Culinary & Wine Tours> Portugal> Refúgio da Vila Cooking School

Portugal: Refúgio da Vila Cooking School
Alentejo, Portugal - 7 nights

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. The specially designed kitchen, with a fireplace for baking Portuguese breads and curing sausages, is an ideal atmosphere for cooking instruction. Your exquisitely furnished room only complements this spectacular escape where you will learn to love this hidden treasure of a country and its kind and friendly people.



Your Week In Portugal

Day One (Sunday) -
Upon your arrival into Lisbon airport, you will take a taxi to the Hotel in Lisbon where you will check-in and have some free time before your hostess meets you in the hotel lobby at 7pm. Welcome reception and dinner this evening with the other guests. Overnight: Hotel Avenida Palace or Similar.

Day Two (Monday) -

This morning, we drive to the small Alentejo town of Portel, and Refúgio da Vila, our base for the week. After an orientation walk around Portel, past the 13th century castle and Baroque Church, and lunch, we'll enter a Portuguese kitchen and have our first Cooking Class: Introduction to Portuguese Gastronomy, a study in influences and seasonings. Dinner at Adega do Refúgio. Overnight: Refúgio da Vila

After breakfast our second Cooking Class begins: The Importance of fish and Olive Oil in Portuguese Cuisine. Lunch is a chance to sample your own cooking! Non-cooking partners join at the table. This afternoon you'll visit the Esporão Wine State, blending ancient and modern winemaking techniques. The grapes of this wine region include Periquita, Trincadeira, Tinta Roriz, and Moreto for red wines, and Roupeiro, Manteudo, Perrum, Rabo de Ovelha for the whites - all Portuguese varieties, as well as Cabernet Sauvignon, and Shyraz. The nearby Arts & Crafts Center of Reguengos displays a wonderful collection of Alentejo wares. The road winds past megalithic sites to the thousand-year-old village of Monsaraz. Here we'll dine under the shadow of the 13th century castle built by King Afonso III.

Day Four (Wednesday) -
Today's focus is on local produce: The Abundance from Local Quintas/Farms and Ranches. This afternoon, we'll tour nearby Évora, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Cultural Center of the Alentejo, and a beautiful white town with a wealth of monuments, from Roman times to the 19th century.  After a walking tour, you'll have free time to explore and shop on your own. Dinner at Adega do Refúgio.

Day Five (Thursday) -
Cooks, This is your day off! Today we’ll drive into the northen Alentejo, and before lunch at Vila Viçosa, we visit its Renaissance Ducal Palace. Passing through the marble area we visit the historical and white town of Estremoz, enclosed within its ramparts and overlooks a vast plain of gnarled olive trees and wheat fields. After passing through Estremoz, we return to Portel in time for dinner

Day Six (Friday) -

This region is known for its Aromatic Herbs, and wild flowers. This morning we’ll use them in dishes that the locals have passed on through the generations. Enjoy an afternoon excursion to several traditional peculiar villages. This evening, sit down to a Farewell Dinner at the Adega do Refúgio.

Today's Cooking Class focuses on: The Flavors of the South... After lunch, enjoy a siesta and a free afternoon to stroll, ride out on horseback, bicycle, or simply lounge by the pool. This evening, dinner includes entertainment from a local folklore group.

Day Eight (Sunday) - After breakfast, transfer back to Lisbon.

BOOKING INFORMATION
2008 FEES PER PERSON (US Exchange Rate ($) will be calculated on day of booking)	DEPOSIT
Double Occupancy €2450 Non-Cooking Partner Reduction €219 Single Room Supplement €199 Junior Suite Supplement €135 Royal Suite Supplement €249	After availability is confirmed, a deposit of 500€ per person and the completed and submitted registration form will secure your reservation. Final payment is due in full 60 days before your arrival date.
2008 DATES	INCLUDED
January 20-27 February 10-17 February 24-March 2 March 2-9 March 9-16 March 23-30 March 30-April 6 April 6-13 April 13-20 May 4-11 May 11-18 May 18-25 May 25-June 1 June 1-8 June 15-22 September 14-21 Spetember 21-28 September 28-October 5 October 5-12 October 12-19 November 2-9 November 9-16 November 16-23 December 7-15 December 15-22	*Seven (7) nights' luxury accommodations with breakfast *Daily lunch and dinner, with wines *Five cooking classes; all supplies *Tours with English-speaking guide *Land transfers to and from Portel *Pre-trip information Airfare and personal expenses are not included.

For further inquiries or to register, click here.



CANCELLATION POLICY
If client cancels at least 10 weeks prior to arrival date, entire deposit is refundable. If cancellation is made between 10 weeks and 4 weeks, 50% of deposit is refunded. If cancellation is made less than 4 weeks prior to arrival date, no refund will be due. If, in any case, the school needs to cancel any confirmed reservation the entire deposit will be refunded. Booking fee is non-refundable. Travel insurance is highly recommended.

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