Cooking, Wine & Walking Extravaganza Tour in Piedmont's Barolo Wine Country, Cinque Terre & Tuscany's Brunello Wine Country
San Biagio church in Tuscany
Accommodations
Cooking Tour Brief Description, Dates and Prices
How to Reserve
Terms & Conditions
Detailed Cooking Tour Description--You'll feel you're in Italy!
Cooking Tour Members' Comments
More Pictures of Piedmont
More Pictures of the Italian Riviera
More Pictures of Tuscany
Please note: Walks are optional. If you have other interests and would like to do some things not in the itinerary, just let us know and we can change the daily plan for you.
Sunday
Meet at Turin airport or railway station. Transfer to our hotel in Verduno or Alba countryside and get settled.
Welcome dinner.
Monday
Drive to La Morra with spectacular views of the Barolo valley. Walk down the vineyards (about one hr.) to visit Renato Ratti Wine Museum housed in the Abbey of the Annunziata where wine production began in 1162. Personal tour and wine tasting with one of the Ratti family.
Lunch at a restaurant in Santa Vittoria d'Alba with lovely panoramas from a hilltop.
Relax at hotel.
Italian cooking lesson at a well known restaurant in the vineyards outside Barbaresco. Take a rest and dine your creations at the restaurant.
Tuesday
Drive to town of Barolo for visit and wine tasting at historic Marchesi di Barolo winery.
Drive to hilltown of Serralunga to visit a unique medieval castle, expanded in 1320.
Drive to a hamlet in the Barolo wine area to a farm to visit Giovanni, Francesca and their 6 children. See how Giovanni makes cheeses and visit all the animals. Italian country lunch with the large and very hospitable family.
Early evening full menu lesson at Real Castello.
Visit Real Castello wine cellars with Gabriella Burlotto.
Dinner of your creations at Real Castello
Wednesday
After breakfast, depart for Portovenere on the Italian Riviera south of Cinque Terre. Stop along the way in pretty seaside Riviera town of Camogli. Lunch of fresh focaccia and tortes weather permitting, on the beach or in outdoor cafes. Time to stroll and explore the old centre, port and beach in Camogli.
Continue to Portovenere, about one more hour driving. Check in to Grand Hotel Portovenere.
Free time to explore Portovenere--walks along the sea, up to the castle, along narrow streets filled with shops and ice cream and coffee bars. Or hang out at an outdoor cafe and watch life go by.
Wonderful seafood dinner at the hotel on the terrace with a stunning view of the port and bay.
Thursday
All day to walk and explore Cinque Terre on the walking paths or by boat.
Lunch in Vernazza at a good restaurant in the piazza at the beach.
5:00 or 6:00 Return by boat to Portovenere, about one hour.
8:00 Another wonderful dinner at the Grand Hotel.
Friday
After breakfast leave for Southern Tuscany.
On the way, stop at a hotel 4 km out of Lucca for a Riviera cooking lesson, about two hours on pesto, fish plates and more with the effervescent Chef Paolo Monti, who specializes in fast, healthy, yummy dishes. Sample all the dishes with local wines in a grazing lunch during the lesson.
Leave Chef Paolo at about 2:30 or 3:00. Optional short visit to explore Lucca, a lovely, walled city. Continue to Montalcino or Pienza. Check in to Hotel Vecchia Oliviera in Montalcino or Hotel Il Chiostro in Pienza..
8:00 Light dinner in Montalcino or Pienza.
Saturday
Cooking lesson with Chef Roberto at his restaurant in a mountain hamlet. Lunch of your Italian creations at his restaurant which specializes in mushroom dishes.
Drive down to Montalcino. On the way visit lovely Sant'Antimo, a Romanesque church set in an idyllic Tuscan valley of cypresses, olive groves, vineyards and fields.
Guided stroll and time for shopping in Montalcino. Brunello wine tasting and light meal of pecorino cheeses, salamis, bread at the enoteca in the fortress in Montalcino.
Sunday
Drive into the countryside south of Montalcino to Alberto's farm where he makes olive oil the artisan way with the traditional granite wheel. Cooking lesson on traditional Tuscan dishes with Alberto, a great home cook who used to own restaurants.
Discussion on how he makes olive oil and on olives. Lunch of your creations in his olive oil production room.
Drive to hilltown of Montepulciano, home of the famous Vino Nobile di Montepulciano. Guided visit of the town lined with distinguished palaces, cheese & wine shops.
Wine tasting at ancient wine cellar in Montepulciano with the family, owners there for generations.
Light farewell dinner at a good restaurant.
Monday
Departure for Chiusi railway station (about half way between Florence & Rome) after breakfast.
Note: Itinerary is subject to minor changes. We will do our best to keep changes to a minimum.
2008 Cooking Tour Dates:
Any time on request for two people or more--ask us for dates you like.
Full 8 days:
- April 24-May 2
- Dates by request
5 days Piedmont & Portovenere/Cinque Terre:
- April 24-29
- Dates by request
5 days Portovenere/Cinque Terre & Tuscany:
- April 27-May 2
- Dates by request
2008 Cooking Tour Prices:
Prices are in Euros and subject to currency exchange fluctuation. All prices are land only, no airfare included.
Full 8 days:
For group of 2-7 people:
3440 Euros per person (approx $5055 US or $5090 CAD) double occupancy, land only. Single supplement: 400 Euros
5 days: Piedmont/Riviera, Italy:
For group of 2-7 people:
2290 Euros per person (approx $3360 US or $3390 CAD) based on double occupancy.
Single supplement 280 Euros
5 days: Riviera/Tuscany, Italy:
For group of 2-7 people:
2290 Euros per person (approx $3360 US or $3390 CAD) based on double occupancy.
Single supplement 280 Euros.
Prices include
- hotel accommodation
- all meals
- cooking lessons
- excursions
- transport in private minivan,
- transfers from/to pick-up/drop-off points
- attentive guide throughout.
Not included: wines with your meals.
Detailed Cooking Tour Description--You'll feel you're in Italy!
Tour at a Glance: Brief Tour Description, Dates, Prices
Cooking
Tour Members' Comments
Sample
Tour Recipe
Why
Travel in Italy With Us
To Reserve: Contact Margaret Cowan at margaret@italycookingschools.com or call 1-800-557-0370 or 604-681-4074 or fax 604-681-4909 (Pacific time).
