ASTOUNDING EXPERIENCE with @lagalleriamontelupo! I cannot recommend highly enough! Matteo and his whole family are amazing! They took us on a tour of their workshop where every single item is made by hand!!! Each piece was original and beautiful. Such an incredible array of patterns & shapes. The tour was followed by chance for each of us to throw clay & make a bowl on the wheel. I am a complete novice while my cousin is an experienced hobbyist potter, and Matteo was able to tailor the experience perfectly for two different levels of familiarity with pottery. Don’t miss out in this opportunity to get your hands “dirty” and gain a true appreciation of this Tuscan art!

We cannot speak highly enough of Matteo, his family, the kind artisans in the factory, and the entire experience. The passion that everyone has for the art, the history, and the sharing of their culture is touching. For example, the gentleman who crafts all the handles and decorations for every ceramic piece from the factory for the past 60+ years stopped what he was doing to teach us how to craft one type of handle, then put it on an incomplete piece needing revision so we could “see our work.” A wonderful experience from start to finish.

My wife and I spent a wonderful morning with Matteo visiting his family's factory and learning about the process to create hand produced and painted ceramics that has been passed down through more than five generations. It was an eye opening experience that made us appreciate the skill and effort that goes into developing these beautiful pieces. Getting to create our own bowl with the help of Matteo's father was a highlight and something we'll treasure for a long time. Highly recommend!

Matteo and his family were truly so kind at every step of the way. Their passion and love for their craft is not only inspiring but also contagious. I highly suggest this for anyone who is even remotely interested in pottery. I left not only feeling like I had done something incredibly unique but also left with new friends. Thank you again for making my experience so memorable!

Could not recommend this experience more!! Matteo was the perfect tour guide! From the start he was so kind and beyond helpful, giving us suggestions about what to do with our luggage since we were traveling out the day of our experience and suggestions of what to do in Montelupo. The experience was incredible. We got to see the whole process for making pottery which was so cool to see firsthand. Matteo explained every step of the process and answered all our curious questions with so much enthusiasm. After the tour of the factory, we got to try our hand at making something of our own. Matteo’s father, one of the best wheel workers in Montelupo, helped us make our bowls. And thankfully he did because otherwise they probably wouldn’t be usable LOL but they turned out beautifully and now, not only do we have a special memory, but also bowls we’ll use for years to come to remember our wonderful time in Montelupo with Matteo and his family. We were able to walk around their family shop and bought a couple of items. Because Matteo is already sending our bowls, he is just going add those items to our shipment so we could get some larger items that we wouldn’t have been able to otherwise. They even offered the option to create a custom piece. We saw a pattern in the factory that we loved but wanted it on a flower pot…. They’re going to make that for us!! We are so excited for our pieces to arrive and are so grateful for this wonderful experience!

This was an absolutely fantastic experience that I highly recommend! Just look at all the amazing reviews and you will see why this is an event you should definitely book! Matteo and his family were so kind and welcoming and I learned so much about the true artistry and craftsmanship that goes into making ceramics. Matteo‘s father was extremely patient in helping me create my own pieces and it was really just the most wonderful experience from beginning to end. With Matteo’s expert guidance, I was also able to purchase some one of a kind, personalized gifts that will become family treasures.This is truly a family business (5th generation!) and you can feel the love that goes into all of their work. It’s also extremely easy to get to Montelupo - a very simple 20 minute trip on a direct train from Florence and then a four minute walk that takes you directly to the shop. Matteo also suggested a restaurant with the best gnocchi and I have to agree with his recommendation! The restaurant is about a five minute walk from the shop, so you can make a nice day of visiting the charming small town of Montelupo. There is also a ceramics museum in town. This excursion will go down as one of my most memorable experiences throughout my travels and I can’t wait for my pieces to arrive! I 100% recommend this activity for all ages and artistic abilities!