Spoleto is the setting for an unforgettable journey of culinary and cultural discovery. The ingredients: genuine traditional cuisine, noble wines, splendid art and architecture, and accommodations in a magnificent historic residence hotel.
Join us for six days in
Umbria, learning the art of cucina sana e genuine (healthy
and genuine food) from acclaimed chefs and country cooks. You'll
taste some of Italy's finest wines and learn how to pare them with
food. And there will be food for the soul-- visits to Perugia, Montefalco,
and other famed hill towns will make this a truly memorable experience.
Afternoon transfer from the Spoleto train station to the historic city center , where you will check in at the Palazzo Dragoni, a 15th century residence transformed into an intimate four star hotel. Meet your hosts for an aperitif, followed by a gourmet welcome dinner.
Morning orientation walk
of the ancient town of Spoleto. You'll visit the Duomo, famous for
its facade and Fra' Fillipo Lippi's Fresco, then you'll explore
the market piazza dating to 200 BC and stroll the maze of enchanting
lanes that make this one of the most beautiful hill towns in Italy.
Your first cooking workshop
takes place in the afternoon and is devoted entirely to making fresh
pasta. You'll make the pasta by hand, learning all the do's and
don'ts for a perfect result every time.
Tonight's dinner menu
features the pasta and sauces you learned to prepare in the atmospheric
setting of a cozy family run restaurant.
Today you explore the Valnerina, with its stunningly beautiful hilltop towns and villages set in a dramatic landscape. Visit an ancient abbey and explore a spellbinding village that seems to have stepped straight from the pages of a picture book.
The second cooking lesson
takes place in a high hill valley famed for the quality of its produce,
especially farro, lentils, free range meat, wild herbs and honey.
The lesson is taught by a pair of authentic country cooks, a mother
and daughter team who generously share their family traditions and
kitchen secrets. Dinner follows the lesson.
Today you will visit Montefalco
whose wines are considered among Italy's absolute finest. Explore
the charming town center and visit the museum devoted to Martini's
acclaimed frescoes.
You will then be hosted
for a wine tasting conducted by one of Italy's most prestigious
wine makers.
Later, visit one of the
oldest olive mills in the region, where you learn the secrets of
olive oil, how it is produced, the different qualities and how to
taste and select it. Your host and his family will guide you in
the tasting, as they share their passion and knowledge for a traditional
lifestyle still tied to the land.
In the evening, you will dine by private invitation in a country house. This is a unique opportunity to experience the tradition and art of Italian dining at its purest, with the best of local ingredients.
Enjoy your final morning
on your own in Spoleto, stocking up on truffles or shopping in the
town's elegant boutiques.
The final cooking workshop
takes place in the afternoon and is conducted by a prominent local
chef. Farewell dinner in the stylish surroundings of his restaurant
featuring the highlights of your endeavors.
Morning transfer to the
Spoleto train station.
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