Arrive in Rome airport, transfer by train to Castiglione del Lago where you will be picked up and taken o our inn. Time to settle in and relax before our dinner at La Scaletta, a family-run osteria specializing in Umbrian cooking.

One of the most famous small hilltop towns in Tuscany described in Under the Tuscan Sun, Cortona, is bustling with small shops selling unique artisan shops, from leather, textiles, clothing, jewelry, art –and of course, food.  After a morning of wandering the streets we will return to our inn for a relaxing lunch overlooking the pool. This evening, we will light up the wood in our outdoor grill and begin preparations for a taste of authentic bruschette with the new oil followed by a menu designed around the wood fired grill, including the famous bistecca and Umbrian sausages.

Today you’ll experience first hand the production of the famous pecorino cheese of Tuscany from sheep to milking to cheese-making at our favorite family sheep farm. For lunch, we’ll have a delightful picnic nestled in the beautiful Tuscan hills.   This evening we’ll convene in our kitchen at Cucina della Terra where we will use the fresh sheeps milk ricotta in cooking (pasta night)

High in the hills of Tuscany overlooking the Val d’Orcia, a valley of olive groves and vineyard, you’ll walk through the wine town visiting a select group of artisans.  We will visit a special winery with the owner Anna for a tasting of the Vin Nobile di Montepulciano, Rosso di Montepulciano & Passito paired with a light merenda.  The day is completed at the cucina where we begin our first cooking class in Italian cuisine

Wednesday is an open-air market day in Castiglione del Lago where we will experience the warmth of small town life while we shop for all of our ingredients for our dinner tonight. We’ll visit the local macelleria and sample some of the famous salumi, porchette and torta al testo for which this region is famous.  After a visit to the Palazzo del Corgna overlooking Lake Trasimeno, we will board our chartered bus for a lunch on the patio. In the evening we will reconvene in the kitchen of Cucina della Terra for a full night of cooking an assortment of our purchases.

Lake Trasimeno , the 4th largest lake in Italy, with 3 islands,  produces a wide variety of delicious, however lesser known, fresh water fish which are often used in the cuisine of Umbria.  While appreciating the beauty of the lake under the Umbrian sun, we will have a chance to learn about the methods of fishing for fresh water lake fish. An experience like no other! This evening our cooking class will focus on techniques of cooking fish.

The Piazza del Campo with eight streets radiating from the city center considered a work of art and also designated as a World Heritage Site, demands a full afternoon and evening to appreciate its historical and artistic significance.  During our walk we will stop at Café Nanni for a tasting of the celebrated selections of Pan Forte and assorted regional biscotti. Tonight we dine at our favorite elegant restaurant in a 13th century cave.

Ground transport to and from CHIUSI @ designated time

Lodging 7 nights in a country inn based on double occupancy

6 Colazione (breakfast Italian style) includes espresso, cappuccino, biscotti, pane, pasticerrie, yoghurt, fruit, and juice.

6 Pranzo (lunches) either, picnic, brown bag, trattoria, ristorante or Panini

2 Cena (dinner) outside the Cucina

6 cooking classes followed by dinner paired with local wines

All transport to and from daily tours in chartered bus

Travel insurance for medical coverage

Airfare & ground transport to and from your airport to Cucina della Terra

Personal expenses including phone ,internet , laundry & tips

Cost Per Person:

Airfare

$2995 all-inclusive Trip as stated above

Method of Payment:

Deposit of $500 to secure your place

Balance due 60 prior to departure

Checks made out to:

Cucina della Terra, LLC, 333 East 30th St. 7K, NEW YORK, N.Y. 10016

To Make a reservation please call Chef Gerri @ 646.761.8037 or email : gerri@cucinadellaterra.com