Rome, Italy - 6 nights
Available March to November - Sunday to Saturday or Monday to Sunday

Enjoy an amazing six night culinary holiday in the region of Lazio, just an hour outside of Rome. The cooking school was awarded with a Certificate of Honor & Excellence by the local mayor for its outstanding achievement of promoting tourism in this undiscovered part of the beautiful Roman countryside. You will stay in luxurious accommodations with beautifully decorated rooms in this lovely and authentic medieval hamlet. Through hands on cooking classes featuring a different course for each class, you will learn traditional recipes from a local chef whose recipes have been passed down from generation to generation. 

This foodie holiday offers not only cooking classes and great accommodations but you will also sample fresh cheeses since this area is known for its marzoline (goat cheese), fresh ricotta, bufala mozzarella and also prosciutto di Guarcino. You will dine in a local "cantina" restaurant, visit a traditional olive oil mill and local farmer's market and be immersed in the local flavors of this fertile area of Italy. This rustic territory is rich in tradition and best known for its simple, savory and hearty Italian dishes such as zuppa di pane, sagne e fagioli, fettuccine by hand with various meat sauces, gnocchi with pork ribs, salsiccia patate e peperoni with Casereccio bread and Ciambelle di vino only to name a few.

Palazzo Gregorio and its guest’s Cottage is the home for our Sunday through Saturday cooking vacation and Villa Marcello and Casa Sofia are the two homes for our Monday through Sunday cooking vacation.  

All the residences are a quiet oasis both day and night. Each home is an ideal spot to relax and unwind overlooking mountain tops, valleys and surrounding towns, all to be enjoyed during your free time or during the cooking programs which take place in the fabulous kitchen that awaits you. 

So, if you are interested in learning traditional recipes, staying in luxurious accommodations in a medieval village and discovering first-hand what the real Italian life is like, this culinary experience is for you! Guests come back time and time again to visit this magical place that they now consider home! 

SAMPLE ITINERARY SUNDAY TO SATURDAY

DAY ONE - SUNDAY

WELCOME TO THE ROMAN COUNTRYSIDE!

Your amazing culinary experience begins with transfers from Rome Fiumicino Airport to the cooking school. 

Check-in at the villa followed by a welcome aperitivo. After check-in you set off for a guided walk acquainting you with the medieval historical village of Castro Dei Volsci. Following our walking tour, you are welcomed to an early dinner in one of our dining rooms, concluding with an after dinner liqueur.

For those guests arriving at the Rome Fiumicino airport the day your culinary program begins, please choose a flight that arrives prior to 11am  as our drivers are at the airport to greet and transfer you to the cooking school from 11am-12pm. 

For those returning to the Rome Airport with a departing flight when your culinary holiday ends, please choose a flight that departs after 11am so that our drivers can get you to the airport 2 hrs prior to your flight departure.

Benvenuti!

DAY TWO - MONDAY

OLIVE OIL CULINARY TOUR - MEET OUR PASTRY CHEF

After a typical Italian breakfast in our new cappuccino bar, we set off to the town of Arpino, birthplace of Cicero and land of the “Olives”. This morning we visit a traditional olive oil mill (Frantoio) and are explained the process of how to make Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

We then proceed to a local estate and taste the fresh olive oil. A light lunch with flavors of the oil and a sample of some of the owner’s organic wine accompany our visit. Prior to leaving olive country, you may just decide to bring home a bottle of “Terra di Cicerone” extra virgin oil.

Back around 4pm its time to meet our Chef and start baking! Dinner is served at the Villa’s dining room. After dinner you will have the pleasure of listening to live music in the "taverna" on the property! 

DAY THREE - TUESDAY 

CULINARY TOUR AT FOSSANOVA & COOKING LESSON ANTIPASTI

Today, after breakfast we set off for a visit to the local town’s farmers’ market to gather what’s needed for tonight’s antipasto extravaganza and get a feel of how the locals live.

Next, a visit to a local cheese Caseificio and sample fresh Ricotta, Buffalo mozzarella and Provolone. The morning continues with of visit to the “Abbey of Fossanova” on our journey to the Tyrrhenian seaside town of Terracina. A view of the sea and a stroll by a few shops, we lunch at the local Trattoria Centosedici.

Upon return and a short time for relaxation, we begin our second cooking class by preparing a variety of “Antipasti”. Bruschette, Crostini, Crocchette, Arancini, Frittate, Frittelle di zucchini, grilled peppers and eggplant, stuffed zucchini are a few examples accompanied by the sampling of various Formaggi and olives and are enjoyed at dinner with wine in our dining room..

DAY FOUR - WEDNESDAY

CULINARY TOURS AT GUARCINO & COOKING LESSON PRIMI PIATTI

After breakfast your journey today begins at Pastorella to watch the process of fresh sausage, followed by a visit at “Prosciuttificio” in the town of Guarcino (the Parma of Ciociaria), and there we have a picnic lunch of fresh hand cut prosciutto or porchetta.

Upon our return with a short time to relax, we begin our hands-on cooking lesson number three with our Chef Valerio. Fantasia of “Primi Piatti”, you will learn how to prepare a variety of home made pasta shapes with the proper seasonal sauce, that you will then enjoy tonight at dinner with a great bottle of wine in our dining room.

DAY FIVE - THURSDAY

WINE TOUR & COOKING LESSON SECONDI PIATTI

After breakfast we head off to visit the Abbey of Montecassino, which has a significant part of history here in Ciociaria.

Afterwards we visit a winery in Val Comino, a region in Italy famous for its Cabernet wines. You will have the opportunity to see one of their vineyards, visit the cellar and bottling plant, and learn the vinification process ending with a wine tasting. Then we continue our journey to the nearby town of Atina, famous in Italy for its annual “Jazz Festival” and have lunch at the “Old Cantina Visocchi” now totally restored with antique winery relics into a sophisticated restaurant called “Le Cannardizie”. Our host Patrizia Patini, a sommelier, gives us a taste and sampling of yet another fantastic wine of the region.

In the afternoon you will begin to prepare a list of “Secondi Piatti” such as Involtini, salsiccia con patate e peperuola, and Scaloppini alla mela, and the proper “Contorno” to accompany the main course. Dinner with wine is in the dining room. 

DAY SIX - FRIDAY

SHOPPING & RELAX & COOKING LESSON & PIZZA

Breakfast/Brunch today is served at our Cappuccino Bar. After breakfast, stroll the cobblestone streets of Castro Dei Volsci and visit the Artisan shops where you can participate with the artisans in learning the traditional art that has been passed down generation to generation. This is a great time to find that treasured memento to remember your visit with us.

In the early afternoon, Chef Valerio walks you through making the Perfect Pizza Dough and at 5:00 pm it is the Pizza Party concluding our culinary week.

On this last evening join us in the Tavern for a night of live musical entertainment. 

DAY SEVEN - SATURDAY 

ARRIVEDERCI!

Your final day comes too soon, but it is time to have breakfast, gather up your newly-acquired cooking skills, pack your bags, and travel back to the airport. We hope you will be leaving with wonderful memories! The earliest flight scheduled for departure will determine the time you leave. Arrivederci! 

*The content or order of the itinerary may change depending on dates, availability of services or activities, local festivals/holidays, weather constraints, etc.

*Menus are samples and may vary according to the season

GROUP SIZE

A minimum of 2 participants is required to run this tour and the tour is limited to a maximum of 10-14 participants.

(The number of participants refers to how many persons are required to run the tour, not to how many persons you must have in your party. Please inquire.)

HOW TO ARRIVE 

Closest Airport: Rome Fiumicino/Leonardo da Vinci Airport (1.5 hours from the cooking school). 

*These details are provided as additional information. Please check below to see if transfers are included in this tour. 

 BOOKING INFORMATION

For further inquiries or to register, click here.

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CANCELLATION POLICY 

Please contact us for cancellation policy information. Travel insurance is highly recommended.

CLIENT REMARKS

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MAP*

This exciting region is depicted below. You can also access Google MapsTM by clicking HERE. 

*In some cases mapping may give clients a general sense of location due to changes in venue. Please inquire about specific location.

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