|
 Florence, Italy - 4 nights
September 19-23, 2010
Active Gourmet Holidays is offering an unforgettable getaway to the renowned Villa San Michele Cookery School in Florence. Nourish your senses, refuel your body and replenish your spirit with a savory array of food and wine tours, paired with culinary education by Chef Attilio Di Fabrizio of Villa San Michele.
LIMITED AVAILABILITY - September 19-23, 2010  A program enriched with hands-on cooking lessons, shopping in Florence with a personal shopper and visits to the Pitti Museum/Accademia with free time to explore the area on your own or simply relax and relish in the beauty of Villa San Michele.
SAMPLE ITINERARY DAY ONE 
Villa San Michele welcomes you to this special week of wonderful gastronomy, exquisite accommodations and immersion into all that is Tuscan. Accommodation in a superior double room. Welcome cocktails with your hosts with spectacular welcome dinner and Tuscan wines. Getting acquainted with other guests. DAY TWO  Breakfast served in your room or in the Villa San Michele Restaurant
Hands-on cooking class with Chef Attilio di Fabrizio Lunch of the dishes learned during your class, with a wonderful selection of wines. The remainder of the day is at your leisure. Dinner on your own this evening.
DAY THREE  Breakfast
Transfer tby private van for an afternoon tour of the Pitti Museum/Accademia in the magical city of Florence. Lunch on your own. Return to Villa San Michele Dinner at Villa San Michele with wonderful Tuscan wines
DAY FOUR  Breakfast
Hands-on cooking class with Chef Attilio Afternoon shopping guide at guests' disposal (transfer by hotel's shuttle for flexibility) Dinner on your own DAY FIVE  Breakfast
Day at leisure. Special Farewell Gala Dinner at Villa San Michele with staff and musicians in Renaissance period attire
DAY SIX Breakfast and Buon Viaggio!
ABOUT YOUR CHEF  Attilio de Fabrizio was born in 1952 in Abruzzi, and attended the Villa Santa Maria cookery school, where many of the best chefs in Italy trained. He spent several years of apprenticeship in Italy, France, Great Britain and Switzerland, developing his culinary skills, before joining the world-famous Hotel Cipriani in Venice.
From 1975 – 1983, Attilio di Fabrizio worked in both Northern and Southern America before returning to Italy to become Chef at the renowned restaurant “Enoteca Pinchiorri” in Florence. In 1987 Attilio di Fabrizio was appointed Chef de Cuisine at the Hotel Villa San Michele. Over the last few years, he has taken part in several gastronomic events, both in and outside Italy, working side by side with such famous chefs as Gaultiero Marchesi, Roger Verge, Paul Bocouse and others. ABOUT YOUR ACCOMMODATIONS  Tastefully appointed superior rooms with walnut or cherry custom-made furniture, each featuring king or twin beds.
Some of the rooms look onto the intimate cloister, which accommodates the bar, discreetly visible through the glass roof, and allows its use in any season, or at the soaring cypress trees intertwined with creeping roses and wisteria. Handmade parchment lampshades, carpets in sober colors, curtains of the finest cotton and upholstery in elegant symbiosis, with the color schemes dominated by warm pastels. BOOKING INFORMATION
Please contact us for pricing information. After availability is confirmed, please inquire regarding per person deposit due. A completed and submitted registration form is also required to secure your reservation. Final payment is due in full no later than 45 days before arrival date. *Five (5) nights' accommodation at the luxurious Villa San Michele Hotel
*All cooking classes, excursions and meals with wine listed on itinerary
*Transfers to and from airport
Airfare, meals on your own and personal expenses are not included.
For further inquiries or to register, click here.
Click here to return to top of page. CANCELLATION POLICY
Please contact us for cancellation policy information. Travel insurance is highly recommended.
CLIENT REMARKS "Dear Jo-Ann - Hope you received the photos I sent on to Villa San Michele. Yes we really did have a fantastic time and the cooking lessons were a real highlight too. Attilio and Luca were great. Also loved our Tuscan countryside sojourn and felt this really complemented the Florence stay. The dinner (and views) at Fontinelli were superb. All trips and lunches dinners etc fantastic! Everyone at San Michele was wonderful and Ebany and I loved our luxury week together in such a beautiful, historical place. Thank you so much." "Dear Jo-Ann -I can only say that it was an amazing holiday experience. Our Head Chef Atillo was just a fabulous man, funny and as pleasant as anyone could be, very easy to follow. His assistant and language translator was Lucca, a wonderful family man who made the whole process enjoyable. It wasn't in any way overwhelming, we were guided through each recipe...all easy or at least manageable; to finally form a whole meal which we were then served in the breathtaking Loggia. Even our daughters who's culinary skills are questionable!
The Villa itself is just a wonderful experience, whether we stayed in the grounds or headed out for the day...we loved all the activities, our personal shopper, winery, or site seeing in the various Tuscan villages and towns. The winery was state of the art and yet we had such a traditional Tuscan luncheon on the balcony overlooking the crystal clear swimming pool and then to the village below and the hills around. Platters of incredible food, fresh and top quality, followed by a lovely cake made by Atillo and brought out to the winery for us to enjoy. Not to mention quality wine flowing freely!
The additional Hotel proved to be a terrific place despite additional travel and packing. The dinner was fantastic; the grounds really pleasurable. So this was a real plus.
I can't stress how terrific the staff were at Villa San Michele. What a fantastic holiday and would love to do something similar in the future. Thank you for all your organization. We were made to feel very special and I can't say I have ever had that treatment before, and we've travelled a lot! I think Villa San Michele is the pinnacle of any Hotel we've had the pleasure of staying at." Click here to return to top of page. MAP* This exciting region is depicted below. You can also access Google MapsTM by clicking HERE. 
*In some cases mapping may give clients a general sense of location due to changes in venue. Please inquire about specific location. Click here to return to top of page. |
Home 
Active Gourmet Goes Tuscan
