A Villa In Tuscany (trip)
A Villa In Tuscany
- Airport near Florence, Italy
- Culinary & Wine Travel
| from €2,680* per person | 7 Days | May, September |
| Boutique accommodations | Exertion level: 3 | |
| Operator: Gourmet On Tour | 16 people max | |
The main structure of Villa Lucia dates back to the year 500, while later additions and beautiful frescoes reflect the artistic period of the 18th century. Recently featured in a book of elegant Lucchesi villas and formal Italian gardens, the walled garden of the Villa Lucia estate will delight you with its extensive grapevine pergola, ancient grottos and fountains, swimming pools and tennis court.
All three villas have their own luxury kitchens, reception rooms and private terraces. Each villa is individually decorated to the highest standards. All bedrooms have en-suite bathrooms and king-size top quality beds. The tasteful renovation includes wonderful antique furniture and the curtains and bedspreads are of specially selected designer fabrics.
Our villa will serve as your “home base” for exploring one of the most beautiful regions of Italy.
The wooded foothills and meadows are carpeted with wild flowers in the spring and filled with magnificent colour and fungi in the autumn. Pisa and Florence are less than an hour away.
Our Italian cooking vacations include interesting cultural excursions. Explore Lucca’s maze of pedestrian streets within its walls, stopping in unique shops, interspersed among the churches and other medieval buildings with their striped marble Romanesque façades. Visit Florence, where the displays of cheeses, salamis, vegetables, and fruit are works of art in of themselves.
Visit museums or indulge in some fine shopping, or visit the beautiful city of Sienna and its Marble Duomo, or explore medieval San Gimignano and vineyards of the Chianti.....
Italian cooking classes
The Italian cooking classes are set up in an intimate, hands-on manner, so that complete
novices can sit along side professional chefs, yet both be educated and amused. Our chef
will patiently teach you the skills and techniques required to prepare beautiful Italian cuisine in a relaxed and enjoyable environment. His warm personality will make you feel comfortable and fully capable of producing some of Italy's most famous dishes.
Our chef will help you unravel the mystery of selecting the finest, freshest ingredients avail-
able. You will learn to differentiate between various olive oils and balsamic vinegars and use
them appropriately. With this knowledge of ingredients, you will make full Italian meals: anti-
pasti, soups, assorted primi piatti of pasta, risotto, pizza, secondi piatti of meat, poultry, and
fish, various vegetable contorni, and many delicious dolci including Tiramisu and biscotti. You
will recreate the flavours and aromas of traditional Tuscan cuisine with pizzas, breads and
roasted meats cooked in our wood-burning oven. New “traditional” techniques adapt these
recipes for the modern home kitchen and barbecues.
As well as some of the more complicated dishes there are several simple and delicious recipes all complied in the recipe manual each student receives at the beginning of the week. The manual also contains a wealth of information such as a glossary of Italian cooking terms, conversion tables and a list of the Italian recipes you will prepare, cook and eat during your week of cooking classes.
Our staff all speak English and will make sure you are entertained or completely relaxed de-
pending on your mood. They have a genuine interest in making this a special experience for
you. They understand that this is first and foremost a holiday. The theme is Italian cuisine, and it’s offered in abundance, and never at the expense of enjoyment.
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Locations visited/nearby
Italy, Europe
Itinerary
SundayFly to Pisa or Florence and arrive at Villa Lucia by the mid- afternoon.
Enjoy the Welcome Cocktails and canapés.
Meet your hostesses at the beautiful frescoed grand entrance in the afternoon for a walk through the property grounds and walk through the charming historic village of Vorno. You will be acquainted with our philosophy of a flexible and relaxed vacation. We will discuss the program for the week and any special interests you may have.
Free time to relax before your buffet dinner.
Monday
After breakfast, hands-on cooking lesson:
Insalata di pere con gorgonzola, rucola e pinoli
(Salad of Glazed Pear, Gorgonzola, Rucola & Pine Nut)
Fettuccine fatte in casa con salsa alla puttanesca ( Fresh Fettuccine w/ Puttanesca Sauce)
Sorbetto al limoncello ( Limoncello Sorbet)
Lunch served on the terrace and afternoon at leisure to relax around the villa.
Afternoon Trip – San Andrea di Compito for a visit of the Alle Camelie olive oil farm
and winery and tasting their production with guided tour through the property.
Late afternoon Cooking Class:
Zuppa di funghi porcini e patate insaporite con l`olio al tartufo
(Porcini Mushroom and Potato Soup Scented with Truffle Oil)
Stufato di pollo con prosciutto, spezie e risotto con peperoni grigliati
(Stuffed Chicken wrapped in Prosciutto w/ Herb, Grilled Pepper Risotto)
Nectarine grigliate con amaretto ( Grilled Nectarines with Amaretto Sabayon)
Aperitif and dinner at the Villa.
Tuesday
Breakfast and guided tour through the city of Lucca by Cristiana. Lucca is known as a city of many churches with 100 in existence at the end of the Middle Ages. The city became a colony of ancient Rome in 180BC and bordered the Etruscan country. The survival of the Anfiteatro from these Roman times is due to Nottolini, the architect who built the aqueduct between Lucca and Pisa. In the 12th-13th centuries, Lucca was the centre of a thriving silk and wool trade and rivaled Florence in power and wealth. The proof of this abundance is the many churches and the wall of protection around the old city.
After the two hours tour, free time to wonder around and enjoy lunch in the local restaurant.
Hands-on cooking lesson in the late afternoon:
Gnocchi con pesto e pomodori (Gnocchi w/ Pesto and Cherry Tomatoes)
Orata con ratatouille, finocchio, succo di limone
(Mediterranean Bream with Ratatouille and Fennel & Lemon Sauce)
Pannacotta con frutti di bosco (Pannacotta with mixed berry dressing)
Aperitif and dinner at the Villa.
Wednesday
After breakfast, departure for Pistoia fresh fruit and vegetable market which is set up just under the Renaissance Cathedral. The market is one of the most Italian experiences you will get, seeing the locals as well as your chef to discuss the seasonal produce, select the best from the stands, taste the fresh food or just have a stroll through.
After we leave Pistoia we will be returning back to the Villa with short stop in the village of Guamo to taste some of the best wines from the region.
Stop in Montecatini Alto - spa town is an option or in a medieval village
Afternoon cooking Class:
Minestrone con Focaccia ( Minestrone Soup w/ Focaccia )
Vitello e risotto con I funghi porcini (Beef w/ Porcini Mushroom Risotto and fresh spinach)
Castagnaccio (Traditional Tuscan Chestnut Cake)
Aperitif and dinner at the Villa.
Thursday
After breakfast, hands-on cooking course:
Insalata con finocchi, arance sanguigne, noci, pepe e formaggio di capra
(Salad of Fennel, Blood Oranges, Walnuts and Peppered Goat Cheese)
Cotolette d`agnello marinate con il rosmarino e verdure grigliate
(Rosemary Marinated Lamb Cutlets w/ Roasted Autumn Vegetables and Demi Glace)
Amaretto crème brûlée
Lunch and free afternoon for an optional tour to Pisa, or just stay in the Villa and relax.
Dinner in Bimbotto – you would not get the full feel of Vorno without stepping into its best, and only, restaurant with great pizzas and fresh pasta menu.
Friday
After breakfast, depart for a longer tour. Depending on the season, we will take you to the Gafragnana National Park to a tiny little village of Colognora di Pescaglia. The village is known for chestnut production and this fruit is used there as the main ingredient. We will visit the chestnut museum and after you will learn about the history and hard work connected with the harvest you will enjoy lunch in the local restaurant where traditional and very typical dishes are served.
We will also stop at Devils Bridge in Borgo a Mozzano build few centuries back and in another of the villages within the national park.
Late afternoon, hands-on cooking class:
Insalata con rucola, formaggio di capra, pomodori secchi, e bietole cotte in riduzione (Goats Cheese, Sundried Tomato, Rucola and Beetroot reduction)
Ravioli al ripieno di ricotta e pere con salsa di gorgonzola
(Pear Ricotta Ravioli with Gorgonzola Sauce)
Tiramisu (pick me up)
Graduation Ceremony and formal dinner at the Villa.
Saturday
Depart for the airport before noon. Thank you for sharing a special week with us!
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