September trip has slowly yet continually percolated up to my consciousness and I’m blown away by how much it meant and has influenced my thinking.
Carol Bingaman, weaver, USA, Tastes & Textiles, September 2016
