Cookery courses and holidays in Italy

Toscana Mia
Imagine spending some time in an Italian family home, cooking and eating delicious food, and perhaps learning some Italian, all in the peace and tranquility of the unspoiled countryside of the Chianti hills.  At Podere Le Rose, a beautifully restored 13th century farmhouse not far from Siena you can do just that!  Surrounded by olive groves, vineyards, fruit trees and flowers,  this welcoming home with its terracotta floors, chestnut beams and wood fire is the home of sisters Simonetta and Paola and their father Luigi and their family.
The cookery classes held by the sisters, assisted by a Tuscan chef are hands-on, lively, friendly and great fun working as part of a small group you share in the creation of a 4 course meal; appetizers, a pasta or rice dish, a main course and a dessert, which you then enjoy together for lunch accompanied by wines from different regions of Italy.

One day courses from £112

Weekend Package

Friday                                  Dinner at Podere le Rose and meet your hosts
                                             Bed and breakfast      

 

                                                                                                                         Yvonne and Scott at Toscana Mia

Saturday                             Cookery lesson followed by lunch with wine
                                             After siesta enjoy an excursion into the              Chianti  
                                             countryside
                                             Evening meal with family
                                             Bed and breakfast

Sunday                               After a leisurely breakfast and some free time depart for
                                            airport

Prices start from £322 per person for the above exclusive weekend break
Flights from the UK to Pisa airport from as little as £25 return
Car hire in Tuscany from £30 per day or private car transfers from Pisa or Florence can be arranged from £100 per car each way.
Seven day/six night fully inclusive holiday from £1300

There are three double bedrooms, with beautiful views, and two bathrooms and shower room available for exclusive use of guests. 

FAMILY PROGRAMMES WITH TOSCANA MIA:                   

FAMILY PROGRAMME
Cooking course with children
For parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles who want to discover more about Italian cooking, sharing this experience with their children.. We offer 3 programmes with in this homely Italian farmhouse:

GIO PROGRAMME: Children from 3 to 9 may have their own class at the same time as parents, in a room next to theirs, preparing at lower tables their own pasta or pizzas.

MAGI PROGRAMME Children older than 10 years can easily join the class with their parents, with their own apron and chef's hat..
   
NEW PARENTS PROGRAMME: You can attend the cooking class and we organise a baby sitter service for your children in the room next to Toscana Mia's  kitchen.

As Paola, our host explains: 

'As a mother of two young children (2 and 6) I can  say that making a dough
with small hands is a much nicer experience for them than playing with
the commercial product.  At the end they can mix in other colourful things such as tomatoes
and mozzarella and eat what they have done.

 They play ,create , taste and smell.'

We also offer cookery courses in Florence with guests being accommodated in central hotels,  These can be combined with Italian language lessons, History of Art and sightseeing excursions to the city's many world famous museums and galleries.

Prices for a 3 night city break start at £490 inclusive of cookery lesson and four course lunch with wine.

Further options available include

• Visit to fruit/vegetable market

• Visit to vineyard with wine tasting

• Wine lesson with tasting

• Food and kitchenware shops tour

• Ceramic tour

• Florentine shopping tour

• Shopping tour to outlet such as Prada, Gucci etc

• Herbs, vine and olives walking tour

• Painting lesson

• Horse riding

• Golf
  
  

                                                                                                                                                                          

 

The Cilento coast between Paestum and Velia to the south of Naples, is the site of "Giacaranda", a beautiful villa and farmhouse where guests enjoy exclusive and relaxing holidays. This "locanda" is home to the Cavaliere family and where their guests receive unforgettable hospitality and a unique experience.

Accommodation would be in one of the rooms within the villa or in self contained apartments in the farmhouse and all meals are taken (weather permitting) under the beautiful Jacaranda tree from which it gets its name.

6 night/7 day holiday itinerary - minimum 4 persons, maximum 16

Day One         Arrival at Naples airport.  Transfer to Giacaranda
                         A welcome aperitif and canapes, dinner is served around one large table in true Italian family style.
                         Bed and a delicious breakfast with home made preserves, fruit, yoghurt and coffee as only the Italians know how!

Day Two         Excursion to Paestum visiting this superb archaeological site accompanied by guide
                         Lunch in a mozzarella farm (this countryside is the home of this most famous cheese) 
                         Afternoon cookery lesson with Luisa Cavaliere and Richard Jennings, professional chef 
                         Drink by the sea and dinner, bed and breakfast at Giacaranda

Day Three      After breakfast depart for a boat excursion along the coast with light lunch           
                         Cookery lesson in the afternoon followed by dinner, bed and breakfast at Giacaranda

Day Four        Excursion to Ciceala, with visit to an  ancient villa where you will see how pizza and 
                         bread is made in the traditional way.
                         After lunch, cookery lesson, dinner, bed and breakfast at Giacaranda

Day Five         Morning visit to the olive oil factory with cookery lesson and tasting
                         After lunch cookery class at Giacaranda. 
                         This evening during  dinner there will be a Neopolitan musical concert. B+B

Day Six            A day for relaxing on the beach or enjoying an optional excursion to Pompeii

Day Seven      Return transfers to the airport to connect with your choice of flight                    

Prices £1296 per person
Exclusive of flights which can be arranged by Creativity Travel or you may prefer to take advantage of some of the attractive deals on offer into Italy.

The price is inclusive of full-board, with excellent (minimum of 4 course) evening meals and almost unlimited wine and local aperitifs and liqueurs. All excursions with entrances and tastings and transportation as described. Also included is the four hands-on cookery lessons and a souvenir for each guest.
                           

Other packages can be tailor-made to suit your budget and requirements with less or more cookery or additional excursions.  Giacaranda is available for hire in its entirety for special events such as birthdays, weddings and anniversaries, and makes a wonderful setting for long summer evenings gathered around the table with family and friends old and new.