Active Gourmet Goes Tuscan - Tuscany, Italy - 5 nights

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, visits to Chianti wine cellars, shopping in Florence with a personal shopper and visits to the artistic treasures of Monteriggioni, San Gimignano and Siena.
2008 DATE - OCTOBER 12-17, 2008

Classico Cooking Classes - (Options: Day Cooking Classes, 3 Day Traditional Tuscany Course) - Tuscany, Italy - 3 to 5 nights

Experience hands on cooking classes at the renowned Badia a Coltibuono and a wide range of guided excursions throughout the Chianti that will not only enhance your knowledge of the regional cuisine, but teach you about the wines and lifestyle of the area. Lessons are taught by Lorenza’s youngest son, Guido Stucchi Prinetti, who has inherited his mothers love for food and ensures the continuity of the family tradition in the Coltibuono kitchen.
Available April to October - Monday to Saturday



Classic Tuscan Cookery Lessons - Tuscany, Italy - 7 nights

Learn authentic Italian cooking while staying in a magnificent villa located in a secluded part of Tuscany. Immerse yourself into the culture and ways of this very special countryside. Your week will consist of cookery lessons, visits to food producers and the finest food and wine the land has to offer. Recommended by Lonely Planet, named one of top ten cookery schools by The Observer.
Available April to October - Saturday to Saturday

NEW! Cooking in Florence - (Options: Additional Cooking Classes, Shorter or Longer Stay) - Florence, Italy - 3 or 5 nights

Stay in a small and quaint bed and breakfast in the heart of historical Florence and learn to cook by your hostess, Mariangela who will teach you authentic recipes taught to her by her "nonna". Learn a bit about wine, go to the famous Sant'Ambrogio Market and immerse yourself in this unique and artistic city.
Available year round

Cooking Under the Tuscan Sun - (Options: Day Cooking Class, Wine Tours, 3 night program) - Cortona, Italy - 6 nights

Join us at Il Falconiere Relais & Chateaux, a 17th Century property located in the quiet countryside located just over one mile from the beautiful walled Etruscan town of Cortona. Il Falconiere Relais & Chateaux invites you to their beautiful Tuscan oasis for an unforgettable culinary experience including hands-on cooking lessons, wine tastings and excursions to Tuscan villages.
Available February to April, October to December – Sunday to Saturday

The Flavours of Tuscany - (Option: Day Cooking Classes) - Tuscany, Italy - 6 nights

Taste the foods, wines and flavours of Tuscany as you spend a week in a 15th century villa. Learn to cook in a modern, professional kitchen, take daily excursions, meet locals and have the time of your life. You will live above the school in rooms that are charmingly decorated with Italian antiques.
Available March to July, September to November - Sunday to Saturday



Florentine Escape - (Options: Day Cooking Classes, Additional Nights, Market Visits and Excursions) - Florence, Italy - 4 nights

Treat yourself to a relaxing four night getaway with a cooking course in a small and elegant Relais, located just 20 minutes outside of Florence. The Bulleri family, with Lorenzo as host, will make your stay a memorable one. The Marignolle Relais is an excellent base for excursions in the Chianti area. Lorenzo's mother, Paola, will teach you the secrets of authentic Florentine and Tuscan cuisine and will be accompanied by her daughter Silvia. Recommended by Karen Brown Guides, Conde Naste Johansen 2005 Recipient.
Available year round


 
Homestyle Tuscan Cooking - (Options: Day Cooking Classes, Weekend Packages, Wine and Food Tastings/Tours, Italian Lessons) - Tuscany, Italy - 2, 3, 4 or 5 nights

Take hands-on cooking lessons in an authentic Italian kitchen in the countryside of Tuscany. You will learn traditional, home style Italian recipes, stay in either a beautiful family country home or a four star Relais, take excursions to the surrounding area, shop, explore and relax. Private cooking classes, walking tours and combination language and cooking week also available (see 'Combination Tours").
Available year round (except week before Christmas)  

Italy's Super Tuscans - Tuscany, Italy - 5 nights

Discover what's so super about Super Tuscans. In Chianti, San Gimignano, and along the Tuscan coast, called the Maremma, Italy's most dynamic innovators are shaking up the wine world. Discover this mix of old and new as you explore medieval cities and modern winemaking.
Available June - Monday to Saturday

Magical Montalcino - Tuscany, Italy - 1 to 5 days/nights

Take hands-on cooking lessons from Teresa, your personal guide to Italian cooking. Born in Rome and very cosmopolitan and well-traveled, Teresa speaks fluent English and French. Cooking is very creative but Teresa will also explain technical facts of cooking such as the difference between cooking with or without a lid, adding red or white wine or vinegar, and similar examples of simple, easy-to-learn and practical cooking methods.
Available year round

Rhode School of Cuisine - Villa Lucia - Tuscany, Italy - 6 nights

Villa Lucia and the Rhode School of Cuisine invite you to Tuscany for an unforgettable week of culinary instruction, gourmet food, luxurious accommodations and stunning surroundings. Learn to prepare, cook and present fascinating traditional and new dishes with your chef or just relax around the grounds. In addition, you will experience the history and beauty of Tuscany.
Available April to June, September to November - Sunday to Saturday

Tastes of Tuscany - Tuscany, Italy - 7 nights

Experience the tastes of Tuscany while staying at a spectacular villa set near a truffle estate. Learn to make complete four-course Italian dinners covering all the basic Italian cooking techniques. You will also enjoy a one-day excursion to a salami factory, pecorino and goat cheese farm and an olive oil mill for oil tasting with a wine tasting and lunch at a vineyard near Arezzo, time for shopping, sightseeing, a visit to a Tuscan fabric manufacturer with a dinner in a rustic Tuscan restaurant.
Available April to October - Sunday to Sunday

New! Tuscan Cooking in Lucca - (Option: Day Cooking Classes) – Lucca, Italy

Chef Paolo Monti invites you to Lucca for a memorable Tuscan Cooking and Wine vacation in the Heart of Tuscany. Stay in beautiful accommodations and visit fish and vegetable markets, wineries, excursions to Lucca, Parma, Modena and Siena. You will learn the best of "Tuscan Cooking and Living" with four hands-on Italian cooking classes, each with a theme, with over 45 recipes that you can easily recreate at home for friends and family.
Available February to April, June, September to October

 
Tuscan Wine and Food Tour - Tuscany, Italy - 5 nights


Escape to Tuscany for a week of exceptional wines, exciting culinary excursions, delicious food and beautiful scenery. Sample fine wines, visit famous vineyards and even partake in a hands-on cooking course. This holiday will leave you with precious memories of ancient Etruscan landscapes, impressive architecture and a long history of Italy's wine.
Available May to July, September to October - Monday to Saturday

 Villa San Michele Cookery School - Florence, Italy - 2-6 nights


Choose from an array of exciting culinary holidays at the renowned Villa San Michele Cookery School in Florence Italy. There are courses for singles and for children ... for those who love first courses or who want to learn the art of decorating the table! Florence is a perfect place to explore Tuscany and the surrounding countryside.
Available April to July, September to October
 

The Umbrian Kitchen - (Options: Day Cooking Classes, Christmas Cooking and Olive Harvest Programs) - Umbria, Italy - 4 or 7 nights

Learn to cook from a native Italian in a villa set in the spectacular Umbrian valley. This is a gorgeous part of Italy that sometimes goes unnoticed but offers stunning landscape, peace, relaxation and close proximity to popular sites such as Assisi and Orvieto. You will enjoy three hands-on cooking lessons, two full day excursions, gracious hospitality, unforgettable meals and homemade wine.  

Available January to June, September to December - Saturday to Saturday

Cooking in the Veneto with Giuliano Hazan - Verona, Italy - 6 nights

Join us for a spectacular week of gastronomy in northern Italy. Learn to cook from a famous chef and cookbook author. Guiliano Hazan was just awarded the IACP's Award of Excellence for 2007 "Cooking Teacher of the Year". Your home for your stay is a luxurious 16th century villa from the Renaissance period. During the week you will enjoy excursions to famous points of interest, including "Romeo and Juliet's" Verona.
Available May, June and September, October - Sunday to Saturday



Hotel Gritti Palace School of Fine Cooking – (Option: Day Cooking Classes) – Venice, Italy – 5 nights 

Named one of the "Best of the Best," one of the "Top 75 Resorts in Europe," and to the Gold List Reserve by Condé Nast Traveler in 2005, Conde Naste Traveler 2002 Gold List and 2001 Reader’s Choice Awards. Spend 3 luxurious nights at the world-renowned Hotel Gritti Palace in Venice, just steps away from St. Marks Square while enjoying cooking lessons with Head Chef Daniele Turco.
Unavailable in 2008

France

Cooking with Katherine in Burgundy - Burgundy, France – 6 nights

Experience the delights of Burgundy in a fabulous farmhouse. Join Katherine, an experienced and talented chef who not only has had TV appearances but has also had several recipes published in newspapers and has appeared in the most prestigious cooking magazines. Discover the landscapes, valleys, rivers, canals and vineyards and taste divine cuisine and wines.
Available March to June, September to December – Sunday to Saturday

French Cookery Classes - Northern Loire, France - 5 nights

Breathtaking French countryside, fun filled cookery lessons, gastronomic delights, fine wines, a beautifully renovated farmhouse, interesting conversation with new friends. Take part in five days of hands-on gourmet cooking instruction to enhance your confidence and knowledge in the kitchen. What more could one ask for?
Available March to June, August to November - Saturday to Thursday



Cooking in Normandy with Susan Herrmann Loomis - Normandy, France - 5 nights

Join Susan Herrmann Loomis, internationally-recognized food expert and author, for a memorable culinary week at her cooking school in Normandy, France. On Rue Tatin offers a unique program of hands-on cooking classes and immersion into the French way of life and the world of fine food and ingredients along with some wonderful introductions to some very warm and talented people.
Available May to June, August to October - Sunday to Friday




Cooking in Paris - Paris, France - Day Cooking Classes

Learn to cook in Paris! This cooking school offers half-day programs featuring a market visit, a hands-on cooking course, and a gourmet lunch in a renovated 18th century farm house. The experience begins with a market visit to shop for the day’s lesson and to discover the typical French open air market atmosphere. The lessons are hands-on, with one fully-equipped workstation for every two students. Lessons are taught in English.
Available year round




Authentic France - (Option: Truffle Weekends, Day Cooking Classes) - Provence, France - 3 or 6 nights

For those wanting an authentic French experience, this is the holiday for you. Stay in a beautifully restored farmhouse in the countryside of Provence, take cooking lessons from your hostess, a French-born woman anxious to show you the secrets of traditional Provençal cuisine using the freshest and most delicate ingredients that Provence has to offer. From December to early March, inquire about our truffle experience!
Available year round



 NEW! Cooking in the French Riviera - Provence, France - 2, 4 or 5 nights

Learn to cook from a renowned chef in the French Riviera. Stay in a restored farmhouse overlooking vineyards and olive trees. You will learn about market produce, flavourings and the subtleties of spices, olive oil and sometimes even about the black truffles grown in the area. Students can taste the joy of successfully making and then tasting various Provençal dishes, washed down with wines from the chateau.
Available February 14 to November 1

Culinary Provence - Provence, France - 6 nights
Experience magical Provence with Carole, acclaimed chef and restaurateur and her French-born husband, Bernard. Small groups of eight to ten persons, gorgeous accommodations in a restored home, cooking classes, divine cuisine, fine wines and cultural activities. Provence awaits your arrival and promises to make your dreams come true!
Available May, June, September and October
 

The Perfumes, Colours and Flavours of the Luberon - (Option: Day Cooking Classes) - Provence, France - 4 or 7 nights

Join Chef Patrick for a week in the heart of the Luberon. Daily hands-on cooking classes and excursions to neighboring villages and visits to traditional markets offering all the local produce for which Provence is renowned - from olive oil to fine wines and cheeses. See Patrick's cameo appearance in the Russell Crowe movie "A Good Year".
Available March to June, September to December - Saturday to Saturday

Provençal Gourmand - (Option: Day Cooking Classes)- Provence, France - 5 or 7 nights

Learn to cook from a native in Arles, shop for the days' ingredients at the local markets, visit a local winery and several local food artisans including the baker, beekeeper, and goat cheese maker and simply revel in wonderful food and wine. You'll share the passion, riches and pleasures of this very special region called Provence.
Available April/May, June, July

Provence Cooking Classes - Provence, France - 6 nights

Stay in a beautiful 18th century farmhouse, twenty minutes east of Nyons, the olive capital of France. Each day consists of hands-on cooking classes by a professional chef and excursions into this sun-drenched and historical corner of Provence. The guest rooms all have private baths and are comfortably furnished.
Available June and September - Tuesday to Monday

 
A Small Taste of Provence - (Options: Day Cooking Classes, Longer Stays, French Lessons) - Provence, France - 2 or 4 nights

Looking for a small village in Provence for some relaxation, historical points of interest and cooking classes? This bed and breakfast is a perfect place to discover the area, gain some culinary experience and taste exquisite wines. The location is ideal since it is close to Avignon, Chateauneuf de Pape and the Luberon region.
Available year round

NEW! Active Gourmets in Bordeaux - Bordeaux, France - 6 nights

Enjoy a six night culinary and wine tour in the Entre Deux Mers. We can tailor your holiday and depending on your interests we can include cooking instruction, wine tastings, garden visits, spa, exploration and more. Stay in a lovely bed and breakfast situated on the edge of a small village and get to know the French in this renowned region in France.
Available year round - Saturday to Friday

Bordeaux Gourmand- Bordeaux, France - (Options: Day Cooking Classes, Weekend Visits) - 3 or 6 nights

Enjoy a four or seven day culinary and wine tour offering you luxurious accommodations in a 19th century Chateaux, hands-on cooking classes, wine tastings and wine education and discovering this exquisite region of France. This program is perfect for travelers  interested in fine cuisine, Bordeaux wines and the French “Art de vivre”. Limited to eight participants.
Available April to November

NEW! Cooking in the Dordogne- Dordogne, France - 7 nights

Take hands-on, personalized cooking classes from a French chef in her 18th century country home. The program includes hands on cooking lessons with daily visits to the local outdoor markets and suppliers to select the freshest ingredients as well as sightseeing visits to the surrounding countryside and villages to discover the authenticity and architecture of this magnificent area.

Available April to October

Culinary Escapes in the South of France - (Option: Inquire about our Moroccan Progam in Marrakesh)- Uzès, France - 7 nights


Spend a memorable culinary week at a charming Mas (farmhouse) in the South of France near the medieval village of Uzès. Your hostess, renowned chef, author and broadcaster Peta Mathias, will teach you the secrets of  the cuisine of the South of France. You will stay at the Mas des Oules at St-Victor des Oules in self contained gites and experience all that is French.
Available June in France and October in Marrakesh




 
The Food and Wine of France - (Options: Basque Tour, Normandy Tour, Pyrenees/Cathar Tour and South Africa Tour) - Bordeaux, France - 5 nights

Jean-Pierre, formerly Head Chef at Chez Panisse, and Denise, whose family owns a number of famous chateaux in Bordeaux, invite you to learn about the gastronomy of France. Cooking classes, vineyard visits and lovely accommodations!
Available June and September



The Foods and Wines of the Languedoc-Roussillon - (Options: Day Cooking Classes, Shorter or Longer Stays, Painting, Photography, Horseback Riding, Biking, Hiking) - Languedoc-Roussillon, France - 7 nights

Join us in this pristine region in the Southeast of France, where you will learn French, English, Oriental, Vegetarian and Fusion cooking in a well equipped kitchen in a beautiful chateau. Visit local food producers, taste fine wines from the Corbieres and Minervois and visit the Narbonne market where you will learn to select the freshest foods for your class.
Available year round



Spain

Cooking with Rashida - (Options: Day Cooking Classes) - Estepona/Marbella, Spain - 5 nights

Join Rashida in Marbella, Spain for organic hands-on cooking classes at her breathtaking beach villa overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. Rashida is a regular guest on a show where she talks about healthy cooking and eating. She speaks 4 languages and has traveled extensively. You will stay in a charming 4 star hotel during your stay.

Available year round

Culinary Delights of Andalusia - (Option: Custom Tours) - Iznájar, Spain - 3 or 6 nights

Stay in a small hilltop Moorish village in Andalusia which overlooks breathtaking views. Your stay will include hands-on cooking classes with a professional chef who is also the owner and along with his lovely wife, you will have a magical week of cuisine, wine, exploration and immersion into this magical place in Andalusia. The farmhouse (finca) where you will be staying has been tastefully restored retaining its charm and beauty indicative of the region.

Available year round

A Taste of Seville - (Options: Customized Tours, Tapas Tours and Excursions) - Seville, Spain - 3 nights

For those of you who have an appreciation for exquisite gastronomy and mouthwatering wines, take the cultural plunge into Seville. Learn to cook a typical Andalusian meal, explore amazing cities, taste sherry and visit food producers. Elegant restaurants, aromatic food markets, spectacular towns and exciting excursions.
Available year round

The Cuisine of Catalonia- Catalonia, Spain - 4 nights

Enjoy professional hands-on cooking classes from a renowned chef, stay in luxurious accommodations at a 15th century farmhouse which is now a 4*Star hotel and learn about traditional cuisine in this beautiful region in Spain. You will also visit Girona, a cheese factory, a chocolate factory (with tastings permitted!) and taste some fine wines from the region.
Available March to June and September to October – Monday to Friday