Cooking & Mediterranean Adventure Tour on
the Beautiful Riviera: Cinque Terre, Portovenere,
Rapallo, Camogli & Portofino, Italy

Tour Itinerary Cooking Tour Dates & Prices Cinque Terre & Portovenere, Italy Camogli and Portofino, Italy Italian Cooking Lessons

To Reserve Terms & Conditions Accommodations More pictures of the Riviera Enchanting Experiences You'll Always Remember

Cooking Tour at a Glance: Brief Description

Explore two coasts of the colourful, romantic Italian Riviera with two or three great, local chefs in their kitchens, through its fabulous seafood and vegetable cuisine, on its dramatically beautiful walking paths and by its azure sea--first Camogli, Rapallo and Portofino, and then Cinque Terre and Portovenere.

Cinque Terre & Portovenere, Italy

In the five fishing villages of Cinque Terre and in Portovenere, narrow houses, all different colours, stand like walls of vertical stripes along lively ports, with castles and towers watching over them. Breaktakingly beautiful Portovenere sits on the Gulf of La Spezia, also known as the Gulf of Poets; the beauty inspired writers and poets like Byron and D. H. Lawrence to flock there and they stayed on and on. You walk the dramatically beautiful Cinque Terre paths clinging to mountains falling steeply to the deep blue and turquoise sea, and winding through terraces of vineyards, olive groves, pine trees, Mediterranean scrub, cactuses, lemon trees. Vast panoramas far out to sea fill you with peace in Italy.

View of Monterosso, Italy from Cinque Terre walking path

Camogli and Portofino Peninsula, Italy

Then it's north to Camogli, a fishing town with a down-to-earth feel, where fishermen bring in their catch and kids play ball in the piazzas. You'll stroll on a bustling promenade along the beach, through a warren of narrow streets with a fantastic array of Italian gastronomic shops, and get a kick out of buildings of all colours painted "tromp d'oeil" style to fool you. You walk on forested paths to the 10th century monastery on the sea at lovely little San Fruttuoso (pop. 25), and take a boat to explore chic, yacht-filled Portofino. Lots of contrasts!

Enjoying a boat trip out of port of Camogli on Italian Riviera

Cooking Tour Itinerary

Three Incredible Italian Cooking Tour Lesson Experiences

Cook and Laugh With Fausto in His Paradise in the Hills: roses, olive trees, lemon trees, herb gardens

In his "little paradise" in the hills above Rapallo, Italy, fun, down-to-earth, very professional Fausto
welcomes you to his famous cartoon art restaurant, U Giancu, which specializes in vegetable and herb dishes.

Tour his herb gardens to learn which herbs to use with which recipes and work beside him to create
easy, delicious food like: focaccia with sage, asparagus risotto, pasta with artichoke sauce, basil and
potato mezzaluna pasta, mushrooms with garlic and herbs, potato and wild greens pie and walnut cake.

Fausto will make you laugh with his impromptu performances--that's all I'm saying for now!

Fausto's hands-on cooking lesson is the best I've ever seen. He's passionately knowledgeable, very organized
and you make, learn lots about and eat a long list of local plates.

Cook at a restaurant and pasta lab with the owners

You also cook at another good restaurant outside Rapallo which in addition to a large kitchen where you have lots of room to cook. There's even a commercial laboratory where they make pasta and other food products. Francesco and his wife offer a long list of local dishes, especially herb based ones, and are very hospitable and enthusiastic.

Four Star Hotels With Fabulous Sea Views

At your historic, four star hotels on the sea, you'll love the spectacular views and fabulous food. In Portovenere, Italy, the 56 room Grand Hotel, an ex-convent, overlooks the colourful harbour and the Gulf of La Spezia. Accommodation pictures In Camogli, Italy, right on the sea, the 106 room, four star Hotel Cenobio dei Dogi, a lovely former Italian nobleman's home with restaurant, gardens, swimming pool, terraces, and private beach, has a fantastic view of Camogli's beach front, especially at sunset. Accommodation pictures Cooking Tour Itinerary

Four Star Hotel Cenobio dei Dogi

2007 & 2008 Cooking Tour Dates:

Any time on request for two people or more--ask us for dates you like.

2007 & 2008 Cooking Tour Prices:

Prices are in Euros and are subject to currency exchange fluctuation.

For group of 2-7 people: 2795 Euros. (approx $3995 US or $3885 CAD)
Single supplement: 315 Euros

Included:

• 6 nights accommodation with private bath (room with sea view in Portovenere, with garden view in Camogli)
• 3 cooking lessons
• all meals
• 3 walks
• all excursions
• attentive guide throughout
• transfers from/to La Spezia

Supplement for room with sea view for 4 nights in Camogli 200 Euros per person based on double occupancy.

Not included: wines with your meals so you can choose which wines you want to drink.

Cooking Tour Itinerary
Enchanting Experiences You'll Always Remember
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).

One stop shopping for your whole Italy 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.