Giorgia
Role:
City Guide, Day Tour Guide,
Wine Instructor
Skilled at: walking encyclopedia
Fluent in: English, German
Loves to: doodle and decorate
Favorite wine: Cabernet Franc
Favorite City: Rome
Hobby: pilates, painting, reading and food!
Ciao! My name is Giorgia, I'm originally from the industrious Emilia Romagna north of the Apennines, where freshly made pasta is a daily staple. I was partially raised in Southern Germany and among the wild and cultivated hills of the British countryside, where I was greatly influenced by the diversity and open spirit of the international school which I attended, enabling me to travel and learn from different cultures from a young age. I graduated in Humanities and Art History and visited Tuscany where I was instantly enchanted by its natural beauty, history and art. I made Siena my home and initially worked at an Italian Language School for Foreigners in its city centre, and then at a winery in the Chianti. This is where I developed my love for wine and touring visitors through the vineyards and cellars, so I studied to become an authorized tour guide to incorporate my love for the local art and history. There is nothing more enriching than meeting people from different countries and I love to shares insights into Tuscany’s art, history, wine and cuisine with enthusiasm.
I am an open-minded person with a strong personality and nothing makes me happier than walking the medieval streets of Siena and touring through the beautiful Tuscan hills, except a good glass of wine!
Personal Ititnerary
Val d'Elsa Foodie Tour
1.
Tour a vegetable garden and sample pickles, preserves and vinegars
2.
Visit a farm of Cinta and Grigio di Siena pigs and sample cured meats
3.
Taste pastry and chocolate desserts in a local shop
Tuscany's fame can be largely attributed to its artistic and historical wonders, but the good local food and wine are just as memorable! This itinerary ventures into the culinary delights of the area, exploring the most traditional food production that we enjoy year round and that still abounds in the rural areas. We will enjoy a guided tour of a vegetable garden with more than 400 different types of edible plants and herbs and sit down to sample some of the pickles and preserves, aromatic vinegars, pestos and jams that they can be transformed into. We will then venture into the Tuscan forests that conceal beehives and farms that breed goats and pigs in the open, living very much like they would if they were wild. The fields of maize, ancient grains and cereals that are cultivated are transformed into flour and feed using ancient mills powered by water. These are also used to make the sunflower, linseed and extra virgin olive oils that are so important for traditional food preservation. Closed-cycle farming methods may be considered old-fashioned or sound outdated in a world where most specialize in one thing, but this organic and sustainable approach produces a myriad of healthy and delicious foods made in complete harmony with the surrounding ecosystem. Elsewhere, this approach is considered a "new" and ethical choice or trend. Meet the local farmers and learn more about the choices and working methods adopted throughout the year and taste the farm's fresh and cured dairy and meat products accompanied with freshly-baked bread and other farm-to-table products, including the local red wine of course!
We all have a bit of a weakness for sweets and a second stomach for dessert, so a culinary tour could hardly be complete without a visit to a local pastry and chocolate shop for a guided tour of its in-house production facilities before indulging in some local, freshly-made desserts and coffee. If not entirely satisfied, we can always stop to sample some artisanal gelato and sorbetto to learn a little more about how this Italian tradition is far from common ice cream!