In partnership with our Italian colleagues, we offer a variety of on-site activities, classes, and tours to teach guests about Spannocchia, Italian food and culture, and our regenerative agricultural practices. You can explore the standard offerings below, and join our mailing list for more information about activities and programs both at Spannocchia and virtually.
Not only is Spannocchia located in the heart of Tuscany, our on-site activities and tours offer an insider's view of life on a Tuscan farm. Guests can enjoy hiking through the estate, touring the gardens, and visiting our rare heritage-breed farm animals. Foodies, history buffs, outdoor enthusiasts, and families will all find plenty to do, both on the estate and touring the region.
Our Signature “Taste the Farm”
January 1, 2024Foraging & Cooking Class
January 1, 2024Pasta Making Class
March 11, 2017Spannocchia’s Wine Production
March 11, 2017Vegetable Garden Tour
March 11, 2017Olives and Olive Oil Tasting
March 11, 2017
For more than fifty years, Spannocchia has been working with educational institutions, artistic programs, and environmental groups to offer customized educational programs to visitors from around the world.
Spannocchia is a uniquely valuable setting for program groups—and not only for its inspirational beauty, historical authenticity, and commitment to sustainability. Simply put, an emphasis on community and education is part of our mission. In addition to each program's focus, time at Spannocchia includes both formal and informal learning about the estate's past, Tuscan culture, and regenerative farming and sustainable living. We offer a variety of on-site tours and activities (above!), and invite interaction with our farm interns, apprentices, and residents during family-style dinners and around the property. Program groups are also encouraged to offer a final presentation or event to share their work with the entire Spannocchia community.
We invite you to join a group and explore your passion for Italian culture, cuisine, history, art, music, or many other enriching programs offered throughout the year. More information about our programs can be found below.
Upcoming Programs
Visual Explorations
Watercolor Plein Air in Tuscany with Doris Rice
Tuscany Undiscovered. Farm and food tour.
Plan a Customized Travel Program in the Heart of Tuscany
Bring a group and explore Castello di Spannocchia, an organic working farm and educational center located in the heart of Tuscany, near Siena. With hundreds of acres of nature preserve, the Spannocchia property is an idyllic setting to soak in the beauty of the Italian landscape, inspire creativity, and learn about the protection and conservation of Italian culture, cuisine, and nature. Using Spannocchia as a base for housing and meals, student and adult program groups conduct intensive artistic or instructional workshops in the Castello’s studio space, explore the rich history and culture of the region through day trips to nearby Siena and Florence, and use the land and our organic products to learn about Tuscan cooking and regenerative farming and sustainability.
We are honored to have been chosen to host accredited academic programs from many institutions of higher learning, including:
Delaware Valley University
East Tennessee State University
Harvard Division of Continuing Education/Harvard Extension School
idsva | Institute for Doctoral Studies in the Visual Arts
Missouri School of Journalism
Oklahoma State University
Portland State University
Stonehill College
University of Washington
Wake Forest University