Handmade Tuscan Ceramics Masterclass in Montelupo

Badge of ExcellenceFlorence, Italy

How to make handmade Tuscan Ceramic a course with a master potter in Montelupo

2 hours
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

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Overview

Tuscany has been known for its pottery since ancient times, and with this hands-on class you’ll enjoy an introduction to traditional Tuscan “majolica” in just a few hours. Head to a family-run workshop in Montelupo, a village known for its pottery production since the Renaissance. Visit a real pottery factory and learn about Italian techniques then create your own masterpiece that you can take home alongside a master potter.

Try your hand at traditional Tuscan pottery with an artisan in Montelupo
Tour a historic workshop and pick up the techniques to making majolica
Create a pottery piece from start to finish, to be shipped directly to you
Optional transportation from Montelupo to the workshop outside of town

What's Included

Raw clay, working clothes and ceramic wheel
Small-group tour in factory
Transport by private vehicle
Double firing and glazing
Shipment - the pieces you will make will be shipped to your house!

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!

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting point

La Galleria Montelupo Ceramics
Via XX Settembre, 7, 50056 Montelupo Fiorentino FI, Italy
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)

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

What To Expect

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Not wheelchair accessible
Children must be accompanied by an adult
Stroller accessible

Service animals allowed
Near public transportation
Most travelers can participate
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 6 travelers

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.

Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.

Traveler Photos

Reviews

5.0

106 reviews

Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews

Reviews by Viator travelers.

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Showing 1-10 of 106 reviews

Great day with the clay

Wayne_T, Mar 2024

Matteo and his family were amazing. Matteo's energy mixed with his father's ability to patiently teach us and his mother's kindness made this a memorable day. The tour was incredible and the people working at the factory were very nice and took time to welcome us.

BEST EXPERIENCE IN TUSCANY!!

Chandra_B, Mar 2024

Just a couple of train stops outside Florence is the Italian Village experience you are looking for. Matteo and his family...and the rest of the villagers too....were warm and welcoming. We got coffee, went to the factory (THE place where high end brand name stores in America source their pottery...think P Barn, Will/Son, C&B, etc.), before returning to the shop to meet the Master Potter who helped us shape our own bowls!!!

Take this tour!!

Tucker_T, Mar 2024

Matteo was extremely friendly and his father was very patient. His father is the master potter. The tour of the ceramic factory was AMAZING! The entire experience was WONDERFUL! We highly recommend this experience in Montelupo!!

Hands on pottery experience

Judith_W, Mar 2024

Matteo and his family offer an excellent explanation of Tuscan ceramics. We toured their factory to see the complete process from clay block to finished pieces - all done by hand by craftsman. Then we headed to the shop where his father gave us a hands on experience in creating our own wheel thrown bowls. We can’t wait to see the finished pieces when they are shipped to our home in the US.

Fantastic Experience

Miriam_W, Feb 2024

We had a fantastic time. We visited the factory and met with the artists we made some pottery and also found some beautiful pieces of art. Montelupo is a lovely town with an excellent gourmet restaurant, Osteria Livornese. This was a lot of fun and the experience should not be missed.

Amazing pottery experience on our honeymoon

Haaris_A, Dec 2023

Sensational experience with Matteo and his family - he made it a lovely, intimate experience for us (even though it was our first time doing pottery!). Would highly recommend for any couple to take part in.

great experience

Laurenz_B, Dec 2023

It was a wonderful morning! Seeing the production (and trying to do it ourselves) was really fun! :)

Great experience with family experience.

Teresa_l, Dec 2023

Amazing experience! We enjoyed meeting the entire family. They were all so welcoming and their work is exceptional. We had a tour of the factory as well and it was amazing. Would highly recommend.

11 out of 10!!

Catie_P, Nov 2023

Mateo was wonderful and was clearly very invested in our experience. We were not just another number to him. I am a beginner potter and was very interested in the whole process. Mateo spent extra time with us answering all our questions. The tour of the factory and showroom was really cool to see. You can tell how much much effort and pride goes into each step. I also learned that a lot of the methods I use in pottery are not used in Italy, which was very interesting. Mateo's dad also spent extra time with me so I could show him how I was taught to throw a pot and then he guided me through their process. My boyfriend did not have any experience with clay and thoroughly enjoyed his time as well.

Unforgettable Experience!!

Angie_J, Nov 2023

Matteo was SO wonderful and this experience was one of the highlights of our Italian honeymoon!! He was so passionate about the business and took us through the factory and showed us the entire process start to finish. The show room was breathtaking and he helped us custom order a piece for our new home. Throughout the whole experience he answered all our questions, and we were able to make our own pottery through lessons with his father. We really felt like a part of the family by the end of it! He also gave us lunch recommendations for after the experience. Would HIGHLY recommend this experience to anyone, it was unforgettable!!

Wonderful experience

omar_A, Oct 2023

Friendly people and a good place Nice and perfect experience Special thanks for mateo and his family

The Perfect Afternoon

Anna_K, Oct 2023

What a special day spent in Montelupo with Matteo and his wonderful family! Seeing the passion they all have for a craft that has been in their family for multi generations is inspiring. It was lovely to get away from the city for the afternoon and we are taking home several memorable pieces. We will absolutely return on future trips!

An amazing experience, highly recommend!

Grant_P, Oct 2023

What a fun and unique experience! Truly the highlight of our Italy trip. The store was very easy to get to by train from Florence. Matteo and his family were so warm and welcoming, this was the small town experience I was hoping to find in Italy! We were given a tour of the factory and were in awe of the craftsmanship. We also got to each throw a bowl and now we each have keepsakes that will remind us of our time here. Matteo gave us the recommendation for a local gelato shop that will forever be the best gelato I've ever had, a must visit after the tour.

Montelupo Magic

Jane_N, Oct 2023

Certainly a huge highlight of my two month stay in Italy was the warmth of Matteo and his talented master potter father and lovely mother. Such a privilege to visit the factory to see the amazing skills of the artisans. Making a pot was loads of fun! Grazie mille!

Fun and Amazing Tour

Julie_M, Oct 2023

This was the most amazing tour! It was so neat to see all the hard work put into all the pieces at the factory! They were SO friendly and patient and we had such a fun time!

Highly recommended

PaulJ_C, Oct 2023

Excellent experience. The factory tour was very educational and fascinating. Matteo was a great host and guide, we could feel the passion he has for his family's craft. The pottery lesson was fun and we will have something we made to enjoy back home. Highly recommend this experience. Matteo even suggested a restaurant for lunch and the food was excellent.

Pottery with a touch of Tuscan hospitality.

Marcella_M, Sep 2023

Great time. The countryside drive to the warehouse where ceramics are made from beginning to end is a beautiful bonus. Mateo and his family are very hospitable and kind. I would do it again just to engage with Mateo, his family, and the town of Montelupo. Creating your very own piece of pottery is a perfect end to the tour.

Old school Italian craftsmanship at its best.

Flavia_M, Sep 2023

For anyone who does ceramics as a hobby or just loves Italy ceramics, this place is a must. I really loved seeing how the factory works. It’s incredible how everything is still hand made. The skills of these craft people are fascinating to watch. The pottery lesson was short but a real eye opener. I have never seen this technique before and I can’t wait to go back home and practice it. Really worthwhile. My son, who is never done wheel work, loved it and is very proud of the piece he made. Matteo, is a great guide - full of energy and information. He even directed us to the seasonal schiacciata con l’uva at the local shop and it was divine. All around excellent experience for both myself and my 11 year old son.

The best experience so far!!

Sam_E, Sep 2023

Amazing experience. Enjoyed every minute of my time with Matteo and his family. Highly recommend getting your hands a little dirty and learning some new skills. I have been actively potting for 20 years. What I learned blew my mind. Can't wait to get back on the wheel at home.

If you do one thing!!

Bernadette_Y, Sep 2023

If you do one thing! Please choose this experience! We chose to venture out via train from Florence to Montelupo (17 euro round trip for two of us) and a quick walk in the rain to this magnificent studio. This was the experience of a lifetime and far exceeded anything I could have imagined. Matteo greeted us with an exuberant amount of excitement as it was their first day back open after the hot season ( too hot to run the kilns). We toured the factory and met and watched the people who touch each piece of pottery crafted here. The art, the skill, the joy they have in their work is profound. I happen to love when people share the excitement for their art and it was so lovingly shared here. Onward to the showroom where we picked custom pieces to be made and shipped to us in the US (I cannot wait)! Finally back to the studio where Salvatore (Matteo’s father a master potter) guided us in making a bowl on the pottery wheel. It will be glazed and shipped along with the custom pieces. The custom pieces are not a requirement but equally so hard to pass up when you see how much goes into them and the choices you have. This is a family business that runs on a huge scale for what they produce and lovingly send out into the world. This was a once in a lifetime lottery win of an experience and I am so thankful for it and this lovely family! Thank you all again for sharing the joy of your art!

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