Please note: Walks are optional. If you have other interests, just let us know and we can change the day's plan for you.
Sunday
Meet your group at Turin airport or railway station. Leave for Verduno or Barolo a one hour drive away. In Verduno you stay at a stately, yet down to earth hotel, once the summer home of King Carlo Alberto in the 1840s. In Barolo you stay at a pretty, three star, family-run hotel in town with lovely views of Barolo castle and vineyards.
Dine on authentic Piedmont specialties at a great local restaurant drinking great local wines.
If you stay in Barolo, you'll visit the charming Brezza family in their winery cellars, where the father or son sits with you around a wooden table lit by candles and tastes their wines with you. Conversation with them may stray to topics like family and friendship, so when you see them again in their restaurant for dinner, they feel like old pals.
Monday
Explore the La Morra area, driving along its winding country roads,
gazing in awe at the spectacular views of the Barolo wine
valley. Walk down through vineyards to the Ratti family winery.
Enjoy a personal tour and tasting in their wine museum in an abbey dating back to 1162 with one of the winery’s
effervescent owners who tells you
what makes Barolos so exquisite and the rich history behind these wines.
Drive to hill town Castiglione Falletto for light lunch alfresco on a cafe patio with lovely hill views.
At Real Castello enjoy your early evening hands-on cooking lesson on typical Piemonte dishes like onion tart, risotto with Barolo and guinea hen with rosemary and bunet, a Piedmontese cocoa pudding.
Before dinner, visit the Real Casello wine cellars where your host
tours you through the cellars and gives you tastings of the acclaimed
wines including Pelaverga, that resembles a spicy Barolo and is made
only in Verduno.
As you savor your exquisite dishes in their frescoed dining room,
you’ll understand why the Real Castello restaurant is known
internationally for its fine cuisine.
Tuesday
Travel high up into lush hills covered in forests and nut trees. In Cortemillia discover how to make hazelnut and chocolate desserts at a delightful family's bakery, famous since 1964 for its hazelnut cakes, pastries, cookies and more in a demonstration cooking class.
Drive down to a small, family farm to meet a man passionate about making his sheep cheeses in a totally natural way. Learn how he makes his cheeses in the cheese making room. In a divine picnic, you sample a range of his cheeses as he eagerly tells you all you’d ever want to know.
Drive to the scenic Barbaresco wine country hills and visit the famous Marchesi di Gresy winery and taste a wide range of acclaimed red and white wines including some of the best Barbarescos.
Dinner is in a typical restaurant full of local people in a little town in the hills.
Wednesday
Visit the famous Marchesi di Barolo winery in Barolo, where today's Barolo wine making began in the 1840s. See 200 year old barrels and taste the best wines. If time, tour the 1000 year old castle in Barolo, home to the Marchese di Barolo who refined Barolo wine in the 1840s.
Drive into the high hills to a farm where
Mario and his shepherds make sheep and goat cheeses in a place with echoes of
ages gone by. Picnic of his cheeses and local specialties there.
Visit and taste some top Barolo wines with
one of the top producers like Conterno in Monforte.
Dinner is in a typical restaurant for more
delicate Piedmontese fare.
Thursday
In the hill town of Serralunga, visit a unique medieval castle, renovated in
1340. With the castle's entertaining guide, discover ingenious architectural
features that kept invaders out. On the top floor, marvel at the 360 degree views
of the countryside and town. <
Visit a family’s farm where friendly Francesca shares a slice of
their everyday life with you. They produce cheeses and most of what they eat.
Eat a scrumptious farm lunch and chat with her at the table. Visit the farm
after lunch to experience a slice of country life.
Drive back to your hotel in Barolo or Verduno and enjoy a free afternoon to relax, explore or hang
out. Dinner on your own.
Friday
Stroll through the delightful medieval heart of Alba, a small
bustling city. Browse the high quality clothing and houseware stores or
tempting gastronomy shops like “Peccati della Gola—Sins of the Throat”.
Drive to town of Barbaresco
for a visit and wine tasting with a smaller, family style producer who makes
excellent wines.
Enjoy a lunch of typical Piedmontese appetizers, like delicate
rolls of roasted peppers stuffed with tuna and topped with a savory parsley
sauce, at one of our favourite restaurants overlooking vineyards in Barbaresco.
Drive down to a farm inn for a full menu, hands-on cooking class
with excellent home cooks in Sinio. Dine on your creations with them.
Saturday
If you have time, experience market day at the street stalls in
Alba, bursting with local people. The color, pace and sounds of this action
filled extravaganza will amaze you. A lively, genuine slice of Italian life! If
we go to Alba, lunch is on your own.
Reluctantly depart for Turin
or for Alba's train station and leave your new Piedmont friends, taking with
you heartfelt memories of all the laughter, sensual experiences, beauty, food
and wine you shared together.
2010 Tour Dates
Any time on request for two people or more--ask us for dates you like. If you’d like other people to join you, we’ll promote your dates and do our best to find you congenial companions. We can also custom design this tour for your interests.
Prices per person
For group of 6-8 people:
2005 Euros (approx $2605 Cdn, $2565 US). Single supplement: 300 Euros (approx $390 Cdn, $384 US)
For group of 4-5 people:
2305 Euros (approx $2995 Cdn, $2950 US). Single supplement: 300 Euros (approx $390 Cdn, $384 US)
For group of 2-3 people:
2505 Euros (approx $3255 Cdn, $3205 US). Single supplement: 300 Euros (approx $390 Cdn, $384 US)
Included:
- hotel with private bath and continental breakfast
- 3 cooking lessons
- all meals, except dinner on Thursday & lunch on Saturday
- excursions listed in the itinerary
- private transport in minivan
- local guides
- private pick-up and drop-off at Turin's airport or train station
- 1/2 hour Italy trip planning consultation with Mama Margaret
Not included:
-
wines with your meals so you can choose which wines you want to drink
- dinner on Thursday
- lunch on Saturday
Extend Your Italian Trip!
Contact us today about extending your Italian holiday at
margaret@italycookingschools.com
or 800-557-0370 within North America and
604-681-4074 in Vancouver, BC Canada or internationally.