Cooking or culinary holidays, vacations, tours in Italy:

Active Gourmet Holidays . . .
Cooking Holidays in Italy

Active Gourmet Holidays offers much more than conventional vacations - rather, they provide unforgettable getaways that nourish the senses, refuel the body and replenish the spirit.

Whether it be learning to master local dishes from a renowned chef in the heart of Provence, biking amidst the spectacular red poppy fields of Chianti, or tasting fine Tuscan wines from the Brunello region, Active Gourmet Holidays offers the perfect escape.

• Sample the world's finest cuisine
• Savour internationally renowned wines
• Step inside different cultures

Creating Active Gourmet Holidays has allowed founder Jo-Ann Gaidosz to share her passions by being able to combine all of her favourite things into unique and unforgettable holidays. Also, by offering outdoor activities, such as biking the coast of Saint Tropez or hiking the Italian Riviera, Active Gourmet Holidays affords you the opportunity to stay fit - all the while indulging in the gastronomic delicacies your palate desires!

• Culinary instruction for both the sophisticated and casual cook
• Combination holidays for those who enjoy variety or for traveling companions with different interests - Cooking and Biking or Hiking, Italian Lessons and Cooking, Food and Wine, Painting and Cooking
• Visits to famous vineyards and local food producers
• Small groups so as to offer a more intimate setting

If you have a passion for travel, enjoy the outdoors and possess a love for food and fine wines, read on to learn about theri enticing selection of tempting escapes - exciting itineraries, a mix of breathtaking destinations and a varied price range. With Active Gourmet Holidays you can enjoy the hidden pleasures of a foreign land like never before!

Do you crave the extraordinary?

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Authentic Tuscan Cooking - 7 nights

This culinary program has been designed for lovers of Tuscany and all that it represents – the charming medieval towns, the centuries old traditions, the people and their culture, the art and of course, the great food and wine!!

We have spent time with our chefs to create a week dedicated to the secrets and traditions of Tuscan cookery and participants will spend many hands on hours perfecting the skills of Tuscan cooking in our original kitchen of the 14th century 'Villa Pandolfini'.

During the week you will have a wonderful 'Introduction to Tuscan Cuisine'. We will discuss the history of the Tuscan diet, typical dishes, Tuscan bread, peasant foods, and how the gastronomy has changed throughout the medieval and Renaissance periods up until modern times.

Available year round

For further information see the Active Gourmet Holidays web site - click here

Rhode School of Cuisine - Villa Lucia - 6 nights

Experience an unforgettable week of culinary instruction, gourmet food, fabulous company and beautiful accommodations and surroundings at the Villa Lucia and Rhode School of Cuisine.

Join in cooking lessons with your chef or just relax around the grounds and enjoy the beautiful view. In the kitchen there will be lots of opportunity to learn new techniques or build upon your own cooking experience.

Just the name “Tuscany” fills the imagination with the wonders that are found here. Tuscany is everything and more than one could ever expect. The wandering hillside is scattered with century old buildings, vineyards and olive groves. This is the origin of the wines that kiss our lips and the food that is as unspoilt as the scenery. The cuisine found in Tuscany is different from other parts of Italy because it has not been tampered with by modern ways. You will learn about the origins of Tuscan food and some classic “Italian” dishes.

Villa Lucia consists of three separate properties set in extensive gardens within a private walled Tuscan Estate of over four acres. The main villa has nine bedrooms, including two three-room premier suites. Casa Joshua and Casa Cameron each have six bedrooms. All three units have their own luxury kitchens, reception rooms and private terraces. All rooms have ensuite bath or shower.

Villa Lucia is situated in the village of Vorno, a 10 minute drive from Lucca, a 30 minute drive from Pisa and approximately 50 minutes from Florence.

Available April to May, September to November - Sunday to Saturday

For further information see the Active Gourmet Holidays web site - click here

Magical Montalcino - 1 to 5 days / nights

Take hands-on cooking lessons from Teresa, your personal guide to Italian cooking. Born in Rome and very cosmopolitan and well-traveled, Teresa speaks fluent English and French.

For over 25 years she has worked for the press departments of all of the main International sporting events all over the world. She is also an amateur "artist" - painting on ceramics, porcelain, canvas and fabrics. She recently started music classes, studying the acoustic guitar. Cooking is also very much an art, and whether you are a novice or well seasoned cook, Teresa will teach you many useful tips in the kitchen.

Cooking is very creative but Teresa will also explain technical facts of cooking such as the difference between cooking with or without a lid, adding red or white wine or vinegar, and similar examples of simple, easy-to-learn and practical cooking methods.

Montalcino is one of the most picturesque hill-top villages in Tuscany, located 20 miles south of Siena. Inhabited since the Stone Age, it became famous in the Middle Ages for its fine cooking and leather works for knights and horses. Today it is famous for its wine: Brunello di Montalcino.

Teresa lives in the tallest building of the village with a very special view. Being inside very old walls, it was presumably built in the Middle Ages, at least the ground floor, while the third was added three centuries ago.

The name Montalcino means "monte dei lecci", "mons ilcinus", or "mountain of the oaks". From archeological artifacts, the hill was inhabited during the Paleolithic era. Its main development occurred in the Middle Ages around the year 1000. Its first wall dates back a century earlier. The main road in the Orcia Valley is the Cassia, that leads from Rome to Florence. It was laid out by the Romans. Another road was the Francigena, at times crossing, while at others is parallel to the Cassia, taking pilgrims through France to Rome for holy year celebrations.

Here you can find an attraction of undisputed interest, the Strada del Vino (the historic wine road) that passes through the fragrant homeland of the legendary vineyards of Brunello di Montalcino wine.

Available year round

For further information see the Active Gourmet Holidays web site - click here

Tastes of Tuscany - 7 nights

Learn to cook in a recently restored, spectacular villa set in the hillsides close to Arezzo. There is a truffle estate surrounding the villa, making it famous in the area and wonderful for seeing how truffles are found and of course how to prepare these in many wonderful dishes.

The original villa dates back to before 1700 and over the centuries pieces have been added on as the community grew. The owners have brought it up to the twenty first century with top class finishing, beautiful floors with marble inlay, marble bathrooms and all the modern comforts without damaging the beautiful original Tuscan charm. The villa is very secluded with a view that seems to go on forever but yet close to Arezzo (15 minutes) and Cortona (30minutes) with Florence and Siena being about an hour away. The villa lies on an estate of about 120 hectare and is surrounded by truffle land which grows under Hazelnut and Oak trees. Apple orchards and a Deer farm are also part of the estate and make walks around the area truly beautiful. Behind the villa is a lake with breathtaking views of the surrounding hills.

The villa has 12 double bedrooms all with en-suite bathrooms. In the “Torre” (tower) part of the villa there are five bedrooms all en-suite with bath and shower and a large communal lounge with a computer, internet access area, kitchenette and television.

In the west wing there are three apartments each with two or three bedrooms en-suite and each with a lounge area for communal use. The accommodation has been comfortably furnished with great attention for detail. All the romantic bedrooms have adjoining stylish marbled bathrooms with bath and shower.

Living areas all have fireplaces and a kitchenette. The large private outdoor area has many different possibilities. The "piazza" is set up between the Torre wing and the west wing of the villa and the two wings are connected with an arch where breakfast will be served and dinners if weather permits.

The cantina, bar, dining room and lounge open out in this square making it a wonderful space to meet and dine together. The view will make you speechless! From the Piazza you can walk 20 meters down to the swimming pool and sauna/fitness areas. The pool has been built on a plateau with a panoramic view is the solar heated swimming pool (15 x 8m) with baby pool, Jacuzzi, hydro massage, jet stream features.

Other features include and a hot tub made out of a wine barrel, a sauna, steam room and fitness area. The pool area is equipped with garden furniture, barbecue and this breathtaking spot looks out on the hills and valleys and extensive woods and is the ideal place to relax and enjoy the nature.

Available April to October - Sunday to Sunday

For further information see the Active Gourmet Holidays web site - click here

Trekking for Wine in Tuscany - 6 nights

Visit Tuscany as you've always imagined it. Ancient abbeys and castles, forests and vineyards, and country roads lined with cypress trees add up to dream hiking around Montalcino and San Gimignano.

You'll hear Gregorian chants in an abbey, wander through the Renaissance towns of Pienza and Montepulciano, and explore the serpentine streets of Siena.

Available June and September - Sunday to Saturday

For further information see the Active Gourmet Holidays web site - click here

Tuscan Cooking in Lucca - 7 nights

Lucca invites you to a great Tuscan Cooking and Wine vacation in the Heart of Tuscany with Chef Paolo Monti. In this comprehensive "Hands On" cooking and wine tour, you will learn the best of "Tuscan Cooking and Living" with 4 exciting Italian cooking classes: traditional, Tuscan, pasta and fish cooking classes with effervescent Chef Paolo Montiall together more than 45 recipes!

During the week you will visit fish and vegetable markets, wineries, excursions to Lucca, Parma, Modena and Siena.

Your accommodations for the week is The Hotel Carignano, located 2 miles from the center of Lucca but at the same time in the tranquillity of the Tuscan countryside.

Available February to April, June, September to October - Sunday to Sunday

For further information see the Active Gourmet Holidays web site - click here

Cooking Under the Tuscan Sun - 6 nights

Il Falconiere Relais & Chateaux is a 17th Century property located in the quiet countryside located just over one mile from the beautiful walled Etruscan town of Cortona which has been written about in the ever so popular Frances Mayes books. Il Falconiere Relais & Chateaux invites you to their beautiful Tuscan oasis for an unforgettable culinary experience. The Relais is ideally located south of Tuscany and very close to Umbria allowing you to enjoy the pleasures of each region. By car in one hour you can reach Siena, Florence and Assisi and in just half hour an hour you can visit Montepulciano, Pienza, Arezzo and Perugia.

The Villa is surrounded by a garden of horse-chestnut trees and cypress trees. From here a path between olive-oil trees and vineyards leads to our deluxe area, where the Suites are located, with private entrance from the garden and breathtaking view over the valley and our vineyards, right in front of the town of Cortona.

The 2 beautiful outside swimming-pools overlook the town of Cortona and the Relais' vineyards which produce the high quality wines of the Baracchi winery.

The Restaurant (one Michelin star) has an outside terrace for summer season and proposes a creative cuisine, tied to the territory and its great culinary traditions. The cellar matches their menus with a wide range of Italian and international wine labels, including the wines produced by the Azienda Baracchi on the estate.

You will learn the finest of Tuscan recipes from owner and chef Silvia Regi Baracchi and Chef Richard Titi.

"The recipes I propose are from the Tuscan cuisine, some of them specifically from Cortona and the Chiana Valley territory. I select from our tradition and elaborate upon the recipes to make them possible using modern techniques and to make them palatable for modern tastes. My joy is to share with our aspiring chefs our history and our folklore.

Take for instance the day, which we dedicate to the Etruscans: it is rich in local history and culture and very ancient recipes furthermore enrich it so that our friends and participants will be able to immerse themselves in a completely bucolic and goliardic atmosphere. No less interesting is the time dedicated to the simplicity of the local traditions thanks to special, yet homey recipes that are easy to replicate for a dinner party with family and friends, accompanied rigorously by Tuscan wines! I never underestimate the experience our friends will have with Tuscan wines. I use the word Friends because after a couple of days spent together we will feel like Friends! Tuscany is also rich in wine tradition with wineries that are open for tastings promising moments that transcend the simple visit and tour. "

The techniques that our good vignerons have handed down and are happy to teach us are very precious and these “lessons” are always spiced up by amusing and witty stories.

From each corner of Tuscany you’ll be able to enjoy breathtaking panoramas and idyllic scenery full of flavours. You will be able to smell and taste, not just see. Do you already have in mind a postcard, images from a documentary, or maybe even the movie Under the Tuscan Sun with its beautiful shots of the Cortona countryside? All of this will be even more beautiful because the protagonists of this adventure with me will be you!

Available February to April, October to December – Sunday to Saturday

For further information see the Active Gourmet Holidays web site - click here

Hiking and Cooking in Italy - 7 nights

For a truly unique vacation let us introduce you to Tuscany: a world of history, beauty and gastronomic riches. This is a tour that has something for everyone, be it the fitness enthusiast, the history buff, or the food and wine connoisseur.

Since ancient times, Italy has been a center of artistic and culinary delights and nowhere is this more evident than in the regions of Tuscany and Umbria. Siena, San Gimignano, Pienza and Assisi - all UNESCO World Heritage Sites - are just a few of the stops along our road of discovery. We have arranged the itinerary to allow time to explore the incredible areas you’ll see, and taste the local cuisine. The riches of the region will be apparent as you hike, explore and eat your way through some of Italy’s most beautiful and inspirational scenery and cities of art.

This tour is designed specifically for people who possess a dichotomous nature in which opposites are not only welcomed, but nurtured. We delight in a luxurious meal supported a bevy of local wines, but we also feel that this meal can be lifted into the sublime if it’s been preceded by a day hiking through the hills, absorbing the ambiance. A hard day of physical exertion is every bit as rewarding as a day lounging pool side, lost in the deep colors of the Mediterranean.

Available May, June and October - Saturday to Saturday

For further information see the Active Gourmet Holidays web site - click here

Active Gourmet Goes Tuscan

Active Gourmet Holidays is offering an unforgettable getaway to the renowned Villa San Michele Cookery School in Florence. Nourish your senses, refuel your body and replenish your spirit with a savory array of food and wine tours, paired with culinary education by Chef Attilio Di Fabrizio of Villa San Michele. A program enriched with visits to Chianti wine cellars with wine tastings and wine education, shopping in Florence with a personal shopper and visits to the artistic treasures of Monteriggioni, San Gimignano and Siena.

About Your Chef

Attilio de Fabrizio was born in 1952 in Abruzzi, and attended the Villa Santa Maria cookery school, where many of the best chefs in Italy trained. He spent several years of apprenticeship in Italy, France, Great Britain and Switzerland, developing his culinary skills, before joining the world famous Hotel Cipriani in Venice.

From 1975 – 1983, Attilio di Fabrizio worked in both Northern and Southern America before returning to Italy to become Chef at the renowned restaurant Enoteca Pinchiorri in Florence. In 1987 Attilio di Fabrizio was appointed Chef de Cuisine at the Hotel Villa San Michele.

Over the last few years, he has taken part in several gastronomic events, both in and outside Italy, working side by side with such famous chefs as Gaultiero Marchesi, Roger Verge, Paul Bocouse and others.

About Your Accommodation

Tastefully appointed superior rooms with walnut or cherry custom-made furniture, each featuring king or twin beds.

Some of the rooms look onto the intimate cloister, which accommodates the bar, discreetly visible through the glass roof, and allows its use in any season, or at the soaring cypress trees intertwined with creeping roses and wisteria.

Handmade parchment lampshades, carpets in sober colors, curtains of the finest cotton and upholstery in elegant symbiosis, with the color schemes dominated by warm pastels.

Available 23 - 28 September 2007 - Sunday to Friday - 5 nights

For further information see the Active Gourmet Holidays web site - click here

Cooking in Florence

Stay in a small bed and breakfast located in the heart of historical Florence. You will learn to cook genuine Italian cuisine from your hostess, Mariangela, who learned to cook at a young age from her "nonna". She will teach you the secrets of traditional recipes.

Depending on the season and your tastes, you will decide on a menu and purchase ingredients at the nearby market of Sant'Ambrogio - with fresh vegetables and fruit displayed on the beautiful market stalls.

While cooking and enjoying a nice glass of wine, you will discover Mediterranean aromatic herbs and different types of cheeses as well as learning to cook a good pasta al dente.

Enjoy a wine tasting at an authentic vinaio and have lunch in a typical country trattoria.

Available year round - 3 or 5 nights

For further information see the Active Gourmet Holidays web site - click here

The Flavours of Tuscany

Taste the foods, wines and flavours of Tuscany as you spend a week in a Fifteenth century villa. Learn to cook in a modern, professional kitchen, take daily excursions, meet locals and have the time of your life. You will live above the school in rooms that are charmingly decorated with Italian antiques.

The students encompass every level from culinary beginners to accomplished chefs who come to study the unique nature of Tuscan cuisine. Taught by three experienced, professional instructors, all classes are small in size (never more than twelve) completely hands-on and conducted in English.

Your hosts are also accomplished authors and contributors to Italy's most prestigious cooking magazines
and also conduct private cooking lessons. During all the classes, the school's instructional emphasis is always focused on the same three things:

• traditional Tuscan technique
• innovative use of ingredients
• esthetic presentation.

What changes is the seasonality of the food. Each course devotes special attention to pairing foods with appropriate wines.

Participants stay in fully equipped suites in the villa. Each suite contains three bedrooms, eat-in kitchen, living room, and fully equipped modern bathrooms.

Available March to November - Sunday to Saturday

For further information see the Active Gourmet Holidays web site - click here

Classic Tuscan Cookery Lessons - Tuscany - 7 nights

Learn authentic Italian cooking while staying in a magnificent villa located in a secluded part of Tuscany. Immerse yourself into the culture and ways of this very special countryside. Your week will consist of cookery lessons, visits to food producers and the finest food and wine the land has to offer.

Spend a fabulous week at a remote villa in the gorgeous countryside of Tuscany where rolling hills, ancient vineyards and Etruscan history will fill your senses. Learn to cook in a magnificent kitchen with a native born Tuscan who will teach you this wonderful peasant cuisine using the freshest ingredients available. Take a day trip to taste extra virgin olive oils, pecorino romano cheese and magnificent Tuscan wines. Groups are kept small and vary between eight and fourteen participants.

This recently restored large villa offers luxurious accommodation in the typical Tuscan style - wooden beams and terracotta floors, well equipped kitchens with all modern comforts, bedrooms all with adjoining marbled bathrooms, large living areas, large heated swimming pool with jacuzzi, massage features and a hot tub.

We also run a Mediterranean cookery course which is given by a very experienced French born chef who has owned restaurants in both Ireland and Ibiza. This course covers not only the Italian kitchen, but also the kitchens of four Mediterranean countries. All the dishes have been selected from the Italian, French, Moroccan and Spanish kitchen to create menus which are innovative, healthy and delicious. This week also includes two additional morning cooking lessons of approximately two and a half hours each.

Available April to October - Saturday to Saturday

For further information see the Active Gourmet Holidays web site - click here

Florentine Escape - 4 nights

Treat yourself to a relaxing four night getaway with a cooking lesson in a small and elegant Relais, located just 20 minutes outside of Florence. The Marignolle Relais is an excellent base for excursions in the Chianti area. Paola, your host Lorenzo's mother, will teach you the secrets of authentic Florentine and Tuscan cuisine and will be accompanied by her daughter Silvia.

The Marignolle Relais overlooks one of the most breathtaking hills surrounding Florence between the Certosa Convent and Ponte Vecchio. Lorenzo and the entire Bulleri family will make you feel at home with their wonderful hospitality. This 9 room Relais has been completely restored and contains modern amenities with beautiful marble bathrooms, gorgeous furnishings, with some rooms having a lovely terrace where breakfast can be served and all rooms having a beautiful view of the garden. During May to October, guests can also enjoy a beautiful swimming pool with a large solarium.

The cooking school is located adjacent to the Relais, in the Bulleri family's well equipped kitchen of their home. The hands-on cooking classes include learning traditional Florentine and Tuscan recipes and last approximately two and a half hours. You will learn to prepare an antipasto, like bruschetta or crostini toscani, a primi piatti like pappa al pomodoro or tagliatelle pomodori e zucchini, and a dolci such as tiramisu or torta della nonna. Buon appetito!

For your first evening at the Marignolle, settle in and get acquainted with your beautiful surroundings. Lorenzo will be happy to make a recommendation for dinner at one of the many wonderful restaurants in the area. In addition to your cooking lesson with Paola, you will enjoy a full day deluxe guided tour of the Chianti countryside and San Gimignano, with private car and driver. The tour is composed of a visit to the lovely village of Greve and then a famous winery visit. The owner will conduct a tour of the property and explain the process of wine-making; then a visit of the cellars and a wine tasting. The tour proceeds to Castellina in Chianti (one of my favorite villages!) or another small village of the area for lunch on your own.

You will also be treated to a guided walking tour of Florence which lasts about 3 hours. where you will see famous sculptures, frescoes and paintings in the Duomo, Santa Trinita, Orsanmichele as well as the Baptistery, Bell Tower, Gates of Paradise, Brunelleschi's Dome, Vasari's Corridor, Piazza della Signoria, Palazzo Vecchio, Medieval towers, Ponte Vecchio, Renaissance Palaces, famous shopping streets and other sights. There is also a visit to the renowned Uffizi Gallery to view Botticelli's works and other famous paintings. This holiday is a perfect short escape to get a taste of Florence and its treasures, or an ideal add-on to a longer stay in Italy.

Available year round

For further information see the Active Gourmet Holidays web site - click here

Tuscan Wine and Food Tour - Tuscany - 5 nights

Escape to Tuscany for a week of exceptional wines, exciting culinary excursions, delicious food and beautiful scenery. Sample fine wines, visit famous vineyards and even partake in a hands-on cooking course. This holiday will leave you with precious memories of ancient Etruscan landscapes, impressive architecture and a long history of Italy's wine.

This holiday is for those who appreciate fine Italian wines - and what wine lover would not love Tuscany? Its beautiful landscapes have been celebrated by writers and poets for centuries. Its palaces and churches are brimming with magnificent art. And its wine has been grown since Etruscan times and lauded for greatness since the Roman Empire. In recent years, Tuscany has led the way in revitalizing Italy's wine culture and raising it to world class status. This tour highlights three distinctive wine regions within Tuscany: Chianti Classico, Montalcino, and Montepulciano.

Add a dose of history, culture, culinary excursions and even a hands-on cooking course, and you have got an epicurean delight.

Highlights of this trip include:

• Wine estates: Castello di Brolio, Ciacci Piccolomini d'Aragona, Avignonesi and more
• Visit an olive oil producer
• Fun hands-on cooking lesson
• Pecorino cheese tasting

Available June to July, September to October - Monday to Saturday

For further information see the Active Gourmet Holidays web site - click here

Homestyle Tuscan Cooking - Tuscany - 5 nights

Take hands-on cooking lessons in an authentic Italian kitchen in the countryside of Tuscany. You will learn traditional, homestyle Italian recipes, stay in a beautiful family country home, take excursions to the surrounding area, shop, explore and relax. Day cooking classes also available.

Learn the art of Tuscan cooking, eating and living! For over fifteen years, your hosts, Simonetta and Paola have been holding hands-on cooking classes in both Florence and Chianti. You will learn traditional Italian family recipes, taught in English and will get the flavor of living in an Italian country home and being with an Italian family. You will stay in a beautiful Thirteenth century casa colonica, a typical Italian farmhouse in the Tuscan countryside with terracotta floors and chestnut beams. Enjoy a large, comfortable room with two bathrooms and two showers just in front of the room, available only for the guests. It has been lovingly restored by the family, one of the oldest noble families in Italy. There is an organic garden, vines, olive trees, roses, oleanders, geraniums, spices, fruit trees and other typical plants of the area.

In the area, you can discover the treasures of Chianti, an area well known for its castles, its medieval borghi, wine producers, skilled craftsmen, warm and hospitable people, restaurants, typical Tuscan food, Chianti Classico wine and olive oil. The Chianti region offers picture book rural scenery, from fields to sunflowers to rows of ubiquitous pencil pines in the hazy distance. Smaller towns such as Radda in Chianti, Monteriggioni, Volterra, San Gimignano are all an easy drive away, with stunning atmosphere and scenery. Tuscany is centrally located and is well connected by highways and a fast rail network to the rest of Italy, so you can visit other areas after or before your stay.

Available year round (except week before Christmas)

For further information see the Active Gourmet Holidays web site - click here

Classico Cooking Classes - Tuscany - 5 nights

Francesco Torre, chef at Badia a Coltibuono, will be your instructor for this hands-on culinary holiday. He continues the renowned Coltibuono tradition, established by Lorenza de Medici, by concentrating on local Tuscan cuisine. You will accompany Francesco to the markets to select the foods to be used for that day's meal. Stay in luxurious accommodations and learn to cook from a true professional.

Classico Cooking also includes a wide range of guided excursions so that students can learn not only about the cuisine but also about the wines and lifestyle of Chianti. The daily excursions are led by John Meis, a highly respected connoisseur of Chianti. He is also the author of a Taste of Tuscany, and a long standing collaborator of Lorenza de Medici.

In the coooking lessons, you will learn how to prepare a complete menu - starters, first and second courses, vegetable dishes and desserts - following the best traditions of Tuscan and regional Italian cuisine.

You will visit some of the most exclusive and fascinating historic villas in the Chianti region. Participants who attend the July course have the great opportunity to experience the world famous Palio horse race in Siena. Daily excursions will be tailored to the size of the group, time of year and weather. Imposing castles, beautiful medieval hilltop towns, the historical centre of Siena and quality artisan shops all open their doors for Coltibuono's Students. A visit to the local market will give you a feel of what Tuscan country life has to offer.

Wine and extra-virgin olive oil tastings are also an integral part of the experience, with visits to our old olive oil mill and our vinification cellar to understand the processes involved in the production of extra virgin olive oil, vinegar and the superb wines of Badia a Coltibuono.

Each trip is particular to the time of year that it takes place, as we try and show what this beautiful region can offer in each season. For example, in October you can see the harvest in the vineyards and see the wine as it comes to life, whereas May and June show all the beauty of one of the largest and most spectacular rose collections in Europe.

The Palio, a unique bareback horse race steeped in a pageantry and centuries of tradition in which the various wards of contrade of the city vie for supremacy is held every year on 2nd July and 16th August. It is perhaps the greatest folk festival of Europe and certainly the most authentic. Participants in this course are assured of an experience they will never forget.

Besides holding prime seats at the race itself, you will participate in several of the events that precede the main day, including the pre-Palio banquet held in the streets and piazza of each contrada. In between you will enjoy the foods, wines and splendid historical and artistic sights of the province of Siena. This course requires a certain amount of stamina, sportsmanship and willingness to join in the festivities as privileged guests of the people of Siena.

Available May to July, September to October - Monday to Saturday

For further information see the Active Gourmet Holidays web site - click here

Villa San Michele Cookery School - 2 to 6 nights

Choose from an array of exciting culinary programs at the beautiful and reputable Villa San Michele Cookery School in Florence, Italy.

The School is now a permanent institution with an extraordinary reputation, a fact well-known to the Gourmets who have followed it from the start, to the Chefs who hold their lessons here, and to the Guests at the Villa who now love our Hotel even more thanks to its culinary calendar.

Make the personal acquaintance of great cooks and renowned experts in gastronomy. Wines, oils, first courses, seasonal vegetables,
white and red meats, fish and crustaceans, follow one another in a kaleidoscope of tastes and aromas. A tempting opportunity, whether alone or in company, to blend the delights of the table and the pleasures of an enchanting holiday with a panoramic view of Florence in the background.

Below are our programs prepared with the finest ingredients. In response to enormous demand, we are offering a series of great return visits of our renowned master Chefs. There will also be lots of delightful moments, some deigned for Italian gourmets and others prepared specially for those foreigners who wish to experience Italy also through its cuisine.

There are courses for singles and for children . . . for those who love first courses or who want to learn the art of decorating the table. A truly complete bouquet.

Available April to July, September to October

For further information see the Active Gourmet Holidays web site - click here

The Tastes of a Roman Holiday - 3 or 6 nights

Learn the most popular recipes from Roman and Tuscan kitchens as you spend your time just outside of Rome for a fun filled week of creative cooking lessons. Aside from cooking lessons you will have a guided tour of the Eternal City of Rome, taste fine wines and partake in delicious meals. Your home for your visit will be in a medieval village in a restored farmhouse or historic apartment with incredible views of the countryside.

Fun and creative cooking lessons and lunches. Week mornings will be dedicated to cooking wonderful traditional lunches, using the most popular recipes from Cucina Romana and Toscana, with an eye for contemporary presentation: all very easy to replicate at home. We only use the most flavoursome seasonal organic ingredients sourced from local farmers. During lunch, there are more opportunities to sample the unique wines from central Italy.

Your accommodation will be in the Sabina region, where we have selected a small number of restored farmhouses and historic apartments with spectacular views of the surrounding countryside. Some have a swimming pool and all have beautiful gardens or piazzas outside their front door, and sunny double bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms. You will be staying in Farfa Sabina or Toffia, two picturesque and unspoilt hilltop medieval villages. The cooking lessons are in Toffia, one of the best preserved medieval hilltop villages in the Sabina region.

Available March to July, September to December

For further information see the Active Gourmet Holidays web site - click here

Beautiful Barolos - Piedmont - 5 nights

This magnificent epicurean tour of Italy's treasured region, Piedmont, shows you the best in wine, cuisine and beautiful landscapes. Sample Italy's stunning array of wines, which range from obscure Grignolino to world renowned Barolo and Barbaresco. October also brings the grape harvest and Alba's festive medieval donkey race, the Palio di Alba. Immerse yourself in the culinary delights of truffles, mountain cheeses, and hazelnuts are all regional treats.

Available June, October

For further information see the Active Gourmet Holidays web site - click here

The Basics of Great Italian Cooking - Bologna - 6 nights

Learn to cook from an award-winning cooking teacher and author who hosts this incredible Italian cooking holiday. Emilia-Romagna is the home of Parmigiano-Reggiano, balsamic vinegar, Pavarotti and prosciutto di Parma and Bologna holds the title of gastronomic capital of Italy. So where better to learn the authenticity of Italian cuisine?

Join Mary Beth Clark, award-winning cooking teacher, chef and founder of The International Cooking School of Italian Food and Wine, for an incredible six-day journey into the essence of Italian cooking in magnificent Bologna. Participate in four wonderful hands-on cooking classes, learn special culinary techniques to create authentic Italian dishes from different regions throughout Italy and taste world- famous aged cheeses and balsamic vinegars.

You will visit the outdoor market to find the freshest of fruits and vegetables, shop in irresistible specialty stores, travel throughout the beautiful countryside of Emilia-Romagna and have private meetings with producers and chefs.

Available May to June, September - Sunday to Saturday

For further information see the Active Gourmet Holidays web site - click here

The October Truffle Festival - Bologna - 7 nights

Travel in three marvelous culinary regions and dine in exquisite top Michelin-starred restaurants. Cooking classes take place in a stunning sixteenth-century palace in the historic center of Bologna. Learn techniques for multi-course food and wine pairing meals, create specialties from the north, central and southern regions of Italy! Fantastica!

Join Mary Beth Clark, renowned chef and founder of The International Cooking School of Italian Food and Wine, for an incredible week of hands-on cooking instruction in an exquisite palazzo. Learn to make the perfect dough, spinach pasta and classic Italian dishes as well as specialty dishes using the magical truffle. Enjoy exciting excursions throughout three famous regions of Italy, savor fine wines from the private estates of award-winning winemakers and dine in Michelin rated restaurants. You will also go on an exciting truffle hunt and experience the tastes of aged balsamic vinegars and extra-virgin olive oils. This is a week of discovery you will always treasure.

Available October - Sunday to Sunday

For further information see the Active Gourmet Holidays web site - click here

Taste of Emilia-Romagna - Bologna - 4 nights

Experience the sights, smells and tastes of the renowned Emilia-Romagna region - home to aged balsamic vinegars, prosciutto di Parma, handmade pasta and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheeses. You will learn to create more than 18 delicious dishes in a beautiful palazzo and take countryside excursions for special tastings of the regions' offerings.

Your Visit in Bologna

This four-day immersion into the tastes of Emilia-Romagna is ideal for those of you who have limited time, but would like to experience an in-depth culinary program. Enjoy hands-on cooking classes in a beautiful palazzo, a countryside excursion to Emilia, great restaurants, famous olive oil and balsamic vinegar tastings and a private estate visit featuring the techniques of aging balsamic vinegar.

Available May to June, September - Sunday to Thursday

For further information see the Active Gourmet Holidays web site - click here

Cooking and Italian Lessons in Sorrento - Sorrento - 6 nights

Discover the beauty of the Amalfi coast during this spectacular week long journey to Sorrento. Your hosts are an Italian family whose passion is to share their culture. During your stay, you will take professional Italian classes to learn this romantic language as well as cooking classes to learn traditional dishes. Limited to twelve persons.

Located just five minutes walking distance from downtown Sorrento, one of the most beautiful areas in of all Italy, lies your home for the week. A lovely, old town right on the coast, Sorrento is a town that has always been known to turn every visit into an unforgettable holiday. Learn to cook, see the sights, and spend time with a family eager to share their language and culture. The Amalfi Coast is magical and will remain in your memory for years to come.

Available year round - Sunday to Saturday

For further information see the Active Gourmet Holidays web site - click here

Cooking Sorrento Style - Sorrento - 1 day, 3 or 7 nights

Sorrento is a magical part of Italy, offering the beautiful scent of the ocean along with spectacular views. Why not learn to cook here? Take hands-on cooking lessons in one of the most beautiful parts of the world, enjoy wonderful aromas, and eat the finest in Neapolitan cuisine.

Magical Sorrento invites you to learn to cook in a brand new cooking school located within the Giardino Delle Esperidi, a well known resort of the "Penisola Sorrentina." The School, which is a short distance from the sea and the city centre, is surrounded by a field of lemon and orange trees where there are bungalows, chalets and residences that give an alternative to the more traditional hotel accommodation available in Sorrento.

The cooking school includes a cooking area, a tasting area used to sample the dishes prepared during the lesson, a large dining area, and a small store where it is possible to buy typical local products.

The school offers one-day and multi-day hands-on cooking classes as well as all inclusive packages that are offered year round from a minimum of two to a maximum of 15 participants. The classes are based on menus of the traditional Italian cuisine, with a particular emphasis on Neapolitan recipes. Special programs can be arranged for those who wish to focus their attention on specific dishes or Italian specialties such as Pizza, bread, pasta, sauces, fish, pastries and decoration, drinks and wine.

Available year round - Sunday to Sunday

For further information see the Active Gourmet Holidays web site - click here

The Flavours of the Amalfi Coast

Mamma Agata’s cooking course takes place in her private home, situated on a cliff top, 1000 feet above the sea level, a very gracious home that majestically overlooks the AMALFI Coastline, with wonderful terraces and a spacious garden full of lemon trees, fruit trees, flowers, vegetables and poultry. She produces nearly all the food that she cooks and has a vast experience in traditional Southern Italian cuisine.

Mamma Agata began cooking at age thirteen. She has been the chef for many major Hollywood actors and actresses including Humphrey Bogart, Liz Taylor, Fred Astaire, Jackie Kennedy as well as writers, politicians and international journalists.

Mamma Agata invites you into her gorgeous home where she will teach you "elegant simplicity". There is also a small farm with free-range chickens, turkeys and rabbits. Her Italian garden is located below the terrace, so each participant can also learn about growing organic vegetables.

Available March, April, October, November - Sunday to Sunday

For further information see the Active Gourmet Holidays web site - click here

Wine Tasting on the Amalfi Coast

Come to Ravello, a world famous city known for its music, history and enchanting sights overlooking the Amalfi Coast. Here you will learn about Italy's world famous wines by your host, Gennaro. Gennaro is a professionally certified Sommelier and a member of the prestigious AIS, a national association of Certified Sommeliers and one of your hosts for the evening, along with his lovely bride Chiara, daughter of the world famous Mamma Agata whose cooking program "The Flavours of the Amalfi Coast" is also offered through Active Gourmet Holidays.

Available year round

For further information see the Active Gourmet Holidays web site - click here

Cooking in a Venetian Villa

LOCATION
Located only 40 minutes from Venice on the Friuli-Veneto border, the villa was an old monastery dating back to the 11th century and turned into a superb country estate at the beginning of 1800. Today, after an accurate restoration aimed at maintaining, as far as possible, everything unaltered, it has become an elegant 4**** hotel with a gourmet restaurant and a relaxing piano bar. The villa is surrounded by 10 acres of park with landscaped lawns and gardens. Facilities include a large swimming pool surrounded by century-old trees, a tennis court, a jogging track, a small fitness centre. The elegant public rooms abound with antiques and fresh flowers. Rooms and suites, all different from each other, are furnished with typical local antiques and soft colours inspiring a suggestive and particular atmosphere. All rooms have air conditioning, satellite TV, stereo, mini-bar and safe. Some have balconies and all have big windows offering wonderful views on the park. The restaurant at the villa is outstanding and clients can dine indoors or out during the mildest seasons. The chef has an impressive resume while the sommelier is one of the best (he is certainly one of the nicest) in Italy.

COOKING SCHOOL
Cooking classes take place in the villa's well-equipped kitchen and are taught by the experienced restaurant chef. Participants will learn how to prepare refined menus for special occasions and local recipes for simpler meals. All lessons are hands-on and last approximately 2 hours.

Available year round

For further information see the Active Gourmet Holidays web site - click here

Cooking in Friuli-Venezia Giulia

Cook with Rosina and Rita in Cividale, one of the most characteristic and historical towns of Friuli, only about one-hour drive from Venice and 20 minutes from Slovenia. Limited to 8 - 10 participants, classes are hands-on and last approximately 3 hours and are followed by lunch or dinner. Guests stay at charming B&Bs owned by the chefs, or they can choose other lovely accommodations located nearby.

Available year round

For further information see the Active Gourmet Holidays web site - click here

Friulian Flavours - Friuli-Venezia Giulia - 3 or 5 nights

Visit this beautiful undiscovered region of Italy in Italy's north-eastern corner, cradled among the Alps, the Venetian plains and the Adriatic Sea. We offer hands-on cooking classes, food and wine tours and day trips to Austria, Slovenia or Venice.

Cooking classes take place in a cozy country retreat surrounded by vineyards, woods and meadows in the Friuli hills, at the base of the Julian Alps, about a one hour drive from Venice, Austria and Slovenia. The area, known as Colli Orientali del Friuli, is famous for the production of great classic wines, as well as for its scenic countryside dotted with castles, idyllic villages, beautiful hills and breathtaking valleys. The atmosphere is lovely and peaceful, just the perfect location to enjoy a leisurely vacation mixed with an unforgettable cooking experience.

The charming farmhouse is immersed in the wine land and follows organic and bio-friendly practices for the production of different varieties of organic wine (Chardonnay, Tocai Friulano, Pinot Bianco, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon, Refosco and the rare and precious Picolit) and farm produce which are used to prepare genuine dishes at the cooking school.

Cooking lessons take place in the farmhouse's well equipped kitchen which occupies the ground floor of a typical Friulian rustic home. Idanna, Susanna and Luca are the delightful owners of the estate as well as the cooking school teachers. Following the true Italian way of eating, all meals are prepared using fresh ingredients and products from the estate: veal, beef and lamb (reared free at pasture), chicken, duck and turkey (reared outdoors), eggs, garden grown seasonal vegetables and fruit, field mushrooms, water meadow and other herbs. A neighbouring farm supplies salami and different types of vegetables, while hand made cheese is purchased from the local dairy.

Lessons last approximately three hours and are followed by lunch or dinner. Meals feature foods prepared during class and consist of three courses accompanied by local wines and served at a formally set table situated in the main dining room or, if it is nice and warm, under the shade of the vine covered pergola.

All classes, limited to eight participants, are completely hands-on and recipes are simple so that people can easily learn how to prepare Italian food and, once back home, they will be able to prepare what they have learned in class inviting family and friends to taste the best of the Italian and Friulian cuisine.

Non-cooking partners are very welcome too! During classes, non-cooking companions can choose to explore the delightful surroundings strolling through the vineyards and visiting the farmhouse cellars where wine is made and stored, go jogging and ride mountain bikes in the hilly countryside, take a safe swim in the river located just in front of the house or just relax under the shade of the beautiful vine covered pergola reading a book and tasting a glass of good vintage.

Guests stay in the farmhouse's charming rooms with private bathroom, all decorated with Friulian country antiques and offering incredible views of the surrounding countryside. Families or a group of friends can stay in the comfortable apartments created in the old granary on the first floor of the house, each in original Friulian style.

Available March to July, September - Tuesday to Sunday

For further information see the Active Gourmet Holidays web site - click here

Authentic Home Cooking in Puglia - 3 or 5 nights

Puglia, the heel of Italy's boot, is an ideal location for a gourmet holiday. Puglia is home to some of the brightest seas, most beautiful sandy beaches, brilliantly whitewashed towns, a landscape graced with over fifty million ancient olive trees and the kindest people in all of Italy. In addition, Puglia enjoys a typical Mediterranean climate with mild winters and hot dry summers. Summer temperatures average between 25°C and 30° C making any month of the year wonderful to visit.

This region is a food and wine lover's paradise. It is home to the true Mediterranean Cuisine with an emphasis on seafood, vegetables, legumes, hand-made pasta. Puglia’s cuisine is delicious, yet simple at the same time. It is in essence a home-based cuisine. Puglia produces the largest amount of extra virgin olive oil in Italy and is one of Italy's largest wine producers. When travelling through Puglia, you will notice long rows of grape vines that stretch off into the distance.

Your hostesses, sisters Cinzia and Marika will introduce you to the authentic Puglia (Apulia) and Southern Italy showing aspects rarely seen by travellers! Cinzia and Marika will give you hands on cooking classes in English or French. You will learn traditional Italian recipes and you will get the flavor of living in an Italian home. Classes are private for individuals, couples and small groups; as well as tailor made to your level and taste.

You will stay in a beautiful historical palace located in a small village off the tourist tracks and just outside Lecce (the baroque capital of Puglia). The palace is walking distance from the historical centre of this little village where artisans still produce their products in a traditional way. The palace has been recently restored and has a beautiful terrace where you can enjoy the sun or read your book. The underground floor of the palace was used in the past as an oil mill. This village gives his name to a Denomination of Origin wine area and his famous for its excellent extra virgin olive oil as well. The area is surrounded by a beautiful countryside with millenary olive trees and vineyards. The sea is 3 miles away.

Cinzia and Marika provide excellent city bikes and organize on request private bike or walking tours to explore the countryside and to visit the many local artisans and wine makers. They also give private Italian lessons - please inquire.

Cinzia and Marika discovered their passions about food and wines at a young age when their grandmother taught them the secrets of how to make hand-made “orecchiette” pasta; or when their grandfather allowed them to squeeze the grapes with their feet during the harvest season.

They have since loved to host family and friends, cooking great food, trying new recipes, tasting fantastic wines!

Having earned an MBA from Harvard Business School in Boston and worked for many years in Marketing and Finance roles in primary international companies in New York and London, Cinzia got exposure to and learned about the most diverse and international cultures, tastes and cuisine. Eager to contribute to her home-land, and passionate about the wine, food and hospitality sectors she decided to move back to Puglia. Marika is a clinical cardiologist at Lecce's main hospital. During the cooking classes she explains all the benefits of a true Mediterranean cuisine.

Equipped with their intimate knowledge of Southern Italy, Cinzia and Marika welcome visitors so that the authentic style and life of Puglia and Italy can be truly experienced, with the real local people, in a true Italian home and family. They have both taken many cooking and wine tasting classes. However they only teach what they learned from their grandmother.

Available year round

For further information see the Active Gourmet Holidays web site - click here

The Foods and Wines of Puglia

Puglia, the heel of Italy's boot, is an ideal location for a gourmet holiday. Puglia is home to some of the brightest seas, most beautiful sandy beaches, brilliantly whitewashed towns, a landscape graced with over fifty million ancient olive trees and the kindest people in all of Italy. In addition, Puglia enjoys a typical Mediterranean climate with mild winters and hot dry summers. Summer temperatures average between 25°C and 30° C making any month of the year wonderful to visit.

This region is a food and wine lover's paradise. It is home to the true Mediterranean Cuisine with an emphasis on seafood, vegetables, legumes, hand-made pasta. Puglia’s cuisine is delicious, yet simple at the same time. It is in essence a home-based cuisine. Puglia produces the largest amount of extra virgin olive oil in Italy and is one of Italy's largest wine producers. When travelling through Puglia, you cannot fail to notice the long rows of grape vines that stretch off into the distance.

Come to Puglia for a luxury culinary and wine experience. The cooking and wine school is run by the two sisters, Cinzia and Marika. They offer one day private and tailor made cookery courses and wine tours as well as one week culinary and wine tours in luxurious villas rented around Puglia. Cinzia and Marika will introduce you to the authentic Puglia (Apulia) and Southern Italy showing aspects rarely seen by travelers! Cinzia and Marika speak perfect English and French.

One-Day cooking classes and wine tastings may be provided at the Cooking School which is in a beautiful historical palace located in a small village off the tourist tracks and just outside Lecce (the baroque capital of Puglia).

The palace has been recently restored and has a beautiful terrace where you can enjoy the sun or read your book. The underground floor of the palace was used in the past as an oil mill. This palace is also a bed and breakfast for people interested in living an authentic experience with a Southern Italian family.

The palace is walking distance from the historical centre of this little village where artisans still produce their products in a traditional way. The village gives his name to a D.O.C. (Denomination of Origin) wine area and his famous for its excellent extra virgin olive oil as well. The whole area around Lecce, known as Salento, is surrounded by a beautiful countryside with millenary olive trees and vineyards. Some of the best wine makers from Puglia are located close to Stile Mediterraneo, producing famous Negroamaro and Primitivo wines as well as famous extra virgin olive oil producers. The sea is 3 miles away.

Cinzia and Marika provide excellent city bikes and organize on request private bike or walking tours to explore the countryside and to visit the many local artisans and wine makers. They also give private Italian lessons - please inquire.

Cinzia and Marika discovered their passions about food and wines at a young age when their grandmother taught them the secrets of how to make hand-made “orecchiette” pasta; or when their grandfather allowed them to squeeze the grapes with their feet during the harvest season.

They have since loved to host family and friends, cooking great food, trying new recipes, tasting fantastic wines!

Having earned an MBA from Harvard Business School in Boston and worked for many years in Marketing and Finance roles in primary international companies in New York and London, Cinzia got exposure to and learned about the most diverse and international cultures, tastes and cuisine. Eager to contribute to her home-land, and passionate about the wine, food and hospitality sectors she decided to move back to Puglia. Marika is a clinical cardiologist at Lecce's main hospital. During the cooking classes she explains all the benefits of a true Mediterranean cuisine.

Equipped with their intimate knowledge of Southern Italy, Cinzia and Marika started their business so that the authentic style and life of Puglia and Italy could be truly experienced, with the real local people, in a true Italian home and family. They have both taken many cooking and wine tasting classes. However they only teach what they learned from their grandmother.

Available year round

For further information see the Active Gourmet Holidays web site - click here

Cooking in Umbria - 4 or 6 nights

Visit the Green Heart of Italy in style! Experience a four or six night cooking program packed with a series of fun excursions. You will lodge in five star accommodations.

Noble residences situated in enchanting towns, Umbria really is one of ‘Italy’s best kept secrets’. It is rich in olive farms and vineyards, noted as some of Italy’s finest. Dotted with quaint historical towns and bursting with ancient remains from the Roman Empire!

Highlights:

• Discover enchanting Historical Towns with an expert guide
• Enjoy hands on cooking lessons with expert chefs
• Meet the locals!
• Experience the artisan ceramics of Deruta
• Visit wineries and Olive Oil Farms
• Learn authentic Umbrian Recipes
• Discover remains of the Roman Empire hidden in quaint towns

Available year round

For further information see the Active Gourmet Holidays web site - click here

Cooking with Cristina - 3 nights

Learn to cook with an Italian family who will show you the secrets of Umbrian cuisine. Cristina, your hostess, has been conducting cooking courses since 1999 at a nearby villa but has restored her eighteenth century country house and is now inviting guests to her home for day cooking classes or residential cooking programs.

You will feel right at home at this lovely piece of heaven in Umbria located 20km from Perugia.

Cristina's cooking courses, which take place in Cristina's large and comfortable kitchen, begin at 4:00 pm (with a little break for a bruschetta and a wine tasting). For dinner you will feast on what you have learned to prepare, along with some wonderful regional wines.

Usually the menus depend on the fresh vegetables of the season. Cristina can teach you how to make a handmade fresh pasta like fettucine or potatoes gnocchi or anything with pizza dough like calzone, foccacia, pizza, all kinds of antipasti and desserts (tiramisù, chocolate mousse, semifreddo or panna cotta) and all the masterpieces of Italian cooking.

These courses can be taken on an individual basis with a minimum of 2 persons at dates of your choice. Participants use their own car to visit the area during their free time and to go to the wine tasting and to the pottery workroom. If clients do not have their own car, transfers can be organised at extra cost. Please inquire.

Available year round

For further information see the Active Gourmet Holidays web site - click here

The Cuisine and Wine of Umbria - 2 or 4 nights

For all connoisseurs of fine wines and food: dedicate your holiday to the discovery of traditional Umbrian recipes and great wines! Spend some pleasant days with cooking classes, wine tasting, sightseeing and relaxation at the beautiful Villa de Monte Solare. Over the years the Villa has been a noble residence and a base for the important agricultural work of the farm. It retains its large fireplaces, frescoes, ancient cotto floors and period furnishings.

Villa di Monte Solare proposes a two or four night program including cooking classes and/or wine tasting at one of Umbria's well-known producers and gourmet dinners at our restaurant “Dolium”. The latter will be accompanied by selected Umbrian wines from our distinguished selection and competent service by our sommelier.

Chef Nicola Fanfano along with a translator will teach you the secrets of Umbrian and Tuscan cuisine, using the freshest ingredients of the season. Learn to cook traditional dishes that you will easily be able to re-create at home for your friends and family. Cooking classes are held on Mondays, Wednesdays or Fridays only.

Available year round

For further information see the Active Gourmet Holidays web site - click here

Tasty Umbria - 3 nights

Spend a week amidst the lush green Umbrian countryside and enjoy the beautiful, tranquil atmosphere of Il Monastero Luxury Country House estate.

Originally a 12C monastery, this ancient building has been lovingly restored and features oak and chestnut beams, terracotta floors, a pietra serena fireplace and elegant furnishings.

A perfect setting to relax and let your mind work in harmony with nature.

Learn how to cook delicious Italian cuisine with one cooking lesson, a visit to a thriving local market, a medieval town and a truffle farm.

Enjoy incredible food, breathtaking scenery and luxurious accommodations.

COOKING COURSE
Meet the cooks at Il Monastero and learn hands on how to make fresh pasta, sauces, antipasto, salads, meats and of course, desserts!

Impress friends and family back home with a true Italian feast!

MARKET VISIT
Accompanied by one of the cooks and an interpreter, you will visit a thriving local market town and choose fresh produce for the cooking class whilst taking in the sights, smells and sounds of the Umbrian way of life! Later, lunch in a wonderful trattoria in the town and then return to Il Monastero for the cooking lesson.

THERMAL SPA
Situated on the hillside a short distance away from Il Monastero, this luxury thermal spa has lovely views over the countryside and valleys beyond. There are four thermal pools all heated to different temperatures and a Turkish steam room where you can relax and dream.

Available April to October

For further information see the Active Gourmet Holidays web site - click here

Umbrian-Tuscan Cooking Classes

For almost 20 years Villa di Monte Solare has been dedicated to offering regionally produced goods and traditional recipes in preparing meals in an effort to commit to the fine tradition of Italian cuisine. Following this philosophy and in order to give our guests the opportunity to get a greater insight into the preparation of the genuine Italian cooking, we offer weekly hands-on cookery classes with Villa di Monte Solare Chefs at our cozy hotel-owned cooking school “La Capannina”. Topics addressed are “Seasonal specialities” and “typical Umbria-Tuscan cuisine”. The chefs will provide you with a vivid explanation on exquisite recipes and their preparation implementing traditional cooking methods. Following the class you will enjoy the prepared food accompanied by a selected wine.

Over the years the Villa has been a noble residence and a base for the important agricultural work of the farm. It retains its large fireplaces, frescoes, ancient cotto floors and period furnishings.

Chef Nicola Fanfano along with a translator will teach you the secrets of Umbrian and Tuscan cuisine, using the freshest ingredients of the season. Learn to cook traditional dishes that you will easily be able to re-create at home for your friends and family.

Available year round

For further information see the Active Gourmet Holidays web site - click here

The Umbrian Kitchen

Spend a fabulous week at a beautiful country home in the heart of Umbria (Perugia). The farm dates back to the 17th century and is surrounded by rolling hills, 10 hectares of olive groves, vineyards, fruit trees and Etruscan and medieval history. Six independent apartments have been restored around the ancient stone house and all are beautifully decorated.

The country home is only 4km from the historic centre of Perugia and offers a breathtaking view of the Umbrian hills. The proximity to Perugia makes it ideal for visiting other artistic towns in Umbria such as Assisi, Gubbio, Todi, Orvieto and the Trasimeno lake. There is also a lovely swimming pool from which you can enjoy the panoramic view as well as offering the following amenities: Car park, garden, play area for children, outdoor barbecue, sale of wine, olive oil and jams, swimming pool, baby bed. Animals ARE allowed.

Learn to cook authentic Italian dishes in an informal and friendly environment where you will learn the passion of the Italian kitchen. A comprehensive hands-on cookery course will be taught by Alberta who will teach you to make splendid Italian three course dinners covering all the basic Italian cooking techniques. Raffaella, Alberta's daughter-in-law and the owner of the country farm, speaks very good English and helps Alberta in the translation, if needed. The cooking lessons are given in Alberta's home, an old and recently restored large Umbrian villa. Meals will then be taken to your room where you will enjoy your own home cooked Italian cuisine! Groups are kept small with a maximum of only 4 participants enabling you to receive a lot of one on one instruction with Alberta.

In addition to cooking, you will partake in two day trips where you will taste extra virgin olive oils, pecorino cheese, Umbrian wines and visit some artistic cities.

Available January to June, September to December - Saturday to Saturday

For further information see the Active Gourmet Holidays web site - click here

Yoga and Cooking in Umbria - 7 nights

Spend a week amidst the lush green Umbrian countryside and enjoy the beautiful, tranquil atmosphere of La Preghiera Luxury Country House estate. Originally a Twelfth century monastery, this ancient building has been lovingly restored and features oak and chestnut beams, terracotta floors, a pietra serena fireplace and elegant furnishings. A perfect setting to relax and let your mind work in harmony with nature taking daily yoga classes and an afternoon at a local spa. Learn how to cook delicious Italian cuisine with three cooking lessons, with visits to a thriving local market, a medieval town and a truffle farm. Enjoy incredible food, breathtaking scenery and luxurious accommodations.

Yoga Classes

Learn basic yoga techniques or expand your knowledge of yoga with five classes taught by a highly qualified yoga instructor. Lessons are held by the pool side, on the loggia or in the gardens of La Preghiera.

Cooking Course

Meet the cooks at La Preghiera and learn hands on how to make fresh pasta, sauces, antipasto, salads, meats and of course, desserts! Impress friends and family back home with a true Italian feast!

Market Visit

Accompanied by one of the cooks and an interpreter, you will visit a thriving local market town and choose fresh produce for the cooking class whilst taking in the sights, smells and sounds of the Umbrian way of life! Later, lunch in a wonderful trattoria in the town and then return to La Preghiera for the cooking lesson.

Thermal Spa

Situated on the hillside a short distance away from La Preghiera, this luxury thermal spa has lovely views over the countryside and valleys beyond. There are four thermal pools all heated to different temperatures and a Turkish steam room where you can relax and dream.

Available May to September - Saturday to Saturday

For further information see the Active Gourmet Holidays web site - click here

Antonella's Cuisine of the Veneto - 3 or 7 nights

Enjoy an Italian cooking holiday in the heart of the Prosecco wine area in the Veneto. Stay in a beautifully restored farmhouse, where Antonella will teach you how to prepare wonderful meals at home. Her philosophy is that food is central to life; it should be full of flavour, beautifully presented, and eaten in a pleasing, relaxing ambience. It shouldn’t be necessary to spend hours in preparation either; all it needs are the right skills and attitude. It’s a question of lifestyle.

Since we normally take a maximum of six people, we will tailor-make your holiday as far as we can. Our cookery courses last either one week or three days, but if you get your own group together then we can possibly adapt to suit your needs. Lessons are fully hands-on, flexible and fun. All transport will be arranged and there will be trips to local food markets, wine producers, and places of cultural interest.

You have a friend or partner who wishes to accompany you, but not take part in the cookery lessons? He or she can be very well catered for. There are many beautiful walks, there are mountain bikes and a small indoor swimming pool, and there is a spa in a castle that lies a short distance away. There are numerous producers of stylish clothes and shoes in the area. Buy their products at factory prices. A local sculptor offers lessons in his art.

Remember, you are coming to the most fascinating region in Italy!

Location
The Veneto is bordered to the north by the spectacular Dolomites, to the east by the Adriatic coast, and to the west by Lake Garda. Venice is merely the jewel in the crown. It is a vibrant economic area, yet it has a cultural heritage that is hard to match anywhere in the world. Cison is located 50km to the north of Venice and 65km south of Cortina d'Ampezzo. The beautiful towns of Treviso, Padova, Belluno, Bassano, Vicenza, Asolo and Feltre all lie within a one hour radius.

Accommodation
La Casa Gialla is a beautifully converted farmhouse. It sits in the middle of a charming village, Cison di Valmarino, in the foot-hills of the Dolomites. The locaiton spares us the summer heat and winter fogs of the Venetian plane, while giving easy access to a host of fascinating medieval towns and spectacular mountain ranges. We lie in the rolling hills of the Prosecco wine area.

Accommodation at Casa Gialla consists of two double bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms. We also have a self-contained apartment with a double bedroom. A further single bedroom in the main house can be used if two guests don't mind sharing a bathroom - a small unit ideal for a family with one or two children. All rooms are full of character and are beautifully decorated throughout. The kitchen where courses take place is full of character, maintaining an old rustic style, while being well equipped with modern equipment. Views of our courtyard, and the medieval castle on the hillside behind, are quite stunning.

We have our own leisure centre, including a small indoor swimming pool and a table-tennis table. This centre can be used seasonally. There is also an 18th century bread oven that is used to make bread and pizzas. CastelBrando can be reached by a five minute walk, followed by a short trip in a funicular railway. The castle has a spa, theatre, and various bars - the views from its ramparts are wonderful. In summer it occasionally hosts concerts. Throughout the year there are various food festivals in local villages that might be attended.

Cooking Courses
Courses concentrate on the cuisine of the Veneto; its antipasti, pastas, risottos, gnocchi, crespelle, sorbets, main courses and desserts. Learn how to make homemade pasta and gnocchi (small, dumpling-like starters). Ingredients used are seasonal; you might prepare an asparagus lasagne, a pumpkin risotto, crespelle (a kind of omelette/pancake) stuffed with radicchio di Treviso. Make a 'sgruppino', based on lemon ice-cream and vodka - it cleans the palate magnificently. Main courses might use guinea fowl, quail, pigeon, or simply pork and beef. Desserts include homemade ice-creams. Learn to be boldly creative, and cook with confidence.

Meals are accompanied by wines of the Veneto, Friuli, and Trentino Alto-Adige. One of the great joys of Italian wine is the existence of many indigenous grape varieties; there are hundreds of gems in our area just waiting to be discovered. Taste the wonderful whites of malvasia, ribolla gialla and incrocio manzoni, and the reds of raboso, refosco and schioppettino - among others. There will be no dogma however; you can also drink your Cabernet Sauvignons, Merlots and Chardonnays. Appetites are stimulated with the local sparkling prosecco, and local grappas can top off your meal.

Available March to May, July to October

For further information see the Active Gourmet Holidays web site - click here

Cooking in the Veneto with Giuliano Hazan - Venice - 6 nights

Join us for a spectacular week of gastronomy in northern Italy. Learn to cook from a famous chef and cook book author. Your home for your stay is a luxurious Sixteenth century villa from the Renaissance period. During the week you will enjoy excursions to famous points of interest, including Romeo and Juliet's Verona.

Giuliano Hazan and Marilisa Allegrini (one of Italy's most distinguished producers of noble red wine) invite you to join them for a week of total immersion in Italian food, wine and life. The incomparable location where you will stay and cook, and from which you will set off for the scheduled field excursions, is the Renaissance Villa Giona, set in twelve acres of private park and vineyards near romantic Verona, the city of Romeo and Juliet.

Giuliano Hazan and his wife Lael will be your hosts for the week's activities. Giuliano, like many other good cooks, learned his craft from his mother. Giuliano's experience began at the age of seventeen as he worked his way up from assistant to teacher and director at his mother's (Marcella Hazan) renowned School of Classic Italian Cooking in Bologna. He has over fifteen years of teaching experience and makes regular appearances at cooking schools across the USA and abroad. For four years he taught a widely attended course in Venice at the legendary Hotel Cipriani.

Marilisa Allegrini is her family's ambassador at large. She regularly presents the wines of her native Valpolicella, and introduces audiences to the terroir from which they spring at stellar events throughout the United States and Europe. Allegrini is one of the leading producers of the precious Amarone wine as well as several other extraordinary wines. You will be the beneficiary of a behind the scenes winery tour - not available to the general public - guided by Marilisa Allegrini.

A maximum of twelve students will participate in a week of intensive hands-on classes taught by Giuliano Hazan. You will make homemade pasta, risotto, meats, local fish, vegetables and desserts. Each five hour class concludes with dinner in classic style composed of the several courses prepared during the class. Each class will also include presentations by Marilisa Allegrini on the major wine producing regions of Italy. The wines discussed, both from the Allegrini vineyards and other distinguished Italian producers, will accompany the meals. All instruction is given in English.

Available May, June, September, October - Sunday to Saturday

For further information see the Active Gourmet Holidays web site - click here

Hotel Gritti Palace School of Fine Cooking

The Hotel Gritti Palace School of Fine Cooking in Venice, one of the world's most celebrated hotels, is located in an enviable position on the Grand Canal, just a few steps away from St. Marks Square. The Palace has welcomed kings and queens, prime ministers and presidents, giants of the literary world and theatrical immortals. Hotel Gritti, a 15th century palace of the Doge Andrea Gritti, pays exquisite attention to detail and is a magnificent work of art.

Cooking lessons start at 9.30 a.m., except on Wednesdays which begin with a visit to the Rialto Market at 8.30 a.m. with Head Chef Daniele Turco who will demonstrate how to recognize meat and fish, herbs and vegetables, pasta and fruit. All lessons end daily with lunch in the restaurant. Monday afternoon is dedicated to a gastronomical-philosophical walk around Venice, while Tuesday afternoon is dedicated to an exclusive visit to the Ca’ Rezzonico - Museum of the Venetian ‘700. During each lesson, Chef Daniele prepares a menu composed of three or four dishes, explaining each step, and revealing the secrets of each recipe, using the newest and most innovative equipment.

Classes are for all levels and are limited to a maximum of 16 and a minimum of 8 participants. Each participant is given a folder containing a detailed course program and recipe sheets. The official course language is Italian, with immediate translation into English. At the end of every course each participant receives a certificate of attendance.
The cooking lessons enable participants to learn through demonstration, without the employment of “hands on” participation and include the history, anecdotes and the origins of the dishes being prepared. There is a great deal of importance given to sampling and tasting the dishes. Lunch is a wonderful affair and allows guests to socialize with one another, and often marks the beginning of new and long-lasting friendships.

Available February, March, April and July - Monday through Thursday

For further information see the Active Gourmet Holidays web site - click here

Yoga and Cooking in Le Marche - 7 nights

Join Anna, a certified Kundalini yoga instructor and your hostess, for a week of hands-on cooking classes and yoga in the hidden region of Le Marche, Italy. Le Marche is a province in east-central Italy with rolling vineyards surrounded by walled cities, castles, history and breathtaking scenery. Your accommodations will be in a totally renovated traditional country home, with five en-suite double rooms and three self catering apartments. The atmosphere is peaceful, tranquil and ideal for yoga.

The medieval village where you will be staying is surrounded by olive trees and golden wheat fields. In your free time, you may want to take a walk, go bird watching or simply breathe in the fresh air. It is in this region that two very typical Marche wines are produced, Lacrima di Morro d’Alba and Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi, as well as olive oil, honey and many other fresh and seasonal products that make this area so very special.

You will enjoy two hands-on cooking classes with a local Italian in a professional, fully equipped kitchen. Learn the secrets of Marche cuisine using the freshest ingredients of the season, feasting on your creations after your lesson. A typical menu may consist of the following: Vincisgrassi (very soft lasagne), tagliatelle con sugo di papera (goose ragu) Coniglio in porchetta (rabbit with wild herbes) Arrosto misto (lamb, veal, rabbit) Gratin di verdure (roasted vegetables), tasting of typical cheeses and sausages such as Pecorino cheese and "Ciauscolo". Vegetarian cooking is also available. Please inquire.

Available April, May, June, October, November - Saturday to Saturday

For further information see the Active Gourmet Holidays web site - click here

Secret Le Marche - 7 nights

Discover Italy's secret region of Le Marche where you will find some of the cleanest coastline of the Adriatic sea offering up an enormous range of crustacea, mollusks and fish and further inland, the coastal plain boasts olive groves and verdicchio vineyards. Shepherds can be seen in the distance, tending their sheep, creating the creamy-sharp pecorino cheese characteristic of this region. Wooden fences keep out the wild boar, another local specialty, as are other types of game such as venison, hare and wildfowl. Prosciutto, salami and ciauscolo mature in cellars next to last year's wine.

Le Marche is so unspoilt by tourists and other visitors that it has remained almost in a time warp. Every inhabitant has a piece of land where he grows his own vegetables, keeps chickens for their eggs, and, if there is room, grows grapes for wine and olives for oil. The pace of life is slow. It is not unusual to see donkeys used for transport or to have to stop your car and wait for the sheep to cross. Here no one gets frustrated by these little delays. It's part of the charm of the place.

Camerino is the closest town to the cooking school. Cobbled, narrow streets and mediaeval fortification walls characterize this historic town which did battle with Cesare Borgia and housed Crivelli and the famous 14th century Camerino school of painters. There has been a university here since 1336. With the high population of educated people there is much innovation in the food, restaurants and wines of the region combining old rustic traditions with new schools of thought and highly appreciative palates.

Available January, May to July, September - Friday to Friday / Saturday to Saturday

For further information see the Active Gourmet Holidays web site - click here

The Sicilian Gourmet

Enliven your senses and enlighten your fancy with our gastronomic tour of the amazing island of Sicily! Explore extraordinary ruins and enchantingly beautiful scenery, while visiting some of Sicily's most precious towns and select attractions.

Our tour lets you uncover the gems of the "largest island in the Mediterranean", while treating you to a variety of pre-arranged and all-inclusive cooking classes, gourmet meals, wine tastings, and guided excursions. During the tour, you will learn to prepare traditional Sicilian dishes, sample vintages at local canteens and wine vineyards, relax each evening in idyllic accommodations - and even have the opportunity to climb Mt Etna! There is no better way to experience the splendour of Sicily . . . and on this trip you will savour every moment!

Available March to December - 7 nights

For further information see the Active Gourmet Holidays web site - click here

The Wines of Sicily

Over the millennia, Sicily has attracted Phoenician seafarers, Carthaginian settlers, Roman troops, Arab and Norman conquerors, Spanish conquistadors, and British merchants of Marsala - and most recently, wine lovers. Come see why this ancient land is now Italy's hottest new wine zone. Also visit Greek temples and Byzantine cathedrals, lunch at an olive oil producer, see sea salt's creation, and feast on Sicily's multicultural cuisine.

Highlights:

• Wine estates: Planeta, Donnafugata, Ceuso, de Bartoli, Cusumano & more
• Greek temple at Segesta
• Sea-salt in the making
• Meals at an olive oil farm and 4 wineries
• Byzantine mosaics in Palermo & Monreale

Available May and October

For further information see the Active Gourmet Holidays web site - click here

Culinary Sicily - 6 nights

Discover the secrets of Sicily with this unforgettable six night experience. Stay in luxury and comfortable accommodations while immersing yourself in the tastes and flavours of this very special land. Visit historical food market of Palermo with a famous Chef and admire the most important points of interest all around Sicily, taste fabulous wines and learn to cook "Sicilian" style. You will visit Palermo, Monreale, Erice, Segesta, Agrigento, Taormina and Siracusa. Visit a special pastry shop, two famous wineries and learn the magic behind Sicilian cooking.

Available year round

For further information see the Active Gourmet Holidays web site - click here

Sicilian Flavours - 6 nights

Experience seven days of magical travel through the stunning Sicilian landscape, meeting a famous Chef and people who love good food and good wine. Discover the most traditional Sicilian dishes in Palermo, Agrigento, Catania, Siracusa, Taormina and Etna Volcano area. You will learn how prepare the "pasta con le sarde", the "arancine", the "cassata Siciliana"and "cannoli" with rricotta cheese. Taste the best wines. You will visit the outdoor market to find the freshest of fruits, fish and vegetables, the wineries nestled in the amazing countryside and you will stay in beautiful accommodations including Anna Tasca Lanza's Regaleali Wine Estate.

Available year round

For further information see the Active Gourmet Holidays web site - click here

			Active Gourmet Holidays
			One Gaidosz Way Derby Connecticut 06418 USA
		Phone:	1 - 203 - 732 - 0771
		Fax:	1 - 203 - 734 - 6903
		Email:	info@activegourmetholidays.com
		Web:	www.activegourmetholidays.com