Southern Italy is one of the most beautiful areas of Italy. During this six night culinary and exploration tour you will get to known this incredible region through its cuisine, its people, its landscapes and its traditions. During the week you will also have the unique opportunity to visit the local trabocchi "fishing houses" located on the Adriatic Sea. You will meet a native fisherman and his family and enjoy a delicious meal with them. Although a mountainious region, you will have the chance to discover the mountains and ocean, returning home with memories that last a lifetime. We offer many similar itineraries in this region with a different theme and different dates throughout the year depending on season.
Immerse yourself into Italian living by visiting this little fishing village situated in an enchanting location among the beautiful inlets of the breathtaking Amalfi Coast. Nicely located just a couple of miles from Positano and about 6 miles from Amalfi, your home for this cooking holiday is a prestigious seaside resort with a beautiful rooftop pool. Learn traditional regional cuisine along with a few modern twists from your talented and passionate instructors.
We have designed the perfect combination of walking and cooking lessons for this six night experience on the Amalfi Coast. Spend one night in a beautiful three star superior hotel in a small village on the Amalfi Coast and five nights in a four star hotel in the popular village of Positano. You will have guided walking tours so as to work off all of the delicious food and wine you will consume on this fabulous getaway!
The Amalfi coast is one of the most romantic spots in the world. Spend five fabulous nights at a beautiful relais while enjoying hands-on cooking classes from a talented chef in a Michelin restaurant, with excursions to the area's finest spots, all with some time for relaxing and shopping for the treasures that this magical area has to offer.
The island of Capri captivates everyone who visits. You will stay at a beautiful four star boutique hotel with a swimming pool in the most exclusive village in Capri. Enjoy cooking lessons with a professional chef where you will learn how to use wonderfully fresh ingredients with recipes you can recreate at home for family and friends.
High up in the hills lies a beautiful home where you will enjoy cooking lessons from a self taught Italian woman who specializes in typical regional dishes. The home in which you will stay has been recently renovated with love and each room is tastefully detailed. Take in the gorgeous view of the Amalfi Coast while you relax on the property during your free time. Choose from a three, five or seven night itinerary including family recipes, foodie visits with a chance to immerse yourself in this scenic area of Italy.
Anyone who has ever traveled to the Amalfi coast raves about its gorgeous coastline, wonderful people and its tranquility. During this holiday, you will stay in a beautiful four star hotel with a sea view, take hands on cooking lessons with a talented and popular chef, visit a working farm and have lunch with the owners and enjoy all that the area has to offer, including a guided visit to the wondrous Pompeii. Indulge in delectable cuisine, world famous wines and immerse yourself in the Italian way of life. Positano is the most charming and picturesque village on the Amalfi Coast and boasts breathtaking views, the best shops and gourmet restaurants.
Experience the delights of two of the most beautiful and popular places on the Amalfi Coast - Sorrento and Positano. You will stay in a gorgeous 4 star relais (country hotel) in Sorrento for seven nights with spacious rooms, a private beach and a friendly and helpful staff. And in Positano, you will stay for two nights in either a luxury apartment with amazing views, or depending on your group size, at a four star hotel. This tour can be customized to include fewer or more nights in each place as well as tailoring it to your groups' needs.
Learn to cook traditional and authentic dishes from southern Italy and Sorrento by participating in hands-on cooking classes in a spacious professional kitchen. You will stay in a luxurious five star boutique hotel with a gorgeous view located in the beautiful Sorrento peninsula. The hotel was once an ancient villa that was built in 1892 and was also the birthplace of your host who is also one of the cooking instructors. With the use of local and organic vegetables and the finest of ingredients, you will learn recipes from both your host as well as a talented chef. Together, their partnership will help you discover this delicious Neapolitan cuisine.
Visit the beautiful Amalfi Coast and learn the delicious cuisine of this area by taking a hands on cooking class with a Master Chef. You will collect the ingredients you will use for the course with your chef from an organic garden. The meal will then be enjoyed during the preparation of the menu. What better way is there to experience all that this area has to offer? If you'd like, we can also arrange a residential course where you can stay at this beautiful four star property, take cooking classes, go on a tour to Capri or Amalfi, and get your exercise in by taking a walking excursion. And we are not done yet .... how about a pizza course to learn about the famous Neapolitan pizza?
Become part of the culinary traditions of this special gem on the Amalfi Coast. Learn authentic Mediterranean recipes passed down from generations when you partake in hands-on cooking classes from an experienced chef. You will stay in a beautiful four star hotel with views of lemon groves and whose location is perfectly situated to explore the coastal towns and sites of the area. Your host is an active participant in organizing events based solely on the area's food and wine so if you want to immerse yourself in the flavors of this pristine spot, this is the perfect choice.
This enchanting region of southern Italy is a destination that you do not want to miss. It is located in the south eastern tip of the Italian peninsula and forms the "heel" of the boot of Italy. Apulia (or "Puglia" in Italian) is one of the richest archaelogical regions in Italy. During this five night stay, you will stay in two 4 star accommodations. One hotel is located in a small village and the other is a historic mansion in the Salento region, the southernmost area. You will be able to experience the area through guided visits to points of interest and of course you will be immersed in the area by indulging in the delicious cuisine this area offers through cooking classes and tastings of local products.
Immerse yourself in the delicious Cinque Terre cuisine with a chef who was born and grew up in this area near Levanto. Your hands-on lessons will feature typical Ligurian cuisine and simple, yet fresh and flavorful ingredients many of which will be picked from the garden of the farmhouse. You will also have a couple of guided walks in the area and if you'd like we can even add some other more challenging hikes.
This hiking and wine tour spotlights two diverse regions: the Barolo wine zone of Piedmont and the Italian Riviera seacliffs of the Cinque Terre. Enjoy the best of both worlds: vineyards and seascapes, woodland cuisine and seafood, majestic red wines and white wines as light as a sea breeze.
Put Liguria on your bucket list! The Italian Riviera is known all over the world as one of the most beautiful destinations. The region of Liguria is captivating and it is here where you will learn about the cuisine which is the true Mediterranean diet characterized by the use of fresh herbs and vegetables. Take two hands on cooking classes in breathtaking Portofino featuring typical Ligurian cuisine and simple, yet fresh and flavorful ingredients. Your instructor is a native chef who was born and grew up in Liguria. You will also learn about the very important olive oil of this area and explore charming seaside villages.
Spend four nights in the Eternal City! While here you will learn to cook like a native Italian in the center of ancient Rome. You will stay in a 4 star hotel (or 3 star hotel if you prefer) and have a guided walking tour, two hands-on cooking classes at the chef's elegant private home and a personalized tour of the most famous ancient gastronomic markets in Rome.
Welcome to Roma! During your stay why not delve into the culinary traditions of this very special place? Take a pasta cooking class and enjoy a walking tour along cobblestone streets in this enchanting city of Rome. You will be taught by an experienced chef who will share with you the knowledge of authentic Italian cuisine. You can also choose a traditional Italian cooking class taking place in a medieval village about 30 minutes outside of Rome.
Enjoy an amazing six night culinary holiday in the region of Lazio in the Roman countryside, an hour outside of Rome. You will stay in a completely renovated 18th century villa with beautifully decorated rooms in this lovely medieval hamlet. Through hands on cooking classes featuring a different course for each class, you will learn traditional recipes from local cooks whose recipes have been passed down from generation to generation. Depending on availability, you can choose between two different itineraries both with amazing accommodations.
Join us 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 property also boasts a wellness corner with jacuzzi and the opportunity for massages so you can totally relax during your holiday! You may also inquire about bringing your own yoga instructor from home and discussing alternate programs for your own group of friends!
Enjoy a six day gourmet wine tour where you will sample Piedmont’s culinary delights: white truffles, mountain cheeses, and, best of all Piedmont’s stunning array of wines, with Barolo and Barbaresco at the top of the list.
Piemonte is one of the most famous wine regions in the world, and it’s also famous for its superb gastronomic specialties such as truffles, cheeses and chocolate. On this tour you will travel through the heart of Piemonte from the enchanting landscapes of the Langhe hills with Barolo and Barbaresco wines to the spectacular vineyards of Monferrato, from the Sparkling wines to the white Truffle in Alba.
Sicily invites you to discover its authenticity by engaging in hands on cooking classes with a chef who was born right in the surrounding area where the program takes place. Learn recipes that he learned both as a young man from his family and as a trained chef with instruction by a well known chef in Sicily. His gentle nature and passion for food will be evident as he guides you through the lesson. Stay in beautiful accommodations, explore fishing villages, markets and indulge in incredible food and wine during a four or six night exploration of northern Sicily.
Discover the secrets of Sicily with this unforgettable seven night experience. Stay in three different accommodations while immersing yourself in the tastes and flavors of this very special land. Take hands-on cooking classes with wonderful instructors, including a Duchess and the famous Eleonora Consoli's daughter, Monica, visit areas of interest including The Valley of the Temples and enjoy the culinary side of Sicily! You will be pleasantly surprised at how much Sicily has to offer.
Experience six days of magical travel through the stunning Sicilian landscape, meet and cook with a wonderful chef, Fabrizia Lanza, who follows in her famous mother Anna Tasca Lanza's footsteps. You will stay at her stunning wine estate as well as two other beautiful accommodations. You will also have a market visit followed by a cooking class in Siracusa. This tour will allow you to discover the most traditional Sicilian dishes in Palermo, Agrigento, Catania, Siracusa, Taormina and the Etna Volcano area.
Come see why the ancient land of Sicily is now Italy’s hottest new wine zone. On this 6-day gourmet wine tour, you’ll visit the new top wineries, see Greek temples and Byzantine cathedrals, lunch at an olive oil producer, take a boat ride on the Mediterranean, and feast on Sicily’s multicultural cuisine.
(Options: Cycling, Longer/Shorter Stays, Wine Tours)
This culinary program is perfect for those who are lovers of all that is Tuscan – the charming medieval towns, the centuries old traditions, the people and their culture, the art and of course, the great food and wine!! You will enjoy hands-on cooking courses learning the art of Tuscan cuisine from our wonderful chefs in an original kitchen of a 14th century villa. We also offer vegetarian, vegan, celiac and organic cooking vacations so please inquire. Interested in cycling the hills of Tuscany? We we will just adjust the itinerary for you to include this activity. Just ask about the details and see a sample itinerary below!
Enjoy practical hands-on cooking lessons from an Italian woman who learned how to cook at a very young age. You will stay in a lovely bed and breakfast which is located in the heart of historical Florence - a perfect spot for you to explore Florence and the surrounding Tuscan countryside.
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. Groups are kept small and vary between 8 and 14 participants to ensure hands-on cooking instead of only demonstration.
This culinary experience will be like no other. Stay in an abbey in the Chianti region that dates back to the 11th century and has since been turned into a spectacular wine resort. The estate became popular many years ago when the owner became a famous author and cookbook writer. Now these residential cooking courses are held by a celebrated and renowned Italian chef and are taught in English in the spring, summer and autumn. Choose from a day or evening cooking class or our three night program where you will take four cooking classes and stay at this renowned property.
If you are looking for breathtaking views of the Tuscan hillside, a tranquil environment in which to relax and "take it all in", a traditional Tuscan property with beautifully decorated rooms, hiking and cooking classes with the option of adding some yoga classes, look no further! This program features sightseeing to some of the area's most interesting places, hands on cooking classes with an entertaining and professional chef, wine tours and tastings including one led by your gracious English speaking host and a guided hike with a picnic lunch. Choose from a 4 or 7 night itinerary. This tour has it all!
Stay in a gorgeous 17th Century Relais & Chateaux property located in the quiet countryside of Tuscany, just over one mile from the beautiful walled Etruscan town of Cortona which has been written about in the very popular Frances Mayes books. Enjoy an unforgettable cooking vacation with hands-on cooking classes taught and held by owner and Michelin star chef Silvia Baracchi together with Executive Chef Richard Titi. Immerse yourself in the breathtaking panoramas of this famed area of Italy. This promises to be an incredible experience.
Whether you are a novice or experienced cook, this holiday will teach you all there is to know about Tuscan cuisine. Classes are taught by experienced and professional instructors in a beautiful state of the art kitchen where lessons are truly hands-on and conducted in English. Located between Viareggio and Lucca, the school lies within a beautiful 16th century old estate and all rooms have ensuite bathrooms and air conditioning. In your down time how about some bicycling, horseback or kayaking? One of our best selling cooking holidays! If you already have a place to stay, ask about joining in a day cooking class or truffle hunt followed by a truffle based lunch!
Discover the secrets of Italian cuisine by taking a hands-on cooking class in a family kitchen in Florence. Your instructor, who is Sicilian and now lives in Tuscany, will teach you about the steps involved in preparing a traditional Italian supper, including an appetizer (antipasto), pasta (primi piatti), main course (secondi piatti) and a dessert (dolci). You can choose to have a meat, fish or vegetarian dish as your main course. A delicious meal follows your lesson, where you can sit down and relax, dining on your creations. Our host also offers a gastronomic tour of Florence or a cooking class in a beautiful home in the Chianti Hills. Just ask for details!
Treat yourself to a relaxing getaway in a small and elegant family-run hotel, located less than 10 minutes from the center of Florence. The relais is an excellent base for excursions in the Chianti area and has received many awards including Condé Nast Johansens Award Winner as "Most Excellent European Relais" and Karen Brown’s guide Award Winner as "Most Romantic Inn" and Trip Advisor's Award of Excellence. You can choose to have cooking lessons, learning the secrets of authentic Florentine and Tuscan cuisine from the host's mother while her daughter translates for the guests.
If you want to learn how to cook true Italian food, then this cooking vacation is the one for you. You will learn traditional family recipes from Italians who have been giving hands-on cooking lessons for over 25 years. Classes are taught in English in an authentic country home, a beautiful stone farmhouse with an organic garden. We can suggest several lovely accommodations in quaint nearby villages.
Take hands-on cooking lessons in Montalcino from a warm and wonderful woman, born in Rome, who speaks fluent English and French. She will share her knowledge of food preparation with you as well as giving you the tools you need to create simple dishes that are easily replicated once you get home. This is a class you will not soon forget as your instructor has a passion for her craft and for meeting new people and telling them about her beautiful village.
Learn to cook in a spectacular, recently restored 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.
Enjoy a fantastic wine and walking tour in Montalcino and San Gimignano. There will be morning hikes and afternoon wine tastings offering an active tour for foodies and wine aficionados. Plus, there’s pecorino cheese in Pienza, art in Siena, and Gregorian chants in Montalcino.
Explore Tuscany’s most historic wine zones: Chianti Classico, Montalcino, and Montepulciano. Two to three in-depth wine tastings per day are complemented by the art of Gothic Siena, a tasting of pecorino cheese in Pienza, Gregorian chants in Montalcino, and a hands-on cooking lesson at a Chianti farmhouse.
Umbria invites you to discover its history, beauty, delicious cuisine and warm people. This tour allows you to see all that this region has to offer by enjoying walking tours with a certified guide. You will be in awe of the beautiful Umbrian countryside with its vineyards and olive groves. Enjoy two hands on cooking classes at different venues so you can enjoy a couple of unique experiences with different instructors.
Learn to cook with an Italian family who will show you the secrets of Umbrian cuisine. Your hostess has been conducting cooking courses for many years and invites you into her restored nineteenth century country house for day cooking classes or residential cooking programs. You can either choose to arrive on your own so you will have your own vehicle (the non-escorted tour) or if you choose not to have a vehicle you will be picked up at the train station and be accompanied during your tours and wine tasting.
This tour is for all food and wine lovers who would like to discover traditional Umbrian recipes and great wines! Spend time taking hands-on cooking classes, sampling wine, doing some sightseeing and relaxing in a beautiful 17th century patrician villa in the Umbrian countryside. Over the years this villa has been the home of nobles and has retained its large fireplaces, frescoes, ancient cotto floors and period furnishings and is the perfect setting for your getaway.
Enjoy hands-on cooking classes at a multi-awarded, breathtaking villa set in the rolling hills of Umbria. This experience is dedicated to offering you the chance to learn authentic Italian recipes. Your instructor will provide you with an explanation on exquisite recipes using traditional cooking methods. Following the class you will enjoy the prepared food accompanied by a selected wine.
Experience a culinary adventure of a lifetime! Join Giuliano Hazan and Marilisa Allegrini (one of Italy's most distinguished producers of noble red wine) for a week of total immersion in Italian food, wine, and life. You will stay at an incredible villa, Renaissance Villa della Torre, near romantic Verona, the city of Romeo and Juliet. It is here that the cooking classes take place and from where you will set off for exciting excursions, including a visit to a market, a winery, a traditional rice farm and a cheese and culatello production facility.
Travel to Northern Italy for an Italian cooking vacation where hands-on classes with a professional chef take place in an amazing villa in the Veneto. Groups are kept small as you learn exciting dishes based on regional Italian recipes. In addition to daily cooking instruction, you will have guided visits to an artisan cheese producer, the famous Rialto fish and produce market, and a wine estate where you will have a tutored wine tasting.
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THE FLAVOURS OF TUSCANY "Dear Jo-Ann - We just had the most amazing week. It was everything we could have hoped for and more. We are already planning a "make your own pasta party" at our house to introduce friends to the very unique flavours we tried and made! Jo-Ann, the others who came through Active Gourmet - Ed, Cathy and Kelly were all very complimentary about the service they had received from you, as were we. I was hugely impressed with your immediate attention to every detail and I will certainly recommend friends to your website if they are considering similar trips to ours." - Joneen and Ray S., Auckland, New Zealand |
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(Option: Customized Itineraries)
(Option: Shorter Stays, Customized Itineraries)
Sant'Agata, Italy - 4 or 6 nights
Piedmont/Cinque Terre, Italy - 6 nights
Rome, Italy - 4 nights
Le Marche, Italy - 7 nights
Piedmont, Italy - 5 nights
Piedmont, Italy - 6 nights
Sicily, Italy - 5 nights
Tuscany, Italy - 7 nights
(Option: Yoga Classes)
Cortona, Italy - 3, 5 or 6 nights
(Options: Customized Itineraries, Longer Stays, Market Visits)
Tuscany, Italy - 7 nights
Tuscany, Italy - 5 nights
Verona, Italy - 6 nights
Veneto, Italy - 6 nights