Hands-on Cooking Classes and Guided City Tours in Abruzzo Region
The culinary travel specialists at CookingVacations.com by Epitourean create food-focused itineraries for adventurous eaters, highlighting authentic regional cuisine in its own setting through tours, cooking classes, and gourmet meals. This deal takes culinary enthusiasts to the Abruzzo region of Italy, known for its artisan cheese and full-bodied wines. Trip planners are happy to honor vegetarian preferences and all dietary restrictions, which should be mentioned at booking. Each Abruzzo culinary vacation includes the following for each person:
A six-night stay in a standard room at the Palazzo Tour d'Eau hotel in the Abruzzo region
Four cooking classes with local chefs
One pastry class with regional liquor pairings
Full-day excursion to town on Adriatic Coast
Tours of a salami plant, olive mill, and cheese producer
Welcome dinner and cocktails
Ground transport to and from Leonardo da Vinci-Fiumicino Airport (FCO)
Breakfast, lunch, and dinner each day
Upon arrival at FCO, guests are shuttled to the village of Carunchio in the hills of eastern Italy's Abruzzo region. Welcome cocktails await at the Palazzo Tour d'Eau, a 19th-century mansion-turned-hotel perched on the town's highest hilltop. The culinary adventure kick offs the first night with a multicourse dinner that introduces the bold flavors of the Abruzzo cuisine.
Throughout the week, local chefs lead hands-on lessons that demystify the traditions of Italian cooking. During a pasta-making class, students learn to craft their own gnocchi, cavatelli, and chitarra. Later on, an instructional by the Palazzo's sommelier will illuminate the art of food-and-wine pairings and debunk the myth that red wine is just wine with food coloring. Chefs also demonstrate preparations for classic Italian sauces, and pastry makers pair sweet bites with regional liquors during a dessert-making class.
There will also be time to explore the Abruzzo region, beginning with an outing to a local salami plant and an olive press. During a day trip to Vasto, an ancient settlement on the Adriatic Coast, the tour will swing through a historical fishing house and an organic cosmetic lab that produces lotions from olive oil and goat's milk. During an afternoon excursion to the inland town of Agnone, groups visit an ancient bell foundry where church bells are manually produced for the Vatican.
Deal Terms
Must book by 8/31/12 and complete travel by 10/31/12. Limit 1 per person, may buy 2 additional as gifts. Limit 1 per visit. Valid only for option purchased. 30-day cancellation notice or fee up to Groupon price applies. Must be 18 or older to check in. Valid for standard room at Palazzo Tour d'Eau hotel. Not valid with reward points. Must use promotional value in 1 visit.
