Italian cooking vacations give travelers a chance to learn how to replicate traditional, authentic Italian recipes in their own home, and an opportunity to discover wineries, olive mills and cheese factories throughout the famous regions of Italy. Italy is home to dozens of cooking schools, and many tour operators based in both the United States and Italy offer a variety of packages and itineraries for anyone interested in learning the art of Italian Mediterranean cooking.
Cucina della Terra
Cucina della Terra cooking school is located in Umbria, Italy, and it offers small class sizes so that students can work directly with the cooking instructor and enjoy a meal with a small circle of friends. The classes here include wine tastings, trips to the market to buy fresh produce and a truffle hunt. Students also learn how to make their own pasta, and they explore several different cooking styles and techniques that are rooted in local traditions.
Cucina della Terra
Castiglione del Lago, Italy
(646) 761-8037
Tuscan Cooking Week by GourmetSafari.com
Gourmet Safari organizes several European cooking vacation itineraries, and the Tuscan Cooking Week is one of the few immersion cooking experiences in the lineup. These vacations give students a chance to stay in Tuscany and attend cooking classes from professional instructors, take excursions to the countryside, and learn the “true” Italian way of eating. The hands-on cooking classes include wine tastings, selecting cheeses and olive tastings.
Gourmet Safari
Tuscan Cooking Week Vacation
(800) 839-5795
Umbria Culinary Tour by Cellartours.com
The Umbria Culinary Tour from Cellartours.com is a luxury tour that offers students a chance to explore private vineyards, go on a truffle hunt, attend an olive oil tasting at Historic Mill and experience a 3-Michelin starred gourmet dining experience. The cooking vacation involves demonstrations and hands-on cooking experiences, and students travel throughout Umbria to find taste and select the best wines to accompany their meal.
Umbria Culinary Tour
Cellartours.com
(310) 928-7559
Good Tastes of Tuscany Cooking Classes
The cooking and wine tasting tours with Good Tastes of Tuscany cooking vacations gives students a chance to try the distinct regional cuisine of Italy, and cook traditional recipes that have been passed down through the family. The gallery kitchen is located inside a 13th century building, the Villa Pandolfini, and the menu is different for every group and based on the season.
Good Tastes of Tuscany
Connextions Group Inc.
2825 East Cottonwood Parkway,
Salt Lake City, UT 84101
(801) 405-0700
Rome, Assissi and the Wine Roads of Tuscany from Discover Soriano
Discover Soriano vacations offers cooking tours of some of Italy’s most notable regions, and the “Rome, Assisi and The Wine Roads of Tuscany” vacation is an 8-day, 7-night vacation that includes three hands-on cooking classes and several trips to area olive mills, wineries and a ceramics factory. Students learn how to make homemade fettuccine, biscotti, gelato and tiramisu among other regional specialties.
Rome, Assisi and The Wine Roads of Tuscany Vacation
DiscoverSoriano.com, LLC
6785 Arroyo Dr.
Viera, FL 32940
(321) 441-3551
