San Gimignano olive oil tasting: Sensory journey

Taste oils straight from the bottle, learn how they pair with food, discover what low-impact pressing means

An extra virgin olive oil tasting in San Gimignano where you sample oils in a glass with bread, learn the history and production philosophy behind them, and discover how to match oils to dishes. The experience runs about an hour and includes bottled water and a green apple to cleanse your palate between tastings. Children from age 5 are welcome.

The experience

You arrive at Agriturismo Il Vicario in the San Gimignano countryside and begin with a brief introduction to olive oil's place in Italian food culture. The guide then walks you through the producer's low-impact oxidative system. The method that keeps the oil's character intact from harvest to bottle. This is not a sales pitch. It is the foundation for understanding what you are about to taste.

The tasting itself happens in a glass with bread. You sample the oils one at a time, learning how to recognize their qualities and how they change a dish depending on whether they are used raw or cooked. The guide gives you the framework to understand the difference, which oils brighten a salad, which ones anchor a soup, which ones finish a plate. Between tastings, you use a green apple to reset your palate so each oil tastes clean. Bottled water is provided throughout.

The whole experience takes about an hour. The space is wheelchair accessible, and the tasting works for all fitness levels. If you have children from age 5 onward, they can join. Younger children can come along in a stroller. It is the kind of activity that fits into an afternoon in Tuscany without eating up your whole day, and it leaves you with a practical sense of how to use what you taste when you cook.

What’s included

• Extra virgin olive oil tasting in a glass with bread.
• bottled water.
• green apple palate cleanser.
• introduction to olive oil history and Italian gastronomy.
• walkthrough of the producer's low-impact oxidative production philosophy.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 15:30

Book up to4h before

AgesAdult (18 and older) · Youth (12 to 17 years) · Child (5 to 11 years) · Under 5: can't be booked

GroupPrivate

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller-friendlyInfant seats availablePets welcome

Operated by Podere di Monti

Is this one for you?Book this if you have a free afternoon in San Gimignano and want to understand how to taste and cook with olive oil, not just buy a bottle. The hour-long format fits between other activities, and the guide's focus on pairing oils to dishes gives you something you can use at home.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (12 to 17 years); Child (5 to 11 years). Children under 5 can't be included in the booking.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

Can I bring my five-year-old to the olive oil tasting?

Children from age 5 are welcome at the tasting. Younger children can attend in a pram or stroller, and service animals are allowed.

What exactly do I taste during the experience?

You taste extra virgin olive oils in a glass with bread. The guide walks you through each oil's qualities and shows you how to use them in cooking: raw or cooked, depending on the dish.

How long does the tasting take?

The experience runs about an hour, starting with an introduction to olive oil's history and production methods, then moving into the tasting itself.

What happens between each oil tasting?

You use a green apple to cleanse your palate between tastings so you can taste each oil clearly. Bottled water is available throughout.

Is the tasting location accessible by wheelchair?

Yes, the location is fully wheelchair accessible, including all areas and surfaces. Transportation options are also wheelchair accessible.