Culinary Vacations

THE TRAVEL SPECIALIST
1-800-494-3483

Cooking With Attitude

Love to cook? Love to eat and entertain? Looking for an active vacation where you can bring home more than a T-shirt? A culinary vacation may be your answer. All of the programs are hands-on classes so you will have the skills you need to take home. Day classes are also available in certain locations. Non-cooks welcome.

Sample Programs: Please click on a link to download the PDF file.

Toscana Saporita, Tuscany- 6 Night Hands On Program
Recipe
Badia Coltibuono - 3-5 Nights in Chianti, think Palio in Sienna
Famous Provence with Patrick Payet
Mexican Home Cooking

L’Albereta, Franciacorte - Food, wine and cooking (See below)

DINING WITH THE STARS

Travel to two unique properties in the Italian countryside and dine on the celebrated cuisine of their outstanding restaurants, each of which has been awarded two prestigious Michelin stars. Hotel Villa del Quar, with buildings dating from the 11th to the 17th century and located three miles north of Verona, has been awarded the "Three Golden Keys" as one of the ten best hotels in Italy for 10 consecutive years. Recently awarded the Relais Gourmand Trophy, the hotel's restaurant Arquade, under the direction of Chef Bruno Barbieri, has in addition to two Michelin stars also received "Three Forks" by the Gambero Rosso Guide, naming it one of the Best 20 Restaurants in Italy. Located in a vast estate of cultivated vineyards, the villa produces its own label of red wine, Valpolicella Satyrus Riserva. In addition to three memorable nights, you will receive a pasta cooking lesson (participants enjoy what they have cooked for lunch) as well as a memorable Gourmet dinner, with accompanying wines chosen specifically for the individual courses. Chef Barbieri's piéces de résistance include: tagliatelle with duck ragout and cockscombs in a celery sauce; medallion of venison with polenta gratin; apple and lemon chutney; and frozen chocolate cake with bitter grapefruit sauce.

Located near Lake Iseo in the Franciacorta wine producing area is L'Albereta, a stunningly beautiful 19th century villa and home to the Ristorante Gualtiero Marchesi. Named by food critics as one of the best chefs in the world, Gualtiero Marchesi, with restaurants in Milan, Rome and Paris, has been the recipient of numerous awards, including the first non-Frenchman to be awarded three Michelin stars. His signature dish, Saffron risotto with gold leaf, is one of the four outstanding courses with accompanying wines that clients will enjoy. Other typical dishes that vary by the season include a salad of scallops with ginger; roasted veal carre with potatoes, artichokes and spring onions, and a dessert of three flavors. The package also includes wine tasting and a tour of the hotel's vineyards, as well as a body massage for each person in the hotel's fabulous state of the art spa, where beauty and health treatments include anti-aging therapies and feature the products of Dr. Henri Chenot.

PACKAGE INCLUDES:

Six nights accommodation: three nights in a Superior room at Villa del Quar; three nights in a Deluxe room at L'Albereta. Upgrade to a Junior Suite at both hotels, if available at check-in.

Fruit basket on arrival at each property

Breakfast daily

One Gourmet dinner with wine per person at Ristorante Arquade

One Gourmet dinner with wine per person at Ristorante Gualtiero Marchesi

Pasta cooking lesson at Villa del Quar

One body massage per person at L'Albereta

Wine tasting and vineyard tour at L'Albereta

Tax and Service

RATE:
€ 1370 per person, double occupancy
€ 2165 single occupancy

Valid:
March 15 - December 19, 2007, subject to availability
Minimum two persons required. Reservations for dinners, cooking lesson and massages should be requested at the time of booking.

Worldwide destinations available- Spain, France, Thailand, Mexico. We plan specialized European itineraries, including hotels, villas, rail tickets, car rentals or private guides/drivers, museum and theater tickets – no cooking necessary.

Viator Thousands of sightseeing options worldwide

Venere Worldwide hotels