Treat yourself to a relaxing two or four night getaway with a cooking lesson in a small and elegant Relais, located just 20 minutes outside of Florence.

The Marignolle Relais is an excellent base for excursions in the Chianti area. Paola, your host Lorenzo's mother, will teach you the secrets of authentic Florentine and Tuscan cuisine and will be accompanied by her daughter Silvia.

The Marignolle Relais overlooks one of the most breathtaking hills surrounding Florence between the Certosa Convent and Ponte Vecchio. Lorenzo and the entire Bulleri family will make you feel at home with their wonderful hospitality. This 9 room Relais has been completely restored and contains modern amenities with beautiful marble bathrooms, gorgeous furnishings, with some rooms having a lovely terrace where breakfast can be served and all rooms having a beautiful view of the garden. During May to October, guests can also enjoy a beautiful swimming pool with a large solarium.

 

The cooking school is located adjacent to the Relais, in the Bulleri family's well equipped kitchen of their home. The hands-on cooking classes include learning traditional Florentine and Tuscan recipes and last approximately two and a half hours. You will learn to prepare an antipasto, like bruschetta or crostini toscani, a primi piatti like pappa al pomodoro or tagliatelle pomodori e zucchini, and a dolci such as tiramisu or torta della nonna. Buon appetito!

Florence, Italy

ITINERARY

Four Night Program

 

For your first evening at the Marignolle, settle in and get acquainted with your beautiful surroundings. Lorenzo will be happy to make a recommendation for dinner at one of the many wonderful restaurants in the area.

In addition to your cooking lesson with Paola, you will enjoy a full day deluxe guided tour of the Chianti countryside and San Gimignano, with private car and driver. The tour is composed of a visit to the lovely village of Greve and then a famous winery visit. The owner will conduct a tour of the property and explain the process of wine-making; then a visit of the cellars and a wine tasting. The tour proceeds to Castellina in Chianti (one of my favorite villages!) or another small village of the area for lunch on your own.

You will also be treated to a guided walking tour of Florence which lasts about 3 hours. You will see famous sculptures, frescoes and paintings in the Duomo, Santa Trinita, Orsanmichele as well as the Baptistery, Bell Tower, Gates of Paradise, Brunelleschi's Dome, Vasari's Corridor, Piazza della Signoria, Palazzo Vecchio, Medieval towers, Ponte Vecchio, Renaissance Palaces, famous shopping streets and other sights. There is also a visit to the renowned Uffizi Gallery to view Botticelli's works and other famous paintings.

This holiday is a perfect short escape to get a taste of Florence and its treasures, or an ideal add-on to a longer stay in Italy.