Our selection of local cooking classes are based on a variety of recipes rooted in ancient tradition and some of the finest natural produce in Italy. Whatever the ingredients, the accent is always on genuine flavours. We include  a range of cooking experiences and specialist tastings in private homes, on farms, vineyards & olive oil mills, in traditional Umbrian family kitchens, in fabulous local restaurants and exclusive villas. Events often include seasonal ventures into food foraging, truffle huntiong, cheese or wine making or oil pressing according to the time of year.

The landscape comes to your table in the strong, simple flavours such as truffles from oak forests above Sp Apennine slopes dominating one side of the Umbrian valley have long held the reputation for producing Italy's best golden green olive oil.

In addition we explore some nearby fashion outlets and have a cellar wine tasting of Montefalco's award winning Sagrantino wines. The Sagrantino dry red won Italy's award for the best wine of 1998. This unusual grape grows only between Medieval Montefalco and the ancient Roman town of Bevagna. Its production in local monasteries can be traced back to the early middle ages, and a sweet version produced from Sagrantino raisins was the favourite of the Vatican for the holy wine of their mass.

You will be staying at a family run country guesthouse located just outside the walls of the medieval hilltown of Montefalco, where a cluster of farm buildings has been converted into high quality accommodation. All rooms are furnished with solid antiques and have their own bathroom and private entrances. There is a shady garden with a swimming pool and spectacular views across the Valley of Umbria. The estate still produces their own vegetables, herbs, wine and olive oil which are used to prepare the delicious simple meals held in a pleasant dining room or outside under pine trees.

This is a preliminary itinerary and the content will change depending on the season and the availability of cooking venues. The essential content will remain the same.

Day 1      Sunday              Spoleto to Montefalco, Wine Tasting                   L D

You will be met outside the main entrance of Foligno railway station at 11.00 am and transferred to your accommodation near Montefalco arriving at approximately 12.00 noon. After lunch on the estate we travel up to the medieval town of Montefalco where you will be introduced to the food, wine and artisan traditions of the town including a wine tasting. Montefalco reds have won prestigious awards for the best red wine in Italy. Welcome drinks and dinner at the family run enoteca in the town's delightful piazza.

Day 2     Monday             Markets & Villa Cooking Class 1,  Foligno          B L D

Today is market day in Montefalco so there is a walk around the town to experience the atmosphere. The cooking class is at a local villa just near the marketplace. You will develop skills in making a complete Umbrian meal from antipasti, through to dolci, including fresh pasta in its local variation, 'strangozzi' with its interesting definition as 'priest strangler. In the afternoon we visit Foligno with a focus on the kitchenware shop. After dinner at the accommodation we have an introductory talk on the food and wine of Umbria.

Day 3    Tuesday           Ancient Traditions  & Cellar visits                       B L D
A short drive to a nearby farmhouse and we visit a ‘carbonaio’  or charcoal kiln that once provided the local area with wood coal. They will show us the ancient techniques and we have lunch on the property. The afternoon is taken up with visits to various local wine cellars where you can try Montefalco's award winning Sagrantino wine.

Day 4    Wednesday       Olive oil tasting, Cooking class 2                      B L D 

We visit a local oil mill and walk through the field of olives which will include a field lecture on growing techniques and a detailed tasting and comparison some of the area's excellent extra virgin olive oils. The whole of Umbria beneath 600 metres in altitude has a climate and geography particularly suited to the cultivation of the olive. The oil is an essential ingredient of Umbrian cooking and the landscape displays evidence of years of tradition in the area's principal agricultural activity. Lunch back at the accommodation. We travel on to a nearby farmhouse where we explore the ancient estate, its traditions and its biological grain farm, cooking lunch by the enormous fireplace in the original family kitchen using produce from the fields outside.

Day 5   Thursday        Truffle hunt, Cooking class 3                                  B L D  
This morning we travel to a mountain forest where we will accompany a professional truffle hunter and his trained dogs into the forest on his daily quest for 'black gold'. We enjoy a simple meal of wine, bruschetta, pasta and truffles in the hunter's home in the mountain village. In the afternoon another cooking lesson on a property nearby.

Day 6   Friday          Cooking Class 4,  Norcia                                           B L D

In the morning we travel  to our cooking class in a private home or local restaurant based on characteristic regional food. The class is followed by lunch.  In the afternoon we drive through the Valley of the river Nera to Norcia, the sausage and salami capitol of Italy.  The walled roman town has been historically famous for its delicious cheeses and salamis and almost every Italian town has a Norcineria selling its produce. We stock up on produce to include at dinner this evening back at the accommodation.

Day 7    Saturday         Deruta Ceramics, Weaving Perugia                      B D

Deruta has been a major ceramics centre since medieval times. No culinary exploration would be complete without a venture into eating's decorative accessories. Here you will be shown through a selection of some of the 300 outlets selling plates, bowls and anything else that might be made of terracotta. We then travel on to Perugia to a workshop of traditional fabric weavers still using ancient hand built wooden looms in a beautifully restored gothic church.  The afternoon in the town is free for shopping or individual sightseeing.

Day 8   Sunday            Departure
On the last day of the tour you will be transferred to Foligno station leaving the accommodation at 9am.

The price of the tour is AUD 3362 per person in twin share accommodation. A deposit of AUD 500 per person is required to reserve a place on the tour. This deposit is non-refundable unless the tour is cancelled.  Single supplements in double rooms are available at an additional cost of single use AUD 500. A limited number of actual single rooms at AUD 300.  The full balance is due 60 days before departure. The tour is costed on a minimum of five (5) people travelling and is limited to eighteen (18) places. Subject to final tour numbers and exchange rates the price may vary slightly. You will be notified immediately of any change.

Please note: The Aussie dollar discounts require full pre-payment on booking so that we can take advantage of the currently favourable Australian dollar.

• Transfers from and to Foligno station tor hotel
• All land travel by air-conditioned coach
• Accommodation for 7 nights. 5 days full board and 2 days half board
• Meals at the accommodation include fresh local produce and local wines
• 4 cooking classes of characteristic regional recipes, including lunch
• A truffle hunt and truffle lunch in a mountain village
• A visit and lunch at a traditional charcoal maker
• Visits to cellars with tasting of Montefalco's award winning Sagrantino wines
• An olive oil tasting & a visit to a biological farm
• Cheese and prosciutto tastings in Norcia, Italy's salami capitol
• A visit to the famous ceramics centre of Deruta
• The services of a tour leader throughout the tour

• Airfares

• Meals while visiting local towns are not included in the tour price.

• Travel insurance (this is essential)

• Entry fees other than those specifically mentioned on the itinerary

• Taxi, or personal transport costs, phone calls or tips

• Wine outside of normal meals

• Laundry: This can be organised with the staff at the accommodation