Cinque Terre and Tuscany cooking Tour (3
nights)
Tuscany Cooking & Touring Tour
(5 nights)
Tuscany Cooking break (3 nights)
Tuscany Truffles Autumn Cooking & Touring
long week-end (2 nights)
The Euro
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Cinque Terre and Tuscany Cooking Tour (3 nights) - small group Guided Tour.
Euro 1,200.00
This trip shows you the best part of Liguria, with as well some parts of Tuscany. The five villages of the Cinque Terre are connected by a railway system that tunnels beneath the cliffs and reappear at each village. Our program of walks is quite varied - it includes walking the most famous path in the area, the Via dell’Amore, but we also follow other paths and we go by foot, train and boat to all the five villages, as well as enable us to wander amongst vineyards and experience the natural beauty of the region.
This trip includes cooking classes on Tuscan cuisine from top Tuscan chefs.
The most elegant town of Tuscany, Lucca, the best coast of Tuscany, Versilia, the worldwide famous jewel-villages, the Cinque Terre. A fabulous cuisine tour, savoring Tuscan cuisine at his best, cooking with top chefs, living an unforgettable experience, in touch with art, tradition, history, nature, all in a small group of a maximum of 8 people.
The optional additional day to the Cinque Terre (meaning ‘Five Lands’ in Italian) brings you to the five picturesque villages of Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore. The area has been proclaimed a major national park and is a unique part of Italy. For over a thousand years people have lived in this dramatic landscape, slowly altering its features and cultivating the steep hillsides that lead down to the rocky shores. Today the Cinque Terre offer a glorious natural and historical landscape that is best explored on foot. An extensive network of ancient mule tracks, now used as footpaths, take you past an extraordinary series of terraces, built by hand with stones and earth. Many of the terraces are still being cultivated and, notwithstanding the enormous amount of labor required, are still producing white wines for which the region has been renowned since medieval times. While agriculture has always been the backbone that has supported the villagers, they have also made a living from the sea. Documents from Monterosso’s 15th Century statutes record a number of decrees regulating the fishing industry of the day.
5-days 4-nights program, from Wednesday to Sunday.
This tour is for a small group of a maximum of 8 participants.
The tour is guided by a group of experienced, friendly touristic and gastronomic Tuscan guides:
See what their past guests have to say about them.
DAY BY DAY ITINERARY
Day 1 Thursday / Pisa and Lucca
Your trip starts today with your arrival in Pisa, the city
of the leaning tower and a gem in Tuscany’s crown. No activities are planned
so you may arrive at any time, and you have the entire day available to you
for a visit of Pisa, with its leaning tower and "Campo dei Miracoli".
The nearby cathedral and baptistery are also worth visiting. You can take a
walk through the charming historical centre of Pisa and find yourselves now
surrounded by local Italian students, instead of foreign tourists! There really is so
much to see in Pisa, so if you are arriving earlier, plan to make a few
discoveries of your own.
See more info on
Pisa...>>>
After your day in Pisa, from 5PM onwards we will pick you up for free from the Pisa airport or the Pisa rail road station or "Campo dei Miracoli" square and we will bring you to your hotel in Lucca.
At 8 PM in the evening
you meet your tour leader and your fellow travelling companions at a
Welcome Meeting, where your leader will give you a briefing on what lies
ahead on your tour. This is followed by dinner in one of the sidewalk
typical restaurants, where we can dine on local specialties and absorb the
ambience of this fabulous city.
Dinner and welcome reception at 8 pm.
Day 1 Thursday / Cinque Terre:
Riomaggiore, Manarola and Vernazza
-
OPTIONAL ADDITIONAL DAY -
Optional CINQUE TERRE tour on extra day. This optional unforgettable one day tour can be done on Thursday, arriving a day earlier, on Wednesday.
Price of the optional tour, including extra-night, dinner and everything: Euro 360.00 per person
Today is the day for a tour to one of the most spectacular parts of the Italian coastline. By foot, train and boat, we will explore the "five lands", the untouched fishing villages standing like antique jewels on the steep coast.
A short train ride takes us to Riomaggiore today, where we start the most famous of all walks in the area - the famous Sentiero dell’Amore (Lover’s Walk), a very easy beautiful walk along the sea. The walk ends at Manarola, an attractive little village with steep multi-colored houses overlooking a rocky port (30 minute-walk).
From Manarola it rises slightly then levels off along a lovely bridle-path and arrives at the Corniglia Railway Station. From here it continues on to the centre of the village climbing up some steep steps (1 hour). This is one of the prettiest section of the Cinque Terre, walking around the headland and heading up the 365 steps to Corniglia, perched on a ridge overlooking the sea.
From Corniglia we take the train to Monterosso. The participants who do not feel like walking this slightly more difficult and longer section between Manarola and Corniglia can take the train from Manarola and join the group in Monterosso.
You will have a fish lunch at a typical "trattoria" in Monterosso. After lunch we go with the train from Monterosso to Vernazza. This is arguably the prettiest of the five villages and we have time to climb up the castle tower and enjoy a stunning view of the port, resplendent with its brightly painted boats. There are numerous cafés and bars, where we can enjoy a refreshment before taking the train back to Lucca.
The return continues with a stunning boat trip from Vernazza to Riomaggiore, with a beautiful view from the sea of the coast, the vineyards and the villages.
See more info on the Cinque Terre...>>>
Return and dinner at your hotel.
Day 2 Friday / cuisine class and Lucca
In the morning you will have a cooking class by Loretta Degli Innocenti, chef of Villa Chini, specializing in Tuscan traditional cuisine. The class will be in the kitchen of the Villa Chini's restaurant, and will be followed by a lunch at the restaurant. Loretta has been a professional cook since she was young, in different restaurants of the Versilia region where she was born. A well known representative of the traditional cuisine, her recipes rediscover the tastes of the folk cuisine. The first German TV net (ARD) had shown her classes several times in their programs during the years 2000-2001-2002-2005.
In the afternoon there will be a guided visit of Lucca old
town - a beautiful Renaissance town built on Roman foundations. We walk
through Piazza Risorgimento and make our way into the heart of this stunning
walled town. It is a pleasant way to explore the maze of old and mostly
traffic-free streets. After wandering into the centre we have free time to
explore the city and perhaps do some shopping or climb to the top of Torre Guinigi
for a splendid view of the ancient tiled rooftops.
See more info on
Lucca...>>>
The dinner will be at a typical restaurant at walking distance from your hotel.
Day 3 Saturday / Viareggio cuisine class and Carrara
Today you will have an hands-on cooking class, coached by chef Cristiano Tomei, specializing in Tuscany fish recipe. The class and the lunch will be at his restaurant, L'Imbuto in Viareggio.
In the afternoon you will be taken to Carrara to discover the production of the typical white marble.
The dinner will be at your hotel.
Day 4 Sunday / Lucca
Day 1 Thursday / Pisa and Lucca
Your trip ends today with aa escorted visit to Pisa, the city of the leaning tower and a gem in Tuscany’s crown, with its leaning tower and "Campo dei Miracoli". The nearby cathedral and baptistery are also worth visiting. You can take a walk through the charming historical centre of Pisa and find yourselves now surrounded by local Italian students, instead of foreign tourists!
Lunch at one of the best typical restaurants in town.
Our trip ends after breakfast this morning. Transfer to r.r. station or airport around 3 pm, for departures. Those who want to extend their stay can book additional nights.
Lodging options (depending on the period of the year):
Club Hotel I Pini*** historic dwelling in Camaiore on the sea coast.
Galileo CHINI was born in 1873. He was a famous painter. Some of his beautiful works of Art can be found at the Modern Art Gallery in Rome, at the Uffizi in Florence and at the Modern Art Gallery in Palazzo Pitti. He built a vacation retreat in Versilia and called it Villa Chini. Its large sunny rooms, delightful ornamentation and century-old park were the height of luxury. Today the estate in the Liberty style is called "Club I Pini Hotel". It is a charming small hotel where guests return faithfully year after year to enjoy warm family-type hospitality. Many of Chini's paintings, frescoes and decorations, such as a colorful stained-glass fruit basket, are displayed throughout the common rooms where guests can congregate in several sitting areas. His furniture and personal belongings are everywhere, including in the simple guest rooms, all of which have private bathroom, telephone and television. Some also have balconies overlooking the spectacular garden, whose towering trees and profuse sweet-smelling flowers make it a tranquil oasis completely protected from the bustling seaside resort town of Lido di Camaiore (between Viareggio and Forte dei Marmi).
Piccolo Hotel Puccini*** inside the walls of Lucca.
Inside the walls of antique Lucca town, the 3-star Piccolo Hotel Puccini will be an unforgettable accommodation during your Versilia tour: cozy bedrooms with bathroom, color televisions, direct telephone. Professionalism and courtesy in the middle of antique history.
Villa Romantica*** liberty villa near the walls of Lucca
Villa Romantica is situated adjacent to the city walls and 5 minutes walk to the centre of
Lucca and it has four comfortable double bedrooms or twin rooms, one suite
(4 poster bed, living room and terrace) and one junior suite (king size
bedroom, fridge, hydro-shower, Jacuzzi tub) all equipped with every comfort
such as: modern bathroom with hair dryer, air-conditioning, satellite TV and
direct dial telephone.
The building was constructed at the end of the 1800's in the Liberty style
in amidst of mature trees and lovely garden. There is a swimming pool, a
whirlpool and free private parking in the grounds.
Bicycles are available for rental and two tennis courts (just alongside the
hotel) can also be reserved , bookings can be made at reception.
Internet point and fax service available on request. Breakfast room, safe,
solarium and bar complete the facilities.
TOTAL PRICE: lodging in double room, classes, tours, transportation,
meals and everything:
Euro 1200.00 (per person, taxes included). Single-room
extra Euro 120.00.
NOT INCLUDED: Travel to Pisa and from
your hotel departure, visa fees, drinks, insurance
(compulsory on all trips), all spending of a
personal nature.
For your best enjoyment the tour is limited to 8 persons.
Changes to the program will be communicated to the participants together
with the travel vouchers, and at that time approval of the changes will be
asked for, last minute changes will be communicated at the reception.
DATES YEAR 2009: see the CALENDAR
For information and clarifications, and to check for availability, please send an e-mail to Enrico, your contact at seeitaly.org
| Group Size: | Minimum 2, Maximum 8 |
| Available: | Places available, book now. |
| Request: | Last seats! Book now and we'll advise if you've made it in time or not. |
Terms and conditions of payment and cancellation:
- A payment of 50% is due at reservation. The travel voucher will be sent after the payment has been cashed. This advance payment will be reimbursed at 80% in case of cancellation up to 30 days before the date of the trip, it will not be reimbursed for cancellations after the 30 days before the trip date.
- The balance of the payment is due before 30 days prior to the trip date. The balance will be reimbursed at 60% for cancellations before 20 days from the trip date. The balance will not be reimbursed for cancellations after 20 days before the trip date.
- Payments with credit card are accepted. Payments with cashier check, money order or personal check are accepted for payment of the balance.
Getting to Pisa
Flying note: we suggest to land at Pisa Galileo Galilei (code PSA) International Airport. Please check the convenient fares of RyanAir from London Stansted (STN). Free pick up from Pisa airport to your hotel. The airport is located near to Pisa and is the more common arrival airport for flights originating in Europe. For flights coming from North America there are easy connections in Rome, Milano Malpensa and Paris.
Train note: Lucca is a main station connected with Florence (almost a train every hour) and Pisa. We suggest visiting www.trenitalia.com for exact timetable information. Should you be arriving in the home of the Leaning Tower by rail, Florence's central Stazione di Santa Maria Novella is a hub for direct services from cities such as Rome (two hours), Milan (three hours), Venice (three hours) and Bologna (one hour). Pisa train station is on the main Tyrrhenian Coast line, connecting Genoa with Rome.
Driving note: if you come by car Lucca is connected by motorway to Pisa and Florence We will send you direction to reach your hotel.
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