(Options: Day Cooking Classes)
Veneto, Italy - 3 or 7 nights
Available March to October

Enjoy an Italian cooking holiday in the heart of the Prosecco wine area in the Veneto. Stay in a beautifully restored farmhouse, where Antonella will teach you how to prepare wonderful meals at home. Her philosophy is that food is central to life; it should be full of flavour, beautifully presented, and eaten in a pleasing, relaxing ambience. It shouldn’t be necessary to spend hours in preparation either; all it needs are the right skills and attitude. It’s a question of lifestyle.

Since we normally take a maximum of six people, we will tailor-make your holiday as far as we can. Our cookery courses last either one week or three days, but if you get your own group together then we can possibly adapt to suit your needs. Lessons are fully hands-on, flexible and fun. All transport will be arranged and there will be trips to local food markets, wine producers, and places of cultural interest.

You have a friend or partner who wishes to accompany you, but not take part in the cookery lessons? He or she can be very well catered for. There are many beautiful walks, there are mountain bikes and a small indoor swimming pool, and there is a spa in a castle that lies a short distance away. There are numerous producers of stylish clothes and shoes in the area and you can buy your products at factory prices. A local sculptor offers lessons in his art.

Remember, you are coming to the most fascinating region in Italy!

Location

The Veneto is bordered to the north by the spectacular Dolomites, to the east by the Adriatic coast, and to the west by Lake Garda. Venice is merely the jewel in the crown. It is a vibrant economic area, yet it has a cultural heritage that is hard to match anywhere in the world. Cison is located 50km to the north of Venice and 65km south of Cortina d'Ampezzo. The beautiful towns of Treviso, Padova, Belluno, Bassano, Vicenza, Asolo and Feltre all lie within a one hour radius.

Accommodations

La Casa Gialla is a beautifully converted farmhouse. It sits in the middle of a charming village, Cison di Valmarino, in the foot-hills of the Dolomites. The location spares us the summer heat and winter fogs of the Venetian plane, while giving easy access to a host of fascinating medieval towns and spectacular mountain ranges. We lie in the rolling hills of the Prosecco wine area.

Accommodation at Casa Gialla consists of two double bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms. We also have a self-contained apartment with a double bedroom. A further single bedroom in the main house can be used if two guests don't mind sharing a bathroom - a small unit ideal for a family with one or two children. All rooms are full of character and are beautifully decorated throughout. The kitchen where courses take place is full of character, maintaining an old rustic style, while being well equipped with modern equipment. Views of our courtyard, and the medieval castle on the hillside behind, are quite stunning.

We have our own leisure centre, including a small indoor swimming pool and a table-tennis table. This centre can be used seasonally. There is also an 18th century bread oven that is used to make bread and pizzas. CastelBrando can be reached by a five minute walk, followed by a short trip in a funicular railway. The castle has a spa, theatre, and various bars - the views from its ramparts are wonderful. In summer it occasionally hosts concerts. Throughout the year there are various food festivals in local villages that might be attended.

Cooking Courses

Courses concentrate on the cuisine of the Veneto; its antipasti, pastas, risottos, gnocchi, crespelle, sorbets, main courses and desserts. Learn how to make homemade pasta and gnocchi (small, dumpling-like starters). Ingredients used are seasonal; you might prepare an asparagus lasagne, a pumpkin risotto, crespelle (a kind of omelette/pancake) stuffed with radicchio di Treviso. Make a 'sgruppino', based on lemon ice-cream and vodka - it cleans the palate magnificently. Main courses might use guinea fowl, quail, pigeon, or simply pork and beef. Desserts include homemade ice-creams. Learn to be boldly creative, and cook with confidence.

Meals are accompanied by wines of the Veneto, Friuli, and Trentino Alto-Adige. One of the great joys of Italian wine is the existence of many indigenous grape varieties; there are hundreds of gems in our area just waiting to be discovered. Taste the wonderful whites of malvasia, ribolla gialla and incrocio manzoni, and the reds of raboso, refosco and schioppettino - among others. There will be no dogma however; you can also drink your Cabernet Sauvignons, Merlots and Chardonnays. Appetites are stimulated with the local sparkling prosecco, and local grappas can top off your meal.

ITINERARY

SAMPLE WEEK

Day One - Saturday

Collected from airport or train statin. Settle into Casa Gialla. Welcoming drinks and dinner.

Day Two - Sunday

Breakfast.

Relaxed morning, allowing a wander around our beautiful village.

After lunch the first cookery lesson.

Dinner, eating the fruits of the lesson

Day Three - Monday

Breakfast.

Second cookery lesson in the morning.

Lunch.

Afternoon tour around local area, seeing one of the best examples of 13th century abbeys in Italy, a beautiful old waterwheel, and a visit to a local wine producer.

Dinner.

Day Four - Tuesday

Breakfast.

Third cookery lesson.

Afternoon trip to Villa Barbaro, one of Palladio’s greatest masterpieces, decorated with frescoes by Veronese. Then to the beautiful hill-town of Asolo.

Dinner.

Day Five - Wednesday

Breakfast.

A day trip to either Venice, the Dolomites, Padova, Vicenza, Belluno, Bassano d. Grappa, Feltre, Treviso, or any other place within a reasonable distance.

Day Six - Thursday

Breakfast.

Fourth cookery lesson.

Lunch.

Afternoon free to enjoy a local walk or visit to Castel Brando on the hillside or go clothes shopping at local factories. Antonella will bake bread in our 18th century bread oven.

Dinner.

Day Seven - Friday

Breakfast.

Morning trip to food market at Conegliano.

Lunch.

Fifth cookery lesson, preparing for the farewell dinner.

Day Eight - Saturday

Breakfast. Taken to airport for flights.

THREE NIGHT PROGRAM

Sample three day course

Day One - Saturday

Collected from airport. Settle into your home for the week.

Welcome drinks and dinner.

Day Two - Sunday

Breakfast.

Relaxed morning, allowing a wander around our beautiful village.

After lunch the first cookery lesson.

Dinner, enjoying the fruits of your lesson.

Day Three - Monday

Breakfast.

Second cookery lesson in the morning. Lunch.

Afternoon tour. Many beautiful towns are within easy travelling distance (see ‘location’). You may visit one of the best examples of 13th century abbeys in Italy. You could see Asolo, a beautiful hill-town beloved by Robert Browning among others, or a visit to a local wine producer.

Dinner.

Day Four - Tuesday

Breakfast.

Third cookery lesson in the morning.

Lunch.

Taken to airport or train station.

Arriverderci!

GROUP SIZE

A minimum of 1-2 participants is required to run this tour and the tour is limited to a maximum of 6 participants.

(The number of participants refers to how many persons are required to run the tour,  not to how many persons you must have in your  party. Please inquire)

HOW TO ARRIVE

Nearest Airports: Venice Marco Polo and Treviso - both are less than an hour's drive away.

Nearest rail station: Conegliano - less than half an hour drive away.

*These details are provided as additional information. Please check below to see if transfers are included in this tour.

BOOKING INFORMATION

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

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.