Roman Countryside Cooking Vacations in Italy

Please see a sample itinerary of our Italian cooking vacations outside of Rome. The Sunday to Saturday itinerary is displayed. For the Monday to Sunday weeks at the sister property, the order of activities is shifted, with the cooking classes in the morning and excursions in the afternoon.

Day One

• Arrival at Rome’s Fiumicino Airport and transfer to your accommodations. (Note that the transfer from Fiumicino leaves between 11AM and 12 noon; please plan to leave enough time to disembark and go through passport control before meeting it.)
• Check-in at the villa followed by a welcome apperitivo and light lunch. After lunch, set off on a short guided walk to get to know the medieval historical village.
• After some time to relax, head to the town of Pofi and the Pizzeria Borgo Antico for your welcome dinner.
• Overnight.

Day Two

• After breakfast, visit the town of Arpino, the birthplace of Cicero as well as the land of “olives.” You will visit a traditional olive oil mill, as well as hear how to make extra virgin olive oil, and get a taste of fresh olive oil at a local estate. A light lunch will follow.
• On the return to the hotel, stop at “Meringo’s” for the best gelato.
• Around 4 p.m, meet the pastry chef to start your class.
• Dinner and overnight.

Day Three

• Breakfast.
• Start your day at the local farmer’s market to pick out the ingredients for an antipasto extravaganza.
• Next, visit a local cheese caseificio, where you’ll sample fresh buffalo mozzarella, ricotta, and provolone.
• Then it’s on to the “Abbey of Fossanova” in Terracina, a Tyrrhenian seaside town. After strolling by some shops and taking in a view of the sea, lunch at a seafood cooperativa.
• Back at the hotel, some time on your own before your next cooking class that will focus on “antipasti,” including crostini, bruschette, grilled peppers and eggplant, frittate, and stuffed zucchini with a sampling of formaggi e olive. Enjoy your creations at dinner.
• Overnight.

Day Four

• Breakfast out at a coffee bar, followed by a trip to “La Pastorella” where you’ll see how fresh sausage is made.
• Next, visit a “Prosciuttificio” in the town of Guarcino, where you will enjoy a picnic lunch of fresh hand-cut porchetta or prosciutto.
• After returning to the villa, some time to relax.
• Begin your third hands-on cooking class, where you’ll discover a variety of “primi patti” such as sagna con fagioli, zuppa di pane, gnocchi al sugo, and fettucine con tartufo. Dinner to follow based on your efforts, a bottle of wine included.
• Overnight.

Day Five

• Breakast.
• In the morning, head out for to “Cantina Tullio,” a vineyard in the Val Comino, which is known for it’s Cabernet wines. Here you’ll visit the bottling plant and cellar, see the vineyards, hear about the vinification process, and end with a wine tasting.
• Depart for the town of Atina, known for it’s annual Jazz Festival.
• Lunch at “Le Canardizie,” which was previously called “Old Cantina Visocchi” before it was restored with antique winery relics.
• In the afternoon, a sommelier leads a wine tasting of another fantastic wine of the region. You will also prepare a variety of “Second Piatti,” including salsiccia con patate e peperuola and involtini, as well as a “controno” to accompany your dinner in the villa.
• Overnight.

Day Six

• Following breakfast, start a pizza making class by making the perfect dough. You will then top the pizza just the way you like it, cook it in the pizza oven, and enjoy it for lunch.
• In the afternoon, after relaxing for a few hours, go shopping in Frosinone.
• Your multi-course farewell dinner tonight will be at a local restaurant.

Day Seven

• Breakfast and departure for the Rome airport (please schedule a flight departing after 11:00 AM). Arrivederci!