What's included
- 7 nights of accommodation in one of the self catering accommodations at the Villa Pandolfini estate
- A welcome basket containing fruit, yoghurt, cereal, bread, prosciutto, cheeses, juice, coffee, tea, wine
- 10 meals at the school and at excellent well researched trattorias/restaurants
- 4 hands-on cooking classes
- A full day excursion of Southern Tuscany villages and wine cellar visit
- Historic guided tour of Florence with food market tour
- Full day culture tour about ceramics,and alternatively Medici villa tour or Artimino (based on period of stay and weather conditions)
- All transportation for daily trips and excursions included in the schedule
- A signature 'Villa Pandolfini' apron
- 150 page Tuscan recipe book in English
Not included
- Airfare
- Travel insurance
- Transfer to the estate or free time transfers
- Personal items purchased during your stay such as shampoo, soaps, insect repellent
- Phone calls
- Meals not indicated in the program
- Additional trips or excursions not listed on the itinerary
- Any other optional activities
Arrive at the Villa Pandolfini estate in the afternoon and settle into your accommodation. There will be a welcome dinner in the evening with the organizers and villa owners. Enjoy the evening and get to know your hosts and fellow participants.
Today you will explore the delights that Southern Tuscany has to offer. Start the day with breakfast at a local pastry shop and then start exploring the medieval hilltop towns of Pienza, Montalcino, and Bagno Vignoni. Lunch will be served at a typical trattoria. You will tour a wine cellar and take part in a Brunello wine tasting. Enjoy dinner at a local pizzeria.
Your first cooking class will last for approximately 5 hours. You will prepare a 5-course meal, then enjoy a sit-down lunch or dinner. You will learn to make crostini toscani, saffron risotto with veal broth, potato gnocchi with duck ragu, ossobuco, Florentine spinach, and Tiramisu.
The rest of the day can be spent exploring the grounds on your own or taking a short trip to Florence, Pisa or Siena on the local train.
Today you will visit Florence. A guide will show you the city's highlights, then you will visit the central food markets to see where both locals and businesses buy their fresh produce.
Take a private transfer back to the villa and enjoy a delicious dinner in one of the local restaurants.
One your second cooking class, you will make a 5-course meal followed by a sit-down lunch. You will learn to make crostini with Tuscan sausage and stracchino cheese, Florentine savory crepes with radicchio rosso and bechamel, eggplant and walnut ravioli garnished with butter and fresh parsley, spezzatino, potato and truffle flan, panna cotta served with mixed berries coulis.
Your afternoon will be free for you to either relax at the villa and enjoy the pool or explore the area on your own.
On your third cooking class you will learn to make cannellini bean salad, pici pasta with aglione sauce, gnudi with tomato and basil, baked pork marinated in orange, fennel and wine, ricotta cake with chocolate sauce.
Feel free to enjoy the evening either on your own or joined by your fellow participants.
Today you will visit a ceramics factory to see how they make and paint beautiful Tuscan ceramics. You will then take a tour of one of the Medici residences in Poggio A Caiano. Lunch will be served at the hamlet of Artimo and then you will head back to start your final cooking class at the estate.
Learn to make artichoke salad with Parmesan shaves and walnuts, bi-colored tagliatelle with porcini mushrooms, Tuscan peasant bread soup, stuffed chicken with pistachio nuts and fontina zucchini flowers, cantuccini biscuits with homemade vin santo ice cream.
After breakfast, check out, say goodbye to your hosts and start your trip back home or continue your journey through Italy.
Breakfast basket with fruit, yogurt, bread, coffee, tea, sugar, eggs, biscuits, and juice will be provided every morning. For the duration of your stay, you will be served ten meals in selected restaurants or at the school.
This cooking vacation takes place at the Pandolfini estate, just 15 minutes away from Florence. The 1.5 square kilometers / 150 hectare estate is comprised of forest, vineyards, olive trees and a historic residence from the Renaissance period.
How to get there:
The closest airport is Florence Airport, a 20-minute drive away. Bologna and Pisa airports are both a one-hour drive from Villa Pandolfini.
Chef Alberto was born in Milan and has worked in Michelin-starred restaurants in France and Italy among which are Ristorante Antica Osteria del Teatro and Ristorante Al Bersagliere di Goito. His teaching techniques are rooted in his belief that anyone can learn to cook as long as they are open minded and willing to accept that food and history are tied together in a symbiotic fashion.
Chef Luciano is a proud graduate of L'istituto Alberghiero di Alessandria and has since perfected his skills in some of the worlds best restaurants in the UK and Italy. He is a firm believer that nothing should go to waste in the cooking process and is very appreciated by the students due to his larger than life personality.
Maurizio is a chef and restaurant owner with a passion for teaching. Maurizio has a young spirit and this is reflected in his teaching style which is relaxed and fun.
Chef Antonio will be your pizzaiolo during the trip, he has trained with some of Italy's best chefs and will teach you how to correctly use a wood burning oven and always make perfect pizza dough.
Are the cooking classes available to all levels?
Absolutely, no prior cooking experience is required. All levels of knowledge and ability are more than welcome.
When is the cooking vacation available?
This experience is available from April, every week, with Saturday arrivals. Please get in touch to check availability.
What language is used during the cooking classes and other activities?
The entire experience is available in English.
How many people are to be expected in the cooking sessions and other activities?
Classes usually have between six and eight participants.
Is any equipment provided?
Everything you need is included in the package.
I am vegetarian / vegan. Can I still book this cooking vacation?
Yes. Please get in touch in advance to discuss your specific dietary requirements.
Is WiFi available?
Yes, WiFi is available and free of charge at the accommodation. However, due to the thick walls of the villas, not all rooms have direct access to the Internet.
Are there any age restrictions?
This experience is available to guests aged 14 and above. However, please keep in mind that you must be 18 years of age to travel independently.
I have food allergies, is this experience right for me?
Please get in touch to discuss your specific requirements, dietary restrictions, and concerns. Guests who suffer from severe, life-threatening allergies are strongly encouraged to come prepared with all the necessary medication and be capable of self-administering it.
Would this experience be suited for people with limited mobility?
Unfortunately this experience would not be well-suited for people with limited mobility.
Do I need a visa?
Guests traveling from EU and/or Schengen member states may enter Italy for tourist purposes without a visa. Please contact us for further guidance.
Where should I land?
The closest airport is Florence Airport, a 20-minute drive away. Bologna and Pisa airports are both a one-hour drive from Villa Pandolfini.
Are airport transfers included?
Transfers to the estate are not included in the experience price, but please get in touch to discuss transportation options.
Are there any check-in and check-out hours?
Check-in is after 02:00 p.m. and check-out is at 12:00 p.m.
What should I pack?
You can bring insect repellent, comfortable clothing and walking shoes, swimwear, sunscreen, warmer clothes and umbrella if you are traveling in the cooler seasons.
How far in advance should I book?
Try to book at least 90 days in advance to make sure there is availability for your selected dates.
Anne:
"Great experience with wonderful food and wine. Came away with a cookbook full of delicious recipes. This would suit anyone. Extremely friendly people."
Katy:
"We enjoy cooking quite a bit at home and on our trip to Italy we wanted to dive into authentic Tuscan cooking and techniques. We made 5 courses from scratch, including making our own pasta! Our chef was fantastic, he shared lots of jokes and stories, as well as useful cooking tips and tricks. You'll leave with a full belly, a great cookbook, and the ability to impress your friends and family with new cooking abilities."
Penelope:
"We spent a week cooking almost 30 different dishes. The chef's are patient and very knowledgeable. Meghan and her family along with the entire staff are a delight to get to know. I am sure there are host of cooking school scattered throughout Italy but I would not think twice and would return here if the opportunity presents itself again. The property is beautiful, the excursions are well planned out, and the cooking is more than fun. I walked away with a host of recipes that I feel comfortable re-creating in my own kitchen."
Magdalena:
"I attended the classes this September and had enjoyed it. I learned lots of cooking secrets from the chefs that were really profesional. The amosphere was great. It is a great place to learn something new, meet people and relax. I will come back for sure. I recomend it to everyone! You won't regret it!"
