I Want That Holiday

As seen on Wednesday 28th January 2004 on ITV1

Bryn and Angela Jones from Sunderland love to get to know the countries they visit. Will they enjoy the peace and quiet of Tuscany?

Bryn and Angela made contact with ITV, and auditioned to take part in a forthcoming series” I want that holiday” They were selected to take part, and in November 2003, they arrived with us at Magic Tuscany where they spent one week in one of our apartments “ Residence Corsignano”, situated in Central Tuscany between Florence and Arezzo.

During there weeks holiday we arranged several activities for them. They attended a traditional Chestnut Festival where they were able to see how chestnuts were used as part of Tuscan recipes to produce many different dishes, and after to sample the food with a glass of tuscan wine. They also spent a day Olive picking in the foothills near Florence, they were able to try their hand at both the traditional hand picking method, and using the semi automated system of picking the olives used in the production of the famous Extra Virgin Olive Oil. They then saw how the olives were pressed and bottled. This activity is available to all our guests. The olive picking season is usually between the mid to end of October to the end of December. You can pick your own Olives press them and take home your own bottles of Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

Bryn and Angie also tried their hand at Horse riding high up in the hills above the Famous Chianti area of Rufina. Riding is available for people of all abilities and can be from 2 hrs to all day and can include trips by horseback to famous Vineyards in the area where you can enjoy a meal and sample the local chianti wines before riding home.

We also organised a trip to Castello Banfi in Montalcino, famous the world over for its Brunello di Montalcino, one of the highest quality wines produced here in Italy. Here they enjoyed a meal before visiting the Castle Museum; Dungeons where bottles of the wine are stored, the wine shop to taste and buy some wine, and finally to the wine cellars where the wine is stored and controlled whilst it matures for 5 years before being bottled and sold.

Whilst Bryn and Angie were here we took the opportunity to organise a Tuscan cookery course for them. They were given instruction on how to make classic Tuscan dishes, to make the pasta base, and then to make and fill their own Ravioli, followed by an opportunity to make and cook Pizzas in a traditional wood burning pizza oven. We can organise Cookery courses for anyone wishing to find out more about traditional tuscan cooking. Courses can be from one day to 1 week, tailor made to suite your needs.

Finally we took them to Florence and Siena where we organised a guided tour of many of the famous sites and places these cities have to offer. Half and full day guided tours are available in most Tuscan cities for individuals or groups.
After all this Bryn and Angie flew back to the UK for a well deserved rest.