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For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Corso Giuseppe Garibaldi, 74, 50056 Montelupo Fiorentino FI, Italy
View on Google MapsMy wife and I booked the experience with Matteo and his family the minute we saw it was available. It has been one of the highlights of our trip to Florence. We arrived early and were met by Matteo at the gallery with warmth, kindness, and enthusiasm, which lasted throughout the tour. We were taken through sourcing and preparation of the clay, through to the creation and finishing of the pieces with humour and innate knowledge of the craft. The expertise of each member of the studio was highlighted and is almost beyond comprehension. We also can't say enough nice things about Matteo's father, who will guide you through making your ceramic experience complete. It's not hard to see where Matteo's personality comes from. He really is the "rockstar of Montelupo!" If you have any interest in pottery or ceramics, this experience can't be missed. 11/10, no notes.
It was the highlight of my 10 day Firenze trip! I was speechless and enamored the entire time. You feel so special, see literal magic in the form of art, and feel like family the entire time - from Matteo, to his father, mother, brother, & all the other artists. Do yourself a favor and sign up. Only then will you understand why it is a prized experience.
€110
per personPricing
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Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller, Service animals allowed, Public transportation options are available nearby, Suitable for all physical fitness levels, Children must be accompanied by an adult
This was a truly special experience. We were lucky enough to be the only guests so our tour was private. The tour brought us to the factory and the private showroom where we were able to see hundreds of pieces in various stages of completion. Salvatore gave us a quick yet masterful demonstration and we were able to meet the co-owner of the studio. After the tour , we returned to the studio where my wife was given a private throwing lesson with Salvatore. It was a magical day. Matteo was such an amazing host and guide. We felt like family when we left.
A wonderful experience hosted by a wonderful family. We were shown the passion of ceramic artistry and taught how to make pottery the Montelupo way.
This was one of if not the the funnest events my wife and I have ever done on Viator. Matteo had great communication beforehand and is such a genuinely fun and energetic person. The factory tour was amazing, as was meeting his family. His father is an amazing teacher and we were able to make some really cool pottery through his patient and caring instructions. This is truly worth the time and trip. This is a train almost every hour from Florence with the station only a 3 minute walk to the studio and the ride is only 30 minutes and cost $5. Do yourself a favor and do this fun adventure.
If I could give this experience 10 stars I would. I enjoyed the ceramic class in December last year and I found myself booking this again for next year. I feel terrible I don’t remember the name of who gave me the tour but he was one of the most welcoming people I’ve ever met. I was taken around Montelupo and learnt about their culture and history. I then had the opportunity to go to their warehouse which I was told not many people get to go to. I saw how their factory worked, I met the people and saw so many beautiful ceramics. I was then able to make my own bowls which I use almost every day and am in love with. I’ve been to Italy 3 times and this was by far my favourite experience. I cannot recommend doing this more!
Montelupo is less than 30 minutes from Florence by train, and the meet up point a five minute walk from the train station. I thought I signed up for a ceramics class but what happened was like “I found a long lost family” experience! I went to the storefront and met Matteo there, he then drove me to their factory a few minutes away. I was given a full tour of the making of their ceramics located on the ground floor and then was shown to the upstairs showroom with all their finished products. They ship them all over the world. I met the kindly grandfather at the factory. We returned to the storefront where I met his beautiful mother, she was so excited to show me all the new pottery and Christmas items on display. She was interested in knowing my opinion! The father came in soon after and took me into the next room for the ceramics class, he taught me to throw clay on the wheel. I had so much fun making 2 bowls. He was so patient. They will fire and glaze it for me then ship it to California. I highly recommend this experience, worth every euro!!!
This was probably my best experience in Italy in any of my visits! I was so happy to find something so unique before I even started. This excursion is also a bit different from the typical pasta, pizza, gelato, museums, and leather making you’d expect in Firenze. Which adds to just how special it is to attend. I was able to catch a quick train from Florence out to Montelupo which was about 20 minutes. The host Matteo was incredibly communicative and enthusiastic. I contacted him the day prior saying I was worried I would have a scheduling conflict with my next excursion. Matteo looked into it and said he would be able to get me back to the city with plenty of time. Upon getting off the train I was able to walk to the shop and see some of the beauty of the square. Matteo was outside waiting for me and that is where the fun part began. Matteo and his family gave me the type of welcome one would expect from Italy. His aunt was there and brought cookies and they were happy to share. I immediately felt like a friend. From there he took me to the factory where they work collaboratively with his studio. The factory was an interesting mix of seeing people work with their hands to craft beautiful pieces with speed and efficiency as well as seeing the ancient traditions of pottery being melded with modern industry to provide some beautiful pieces that go to famous retailers in the US. There was also a studio tour above the factory for all of the pieces in the collection available this season and my response was wide eyes and a loud “wow”. That was only half of the excursion. We returned to the studio where I was to throw some pottery on a wheel with Matteo’s father who is a master potter. This was a fun experience guided by someone with very practiced hands. I was able to make bowls and they would proceed to decorate them and ship to to me. All at the cost of the excursion. I added a more in depth pattern to the design so there was a small extra charge that was well worth it! Matteo and his family were by far the best part of an otherwise already amazing experience. Matteo and I got into a conversation about how different buildings are treated in Italy than in my country and he proceeded to take me down to a store at the end of the street that sold small items and had a statue in it from the 1300s that was just part of the landscape no matter what shop occupied it. This was incredibly interesting for me to see and I would have missed it otherwise if it weren’t for the incredibly welcoming Matteo. This excursion was recently rated one of the best on Air B and B for the area and that award as well as all the ones in the future are well deserved! If you are looking for an amazing and unique experience with some incredibly friendly and kind people I would strongly recommend you book this when you are in Florence.
Very nicely organized! A very sweet family that lets you experience the art of pottery. We enjoyed it very much and our children found this the highlight of the visit to Florence.
From start to finish, this experience is for potters and pottery lovers. You start with a tour of a pottery factory and see the process from raw clay to shipping. Matteo was a wonderful guide, explaining all the steps. You get to wander around the showroom and have the opportunity to buy a hand-crafted piece that will be customized for you (or if you are like me, several pieces!). Then you head back to the family-owned shop to have his father, the master potter, teach you how to throw a perfect bowl! A lovely experience all around!
