Cooking & Wine Lovers' Adventure Tour
in Tuscany's Brunello & Vino Nobile Wine Country

Cooking Tour Itinerary staying at the historic hotel Cooking Tour Itinerary staying at the pleasant pensione Italian Cooking Lessons Accommodation

Wine Cellars Cooking Tour Dates & Prices To Reserve Terms & Conditions

Tour at a Glance: Brief Description

Where? About one hour south of Siena, you'll explore the lovely hill towns of Montalcino, Pienza and Montepulciano. As you stroll along narrow streets or quiet country roads, the vast, dramatic vistas of rolling hills--velvety green, gold or brown fields, with olive trees, hay and vineyards--will make you feel peaceful. Walks are optional, up to you.

You'll enjoy getting to know a long list of Tuscans in their kitchens, on their farms, in their wine cellars-- people you'd never meet otherwise in places you'd never have found on your own. You'll feel Italian for a week, immersed in genuine local life.

Lovely Countryside and Medieval Walled Hill Towns

You'll also visit an idyllic Tuscan valley and Sant'Antimo, one of Italy's most beautiful Romanesque churches, that turns gold inside and out when the sun hits. It stands on flat land where two hillsides meet in a classic Tuscan landscape-- a patchwork quilt of olive groves, combed fields in rich brown or gold, vineyards and dark green forests, with cypresses zigzagging up country roads. Sit down on the grass, immerse yourself in all the beauty and get really peaceful inside.

You'll also explore Siena for day on a guided visit of art and architecture treasures and a free afternoon to shop and or just sit in a piazza watching local life.

In the medieval hilltown of Montalcino, Italy, famous for Brunello wine, you can stroll the narrow streets, stop at Italian wine, honey and gastronomy stores, or outdoor cafes, or sip some Brunello at the medieval fortress, now an enoteca. Fabulous 360 degree views! Pictures of Montalcino.

Pienza, Italy sits on a hill with sweeping views over the vast Val d'Orcia with undulating fields dotted with olive groves and farmhouses leading up to Monte Amiata. A sunny walkway with marvellous panoramas takes you along one side of town past the Street of Fortune, Street of Kisses. Pienza is famous for its pecorino cheese. Pictures of Pienza.

The larger hilltown of Montepulciano, Italy is renowned for its Vino Nobile di Montepulciano wine. Its narrow streets and beautiful piazzas are lined with distinguished Italian Renaissance palazzos, wine cellars with 13th century grottoes, gastronomy shops, cafes and wine stores. From several lookout points, you can admire fantastic panoramas all around. Pictures of Montepulciano

Montepulciano from a country road on our walk

Cooking lessons with restaurant chefs and great home cooks in their kitchens: learn lots of
cooking secrets and experience a variety of cooking styles and kitchens

In your four cooking lessons, you'll learn four Italian chefs' secrets cooking right beside them in their restaurant kitchens or country homes. Cook with our two friendly, creative, hospitable restaurant chefs who own a well known restaurant in a mountain hamlet, and an elegant restaurant featuring Tuscan dishes with a creative flair in the heart of medieval Montepulciano. Cook with very knowledgeable, creative, charming Chef Roberto, born in the mountains nearby. He owns a restaurant famous for mushroom dishes in a mountain hamlet. He is passionate about bringing back traditional Tuscan dishes with little modern touches--porcini mushroom soup, local pici pasta with ragu, grilled beef slices with arugola, wild boar with olives or chocolate (!), pears stuffed with lemon custard with chocolate sauce on top. Mmmm...! A feast for your tastebuds! (staying at historic hotel tour only) Cook easy, tasty Tuscan dishes from the past with friendly Alberto, a former restaurant owner, at his organic farm where he also makes olive oil the traditional way using a granite wheel. Enjoy lunch in his olive oil production room as he tells you everything you ever wanted to know about making and buying olive oil.

Cooking lesson at Chef Roberto's restaurant on Tuscan mushroom dishes

Cook with exuberant Sandra on heer family's farm on a beautiful ridge between two valleys, where she and husband, Ulisses make pecorino cheese with their five children, raise animals, including a special striped pig, and export their pasta. Local school groups come to visit them to see how their ancestors made pecorino cheese.

In the medieval heart of Montepulciano cook with the chef in an elegant restaurant where beautifully presented dishes have a creative flair, and enjoy the friendly hospitality of the owner, Massimo.

You dine later on your creations accompanied by fine Tuscan wines in restaurants and good table wines in homes. What a variety of people, kitchens, homes, restaurants, cooking methods, food and wine to experience! You'll feel Italian with your new friends!

Taste Brunello and Vino Nobile wines at wineries and wine cellars...with the owners

In the Brunello wine country in Montalcino, you visit a wine bar in a medieval fortress for a private introduction to Brunello. You tour a Brunello winery in the country with the very hospitable owner who lives with his family there. He tastes his Brunello and rosso di Montalcino with you. In the Vino Nobile wine country in Montepulciano, with the owner you visit a wine cellar in a 14th century palazzo with panoramic terrace in a pristine, pretty hill town of Montefollonico. Taste his great Vino Nobile, rosso di Montepulciano, Vin Santo.

Wine tasting with winery owner, Vittorio Innocenti in his cellars in Montefollonico

Lovely Historic Hotel

La Vecchia Oliviera, a former olive oil mill, now beautifully renovated, is perched high up at the gates of Montalcino. Rooms are tastefully furnished in a casually elegant Tuscan style with rustic wood beams. By the pool or in the garden, you'll love dramatic panoramas looking north to velvety hills, vineyards and olive groves.

A short walk takes you to the heart of the historic centre. For a wonderful picture gallery of the hotel, its rooms, views and property, please see their web site at www.vecchiaoliviera.com Accommodation pictures

Il Chiostro, a former 15th century convent, is a Relais Chateau hotel in Pienza's historic centre. You can relax in the quiet gardens or in the swimming pool as you gaze at wonderful views of Val d'Orcia, the valley sweeping up to Monte Amiata. Rooms feature modern bathrooms, tasteful country style furniture, vaulted ceilings and some have frescoes. Accommodation pictures

Cooking Tour Itinerary staying at the historic hotel

A Pleasant Pensione in Pienza

In Pienza I've stayed many times at a family's well managed pensione of six, modern, clean, quiet rooms with private bathrooms and some decorator touches. Views are only of the houses next door, but you're just a two minute walk from the medieval town walls and the historic centre of Pienza. For breakfast you walk into the medieval centre to one of the many coffee bars and have your cappuccino with the local people. Accommodation pictures

Cooking Tour Itinerary staying at the pleasant pensione

2008 Cooking Tour Dates:

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

Join other people who have requested or booked:

Sept 28-Oct 4, 2008 (staying at the historic hotel)

2008 Cooking Tour Prices:

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

For group of 2-7 people:

Staying at the Pleasant Pensione 1935 Euros per person (approx $2844 US; $2844 CAD), double occupancy, land only. Single supplement: 150 Euros.	Staying at the Historic Hotel 2685 Euros per person (approx $3945 US; $3975 CAD), double occupancy, land only. Single supplement 315 Euros.
Includes: 6 nights in a double room with private bath 4 cooking lessons with full menu meal light lunch with farm family excursions in itinerary private transport in minivan guides throughout pick up and drop off at Chiusi train station Not included: breakfast wine with meals 4 dinners 3 lunches	Includes: 6 nights hotel with breakfast buffet 4 cooking lessons 2 lunches 4 dinners excursions private transport guide throughout pick up and drop off at Chiusi train station. Not included: 2 dinners 3 lunches wine with meals

Cooking Tour Itinerary Staying at the Historic Hotel
Cooking Tour Itinerary Staying at the Pleasant Pensione
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).

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!

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