France                

BURGUNDY - CHAMPAGNE - LOIRE VALLEY - NORMANDY - PARIS
PROVENCE - SOUTHWEST FRANCE

BURGUNDY

Burgundy, France - 6 nights
(Options: Custom Itineraries)
Available April to December – Sunday to Saturday

Experience the delights of hidden Burgundy. You will be introduced to its gastronomic secrets and will join in on ‘hands on culinary and wine adventures’. Discover the 1er and Grand Cru Vineyards with a renowned wine expert with exclusive access to some of the most famous Domaine’s in the Cote de Nuits and Cote de Beaune. Create dishes from our seasonal cookbook, be inspired by the vibrant market of Dijon, take a Master class with 1* Michelin Chef Laurent Peugeot at ‘La Charlemagne’, get creative with our traditional baker and dine out at 3* Michelin Restaurant ‘Bernard Loiseau’.

PARIS

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Paris, France - Day Cooking Classes/Market Visits
Available year round

Come and discover Paris through hands-on cooking classes learning a variety of recipes to recreate at home to share with your family and friends. You will learn the art of French cooking in a fun, relaxed atmosphere in magical Montmartre, Paris. Choose from a wide range of choices for classes taught in English. Choose from macaron making, baking, bread making, molecular gastronomy, cheese and wine courses and more!

provence

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(Option: Day Cooking Classes)
Provence, France - 2, 3 or 5 nights
Available February to November - Sunday to Friday

Learn to cook in a Provençal cookery school, set in a little converted country house in an idyllic spot with wild thyme, rosemary and olive trees at its doorstep. Outside there is a shady terrace where you can enjoy the fruits of your labour, accompanied by a glass of wine from the estate. The 4-star hotel is now part of the beautiful chain Relais & Châteaux.

Learn to cook in the Luberon from a wonderful chef who will also be your guide and host for the week. You will have the time of your life as you stay in a beautifully restored and furnished home, take hands-on cooking classes and see all the important sites in this very picturesque part of Provence.  

(Options: Longer Stays)
Provence, France - 2 or more nights
Available March to June, September to December

SOUTHWEST FRANCE

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Bordeaux, France - 3 nights
(Options: Day Cooking Classes, Additional Nights)
Available year round  (excluding July 14 to August 15)

Savor the wines, foods and landscapes that define this southwestern corner of France between Bordeaux and St. Emilion. Your stay in the "Entre Deux Mers" AOC region is a unique way to get to know French people and to share their culinary passions. Your hosts are a French-American couple who invite you into their home, a comfortable renovated 18th century forge, and their nearby vineyard farm.

(Options: Day Cooking Classes, Wine Tours, Longer Stays)
Bordeaux, France - 3 nights
Available April to November

We equate "wine" with "Bordeaux" with good reason. This UNESCO and World Heritage site is renowned not only for its incredible wine production but for its two thousand year old history, beautiful architecture and breathtaking landscapes. Enjoy a three night stay indulging in fine cuisine, Bordeaux wines and the French “Art de vivre”. Stay in gorgeous accommodations, explore the area, learn about the finest in food and wine and participate in hands-on cooking classes and wine tastings.

Dordogne, France - 5 or 7 nights
Available April to October - Monday to Monday

Join us in Southwest France for a five or seven night total immersion in the French lifestyle. Pick-up a straw basket and each morning you will visit a different traditional market with your hostess and chef who will teach you how to select the best produce. In France gastronomy and life pair with market visits which are a a vital event held on the main square of the town.

(Option: Half Day Cooking Class/Market Visit and 3 day program)
Uzès, France - 7 nights
Available June

(Options: Customized Itineraries)
Languedoc, France - 3 or 6 nights
Available April to June, September to October - Sunday to Saturday

Join a native Languedocienne on a culinary journey to this little known corner of southern France, nestled between the Camargue region to the east and the French Catalonian Pyrenees to the southwest. You will discover this singular historic region rich in traditions, art, architecture and culture and meet some remarkable personalities and spirited characters, from local chefs and winemakers to artists and artisans, all of whom are passionate about their craft and their land.

La Rochelle, France - 3 nights
Available year round -  Friday to Monday

Experience a three night culinary vacation like no other. This cooking holiday is based in the beautiful, historic region of the Vendée in the West of France near the picturesque seaside town of La Rochelle. Enjoy the rolling countryside with its beautiful canals, visit the impressive historic abbeys and chateaux and experience the region’s golden beaches.

Italy

AMALFI COAST - CINQUE TERRE -  EMILIA-ROMAGNA - FRIULI-VENEZIA GIULIA - LAZIO - LE MARCHE -  PIEDMONT
PUGLIA - SICILY -  TUSCANY - UMBRIA - VENETO

AMALFI COAST

Amalfi Coast, Italy - 5 nights
Available March to June, September to October - Monday to Saturday

The Amalfi coast is one of the most romantic spots in the world. Spend five fabulous nights at a beautiful relais while enjoying hands-on cooking classes from a talented one star Michelin chef, excursions to the area's finest spots, all with some time for relaxing and shopping for the treasures that this magical area has to offer.

(Option: Day Cooking Classes, Wine Tours, Italian Lessons)
Sorrento, Italy - 3 nights
Available April to November 

Take cooking classes at a cooking school located within a 4 star holiday complex, located in a residential area of Sorrento close to the sea and city center. The cooking school offers a unique way to experience Sorrento and its famous surroundings through personal interaction with local food and wines.

Day Cooking Classes
Ravello, Italy
Available April to October, excluding Easter and Sundays

Join Mamma Agata for cooking classes in her beautiful home on a cliff top overlooking the spectacular Amalfi coastline. She has been the chef for many famous Hollywood actors and actresses, journalists and politicians and now invites you into her home to share her simple, yet elegant, traditional Southern Italian recipes.

Amalfi Coast, Italy - 3 or 7 nights
Available year round

High up in the hills lies a beautiful home where you will enjoy cooking lessons from a self taught Italian woman who specializes in typical regional dishes. The home in which you will stay has been recently renovated with love and each room is beautifully detailed. Take in the beautiful view of the Amalfi Coast while you relax on the property during your free time. Choose from a three or six night itinerary including cuisine, foodie visits and immersing yourself in this scenic area of Italy.

(Option: Day Cooking Classes)
Sant'Agata, Italy - 4 or 6 nights
Available year round

Learn to cook authentic dishes from southern Italy and Sorrento by participating in hands-on cooking classes in a beautiful professional kitchen. Your passionate and imaginative chef, who also happens to have a huge personality, will share with you the secrets of this cuisine leaving you ready to return home to impress your family and friends. You will stay in a luxurious boutique hotel with a gorgeous view located in the beautiful Sorrento peninsula. The hotel was once an ancient home which has been carefully and tastefully restored offering you incomparable comfort.

(Option: Day Cooking Classes)
Minori (Amalfi Coast), Italy - 4 or 6 nights
Available year round

Become part of the culinary traditions of this special gem on the Amalfi Coast. Learn authentic Mediterranean recipes passed down from generations when you partake in hands-on cooking classes from an experienced chef. You will stay in a beautiful four star hotel with views of lemon groves and whose location is perfectly situated to explore the coastal towns and sites of the area. Your host is an active participant in organizing events based solely on the area's food and wine so  if you want to immerse yourself in the flavors of this pristine spot, this is the perfect choice.

(Option: Day Cooking Classes)
Sorrento, Italy -  3 or 7 nights
Available year round

Choose from a day cooking class or a three or seven night culinary program in spectacular Sorrento, Italy. Your hands-on cooking lessons from your chef will take place in an amazing, private and manicured garden. You will be surrounded by an impressive array of old palms, English meadow, colorful flowers and fountains with lemon and orange trees, a swimming-pool, typical "Pergolato" and ceramic decorations. The property guarantees you complete privacy during your cooking classes.

Ravello, Italy
Available March to November - Saturdays

Come to Ravello, a world famous city known for its music, history and enchanting sights overlooking the Amalfi Coast. Here you will learn about Italy's world famous wines by your host, Gennaro. Gennaro is a professionally certified Sommelier and a member of the prestigious AIS, a national association of Certified Sommeliers and one of your hosts for the evening, along with his lovely bride Chiara, daughter of the world famous Mamma Agata whose cooking program "The Flavours of the Amalfi Coast" is also offered through Active Gourmet Holidays.

cinque terre

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Cinque Terre, Italy - 4 nights
Available February to October  - Monday to Friday or Tuesday to Saturday

Learn about Ligurian cooking in your own private cooking classes while you stay in one of the loveliest and most picturesque regions of Italy, Santa Margherita Ligure. You will have guided tours of some of the area's captivating seaside villages in the Cinque Terre, enjoy fabulous dinners and marvel at the breathtaking coastline and beautiful views. Enjoy a stunning seaview junior suite in a 4 star hotel.

emilia-romagna

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Bologna, Italy - 6 nights
Available May and October - Sunday to Saturday

Join Mary Beth Clark, award-winning cooking teacher, chef and founder of The International Cooking School of Italian Food and Wine, for an incredible six-day journey into the essence of Italian cooking in magnificent Bologna.

Bologna/Milan, Italy - 7 nights
Available October - Sunday to Sunday

Join Mary Beth Clark, renowned chef and founder of The International Cooking School of Italian Food and Wine, for an incredible week of hands-on cooking instruction in an exquisite palazzo. Learn to make the perfect dough and classic Italian dishes as well as specialty dishes using the magical truffle.

Bologna and Tuscany, Italy - 6 nights
Available May - Sunday to Saturday

Imagine a fabulous week in two great culinary regions ~ Emilia-Romagna and Tuscany ~ the culinary heart and soul of Italy! You’ll cook with chefs in our palazzo in Bologna, the Gastronomic Capital of Italy. Then onto a countryside wine estate where you'll cook in the osteria restaurant with chefs teaching traditional Tuscan dishes handed down through the generations. 

Friuli-Venezia Giulia

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(Options: Day Cooking Classes, Hiking, Biking, Golf, Italian Lessons and More)
Friuli-Venezia, Italy - 3 nights
Available year round

Learn to cook in the beautiful region of Friuli-Venezia, Italy. This lesser known region of Italy is the perfect place to get away for cooking lessons in a beautiful villa located near the Friuli-Veneto border. 

(Options: Day Cooking Classes, Hiking, Biking, Golf, Italian Lessons and more)
Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy - 3 or 5 nights
Available year round

Enjoy hands-on cooking lessons in the Friuli-Venezia-Giulia region of Italy. Although not as well known as Tuscany or Umbria, this region is home to wonderful food, great wines and beautiful scenery. Choose from a three of five night culinary adventure!

(Options: Day Cooking Classes, Hiking, Biking, Golf, Italian Lessons and more)
Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy - 3 or 5 nights
Available March to September

Learn to cook in Friuli-Venezia Giulia! Hands-on cooking classes take place in a cozy country retreat surrounded by vineyards, woods and meadows in the Friuli hills, at the base of the Julian Alps, only about one-hour drive from Venice, Austria and Slovenia. The atmosphere is lovely and peaceful, just the perfect location to enjoy a leisurely vacation mixed with an unforgettable cooking experience.

LAZIO

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Rome, Italy
Available year round - Monday to Friday

Learn to cook like a native Italian in the center of ancient Rome. Whether you are a novice or a serious gourmand, you will learn recipes from an experienced Italian chef. First you will be taken on a personalized tour of the most famous markets in Rome to collect your ingredients for the class. Afterwards, you will head to a beautiful home for a hands-on cooking class with your host and chef.

Rome, Italy
Available year round 

Welcome to Roma! During your stay why not delve into the culinary traditions of this very special place? Take a hands-on cooking class in a beautiful home near the Spanish steps - a home previously owned by a princess! Enjoy a walking tour along cobblestones streets in this enchanting city of Rome. You will have a wonderful chef/guide with a big personality who will share with you the knowledge of authentic Italian cuisine. You can also choose a special sausage making class or a more traditional Italian cooking class both taking place in a medieval village about 30 minutes outside of Rome.

Le Marche, Italy - 7 nights
Available May to September - Saturday to Saturday

Discover Italy's secret unspoiled region of Le Marche where you will find the beautiful Adriatic sea, olive groves and vineyards, the finest pecorino cheeses and local specialties and charming people who appreciate the beauty and tranquility of their homeland.

PIEDMONT

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Piedmont, Italy - 5 nights
Available October - Sunday to Friday

Enjoy a six day gourmet wine tour where you will sample Piedmont’s culinary delights: white truffles, mountain cheeses, and, best of all Piedmont’s stunning array of wines, with Barolo and Barbaresco at the top of the list. 

PUGLIA

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(Options: Day Cooking Classes, Italian Lessons, Custom Tours)
Puglia, Italy - 3 or 6 nights
Available April to November

Puglia, the heel of Italy's boot, is an ideal location for a gourmet holiday. Puglia is home to the true Mediterranean Cuisine with an emphasis on seafood, vegetables, legumes, hand-made pasta.  Puglia’s cuisine is delicious, yet simple at the same time. It is in essence a home-based cuisine. Puglia produces the largest amount of extra virgin olive oil in Italy and is one of Italy's largest wine producers. When travelling through Puglia, you will notice long rows of grape vines that stretch off into the distance.

Puglia, Italy
Available March to December

Come to Puglia and learn why everybody is talking about the wines and food of this beautiful and sunny region. Visit beautiful wineries and meet local winemakers who focus on preserving indigenous grapes that the Greeks first brought to Puglia thousands of years ago. Taste excellent wines from Primitivo (which has the same DNA of the Zinfandel) to Negroamaro, Malvasia, Fiano Minutolo and Sussumaniello.

SICILY

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(Options: Custom Tours, Day Cooking Classes)
Sicily, Italy - 7 nights
Available year round

Discover the secrets of Sicily with this unforgettable seven night experience. Stay in luxury and comfortable accommodations while immersing yourself in the tastes and flavors of this very special land. Take hands-on cooking classes with chefs, including the famous Eleanora Consoli.

Sicily, Italy - 6 nights
Available year round

Experience seven days of magical travel through the stunning Sicilian landscape, meet and cook with a wonderful chef, Fabrizia Lanza who follows in her famous mother Anna Tasca Lanza's footsteps, and stay at her famous Regaleali Wine Estate as well as two beautiful agriturismos. Discover the most traditional Sicilian dishes in Palermo, Agrigento, Catania, Siracusa, Taormina and Etna Volcano area.

Sicily, Italy - 5 nights
Available May and October - Monday to Saturday

TUSCANY

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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.

(Options: Day Cooking Classes, Shorter Stays, Wine Tours)
Tuscany, Italy - 7 nights
Available year round - Saturday to Saturday

 

This culinary program is perfect for those who are lovers of all that is Tuscan – the charming medieval towns, the centuries old traditions, the people and their culture, the art and of course, the great food and wine!! You will enjoy hands-on cooking courses learning the art of Tuscan cuisine from our wonderful chefs in an original kitchen of a 14th century villa.

(Options: Longer Stays on B & B basis)
Florence, Italy - 3 nights
Available year round

Enjoy practical hands-on cooking lessons from an Italian woman who learned how to cook at a very young age. You will stay in a lovely bed and breakfast which is located in the heart of historical Florence - a perfect spot for you to explore Florence and the surrounding Tuscan countryside.

Tuscany, Italy - 7 nights
Available April to November - Saturday to Saturday

Spend a fabulous week at a remote villa in the gorgeous countryside of Tuscany where rolling hills, ancient vineyards and Etruscan history will fill your senses. Learn to cook in a magnificent kitchen with a native born Tuscan who will teach you this wonderful peasant cuisine using the freshest ingredients available.

(Option: Day Cooking Classes)
Tuscany, Italy - 3 nights
Available May, September and October  (3 night program) - Thursday to Saturday

Experience the lifestyle born from the spectacular hospitality at Badia a Coltibuono. Developed over the 20 years during which famous author and cookbook writer Lorenza de Medici ran her Villa Table programs, these residential courses are held in English in the summer and autumn.

(Options: Day Cooking Class, Spa, Wine Tours)
Cortona, Italy - 3, 5 or 6 nights
Available year round 

Il Falconiere Relais & Chateaux is a 17th Century property located in the quiet countryside located just over one mile from the beautiful walled Etruscan town of Cortona which has been written about in the ever so popular Frances Mayes books. Il Falconiere Relais & Chateaux invites you to their beautiful Tuscan oasis for an unforgettable culinary experience with hands-on cooking classes taught by two Michelin starred chefs.

(Option: Day Cooking Classes)
Tuscany, Italy - 6 nights
Available April to July, September to November - Sunday to Saturday

Whether you are a novice or experienced cook, this holiday will teach you all there is to know about Tuscan cuisine. Classes are taught by experienced and professional instructors in a beautiful state of the art kitchen where lessons are truly hands-on and conducted in English. Located between Viareggio and Lucca, the school lies within a beautiful 16th century old estate. In your down time how about some bicycling, horseback or kayaking? One of our best selling cooking holidays!

(Options: Longer Stays, Day Cooking Classes, Market Visits, Excursions)
Florence, Italy - 3 or 4 nights
Available year round

Recommended by Karen Brown Guides "Most Romantic Inn 2009" - Conde Naste Johansen 2005 Recipient

Treat yourself to a relaxing getaway in a small and elegant family-run Relais, located less than 10 minutes from the center of Florence. The hotel is an excellent base for excursions in the Chianti area. You can choose to have cooking lessons, learning the secrets of authentic Florentine and Tuscan cuisine from the host's mother while her daughter translates for the guests. You may also have a guided walking tour of Florence, a shopping outlet tour, a Chianti wine tour with the host who is a first level sommelier along with other activities you may choose to help you immerse yourself in the Tuscan way of life. Below you will find sample 3 or 4 night tours but we can also customize an itinerary for you to include other activities.

(Options: Day Cooking Classes, Wine and Food Tastings/Tours)
Tuscany, Italy - 2, 3, 4 or 5 nights
Available year round (except week before Christmas)/Available April to October for packages

There is an art to the Tuscan way of living and you will immerse yourself in this lifestyle by visiting this specatular region. For over 20 years, your hosts have been holding hands-on cooking classes in both Florence and Chianti. You will learn traditional Italian family recipes, taught in English. You can choose from a 2, 3, 4, or 5 night program and either stay in an authentic Italian country home or other accommodations in a nearby village. 

Montalcino, Italy - 1 to 3 days
Available year round

Take hands-on cooking lessons in Montalcino from Teresa. Born in Rome, Teresa speaks fluent English and French and will share her knowledge of food preparation with you as well as giving you the tools you need to create simple dishes that are easily replicated once you get home.

Tuscany, Italy - 6 nights
Available May and September - Sunday to Saturday

Experience an unforgettable week of culinary instruction, gourmet food, fabulous company and beautiful accommodations and surroundings at the Villa Lucia and Rhode School of Cuisine. Join in cooking lessons with your chef or just relax around the grounds and enjoy the beautiful view. In the kitchen there will be lots of opportunity to learn new techniques or build upon your own cooking experience.

Lucca, Italy - 6 nights
Available March to April, September to October - Sunday to Saturday

Join us in Tuscany for an unforgettable culinary vacation, offering the perfect balance of learning, relaxing and exploration into this very special area of Italy. Courses are hands-on under the guidance of a professional Italian chef and sommelier, and also feature guest chefs from around the world. Learn the true taste of Italian cuisine.

Tuscany, Italy - 3 or 7 nights
Available April to November - Sunday to Sunday

Learn to cook in a recently restored, spectacular villa set in the hillsides close to Arezzo. There is a truffle estate surrounding the villa, making it famous in the area and wonderful for seeing how truffles are found and of course how to prepare these in many wonderful dishes. You may choose from a 3 or 7 night holiday.

(Options: Customized Tours, Cycling, Villa or Yacht Tours, Wine Tours)
Tuscany, Italy - 5 nights
Available year round

Where better to learn the art of preparing Tuscan cuisine than Tuscany? This tour will provide you with the skills and knowledge to prepare authentic Tuscan menus using the jewels of the Italian kitchen. Take cooking classes with talented chefs, stay in beautiful accommodations and experience all that is Tuscan in this very special "foodie" tour developed exclusively for Active Gourmet Holidays' clients.

(Option: Day Cooking Classes)
Lucca, Italy - 7 nights
Available year round

Lucca invites you to a great Tuscan cooking and wine vacation in the heart of Tuscany with a talented chef. In this comprehensive "hands on" cooking and wine tour, you will learn the best of "Tuscan Cooking and Living" with 4 exciting Italian cooking classes: traditional, Tuscan, pasta and fish cooking classes with more than 45 recipes!

Tuscany, Italy - 5 nights
Available May, June, September

UMBRIA

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(Options: Customized Itineraries in Italy)
Umbria, Italy - 4 or 6 nights
Available year round

Visit the Green Heart of Italy in style! Experience a four or six night cooking program packed with a series of fun excursions. You will lodge in five star accommodations. Noble residences situated in enchanting towns, Umbria really is one of ‘Italy’s best kept secrets’. It is rich in olive farms and vineyards, noted as some of Italy’s finest. Dotted with quaint historical towns and bursting with ancient remains from the Roman Empire! 

(Options: Day Cooking Classes)
Umbria, Italy - 3 nights
Available year round

Learn to cook with an Italian family who will show you the secrets of Umbrian cuisine. Cristina, your hostess, has been conducting cooking courses since 1999 at a nearby villa but has restored her eighteenth century country house and is now inviting guests to her home for day cooking classes or residential cooking programs.

(Options: Day Cooking Classes, Biking, Walking, Spa, Shopping, Wine Tours, Shorter or Longer Stays)
Umbria, Italy - 2 or 4 nights
Available year round

Named one of the 'Top 10 Luxury Hotels in Europe' and 'Top Hotels in Italy Chosen by Europeans' by Trip Advisor 2010

This tour is for all food and wine lovers who would like to discover traditional Umbrian recipes and great wines! Spend time taking hands-on cooking classes, sampling wine, doing some sightseeing and relaxing in a beautiful villa. Over the years this villa has been the home of nobles. It retains its large fireplaces, frescoes, ancient cotto floors and period furnishings and is the perfect setting for your getaway. 

(Options: Art Retreats, Hilltown Tours)
Umbria, Italy - 6 nights
Available year round

If you want to experiences the tastes of Italy then this is the culinary holiday for you! Sample traditional Italian food and great wines, learn to prepare typical dishes through hands-on cooking classes with an Umbrian chef, tour a wine museum, travel to delightful Umbrian and Tuscan hill towns, and enjoy "la dolce vita"– the sweet life. In this seven day travel adventure you will experience firsthand the delicious cuisine of Umbria and be treated to breathtaking vistas and charming medieval hill towns. You will stay in a charming hotel with wonderful owners that will treat you like family.

Umbria, Italy - 3 nights
Options: (Longer Stays, Additional Activities)
Available April to October

Spend your holiday amidst the lush green Umbrian countryside and enjoy the beautiful, tranquil atmosphere of a luxury country house estate. Originally a 12C monastery, this ancient building has been lovingly restored and features oak and chestnut beams, terracotta floors, a pietra serena fireplace and elegant furnishings.

(Options: Day Cooking Classes, Christmas Cooking and Olive Harvest Programs)
Umbria, Italy - 1 day, 4 or 7 nights
Available January to June, September to December - Saturday to Saturday

Spend time at a beautiful country home in the heart of Umbria (Perugia). The farm dates back to the 17th century and is surrounded by rolling hills, 10 hectares of olive groves, vineyards, fruit trees and Etruscan and medieval history. Six independent apartments have been restored around the ancient stone house and all are beautifully decorated.

VENETO

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(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.

Verona, Italy - 6 nights
Available June and September - Sunday to Saturday

Giuliano Hazan and Marilisa Allegrini (one of Italy's most distinguished producers of noble red wine) invite you to join them for a week of total immersion in Italian food, wine, and life. The incomparable site where you will live and cook, and from which you will set off for the scheduled field excursions, is the Renaissance Villa Giona, set in 12 acres of private park and vineyards near romantic Verona, the city of Romeo and Juliet.

Venice, Italy - 4 nights
Available June

Mexico         

Cabo San Lucas, Mexico - 7 nights
Available February, April, December  - Saturday to Saturday 

(Options: Day Cooking Classes, Weekend Courses)
Tepoztlan, Mexico - 4 or 7 nights
Available year round

Chef Ana Garcia is your host and chief instructor throughout the week. Chef Garcia, a native of Cuernavaca, learned the art of Mexican cuisine from traditional family methods passed down from generation to generation. With her traditional experience Chef Ana likes to expand upon that base by using traditional Mexican ingredients in new and interesting gourmet combinations. She is currently the head chef and owner of "La Mesa de Ana", a restaurant located on the grounds of La Villa Bonita which showcases Chef Garcia's incredible cuisine.

Morocco

Marrakech, Morocco - 6 nights
Available March, September/October 

Our Moroccan cooking school is located just outside the ancient imperial city of Marrakech, a walled garden city of tall graceful palms set beneath the snow-capped Atlas Mountain range. About ten minutes from the medina, you will find the Palmeraie, a grove of over 150,000 towering palm trees. It is here you will find the luxury villa, aptly named the ‘house of green mint.’

Peru               

Lima and Cusco, Peru - 7 nights
(Options: Day Foodie Tours, Market Visits, Custom Tours)
Available year round

Peru has become a new and popular culinary destination as featured in Newsweek, NY Times, Travel & Leisure, Condé Nast, etc.  This tour mixes a taste of native, “criolla” and traditional food with the trendy fusion through hands-on cooking classes, demonstrations and tasting menus. All of this is wrapped up within a framework of history and culture that explains every part of the tour and helps our guests understand the origin of all these great tastes. A Taste of Peru for Foodies has the best balance for someone with some experience or just the love for food.

Portugal                     

ALENTEJO - DOURO - MADEIRA

(Option: Day Cooking Classes)
Alentejo, Portugal - 7 nights
Available year round - Sunday to Sunday

Located just one hour from the Spanish border and 90 minutes from Lisbon, lies the romantic Refúgio da Vila Cooking School. Spend your week indulging in the delicious Mediterranean cuisine of Portugal as you learn hands-on cooking techniques using the local flavors and herbs of the Alentejo. Because life is so unhurried here, you will savor the beauty of this unspoiled region.

DOURO

(Option: Group Day Cooking Classes)
Lousada, Portugal - 6 nights
Available year round

Portugal is an amazing country with so much to offer: wonderful wines, including the famous Ports, a vast selection of cheeses, the very best in cuisine, ancient villages with cobblestone streets and best of all, the people. Portugal was by far one of my best European experiences. We were amazed at the diversity of the landscapes, the history and beauty of the people in this very small, but very abundant country.

Douro, Portugal - 5 nights
Available September

Not just for Port lovers, this tour also features the Douro’s dynamic new wineries that are turning heads with their incredible table wines. Visit the historic lodges in Oporto where Port is aged. Then move upstream to the grape-growing region where Port and the new unfortified wines are made. Fall in love with the Douro river valley, a World Heritage site.

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MADEIRA

Madeira, Portugal - 6 nights
Available year round

Discover how Madeira’s unique climate and soil contribute to the unrivalled distinctiveness of Madeira Wine. You will be pleasantly surprised by the beauty of the hand-grown vines, planted in small plots of land on terraces supported by stone walls along the slopes of the mountains. Spend six nights on a beautiful island learning how to cook with this precious wine, take guided walks and excursions and immerse yourself in this magical place!

Spain                              

ANDALUSIA - ARAGON -  ASTURIAS - BASQUE COUNTRY - CATALONIA - EXTREMADURA - MURCIA- RIOJA

ANDALUSIA

(Options: Custom Tours)
Andalusia, Spain - 4 nights
Available March to October (excluding August)

Come join us for cooking classes with a talented chef in a small hilltop Moorish village overlooking a romantic turquoise-colored lake which lies in Parque Natural de las Sierras Subbéticas in the southern part of Córdoba province. It is an incredibly beautiful region and yet it is still relatively unexplored.

(Options: Customized Tours, Tapas Tours, Day Cooking Lessons and Excursions)
Andalusia, Spain - 7 nights
Available year round

The Legacy of Al Andalus will enable you to discover and explore the abundant history and culture of three of the most enchanting cities in the region, Seville, Granada and Córdoba - especially in its exceptional food and wine. In Andalusia, life is lived to the fullest and eating and drinking are taken very seriously. This holiday offers you unrivalled gastronomy, incredible wines, food and cultural visits.

(Options: Full Day Market Visit, Custom Tours, Tangiers Excursions)
Estepona/Marbella, Spain - 5 nights
Available year round

Explore the beautiful and impressive white washed villages (los pueblos blancos) of Andalusia while also partaking in healthy, hands-on organic cooking classes at a beach villa in an open kitchen facing the beautiful blue Mediterranean Sea. Your hostess not only speaks Arabic, French, English and Spanish, but  is a passionate cook and advocate of healthy, organic food.

(Options: Customized Tours, Tapas Tours, Day Cooking Lessons and Excursions)
Seville, Spain - 3 nights
Available year round

A Taste of Seville offers exceptional sherry, wine and foodie tours in Sevilla. Your guide will take you to the finest bodegas, food producers and hidden gems in the area. This three night tour is the perfect immersion into Sevilla offering beautiful accommodations, gourmet dining and the inside scoop on the finest tapas bars in the area.

Seville, Spain
Available year round

Visit Seville, the magnificent and historic city in southern Spain, where life is lived to the fullest and where eating and drinking are taken very seriously. This holiday offers you unrivalled gastronomy, incredible wines, food and cultural visits and fun loving visits to tapas bars and exquisite restaurants. This holiday is for those who have a passion for food and wine and for those who wish to learn the traditions and culture of this very special city.

ARAGON

(Options: Longer Stays, Customized Itineraries, Additional Activities)
Aragon, Spain - 3 nights
Available March to October

Your accommodation for your stay is considered throughout Spain and internationally as one of the most singular, beautiful and romantic small hotels in the whole of Europe. Boasting 17 rooms, lovely sitting rooms, an extensive library, grand piano and fresh flowers everywhere, all this is in a very friendly, relaxed atmosphere where you will be pampered by your hosts and their team of charming local staff. Your hosts are British but have lived in Spain "forever", are completely bi-lingual and have a profound knowledge and passion for Spanish history, culture, gastronomy and wine which they love to discuss.

ASTURIAS

BASQUE COUNTRY

(Options:  Optional Activities, Longer Stays, Custom Itineraries, Cycling Holidays)
Basque Country, Spain - 3 nights
Available March to December

CATALONIA

Catalonia, Spain - 4 nights
Available March to June and September to October – Monday to Friday

Enjoy professional hands-on cooking classes with a renowned Catalan chef in an ancient village in Spain. You will learn traditional Catalan cooking techniques and will stay in a beautiful four star hotel. This program focuses on fun and informative cooking lessons with a chef who is not just a professional, but who is friendly and who will make you feel right at home from the beginning discovering this wonderful cuisine.

Catalonia, Spain - 4 nights

Ancient Spain invites you to enjoy hands-on cooking classes with a popular local chef, food related excursions including a visit to a chocolate factory, cheese producer and winery, along with wonderful accommodations in a small village in Catalonia and a warm and inviting host and guide. This tour will enable you to soak up authentic Catalonia and its gastronomy and beauty.   

Barcelona/Penedés, Spain - 6 nights
Available year round

What better place to indulge in a culinary vacation than Catalonia, Spain? This tour exclusively designed for Active Gourmet Holidays, combines lovely 4 star accommodations, inside "foodie" visits including cheese tastings and vineyard visits, fun cooking classes with talented chefs and of course, incredible meals and superb wine, all the while enjoying the architecture of Barcelona and the countryside of the Penedés region. For those looking for a true gourmand experience this tour is for you!

Barcelona/Emporada, Spain - 6 nights
Available year round

Designed exclusively for Active Gourmet Holidays' clients, this Wine & Chocolate Lovers tour is for those who wish to indulge in all the delicious delights of what Spain has to offer. Your six night adventure includes a stay at luxury four star accommodations, private guided visits to wineries, walking tours of  cultural places of interest, a cooking class with a local Catalan chef, and divine chocolate tastings that will leave your palate feeling very happy it found its way to this treasured part of Spain!

EXTREMADURA

MURCIA

(Options: 3 or 7 night program)
Murcia, Spain – 4 nights
Available April, May, June, September and October

Come and join us for cooking classes and excursions at a beautiful old "cortijo" near Caravaca de la Cruz in Murcia. Located in the market garden of Spain, this region is still relatively unexplored. The unique 300 year old ‘cortijo’ (farmhouse), set in 20,000m² of almond groves, was once owned by the famous bullfighter Pedro Barrera Elbal and has been lovingly renovated.

RIOJA

(Options: Customized Group or Individual Wine Tours)
Rioja/Basque Country, Spain - 5 nights
Available April to October/Year round custom departures

Here’s your chance to get hands-on experience preparing the unique gastronomy of Rioja. Learn from an expert, make the food yourself and then sit down to enjoy the result. Three inspiring meals over five days with wine tasting, too, to find the best wine to crown your achievements. There will also be short tours of hilltop villages, the vine-laden hills and plains, bodegas and a visit to two legendary viticultural dynasties of Rioja.  

(Options: Weekend Tour, Customized Group/Individual Wine Tours)
Rioja, Spain – 4 nights
Available April to October/November to March upon request

Welcome to La Rioja, an internationally famous region for its acclaimed wines and gastronomy. Join us for an outstanding gourmet wine vacation, tailor-made for groups or individuals who enjoy excellent wine and amazing food. Visit La Rioja, one of the most famous and prestigious wine-producing areas in the world.

Rioja, Spain - 5 nights
Available October

This wine tour spotlights Spain’s most famous and historic wine, Rioja. It also features the newer prestige wine zone of Ribera del Duero. Along with in-depth private tastings of top wineries, you’ll visit the Guggenheim Bilbao, the Gothic cathedral of Burgos, and enjoy gourmet wine dinners every night.