10 Best Food Tours of Siena

Like most Italian cities, Siena stands out for its incredible gastronomy. By signing up for one of its many gastronomic tours you will be able to taste its typical dishes, which range from pasta and risotto to surprising preparations that have a deeply rural origin. Tuscan gastronomy is a true feast of flavour.

Taking a gastronomic tour is one of the best things to do in Siena, tasting Chianti wines, Pecorino cheese, the best extra virgin olive oil in the world and many other delicacies. Depending on which option you choose, you can also take a Tuscan cooking course and learn how to prepare all these delicacies yourself. Here are the top 10 culinary tours in Siena and what you should know about them.

This experience will allow you to learn how to cook the best traditional dishes of the Tuscany region of Italy. You will learn all about pasta, meat dishes, different types of sauces, the traditional tiramisu and even vegetarian variants of the preparations.

The cooking class takes place at the Lella cooking school in groups of up to 15 people, so that you can get the most out of the activity. In this all-inclusive culinary experience, you will prepare from starter to dessert, and to finish, you will dine on your own menu paired with a Tuscan Chianti wine.

This is definitely a great option, as you will not only have the chance to taste the best of regional foods, but you will also learn the secrets and art of Tuscan cuisine.

Details of interest:

• Price: from 110 euros per person.
• Duration: the experience lasts about 4 hours in total.
• Means of transport: transport is by your own means, with easy access to public transport in the area.
• Advantage of this option: the school has spacious facilities for your comfort. You will be able to taste everything you prepare.
• Disadvantage of this option: no vegan or gluten-free options are offered.

This tour takes you to the Montalcino area for a tour of the famous wine cellars. You'll learn all about the wine making process from your guide, as well as the history of the wineries and the regional wine industry.

The activity is limited to a maximum of 8 people, which avoids crowds during the tour and makes your experience much more personalised.

Lunch is included in a family-run winery and a tour of the village of Montalcino, along with its famous abbey of Sant'Antimo. Of course wine tasting is part of the tour. This is one of the best Siena wine tours you can take.

Details of interest:

• Price: from 159 euros per passenger.
• Duration: approximately 9 hours in total.
• Means of transport: air-conditioned minivan.
• Advantage of this option: you will have access to the winery, you will learn in detail the whole wine process.
• Disadvantage of this option: the transfer is from a meeting point, you are not picked up at your accommodation.

This is an enchanting evening in the vineyards of an iconic winery in the vicinity of San Gimignano. After being picked up from your hotel or airbnb, you'll travel through the enchanting Tuscan countryside as you watch the sun begin to set.

Your guide will accompany you to the winery and vineyards with the rest of the group. As you discover the place, he will tell you all about the wine and its production. Then you will sit at an outdoor table with festive decorations to enjoy a delicious barbecue and the best wine.

This is a fun experience that is definitely among the best things to do at night in Siena. Plus, it's a different option, as most of the city's gastronomic tours are during the day.

Details of interest:

• Price: from €89 per traveller.
• Duration: approximately 5 hours in total.
• Means of transport: you will travel to the winery aboard an air-conditioned minivan from a meeting point.
• Advantage of this option: the groups are small to make the experience more welcoming.
• Disadvantage of this option: it is not adapted for wheelchair users.

In this activity you will walk through the streets of Siena with a tour guide and a small group of up to 10 people, getting to know the best of the city. You will see tourist attractions such as the Piazza del Campo, monuments and jewels of the local medieval architecture.

During the walk you will make stops where you can taste regional delicacies such as the famous Chianti wine, Pecorino cheese, Tuscan salami, artisan bread, prosciutto, finocchiona and typical local sweets, such as the delicious ricciarelli, a sugary sponge cake that melts in your mouth.

The guide will also tell you about local myths and legends, and take you through streets and neighbourhoods known only to the locals, making you feel like one of them. Undoubtedly, this is an extremely complete experience suitable for all tastes.

Details of interest:

• Price: from 54 euros per person.
• Duration: approximately 2 hours in total.
• Means of transport: the tour is on foot from a meeting point.
• Advantage of this option: it combines tourist attractions with local gastronomy.
• Disadvantage of this option: the entrance fee to the Duomo di Siena (which is part of the tour) is not included in the cost. However, you can pay for it on site and it starts at 12 euros.

This is a very interesting experience. A professional native chef from Siena will welcome you in his own home to teach you how to prepare a typical 4-course Italian meal. You will learn how to prepare a typical Italian appetizer, pasta dough and a delicious dessert. The class includes a tasting of Tuscan red and white wines.

The activity is a private cooking show, combining the most famous traditional recipes with Italian warmth and hospitality. This is an incomparable way to connect you with the city of Siena and feel like a local.

Not only will you take with you the learning of fantastic Italian recipes, but you will also get as souvenir a cooking apron and a nice shopping bag.

Interesting details:

• Price: from 92 euros per participant.
• Duration: the activity lasts approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes in total.
• Means of transport: no transfers are included, but public transport is conveniently available.
• Advantage of this option: highly intimate and first class experience.
• Disadvantage of this option: the activity is not adapted for wheelchair users.

On this tour you will be driven in a comfortable air-conditioned minibus to the wine-growing area of the Chianti Valley, where you will be welcomed with your group at a family-run farmhouse. There, the host will give you a lesson in which he will reveal all the secrets of Italian cuisine and you will learn how to make delicious dishes. Homemade pastas, bruschettas and tiramisu are some of the recipes you will learn in this hands-on workshop.

The guide will take you on a tour of the farm and tell you about the history of this winery, which was started as far back as 1825. In addition to wine, honey and extra virgin olive oil are produced here. Then you will have lunch with the product of the cooking class, along with a wine and grappa tasting.

This is a great experience that will take you to enjoy the Tuscan countryside in a different way. Ideal if you are looking for a real gastronomic tour in a relaxed and picturesque setting. There is nothing better than cooking overlooking the vineyards and hills of Tuscany.

Details of interest:

• Price: from €346 (please note that this value may change according to the number of participants).
• Duration: the experience lasts approximately 4 hours.
• Means of transport: private minibus with air conditioning.
• Advantage of this option: vegetarian options are available.
• Disadvantage of this option: it is not adapted for wheelchair users.

This is another opportunity to learn the best regional recipes of Siena from a local chef. The chef will give you the techniques to obtain impeccable fresh pasta, both stuffed and plain. They will also teach you how to prepare tiramisu so that it turns out perfectly.

At the beginning of the class you will be greeted with a tasting of snacks and appetizers to accompany them, the closing is the meal with the dishes you have prepared yourself. In general the appetizers are prosecco and nibbles, and the main course is fresh pasta such as pici, tagliatelle or gnudi.

If you've been wanting to take a traditional Italian food class, this is an opportunity you shouldn't miss if you're on holiday in the city of Siena.

Details of interest:

• Price: from 140 euros per person.
• Duration: the workshop lasts approximately 3 hours.
• Means of transport: you must access by your own means, public transport in the meeting area is very accessible.
• Advantage of this option: groups are limited to a maximum of 12 people to make the experience more enjoyable. You will become a master of Italian pasta.
• Disadvantage of this option: it is not adapted for wheelchair users.

This is a tour that takes you to Montalcino. There you will walk through the hills to visit an exclusive winery and an authentic medieval castle. You will walk through the vineyards, accompanied by a professional sommelier, who will tell you all about the history behind the production of the legendary Brunello di Montalcino wine.

You will then have the opportunity to taste three different types of wine, and enjoy a three-course lunch, including cheeses and cold meats, homemade pasta and a delicious dessert.

In addition to the gastronomy, the beauty of the surroundings and the imposing castle where the lunch takes place, make this experience a moment to treasure. This is undoubtedly one of the best 1 day tours to Tuscany from Siena.

Details of interest:

• Price: from 64 euros per person.
• Duration: the activity lasts approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes.
• Means of transport: transfers are not included.
• Advantage of this option: the guide is an expert sommelier.
• Disadvantage of this option: it is not adapted for wheelchair users.

In this experience you will not only delight yourself with a traditional lunch and the best wines, but you will also have a pairing class where you will learn how to make the best culinary combinations.

In the Tuscan hills you will visit two traditional wineries in Montalcino and Montepulciano, where you will learn all about the wines and their history. Lunch takes place in Montepulciano.

Groups for this activity are limited to a maximum of 8 travellers, making it a much more personalised experience. It is also suitable for all types of people and has almost no exclusions or limitations.

Details of interest:

• Price: the price starts at 250 euros per person (please note that the price varies according to the number of participants).
• Duration: the activity lasts approximately 8 hours.
• Means of transport: you will be driven in a luxury air-conditioned minibus.
• Advantage of this option: the bus picks you up from your hotel or airbnb.
• Disadvantage of this option: it does not offer vegan or gluten-free options.

This activity combines two pleasures of Italian gastronomy, cheese and wine. You will be taken to Val d'Orcia, where you will visit an organic dairy farm, to learn all about cheese production. In addition to the farm, you will visit a local winery in Montalcino to taste the iconic Brunello wine.

Not only will you delight your palate with this tour, but your eyes will also be treated to the breathtaking scenery of the Val d'Orcia vineyards, which are, along with Pienza, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Details of interest:

• Price: the price is around 700 euros (for groups of up to 6 people).
• Duration: about 8 hours in total, approximately.
• Means of transport: you will be driven aboard a comfortable air-conditioned minibus.
• Advantage of this option: includes pick-up from your hotel or place of accommodation.
• Disadvantage of this option: not suitable for wheelchair users.