Wander Free Tour
Cooking,
Wine & Walking Extravaganza Tour in Piedmont's Barolo Wine Country,
Cinque Terre & Tuscany's Brunello Wine Country
Walking on Cinque Terre pathway near Vernazza, Italy
"I've been
travelling to Italy at least once a year since 1980. I've always
enjoyed my trips to Italy immensely, however, Mama Margaret & Friends Cooking Adventures in Italy was exceptional. ... just too
good. So good I fear all my future trips to Italy will pale in comparison."
Sandra Cozzo, NH, USA, Cooking, Wine & Walking tour in Piedmont
& Tuscany to celebrate their 20th wedding anniversary.
Accommodations
Cooking
Tour Itinerary
Cooking Tour Dates
Cooking Tour Prices
How
to Reserve
Terms & Conditions
Detailed
Cooking Tour Description--You'll feel you're in Italy!
Cooking
Tour Members' Comments
More Pictues of Piedmont
More Pictures of the Italian Riviera
More Pictures of Tuscany
Cooking
Tour at a Glance: Brief Description
You'll
meet an incredible variety of local Italian people that you'd
never meet otherwise, in lots of restaurants, homes, wine cellars--some
where other tourists never go. Genuine Italian experiences with
your new Italian friends.
Discover
new Italian dishes and chefs' secrets in 5 cooking lessons
with 5 great chefs in their restaurant kitchens and dine on your
creations with fine local wines in Piedmont, Portovenere near Cinque
Terre and Southern Tuscany hilltowns near Montalcino in Italy. Three
incredibly varied and different Italian cuisines!
Visit
Barolo and Barbaresco wineries in Piedmont, and Brunello and Vino
Nobile wineries in Tuscany, and expand your Italian wine repertoire
as you drink a wonderful variety of top wines at meals in
Italy.
Tuscan countryside near Montalcino, Italy |
Enjoy
hilltown strolls to learn about local Italian history
and culture and optional country walks in Piedmont's
series of gentle, vineyard covered hills topped with medieval
castles, with views of the Alps on a clear day, then along the
dramatically beautiful Cinque Terre paths clinging to cliffs
falling to the azure sea, and along Tuscan country roads with
lovely, vast panoramas of hills of olive trees, grain, and vineyards.
Three sets of magnificent scenery in three regions in Italy!
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You'll
stay in very nice B & Bs or hotels, like a beautifully renovated,
15th century home with six tastefully decorated rooms in the Barolo
wine country, a pleasant, comfortable, family run hotel on the Riviera
in the heart of Camogli at the sea, a Tuscan B & B with beautiful
antiques and very hospitable owners in Montalcino, or an air conditioned,
pretty, new hotel with lovely country views in Pienza in Tuscany.
Accommodations in Piedmont
Accommodations in Riviera
Accommodations in Tuscany
Cooking
Tour Itinerary
Happy pasta cooks in Piedmont
cooking lesson in Barbaresco wine country
Note: All
walks are optional. We're flexible in catering to your interests
and can change our plans daily to suit you.
Sunday
Check into
your hotel in Verduno or Alba countryside on your own 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 (included).
Relax at
hotel.
Italian cooking
lesson at a well known restaurant in the vineyards outside Barbaresco.
Take a rest, then dine your creations at the restaurant and enjoy
Barbaresco wine.
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 cooking 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 (not included). 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
Day long excursion walking the pathways or by boat to Cinque Terre villages.
12:45 Lunch at a trattoria in the colourful piazza in Vernazza. You can walk all the way, part of the way or go by boat the whole time, as you wish. Return to Portovenere about 7:00 p.m.
Rest at our hotel. Dinner on the magnificent hotel terrace. More excellent seafood!!
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. 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 in your rented car.
2007
Cooking Tour Dates:
Dates by request. Please ask us for the dates you want.
Have other interests or things you want to do? Just
let us know so we can custom design this tour just for you!
Group
Size: 2 to 7.
2007 Cooking Tour Prices:
Prices
are in Euros and are subject to exchange rate fluctuations.
Full 8
days:
For group of 2-7 people
2000 Euros per person (approx $2560 US or $2940
CAD) double occupancy, all inclusive, land only. Single supplement:
400 Euros
For 3 days in
Piedmont or Tuscany, or 5 days in Piedmont/Riviera or Riviera/Tuscany,
please ask us for prices.
Prices
include: hotel accommodation, cooking lessons with full
meal following, all meals except one lunch, excursions, interpreter where necessary, fat information
booklet with lots of local maps, addresses and phone numbers of
all people and places you visit, local contact in case of need,
wine information and more.
Not included: All wines with your meals, rental
car, guide, transfers/transport.
To
Reserve:
Contact
Margaret Cowan at margaret@italycookingschools.com
or call 1-800-557-0370 or 604-681-4074.
One
stop shopping for your whole Italy tour vacation
Our
travel agent colleagues at Aquarius Travel Inc. are experts on Italy,
and can assist you with any arrangements you require to make your
Italy vacation a memorable experience.
Ask her about villa, apartment or B & B accommodation throughout
Italy--3000 in Tuscany alone! She can also arrange your car rentals,
sightseeing tours, Italian language classes, and airfare. It's one
stop shopping with an Italy expert, so it's easy for you!
VISA
and Mastercard accepted.
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