Travel and discover Leonardo: at home, in the kitchen and in art

Where was Leonardo's mind born and where was it shaped? We walk along the streets trampled by the "Genius", we discover the village of Vinci and Leonardo’s Museums, in the evening, once the hunger of knowledge is nourished, we taste the flavors of the time after having cooked them. Arrived in Florence we continue the discovery by admiring his works at the Uffizi Gallery and we hear about him through the streets of the city center.

How the tour is structured...

1st day

Individual arrival in Vinci in the morning. Surrounded by a green countryside, in lands that offer excellent wine and fine oil, Vinci is located on the slopes of Montalbano, an enchanting hill between Florence and Pistoia, in the heart of Tuscany. Here, in the small village called Anchiano, Leonardo was born on April 15th, 1452 and the most evocative places in the city are linked to his universally recognized genius. We suggest spending the whole day in Vinci and making the following visits: Leonardian Museum and Birthplace. Located in the heart of Vinci, in the Palazzina Uzielli and in the Castello dei Conti Guidi, the Leonardiano Museum is the oldest collection of models dedicated to the work of Leonardo: scientist, technologist and engineer. In the birthplace of Anchiano, the three-dimensional audio-visual narration brings to life Leonardo and his most intimate and personal universe, the relationship with the territory of Vinci and Montalbano. The house can also be reached walking from the village by the path called "Green road" of about 3 km; along the way you pass next to the Doccia Mill mentioned by Leonardo in the Codex Atlanticus, surrounded by vineyards and beautiful views of the Tuscan countryside. Individual transfer to Villa Dianella, the charming hotel where you will stay. Check in. It is a Medici Villa dating back to the end of the 16th century used by the Medici as a hunting lodge, hence the name Dianella, in honor of the goddess Diana. A truly unique experience awaits you: visiting Leonardo's Vineyard, so named because it holds the Malvasia di Candia in his land, taken from the vineyard that Leonardo had in the Atellati house in Milan. It's time to get into the kitchen with a cooking class inspired by Leonardo, creating dishes of his time and discovering anecdotes about the Genius and his inventions in the culinary field, real precursors of modern utensils, such as the rotisserie, the slicer, the corkscrew, the pepper mill and others. The culmination of the experience is the tasting of Acquarosa, in the original recipe of the Codex Atlanticus, the secrets of which will be revealed during the course. After "stewing", let’s take a seat at the table to taste what was cooked. Overnight.

2nd day

Breakfast. Individual transfer to Florence and meeting with your local guide for a private visit of some squares and places in the center that recall events related to Leonardo and which will culminate in the visit of the Uffizi Gallery, with particular attention to the room with the works he created. The Gallery collects some one of the most important paintings in the world. The artist's wonderful Annunciation (around 1472) and the Adoration of the Magi (1481) can be admired. We also find the oldest known drawing by a twenty-one-year-old Leonardo: it is a bird's eye view that opens onto a vast plain, which can still be seen in Vinci, the Mulino di Doccia. At the end of the visit you can take your time inside the Museum. End of services.