Cooking Tours in Italy's Abruzzo Region

Cooking Tours in Italy's Abruzzo Cooking Tours in Italy's Abruzzo

Days/Nights: 7days - 6 nights Hotels: Countryside Inn Departure Date: Any date, all year Price: see price in USD

So you like cooking? Want to experience the real Italy in a way that explores the foods, ingredients and flavors of the local area while participating in hands on cooking classes with local professionals? Well Italy 4 Real’s cooking courses are custom designed and hand selected for their quality, experience and support local growers, markets and producers.

This program takes place in the Abruzzo Region of Italy. Located within easy reach of Rome the Abruzzo region is a un-touched wonderland of flavors, sights, sounds and the old world charm not found in main-stream Italy. Abruzzo is a journey into the past to experience Italy from times long past. Not only will you experience a truly local experience but you will enjoy cooking courses, markets, olive oil, wines, desserts and the finest cheeses, pastas and meats; all in a hands on relaxed environment.

Day 1 Highlights: Arrival to Rome, Private Airport Transfer, Relax & Unpack, Welcome Cocktail and Grand Welcome Dinner DAY 1: Arrival to Rome – Welcome to Italy! This tour includes a private transfer from the Rome airport to your host hotel. Drive across the Abruzzo mountains towards your country inn accommodations in the town of Carunchio, where you will be staying. After you are settled in, we'll meet for a cocktail and a briefing of the tour. A welcome dinner will follow, with a multicourse meal. Welcome to Italy! Your hotel is an elegant countryside inn and former palace. Your hotel will have all the comforts of home.

Day 2 Highlights: Carunchio Old Town, Salami Production, Olive Oil Press, Cooking Course with Lunch DAY 2: The heart of Abruzzo - Carnunchio, Cooking and Production After a short morning walk around the old-town, we get started on our first class. We'll explore the basic ingredients of traditional Abruzzo cuisine and make some flavorful sauces for pasta dishes. The theme for this lunch will be "quick and healthy homemade meals". You'll see how delicious, easy, and healthy Abruzzese cooking can be. We'll lunch on our tasty creations in traditional Italian style, slowly and in good company! After lunch, you'll rest up for the afternoon activities. We will visit a local salami production plant and learn how this incredible product is made, and what distinguishes Abruzzo's salami from the rest. Next, we will visit an organic olive oil press, where the owner of the farm will show us the traditional ways of making the “real extra virgin olive oil”. Free for the remainder of day and evening.

Day 3 Highlights: Cooking Course with Lunch, Molise Region, Mozzarella Factory, Bell Foundry DAY 3: Cooking, Mozzarella & the Region of Molise Learn how much fun and delicious making pasta can be, in a variety of colors and shapes. We'll teach you all the tricks so it turns out great every time. You will be amazed by the variety: pasta alla chitarra, gnocchi, cavatelli, stuffed pasta and so on. After lunch, we'll take you down to Agnone, in the region of Molise, where you can watch real family production of mozzarella, burrata and caciocavallo. Agnone is famous in the area for its quality cheese. Then we will visit a historic artisan bell foundry which still makes church bells manually for the Vatican. We will learn about the manufacturing phases. Free for the evening

Day 4 Highlights: Fishing Houses, Soap Factory, Lunch Dinner DAY 4: Regional Production, Seafood & Shopping The day starts with a visit to the curious trabocchi fishing houses, a unique piece of art that is available only on this small strip of the Adriatic. Next we will explore an organic soap manufactory that has improved an old recipe to make soap with olive oil, goat’s milk and donkey milk. Lunch at the best restaurant in town, serving a seafood sampling feast. After lunch we’ll have the opportunity to do some window shopping in Vasto. Dinner back at your accommodation.

Day 5 Highlights: Arrival to Rome, Private Airport Transfer, Relax & Unpack! DAY 5: Preservation Learn how to preserve fruits and vegetables in the Italian way. Make fruit preserves and a variety of pickled vegetables, plus learn how to preserve using oil and vinegar. Taste and find out how these ingredients are a big part of the Abruzzese cuisine. Later, We'll learn how to make Limoncello and you'll taste a variety of liqueurs created from local ingredients, such as amaro Abruzzese and Centerba. In the afternoon you'll be free to walk around town and enjoy the peaceful environment in the small village of Carunchio. Free for the evening. Day 6 Highlights: Dessert Workshop, Lunch, Sommelier Class DAY 6: Learn to be a Sommelier & Dessert Workshop Learn how to make mouth watering desserts and pair them with the liqueurs made the previous day. Almond biscotti, bocconotto, and much more. After lunch, we'll enjoy a sommelier class. In just three hours, we’ll show the basic skills on how to sample and pair wines. This tour includes our free TRIP PAK which has over $50 in free maps, sightseeing, dining and regional guides. Your TripPak will show you plenty of things to do during your free time when you arrive to Rome! Day 7 Highlights: Private airport transfer DAY 7: All Roads Lead to Rome On this day we take you back to the airport or hotel if you are continuing your trip and make sure you're going home with everything you came for. Last minute shopping, postcards or other requests can be fit in according to schedules. Ask your Travel Expert about some of the great optional tours you can experience while in Italy such as renting a Vespa scooter or wine tasting at theInternationalAcademy of Wine. Italy4Real has dozens of great things to do! Departure Dates : PICK YOUR DATES, ANY DAY ALL YEAR STATUS : ALL DATES AVAILABLE -BOOKING NOW Visit the tour page now Important notes about this Tour Elegant country inn for 6 nights Transport by modern sedans and vans All breakfasts are included Mutiple lunches and dinners Mutipel cooking courses Mutiple outings and visits All taxes included! Tour host for duration of tour Tours are guaranteed in English Group Size: Small Guaranteed Departure with Min 2 people. The tour does not include: airfare, tips, baggage handling All tours are governed by the Terms & Conditions Question? Submit your question online ©2011 Travel 4 Real LLC. Licensed as providers of travel and tour operators. License number: 602031659

Italy Travel 10 Day Luxury Tour of Italy

Experience Italy 10 Day 4 STAR

This is a great 4 star escorted tour that gives you a taste of all of the major sites and areas of Northern and Southern Italy in 10 days. This tour features the major cites of Venice, Florence, Rome as well as the highlights of the Amalfi Coast such as Sorrento, Capri and Pompeii. A great value! Departure Date : All Year Valid till : 30 October 2011 Days / Nights : 10 Days/ 9 Nights Hotels : 4 Star Hotels Price: see in USD* Countries : Italy Cities : Rome, Assisi, Siena, Florence, Tuscany, Bologna, Padova, Venice, Chianti, Montepulciano, Naples, Pompeii, Amalfi Coast, Sorrento, Capri, Rome * Prices based on current Euro exchange rate. Subject to change

Itinerary

This tour also in a 3 STAR Packagte, see the 3 star package here Customer Experience: (4 out of 5) Customer Reviews: "There wasn’t a detail overlooked!! I felt very safe and comfortable.....the tour hosts were always a phone call away and there to accommodate any requests. The people I traveled with were so much fun and several have turned into lasting friendships. It was truly the trip of a lifetime!!!" - Kim C. Day 1 Highlights: Arrival to Rome, Private Airport Transfer, Relax & Unpack! DAY 1: Arrival to Rome – Welcome to Italy! This tour begins and ends in Rome Welcome to Italy! Your private transfer will be waiting for you outside baggage claim at Rome's airport to take you in style to your hotel in Rome. Check into your hotel and relax. The first day in Europe is what we call the “Jetlag Day” where all you are to do is unpack and relax. Today is your day to arrive, get over the long flight and just enjoy the fact that you have just begun your well needed vacation to Italy. Stroll the streets around your hotel for a cocktail, find a local artist studio to look over the latest Roman art or just find a piazza and people watch; the choice is yours! Day 2 Highlights: Assisi, Basilica of St. Francis, Siena, Piazza del Campo, Florence DAY 2 – Umbria to Tuscany + Included: Breakfast, Sightseeing and Dinner Fuel your full day of sightseeing with pastries, juice, authentic italian espresso and more at your hotel’s included continental breakfast. Then board your deluxe motor coach for the scenic drive to Assisi, with time at leisure to explore this medieval city. It is the birthplace of St. Francis and is still surrounded by its ancient walls. We suggest you visit the Basilica of Saint Francis with its early Renaissance masterpieces by Giotto and Cimabue. Lunch is at your leisure. You will then proceed to Siena to take in views of the town square, Piazza del Campo, where the world-famous horse race, the Palio, takes place every year. Also see the elegant Palace and the Cathedral. Reach your hotel in glorious Florence, the capital of Tuscany, in time for an included, multi-course dinner featuring Italian specialties—an ideal time to get to know your fellow travelers. Day 3 Highlights: Florence, The Duomo, Campanile Tower, Santa Croce Day 3 – The City of Art – Florence! + Included: Breakfast, Sightseeing and Dinner Today’s sightseeing tour is dedicated to exploring Florence, the cradle of the Renaissance. Visit the beautiful Piazza del Duomo, the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, Giotto’s Bell Tower, the Baptistery of St. John, Campanile Tower, and Santa Croce, the 13th-century Franciscan church with Cimabue’s famous crucifix just to name a few. Lunch is on your own; perhaps sit at an outdoor café for a typical Italian mid-day meal. Be sure to save room for some exquisite gelato! With your afternoon at leisure, you may want to check out the many shops and stalls at the Ponte Vecchio, where you can browse for Italian leather goods and other souvenirs. Your afternoon is free or you may join an optional tour to see Pisa. Meet back at your conveniently located hotel for an included dinner tonight. Day 4 Highlights: Bologna, Padova, Venice Day 4 – Tuscany, Heartland and Venice + Included: Breakfast, Sightseeing and Dinner Enjoy your breakfast and prepare for a full day of exploring. It’s on to Bologna for a visit to the city. Visit the city’s historical center, Neptune Square and Major Square, King Renzo’s Palace , Podesta Palace and The Basilica of San Petronio to name a few. Lunch is at your leisure and the afternoon is yours to explore. Later we will continue Padova for a visit to the Basilica of Saint Antonio and then on to the city of bridges; Venice, with its romantic canals, in time for dinner at your hotel. Day 5 Highlights: Venice, St Marks Square, Doges Palace, Glass Factory Day 5 – The City of Bridges – Venice! + Included: Breakfast, Sightseeing and Dinner Good morning! As you rise and shine in Venice, the smell of fresh espresso and pastries fill the air. Today you get to learn about glorious Venice, with its 177 islands, 150 canals and 400 bridges. Venice is your playground this morning; sightseeing includes the famous St. Mark’s Square (watch out for pigeons!) and the ornate Doge’s Palace (outside), once home to the aristocrats of Venice, Bridge of Sighs and more! Also stop at a glass factory where authentic, hand-blown Murano glass is made. Centuries ago, the glassmakers who lived on the small island of Murano were known the world over for their art, even rising to Venice’s upper-class because of their extraordinary talents. With the afternoon at leisure, you may want to linger over lunch at a sidewalk café—be sure to try some gelato! Or perhaps take a ride in a traditional, hand-built gondola—after all; an authentic gondola ride on Venice’s canals just may be a once-in-a-lifetime experience! Don’t forget dinner is included tonight as well. Day 6 Highlights: Tuscany, Chianti, Montepulciano, Rome Day 6 – Tuscan Wine Country + Included: Breakfast, Sightseeing Enjoy your breakfast and prepare for your departure to the heart of Tuscany’s wine country. First stop of the day is the Chianti region. Chianti is world known for its landscape and wine. Located between Siena and Florence, Chianti is synonymous to fine Tuscan wines. The town we choose to visit in Chianti is Montepulciano which is widely known for its famous Brunello red. You will have plenty of time to visit the local wine shops for tastings, photos of the wine barrels and rolling Tuscan countryside. Later in the afternoon we continue to the capitol of Italy; Rome! This tour includes our free TRIP PAK which has over $50 in free maps, sightseeing, dining and regional guides. Your TripPak will show you plenty of things to do during your free time when you arrive to Rome! Day 7 Highlights: Rome, Piazza Navona, Pantheon, Trevi Fountain Day 7 – All Roads Lead to Rome! + Included: Breakfast, Sightseeing Sip your espresso, take another bit of the fresh fruit and enjoy your breakfast because today you will walk the capital city and learn firsthand the history of Rome. A walking tour of the city will introduce you to Piazza di Spagna, Fontana di Trevi, Pantheon , Piazza Navona and end in San Pietro Basilica. Now that you have a basic understanding of the layout of the historical center, the remainder of the day and evening are yours to explore, relax and soak it all in. Ask your Travel Expert about some of the great optional tours you can experience while in Rome such as renting a Vespa scooter or wine tasting at the International Academy of Wine. Italy4Real has dozens of great things to do! Day 8 Highlights: Naples, Pompeii, Amalfi Coast, Sorrento Day 8 – Bay of Naples, Pompeii & The Amalfi Coast! + Included: Breakfast, Sightseeing and Dinner Board your coach this morning as it whisks you south along the “sun route” motorway, driving through the regions of Lazio and Campania—you’ll have a great view of the Abbey of Montecassino along the way. Upon arrival in Naples, take a short panoramic coach tour of this city rich in history. You’ll see the fishing port of Mergellina; Castel dell’Ovo (“Egg Castle”), built in the 1st century; Piazza del Plebiscito, the main square in Naples; the 18th-century Royal Palace; and the Maschio Angioino, also known as the Castel Nuovo (“New Castle”), a 13th-century home for royalty. Stop for lunch on your way to Pompeii to visit the excavations of the Roman city that was destroyed by the eruption of the volcano Vesuvius in 79 A.D. It was covered in ash for hundreds of years until the ancient city was uncovered in 1748. Because the city was so well preserved, it gives archeologists—and visitors—an unusual peek into the daily life of Romans in the 1st century. Leave Pompeii and drive along the coast to arrive in Sorrento in time for dinner. Once you arrive to Sorrento you have made it to the crown jewel of the Amalfi Coast. Take a stroll to Piazza Tasso and have a cocktail! Day 9 Highlights: Capri, Blue Grotto, Rome Day 9 – The Amalfi Island - Capri + Included: Breakfast and Sightseeing After you enjoy a wonderful breakfast, board a ferryboat to the lovely resort island of Capri, where, weather and sea conditions permitting, you’ll visit the Blue Grotto in small rowing boats. This sea cave appears to be lit from the bottom of the ocean, and gives off a mystical fluorescent-blue hue. Eat lunch with the group, and then it’s time to explore Capri on your own. You may want to visit San Michele’s gardens, for a bird’s-eye-view of the island. In the late afternoon, return to your lovely hotel in Rome. The evening is yours in Rome so make sure you visit Piazza Navona where Rome’s artists come out at night to display their works. Day 10 – From Rome to Home + Included: Breakfast After breakfast, bid arrivederci to your fellow travelers and transfer to the airport for your flight home, or continue your European vacation on your own. No matter what your travel plans, the experts at Italy 4 Real can help you with the arrangements. 4 Star hotels for 9 nights Transport by modern European coaches All breakfasts are included 7 meals Private Airport Transfer All taxes included! Tour host for duration of tour Group Size: Guaranteed Departure with Min 2 people. Average 20 The tour does not include: airfare, tips All tours are governed by the Terms & Conditions Porterage Service: just 1 piece of luggage per person Tours are guaranteed in English but may also include other languages to accommodate passengers of other nationalities. LocalAssist™ - Local assistance 24 hours from Italy 4 Real TripPak™ - Free travel maps, guide books and information CRS System™ - 24 hour travel support hotline during your trip *Travelling alone? Single supplements available for this trip. Complete Quick Quote Request Box below. 2011 Departure Dates: APRIL 03 10 17 24 MAY 01 06 08 13 15 20 22 27 29 JUNE 03 05 10 12 17 19 24 26 JULY 01 03 08 10 15 17 22 24 29 31 SEPTEMBER 02 04 09 11 16 18 23 25 30 OCTOBER 02 07 09 14 16 21 23 28 30 All of our tours include the following extras at no charge! Our Exclusive TRIPPAK™ that contains over $50 in maps, local and regional travel guides, travel tips, city information, dining suggestions, sightseeing suggestions and more all developed by our staff of Travel Experts and guides to make your trip more enjoyable. Access to our 24 hour CRS System™ (Client Response System) where you will have access to your personal Travel Expert for questions or assistance during your trip. This program includes our Local-Assist™ local assistance service. You will have access to our local representative in Italy by phone or in person for any assistance needed. Only Italy 4 Real offers a real person at your destination for help or questions! ©2011 Travel 4 Real LLC. Licensed as providers of travel and tour operators. License number: 602031659