SAY NO MORE - SIGN ME UP
Live La Dolce Vita
in the most beautiful villa in Tuscany.*
We are all pilgrims who seek Italy.
-Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
*This is according to Architectural Digest as well as our humble opinions.
There’s just something about Tuscany: it’s a classic for a reason.
That dream of your alter ego living a languid European life? That's the model for this Feast. Long Italian lunches under swaying olive branches. Sipping wine under the softly setting sun. A deep exhale into a more relaxed, present life.
Italy invented the art of dolce vita, and next autumn we’re diving into a sweet Feast at a sprawling, iconic villa outside of Siena. This is where the best wine you’ve never heard of gets topped off freely, time moves slowly and you become the highest and coolest version of yourself. The version you imagined as a kid you'd become some day: laughing at a long table under a Tuscan sunset.
The only thing left to do is buy the tickets.
Here’s what you’ll be up to:
Architectural Digest calls Villa Cetinale “the most beautiful villa in Tuscany.”
Condé Nast Traveler calls it “Tuscany’s ultimate party mansion,” and it has hosted Mick Jagger, Kate Moss, and King Charles (among many others) throughout its storied history.
You might recognize it from the season 3 finale of Succession (the over-the-top wedding location!).
Originally the ruins of an Etruscan settlement in the rolling hills of Siena, Cetinale was designed in 1680 for a wealthy cardinal. In the centuries after he died, the villa drifted into disrepair.
It wasn’t until the 1970s that the member of British Parliament Lord Lambton bought the property. What he did before and after he arrived remains the stuff of scandal— it may involve drugs and orgies and long lunchtime conversations designed to shock his guests— but he also brought elephants in for birthday parties and made the villa’s ghosts guests at the dinner table. His spirit still infuses the villa with a tongue in cheek humor amidst the grandeur.
After his son Ned inherited Cetinale, he got to work renovating the villa at eye-watering expense, enlisting the interior design help of Camilla Guinness (yes, those Guinesses). From carefully restored original fabrics to new frescoes in the dining rooms, the villa has kept its original charm while adding luxe modern creature comforts.
Oh, and this place is, how do we say it, BIG, so if you have mobility issues please contact us to discuss! Reaching parts of the property requires going up 200 steps – the Santa Scala (Holy Stairs). Legend has it Pope Alexander VII ordered the cardinal to climb them on his hands and knees. The famous Sienese horse races, the Palio of Siena, have been held at Villa Cetinale many times when the city was rioting— you’ll have plenty of room to wander the expansive gardens, wine glass in hand.
The owner of the house says that ‘Wild spirits live within the trees and are carved into the rocks.' Lets go meet them.
The Villa
“Everything you see I owe to pasta.” -Sophia Loren
The Italian commitment to the Julia Child maxim of “good food from fresh ingredients” is the basis for every Moveable Feast meal, snack, and sip of wine. Enjoy a handcrafted mix of Tuscan meals from the private Cetinale chef, and let us show you the relaxed, deeply thoughtful approach to food in restaurants and side bars. Do it right, do it well, and enjoy every single bite.
If you have allergies or food restrictions, please send us a note, because we can usually accommodate specific diets. If you are a strict vegan, this is not the trip for you.
The Food
“My only regret in life is that I did not drink more wine.” -Ernest Hemingway
Italian wines are world-renowned for a reason, but the sheer number of options can be daunting. A country with this much complexity demands an expert to unravel it all for you. We are so happy to welcome back our favorite sommelier, Chris Horn, head of wine at Seattle’s beloved Purple Wine Bar. A Feaster favorite at our Provence 2021 and Lisbon 2022 trips (and compulsive glass refiller), Chris is a one man circus. He’ll help you sort your Barolos from your Brunellos and give you something to talk about the next time you want to impress someone with your wine knowledge. Most importantly, he’ll remind you how to drink the Italian way: enjoying your wine without snobbery or pretense. If you’ve ever sat at a table where Chris is holding court, you know what a next-level experience it is.
We also deeply celebrate the art of the happy hour, and have a whole collection of spirits we can’t wait to share with you. If you’re looking for a thoughtlessly booze-soaked holiday, MFR is not for you. But if you’re dreaming of long, slow dinners (and the glasses of wine that always accompany them), a celebration of mixology using herbs outside your back door, and thoughtful consumption of liquor and life with equal joy, then we think we’re going to get along famously.
PS. Don’t drink? No problem! The important thing is the celebration of and curiosity about life-- the rest is just fermentation.
The Wine
But what will we do all day?
A good day of travel, for us, is when we discover new foods, meet interesting people, and take a moment to be extremely present in an unfamiliar place. We want you to come home from your travels with a deeper sense of a place, an appreciation for the small details that can go unseen when you travel at a breakneck pace. We’ve also been listening carefully to what you want more of from MFR, so you can expect:
RESERVE YOUR SPOT NOW
Waking up in luxury accommodation with breakfast waiting
Savoring dreamy handmade meals under the olive trees in a sprawling Tuscan estate
Swimming (figuratively) through a drawing room flooded with sommelier Chris Horn’s personal wine selections
Swimming (literally) through the heated pool in the gardens
A mix of private chef nights and city restaurant dinners out
On-site designer, Keita Horn curating tablescapes
Morning yoga classes
Intros to the Italian concepts that have changed how we think about the world
Mini adventures in our favorite Tuscan towns
New BFFs and shared memories baked in
A real good travel time that you'll have in your memory bank until the end of time
Savoring dreamy handmade meals under the olive trees in a sprawling Tuscan estate
Swimming (figuratively) through a drawing room flooded with sommelier Chris Horn’s personal wine selections
Swimming (literally) through the heated pool in the gardens
A mix of private chef nights and city restaurant dinners out
On-site designer curating tablescapes
Morning yoga classes
Intros to the Italian concepts that have changed how we think about the world
Mini adventures in our favorite Tuscan towns
New BFFs and shared memories baked in
A real good travel time that you'll have in your memory bank until the end of time
What’s Included:
- Luxury accommodations in one of the most iconic villas in Italy
- Airport transfer from Florence
- Custom guides to our favorite Tuscan sites
- All meals at the villa and dinners out on the town
- Wine and daily happy hour drinks
- Day trips to the gems of Tuscany
- Yoga classes and welcome surprises
As always, these trips are highly curated and location specific. We cringe at big-box generic tours, and spots are very limited! The hardest thing you’ll have to do is exit the airport: if you can read “uscita,” you’ll be just fine.
Our Europe trips usually sell out within 48 hours, so nab your spot below!
Le Pricetag
• Room in Villa Cetinale custom designed by Camilla Guinness
• En suite bathroom
• Charming historic details galore
• These rooms all have one bed and are best for couples or friends
Premia VILLA ROOM
CLASSICA VILLA ROOM
• Room in Villa Cetinale custom designed by Camilla Guinness
• Bathroom shared by one other room
• Charming historic details galore
• Two of these rooms share an entrance and would be best for friends who are traveling together (to avoid any awkward mishaps)
$7,200
$6,500
Price is per person.
Just $2,500 non-refundable deposit to reserve your spot.
Remain payments due June 1st and September 1st
Price is per person.
Just $2,500 non-refundable deposit to reserve your spot.
Remain payments due June 1st and September 1st
RESERVE MY SPOT!
RESERVE MY SPOT!
November 5-11th, 2023
Villa Rooms
(These rooms are all inside villa cetinale)
SOLD OUT
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VILLETA ROOMS
• Quieter rooms in separate Tuscan cottages on the Cetinale grounds
• Great for groups of friends who want their own space
• Each cottage has its own sitting rooms and fireplaces overlooking the villa gardens.
$5,900
Price is per person.
Just $2,500 non-refundable to reserve your spot.
Remaining payments due June 1st and September 1st
RESERVE MY SPOT!
Villeta Rooms
(Need a little more privacy? The Villeta Rooms are in ancient renovated Tuscan cottages on the Villa Cetinale Grounds — an easy stroll from the main Villa.)
SOLD OUT
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I'm traveling solo.
How does the room situation work?
We love solo travelers. On past trips, about 50% of Feasters are those traveling by themselves.
If you're joining us assolo (wow, that's not the best Italian word if you say it out loud), you've got two options:
1. Before the trip, we send out questionnaires to get to know our Feasters. Once we get an idea of personalities and sleep schedules, we'll match you with your new travel bestie. There are limited spots for room with two beds, so get on it quick!
2. Wanting more of a solo experience? Book an entire room to yourself for an additional cost of $2,500 (available at checkout) and you can starfish in your giant bed all week.
The three step "don't regret your life" Feast Plan
1. Reserve your spot with just $2,500k down.
2. We’ll send you everything you need to know– what to pack, what to expect, and a style guide– one month before departure. The remaining payments are due June 1st and September 1st.
3. You meet us at the Florence airport on November 5th. Many more details to come, but for now, badda bing.
We love these Australian mugshots from the 1920s Sydney police station. Photos only moments after these guys were pulled straight from bar fights, bloodstreams full of beer, eyes full of sass. Here’s your Tuscany team: along with the crimes we’re most likely to commit in Italy with you.
Who's hosting this festa?
LAURA HUYSMAN
founder, lead
Organizing the White Dinner of your dreams.
Sneaking champagne into the movie theater.
PASSION:
CRIME most likely to commit:
TIM SULLIVAN
founder
The non-cynical pursuit of a life well lived.
Public displays of extreme decency.
PASSION:
CRIME most likely to commit:
CHRIS HORN
SOMMELiER
Surprising you with just how good wine can be.
Possession of Amaro with intent to distribute.
PASSION:
CRIME most likely to commit:
KEITA HORN
FLORALS, DESIGN
Creating beautiful little details and moments.
Glamping without a permit.
