Activities for visiting members
Castello Historical Tour - A tour and presentation of the history of Tenuta di Spannocchia, the Spannocchi family, the Cinelli family, and a general introduction to the history of farming in Tuscany, as exemplified by the Tenuta. This tour will be focused in the Castello area, the former farm and community center where the non-profit activities of the Associazione Castello di Spannocchia currently take place. Beginning in the former Fattoria courtyard, the tour progresses through the archeological museum and laboratory, the cantina (wine-making room), the ancient tower basement, which formerly housed the olive press and is now a meat-curing facility, the Fattoria farm building, the Villa residence and library, and the traditional Villa garden, finishing with a trip to the top of the 11th century tower, which affords a 360-degree view of the Tenuta’s agricultural and forest land. The tour will focus on architectural preservation as well, using the buildings of the Castello as examples of mindful renovation and restoration. Emphasis on the evolution of the Tenuta di Spannocchia from a mezzadria-era agricultural estate to a sustainable organic farm and educational center will enhance tour participants’ understanding of the changing scope and subsequent needs of this type of community.
Cooking Class with Loredana - Spannocchia offers single day cooking classes concentrating on the foods and wines of Tuscany and the fresh produce of the estate, enabling you to learn more about the regional foods and to take home new skills and recipes for classic Tuscan cooking.
The Cooking Class begins with a tour through Spannocchia's vegetable garden with our garden manager Carmen. She describes the cycle of the various crops through the year and her methods for providing the kitchen with fresh, flavourful, organic products. Then it is on to the kitchen, where you will learn to prepare a three-course Tuscan meal alongside Loredana, with Francesca or Daniela acting as translator, utilizing food products from the estate.
During the lesson you will take a short break to relax with a glass of wine and a simple appetizer. The lesson concludes with lunch, tasting all dishes created during the class, accompanied by Spannocchia wine and spring water. An all vegetarian menu is available upon request.
Tenuta di Spannocchia, Cinta Senese tour and tasting - The tour begins with the history of the Tenuta di Spannocchia, our 1100-acre property located in the Reserva Alto Merse that includes an organic farm and sustainable forest, and the mezzadria (sharecropping) system under which the estate was farmed for the last 700+ years. Moving into the present day, we take a walk on the property, through part of our organic olive orchards, to see our 80+ Cinta Senese pigs currently being raised on the property. During the walk, there is a discussion of our rare breed project (Noah's Ark) which also includes sheep, cows, horses, and donkeys. All our products are organic and made/grown according to traditional methods.
The tour includes:
- A visit to the room where our meat products such as prosciutto, spalla, salame, capocollo, buristo, and sopressata are seasoned/hung
- A climb up our tower which dates back to the 12th century
- A visit to our small cantina where we make our organic red and white wine and vin santo
The tour finishes in the villa dining room, or on the villa terrace in nice weather, with a tasting of some of our prosciutto and other salumi. All our cured meats are made from Cinta Senese pigs - an ancient breed from Siena that lives in a semi-wild state foraging for food in the fields and woods.
Italian Language Lessons - Learn the basics of the Italian language during your stay at Spannocchia. Instructor Valeria Indice is available for private or group lessons from Monday - Friday. Lessons will focus on basic grammar and vocabulary, and Valeria always encourages conversation in class! Learn how to order at restaurants, ask about bus schedules, and find out where the nearest bathroom might be, in Italian! Valeria's teaching style is flexible and she can accommodate all levels of proficiency and can tailor the class to your particular interest (art, cooking, history, farming, etc). Each class lasts one hour and Valeria will provide lesson materials.
For Local Schools and Neighboring Residents
- The education staff at Spannocchia has developed 3 integrated itineraries for half and full day farm visits for local schoolchildren ages 3 – 18. The itineraries focus on animal care and husbandry, wild edibles, and sustainable use of natural resources. As one of the leading “fattoria didattica” (educational farm) destinations in the region of Siena, Spannocchia is leading the way in re-introducing local children to the importance of knowing where our food comes from and encourages their excitement about discovering the natural world.
- At Spannocchia, there are many opportunities to invite the outside world into our community. Every May Day, we host a celebration of spring with local folk musicians and singers, a sampling of new wine and new salami, and spring treats fresh from the garden. We have a close relationship with the local Slowfood convivium in Siena, and members have visited Spannocchia several times in the last year to learn about our Cinta Senese cured meat production, to attend a dramatized reading of Delfino Cinelli’s semi-autobiographical book, “Castiglione che Dio Sol Sa” followed by a summer dinner and local cheese tasting in the courtyard, and to attend a traditional American Thanksgiving dinner. Our hiking trails and farm roads are open to the public, although hunting and foraging are not allowed because we are part of a nature reserve. We also host art classes for local residents and our wood-fired ceramic kiln is available for public use.