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Tuscan 3 Night Cooking Experience

Highlights

  • Stay in an authentic 17th-century Italian palace with a swimming pool
  • Learn to cook traditional Italian and Tuscan dishes
  • Really get to know Italian cuisine, from the ingredients to the skills used in cooking
From £591 *pp
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What you'll do

Overview

Stay in a beautifully restored Italian Palazzo and truly immerse yourself in Italian cuisine! Learn to prepare home-cooked, traditional dishes from hand made pasta and fresh sauces to incredible Tuscan soups, and delicious Italian desserts in the authentic setting of an old Italian 'palazzo' run by Mirella and her husband Francesco.

Tucked away in the rolling hills of the Lunigiana region of rural Tuscany, you will find the restored 400-year-old palazzo which is home to this wonderful Italian cooking break.

Once you have arrived and settled in for your 3 night/4 day holiday, it’s time to enjoy the fun and relaxed atmosphere will have you cooking up a storm in one of the house kitchens. Here, you will create a wide range of authentic Italian dishes, from antipasti to dessert, with your local Italian chef.

Francesco is a qualified sommelier, passionate and knowledgeable about Italian wines, Mirella is a strong believer in the slow food movement, and will enthuse you with her passion for the finest, locally sourced, fresh ingredients.

Accommodation is set in an impressive 17th-century palazzo, that used to belong to an Italian noble family and has now been lovingly renovated to provide 5 self-contained apartments. Each apartment has its own individual style, a well-equipped kitchen, and bedrooms with private ensuite bathrooms.

The grounds include a swimming pool, beautiful garden lawns and stunning views of the surrounding mountains and rural landscape – an ideal setting to relax and sample delicious local produce on a local cooking holiday in Italy.

*Extra Day Option: We now offer a 4 nights stay with the same programme as above, but during the extra day we offer a beautiful wine tour to Cinque Terre with a visit to 2 wineries and a light lunch.

*pp price is based on two people sharing a twin / double room

Arrival and Welcome Aperitifs

On arrival day you will check into your room any time after 3pm and enjoy a welcome drink and chance to taste some of the regions local dishes by the pool (weather permitting) before taking your time to explore the house, gardens, and local area. Whilst enjoying aperitifs by the pool there will be a chance to talk to your hosts and learn about the format of the course, the dishes you will create and about the local area.

Accommodation:

You will be staying in a magnificent 400 year old Tuscan palazzo nestled in the medieval village of Tavernelle, overlooking a National Park in the countryside of northern Tuscany.

It is just 2 hour’s drive from Florence and just over an hour away from Pisa and Genova by car.

Features
– Just over an hour from Pisa and Genova airports by car
– 2 hour’s drive from Florence airport
– Set in a relatively undiscovered area of Tuscany, away from the tourist crowds

–  Beaches and the coast at Cinque Terre are just 30 minutes drive away, or you can take the train from nearby La Spezia.
– You will stay in an impressive 17th century palazzo that has been restored to a high standard
– Surrounded by beautiful mountain scenery and very secluded
– There is a wonderful garden to relax in with sun loungers
– Lovely 8m x 4m outdoor swimming pool
– 5 beautifully restored apartments each with their own entrances and kitchens
– Kitchens are fully equipped to prepare meals on days when lunch and dinner aren’t provided.
– Each apartment has a bedroom with ensuite bathroom
– English and Italian speaking hosts with a wealth of knowledge about the area
– Experienced cook and Italian sommelier with knowledge passed down from generation to generation
– Delicious local food and wine
– Secure off-road parking
– Internet access
– Reasonably priced local restaurant near to the palazzo serving authentic local dishes
– Around 6km drive from the nearest village with shops and other facilities
– Car hire is strongly recommended for this holiday to explore the local area

Free Morning & Cooking Class

Enjoy a leisurely breakfast at the palazzo and spend some free time getting to know the area or relaxing. In the afternoon, it’s time for your first cookery lesson with the chef, which will last 4 hours. Your dinner will consist of the delicious meal you will have prepared.

Dishes will vary,  as locally sourced in season ingredients are our focus, some examples are :
– Handmade ravioli stuffed with fresh cheese butter and sage
– Tuscan soup with beans and sausage
– Tiramisu
– Panna cotta with fruit sauce
– Cantucini (local speciality -dried biscuits with almonds)
– Bruschetta al pomodoro
– Tagliatelle al ragù alla bolognese
– Arrosto di maiale con patate al rosmarino (Roasted pork with potatoes and rosemary)

Accommodation:

The Palazzo

Free Morning & Cooking Class

After breakfast at the palazzo, you will have free time to enjoy the pool or explore the surrounding areas. In the afternoon, time for your second hands-on cookery class. Your dinner will consist of the wonderful meal you will have prepared earlier.

Accommodation:

The Palazzo

Not Goodbye but Arivederci

After a leisurely breakfast, guests are asked to check-out of their rooms by 10am ready for departure, taking home with them new cooking skills, recipes and an insight into Tuscan culinary life that will stay with them long after the holiday is over.

There is the option, if you wish, to add on an extra night.  Then day 4 will be spent on an excursion to the 5 stunning villages that make up the famous UNESCO protected Cinque Terre, where you will visit two wineries, enjoy wine tastings with a sommelier and a delicious light lunch of local produce will also be included.

Please see the extra nightoption on the booking page.

What's included

Included

  • 3 nights accommodation at the palazzo in a twin/double room with a private bathroom in one of the self-contained apartments
  • Please note: prices are per person and based on two people travelling together and sharing a room
  • A single supplement applies for those travelling solo who wish to book a private room
  • Welcome drinks and tasting of local produce on arrival on day 1
  • Italian cookery lessons on day 2 and 3
  • Cookery lessons are in the afternoons and last around 4 hours
  • Self-catering breakfast each morning at the palazzo with ingredients provided by our hosts
  • All cooking materials and ingredients
  • The delicious meals you’ve learnt to cook are served with wine in the evening of days 2 and 3.
Your local host

Mirella and Francesco

Mirella and Francesco are the hosts and the teachers of their Tuscan cooking break.

A love and understanding of excellent quality cuisine and produce has been engrained in Mirella, your chef for the week, from a young age. Her parents grow organic fruit and vegetables, produce extra virgin olive oil and wine in the Chianti region and so she is a strong follower of the slow food movement; always cooking with excellent quality ingredients and the freshest produce. Mirella began cooking early on learning from her family member and developing her passion for Italian cooking over the years, and constantly experimenting with new innovative ideas.

Francesco is also Italian and your sommelier. He grew up surrounded by some of the w... Read All

Mirella and Francesco are the hosts and the teachers of their Tuscan cooking break.

A love and understanding of excellent quality cuisine and produce has been engrained in Mirella, your chef for the week, from a young age. Her parents grow organic fruit and vegetables, produce extra virgin olive oil and wine in the Chianti region and so she is a strong follower of the slow food movement; always cooking with excellent quality ingredients and the freshest produce. Mirella began cooking early on learning from her family member and developing her passion for Italian cooking over the years, and constantly experimenting with new innovative ideas.

Francesco is also Italian and your sommelier. He grew up surrounded by some of the world’s best wines in the world in the Chianti region where his father was a wine producer for over 50 years. Being surrounded by experts, Francesco developed his passion for good wine on his visits to his father’s cellar and has continue his working in this area and is now a state qualified sommelier with many years of experience. Francesco’s favourite wine regions are Tuscany and Piedmont which he considers the jewels of his collection though he is always interested in discovering other regions and claims to be able to talk about wine all day long. His passion and extensive knowledge for wine will be shared with you throughout your stay through guided tastings and tours.

Mirella and Francesco image

Location

Getting there

Nearest airports:
Pisa (1 hour 10 mins away)
Genova (1 hour 30 mins away)
Florence (2 hours away)

Car hire:
It is ideal if you have a car to get to the palazzo. Your accommodation is set in a beautiful part of Tuscany and a car is recommended if you wish to enjoy the stunning countryside and charming villages in the area, as there is no public transport and taxis are very limited.

The drive from the airport is an easy one, the roads are very good, and you’ll see some of the best scenery that this rugged region of northern Tuscany has to offer along the way.

 

FAQs

Who is it suitable for?

- This cookery holiday welcomes all levels from complete beginners to experienced cooks but is more suitable for those looking to learn about the fundamental basics of Italian cuisine
- Minimum age 18
- Your hosts are Italian but speak excellent English, all cooking classes are taught in English or Italian

I'm travelling solo - can I join?

- This holiday requires a minimum of 2 people to run but singles are welcome to join an existing group
- Please note there are no shared room options

When can I start?

- Cooking holidays are for 3 nights/4 days
- This holiday runs during specific periods in the year.
- Please let us know the dates you wish to travel, we’ll check availability for your preferred date and come back to you as quickly as possible

What can I do in my free time?

- This Italian cookery and wine holiday is perfectly situated to explore this beautiful part of undiscovered northern Tuscany easily
- You are within 2.5 hours of many Italian major cities; Florence, Genova, Pisa, and Milan
- Beaches and the coast are just 30 minutes away by car, or you can take a train from nearby La Spezia along the coast to visit the 5 villages that make up Cinque Terre
- The nearest shops and grocery stores are about 6km away
- The hamlet of Tavernelle is very small but there is a good family-run restaurant a short walk from the palazzo
- Your hosts will give you lots of information on what activities are on offer in the local area such as the local markets, restaurants, walking and more
- We recommended you hire a car to fully explore the area as there are so many scenic drives throughout the region

Can the host organise airport transfers?

Yes our host can organise transfers at an extra cost. Please enquire at booking stage if you wish to add transfers.

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