Wine and Extra virgin olive oil tasting in Lucca, Tuscany

Lucca’s best food lesson may happen above the usual restaurant circuit. In an 18th-century apartment overlooking the medieval walls, olive oil expert Fausto Borella introduces you to four extra virgin olive oils, local wines, and a simple Tuscan lunch.

I like the small setting and the chance to learn how olive oil is made instead of merely drizzling it over bread. I also like the generous food: the tasting moves on to appetizers, pasta, dessert, and coffee, so this is more than a quick sampling.

The main consideration is timing. The experience lasts about two hours and is currently offered Monday through Wednesday from noon to 2 p.m., so it requires careful planning around your Lucca sightseeing day. The price is also a splurge at $116.36 per person.

Key points at a glance

• Four extra virgin olive oils: Compare different oils while learning about cultivars, production, and health benefits.
• An 18th-century setting: Taste in the Maestrod’olio Academy, with views toward Lucca’s medieval walls, cathedral bell tower, and historic theater.
• Fausto Borella’s instruction: The academy’s founder personally leads the food and wine presentation in English, French, and Spanish.
• A real light lunch: Expect appetizers, pasta, dessert, coffee, and wine rather than a token snack.
• Small and private: The maximum group size is 15, and the activity is reserved for your own group.
• A fixed midday schedule: Plan for about two hours, beginning at Corso Garibaldi 52 and ending there.

Tasting olive oil above Lucca’s old walls

Lucca is easy to enjoy on foot, but its food scene can be harder to read. In the city center, you’ll find plenty of places offering Tuscan standards. This tasting gives you a more focused way to understand the region’s cooking, beginning with the ingredient that often carries the whole meal: extra virgin olive oil.

You meet at Corso Garibaldi 52 and go to the historic academy run by Fausto Borella. The setting matters. Rather than sitting in a generic dining room, you taste in an 18th-century apartment with views across the medieval walls. You may also see Lucca’s cathedral bell tower and the town’s historic theater from the academy.

That view gives the lesson a strong sense of place, but the food remains the main event. Fausto Borella is described as an Italian academy sommelier of extra virgin olive oil, an oil expert, and a food and wine consultant. He founded the academy in Lucca and leads the activities in English, French, and Spanish.

The maximum group size is 15 people. That is small enough for a personal presentation, though not necessarily an intimate one if the group reaches its limit. The activity is also described as private, meaning only your own group participates. That combination is useful for couples, families, and friends who want a shared food lesson without joining a large public tour.

Learning how to taste four Tuscan oils

The first part focuses on extra virgin olive oil, or EVO. You’ll hear about olive varieties, known as cultivars, along with production methods and the health benefits associated with good olive oil.

This is valuable because many visitors use olive oil every day without knowing what they are tasting. The lesson helps you notice differences in aroma, flavor, freshness, and intensity. You may also come away with a better idea of why one bottle costs more than another.

The tasting includes four extra virgin olive oils. Four is a useful number: enough for comparison, but not so many that the flavors blur together. You can pay attention to how each oil changes the food that follows, which is more practical than simply being told that Tuscan oil is important.

The health discussion is another useful touch. It keeps the tasting from becoming only a gourmet ritual. You learn why extra virgin olive oil is prized as part of the Mediterranean diet, then see how it functions at the table.

The exact oils and producers are not specified, so you should not expect a fixed brand list or a formal bottle-buying session. The point is comparison and understanding. If you already know a great deal about olive oil, the introductory material may feel basic. For most people, though, the four-oil format gives enough structure to make the lesson memorable.

From olive oil to local wine

After the oil lesson, the experience shifts to wine. The information provided does not list specific wineries, grape varieties, or the number of pours, so this is not designed as a technical wine certification class.

Instead, wine serves as part of a broader Tuscan meal. You taste local wines and learn how they fit with the food being served. That makes the wine segment approachable for people who enjoy drinking wine but do not want a long lecture about appellations and vintages.

I like this progression. Olive oil is treated as a serious tasting subject, then wine brings the group toward lunch. The result should feel closer to a hosted food lesson than to a series of unrelated samples.

The wine portion may be less satisfying if you want detailed producer information or a large selection of bottles. This is a two-hour food experience, not a full-day wine tour through the Tuscan countryside. You are paying for the combination of instruction, setting, food, and personal hosting.

A lunch that goes beyond a few bites

The tasting leads into a light traditional Tuscan meal. The word light should not make you picture a single plate of crackers. The meal described includes substantial appetizers, a pasta course, dessert, and coffee.

That detail matters when you judge the price. At $116.36 per person, this is expensive for a two-hour activity if you think of it as lunch alone. The value improves when you count the private setting, the personal instruction, four olive oil samples, wine, the view, and a hosted meal.

The appetizers provide a chance to try the oils with food rather than tasting them in isolation. Then the pasta brings the lesson into familiar territory. You can see how the oil works in a traditional Tuscan dish, where it supports the flavor instead of hiding behind heavy sauces.

Dessert and coffee give the meal a proper finish. The dessert has received especially strong praise, and the coffee is also part of the experience. These closing details help the event feel like a complete visit to an Italian home or food academy rather than a commercial tasting counter.

The menu is not specified in advance, so you should not book this expecting a particular pasta shape, dessert, or regional recipe. If you have dietary restrictions, ask before booking. The supplied information does not confirm vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, or allergy accommodations.

Why the view and location matter

Lucca’s medieval walls are one of the city’s defining sights. Many visitors see them from street level or walk along the broad tree-lined paths on top. This tasting offers another angle, with a view from the academy toward the walls and nearby landmarks.

You should not treat the view as a separate sightseeing stop. The activity takes place in the academy, and the panorama is part of the setting while you taste and eat. Still, it gives the midday meal more character than a standard restaurant table.

The location is also practical. The meeting point is near public transportation, and the activity ends back at the same point. You do not need to arrange a separate transfer or find your way to a countryside farm.

That convenience has a tradeoff. You will not visit an olive grove, mill, winery, or rural estate. If you want to see how olives are harvested or how wine is made in the countryside, choose a longer farm or winery outing instead. This activity is best for learning and eating in the city.

Who will enjoy this two-hour experience

I would recommend this for you if food is part of the reason you came to Tuscany, not just fuel between monuments. It suits people who want a guided introduction to olive oil, enjoy a relaxed meal, and prefer a small group over a crowded restaurant.

It is also a good match for first-time olive oil tasters. You do not need specialist knowledge. The four-oil format gives you a clear starting point, and the meal lets you put the lesson into practice.

Couples and families may appreciate the private arrangement. Since only your group participates, you can share the event without being mixed with unrelated groups. The group limit is 15, so larger families or friend groups should check that their full party fits within the stated capacity.

This is less suitable if you want a fast snack, a formal culinary school class, or a full regional food tour. The session moves from instruction to tasting to lunch, so the schedule is focused. It is not built around market visits, shopping stops, or several restaurants.

Price, schedule, and practical planning

The price is $116.36 per person. That puts the experience in the premium category for a two-hour activity in Lucca.

I would judge the value this way: if you only want lunch, you can spend less elsewhere. If you want lunch plus a personal lesson from an olive oil specialist, wine tasting, four oils, dessert, coffee, and a historic setting, the cost becomes easier to defend.

The schedule is the biggest practical limitation. The experience is listed for Monday through Wednesday, from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. Check the operating date carefully when planning your Lucca visit. A midday start can work well between morning sightseeing and an afternoon walk, but it may not fit a day trip with a tight train schedule.

The activity lasts about two hours and begins and ends at Corso Garibaldi 52. Since no transportation between separate sites is involved, you can plan around it more easily than a countryside excursion.

A mobile ticket is provided, and confirmation is received at booking. Service animals are allowed, and most people can participate. The activity has a minimum number of participants, so a cancellation for that reason may result in another date or a full refund.

Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours before the start time. If you cancel less than 24 hours ahead, the payment is not refunded, and changes are not accepted inside that window. The cut-off uses Lucca’s local time.

What the strongest praise tells you

The most consistent praise centers on three things: the olive oil lesson, the food, and the hosts.

The oil presentation is repeatedly described as informative. That is the core reason to book. You are not simply handed a tasting plate. You get a framework for comparing four oils and understanding cultivars, production, and health benefits.

The food earns equal attention. The appetizers and pasta are substantial, while dessert and coffee make the meal feel finished. If you arrive expecting only small samples, you may be pleasantly surprised by the amount of food.

The hosting also matters. Fausto Borella leads the academy, while Genva has been specifically praised as a warm and capable hostess. The information indicates that activities may be personally conducted by Fausto, so confirm the host arrangement if meeting a particular presenter is important to you.

The strong satisfaction scores come from a small number of written assessments, so I would avoid treating them as proof that every visitor will have the same experience. Still, the repeated focus is useful: book this for the instruction and food, not merely for a scenic room.

Should you book the Lucca olive oil and wine tasting?

Book it if you want a city-based Tuscan food experience with real teaching, a private group, and a full light lunch. The four-oil comparison is the most distinctive feature, and the 18th-century academy gives the meal a memorable setting.

Think twice if your priority is a countryside visit, detailed winery education, or a low-cost lunch. You should also check the Monday through Wednesday schedule before building it into your day.

For food-minded visitors with room in the budget, I consider this a worthwhile Lucca splurge. You leave with more than a meal: you gain a better sense of how extra virgin olive oil shapes Tuscan cooking, and you get two relaxed hours in a historic setting above the city walls.

FAQ

Where does the olive oil and wine tasting begin?

The activity begins at Corso Garibaldi 52, 55100 Lucca, Italy. It ends back at the same meeting point.

How long does the experience last?

The experience lasts approximately two hours.

What is included in the tasting?

You taste four extra virgin olive oils, sample wine, and have a light traditional Tuscan meal. The meal includes appetizers, pasta, dessert, and coffee.

Who leads the experience?

Fausto Borella, founder of the Maestrod’olio Academy and an extra virgin olive oil expert, personally conducts the activities. Genva is also identified as a hostess for the experience. The activity is offered in English, French, and Spanish.

How large is the group?

The maximum group size is 15 people. The activity is also described as private, with only your group participating.

When is the experience offered?

The listed opening hours are Monday through Wednesday, from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. The operating period shown is December 14, 2019, through June 16, 2026.

Can I cancel for a refund?

Yes. You can cancel up to 24 hours before the start time for a full refund. Cancellations or changes made less than 24 hours before the start time are not accepted for a refund.