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Handmade Tuscan Ceramics Masterclass in Montelupo
5.0
127 Ratings
Montelupo Fiorentino
Immerse yourself in the ancient tradition of Tuscan pottery making with a master craftsman in Montelupo. Learn the secrets of ceramic making and experience the magic of transforming clay into beautiful majolica.
Duration:
2 hours
Cancellation:
1 day
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Highlights
- La Galleria Montelupo Ceramics - The experience is made to show you what means living like a ceramist, in a countryside town outside Florence.
I will be happy to show you all the process in the factory and and then we will come back to the shop and you will make a piece by your hands!
What's Included
- Transport by private vehicle
- Raw clay, working clothes and ceramic wheel
- Shipment - the pieces you will make will be shipped to your house!
- Small-group tour in factory
- Double firing and glazing
What's Not Included
- If you would like there is the possibility to buy some ceramic (even personalized) that we make, choosing from the models in the factory or the ready pieces in the shop. Being that the shipment is free, you will get them at a very special price!
Additional Information
Hello, I’m Matteo and I appreciate your presence here!
Our family has crafted Tuscan pottery for generations, and after receiving the Certificate of Excellence from Tripadvisor, we’ve chosen to share our insider knowledge with anyone desiring to uncover this ancient tradition and its intricacies.
In a comprehensive two to three-hour class, we’ll take a hands-on approach to exploring the entire ceramic making process.
Our local shop has been our base for two decades, just like a home, and we’re delighted to share our love for what we do with you.
Our production site is slightly out of town (don’t worry, I’ll drive you there), and it’s where we bring our creations to life. You’ll witness how many hands it takes to transform a mound of clay into a beautifully decorated majolica.
I won’t reveal too much right now, as this is an immersive experience that truly needs to be felt - observed with your eyes, formed with your hands, and lived with your heart.
- Children must be accompanied by an adult
Location
La Galleria Montelupo Ceramics
Via XX Settembre
We will meet in the shop, easily reachable by the Montelupo-Capraia train station in three minutes by walking (there is also a car parking there, if needed)
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
5.0
(127 Ratings)
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Explore246767
Jul 27, 2024
Simply the best! - What an incredible experience! La Galleria Montelupo Ceramic’s class exceeded all expectations. You quickly learn that this is not just a “tour” or “pottery class” but a homecoming of sorts. You are greeted by and treated like family from start to finish. Along the way you quickly discover the legacy that is La Galleria and the kind, hand-working individuals who are part of this business’ artisan community. No doubt you’ll recognize their high quality products but what you’ll remember is the people. Thank you for making a forever memory!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Sarah_j
Jul 24, 2024
We got to tour the... - We got to tour the factory with Matteo, and then his father taught us how to make scalloped bowls! For a little extra (€30), we could customize hand-painted designs on our work. Shipping is included in the tour, so I can’t wait to receive my bowl in a couple months. We also met more of the family, and all were lovely and excited to share their passion.
Review provided by Viator
Amelia_b
Jul 23, 2024
AWESOME - So so so amazing!!! The kindest, most enthusiastic, and patient family. Seriously so fun. Highly recommend. I had the best time!!!
Review provided by Viator
Lisa_m
Jul 22, 2024
Amazing experience-highly recommend - What an amazing and memorable experience for me and my 2 daughters. Matteo and his family are so welcoming and the tour of the production site was wonderful. It really gives you an appreciation of the workmanship that goes into every piece. We had fun learning the process and making our own bowls. Excited to receive our pieces (made and others we bought) to display in our homes.
Review provided by Viator
Madison_c
Jul 5, 2024
The best time in Montelupo! - Had the most fun with Matteo and his lovely family! We signed up for this class to finish off our honeymoon and it was the perfect way to spend our last day. Montelupo was such a quiet local town just outside of the tourist filled Florence. We loved how peaceful it was. The tour of the factory was so unique seeing how they handmade every piece! So excited to receive the bowls we made and the new unique piece we ordered in a few months!!
Review provided by Viator
Karina_m
Jun 29, 2024
Must-do!!! - This was the BEST experience!!! My sister and I enjoyed the factory tour, as well as the pottery lesson, so much. This is an amazing family, and Mateo is an excellent guide. It is obvious that Mateo really enjoys doing these tours, and his dad and mom are both very kind and helpful. Montelupo is a very remarkable town, one that we otherwise may not have seen, and we are so happy we did.
We are very excited to receive our pottery we made in the mail. This was hands-down the best experience we had in Italy, and HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!!
Review provided by Viator
Christina_t
Jun 20, 2024
truly wonderful - I took my mom to this and both of us agreed it was a highlight of our entire trip. Mateo and his family are lovely human beings. Passionate, knowledgeable and ethical. It was fascinating to see the whole process! Mateo is pictured here showing us a machine that aids in their zero waste factory. It was amazing to meet some of the artisans and try out the pottery wheel! We learned so much! And it was FUN. Can't recommend this highly enough.
Review provided by Viator
Jada_a
Jun 18, 2024
10/10 Experience - One of the best pottery experiences I've had! It was very extensive and went into much depth not only about throwing, but also production. The factory tour was so interesting and insightful into the pottery industry. What really made the experience was how friendly everyone was. Matteo was so helpful and kind throughout the whole tour and not only answered my questions with much depth and knowledge, but with so much enthusiasm. You can really tell they all love their jobs and what they do. Everyone was so kind and helpful it made the experience just that much more worth it. I will definitely take a visit again when I visit Montelupo again.
Review provided by Viator
Melissa_e
Jun 17, 2024
A 10-star experience!! - I would highly recommend. Matteo and his family are warm and kind and truly enjoy explaining and showing the process of creating amazingly beautiful pottery. This was one of the best parts of our vacation. I ordered a bowl for my sister’s wedding and Matteo put a rush on it to make sure it would arrive in time. He even suggested an Italian phrase to be painted on the bottom asking with their names and wedding date. My daughter and I loved every minute. We thoroughly enjoyed learning to throw pots with Matteo’s dad. He was very patient and kind. Matteo helped us choose designs for our bowls. Just a great experience. Highly recommend!!!
Review provided by Viator
Sarah_m
Jun 7, 2024
Our FAVORITE experience of Tuscany by far!! - We had the GREATEST time with this experience! We highly recommend this to anyone that would like to try something new and get to see Tuscany through a local perspective.
Matteo our host was beyond hospitable and proactive in reaching out to us and helping to direct us to the workshop. This experience is in a town 30 minutes outside of Florence easily accessible by train.
Matteo gave us the most excellent tour of Montelupo and the ceramics workshop, telling us all about the towns history and his family’s business. Getting to make our own ceramics was a blast but this experience was so much greater than we ever could have hoped.
This was our favorite part of our trip and We HIGHLY recommend it to everyone.
Review provided by Viator