Accommodation

Check-in Time:

13:00

Check-out Time:

13:00

You will stay six nights in a 19th-century chef's mountain retreat located on Mount Fumaiolo and three nights in Val D'Orcia. The ancient three-floor house on Mount Fumaiolo has four bedrooms and two bathrooms with showers and tubs. All ambiance’s are fully furnished with authentic ancient furniture.

In the kitchen, there is a huge fireplace where you cook and roast in the old-fashioned way and a bread and pizza stone oven. A commercial six-burner gas stove and convection oven are also available. The kitchen area is in front of a big garden with herbs, vegetables, and organic ancient fruit trees bordering the Tiber River.

Program

During this 10-day program, you will spend seven days cooking and touring and the last three days in Val D'Orcia. With your chef as your guide, you will visit small ancient villages from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance located at a maximum of one hour drive from home and you will be back in the early afternoon where you will cook and have dinner together. The schedule is flexible, so you can focus on authentic Italian cuisine from Pellegrino Artusi’s cookbook morning and afternoon if you prefer. This is the best vacation with a mix of history, arts, tours, and cuisine. In the first seven days, you will visit:

Tuscany (Arezzo, Sansepolcro, Anghiari, Monterchi, Citerna, and Cortona)
Umbria (Assisi and Città’ di Castello)
Romagna (Rimini, Santarcangelo, Cesenatico, and Ravenna)
The Castles of Montefeltro (San Leo, Petrella Guidi, Sant’Agata Feltria, Verucchio, and Torriana)

Each afternoon, dive into the heart of Italian cuisine, crafting authentic Emilia-Romagna and Tuscan recipes inspired by Pellegrino Artusi’s 1891 Cookbook. Handmade pastas, roasts, sauces, seafood, and more will enhance your culinary repertoire. Feel free to relax with a glass of fine wine while Chef Stefano prepares dinner. Discover regional treasures like Pecorino di Fossa di Sogliano, aged Parmigiano Reggiano, Traditional Balsamic Vinegar from Modena, and more. You will curate daily menus by handpicking ingredients alongside Chef Stefano at family-run butcheries and markets.

Journey through the ages with visits to local wineries for Romagna and Super Tuscan wine tastings. Explore art by Medieval and Renaissance masters, and embark on a captivating tour at the Museum of Herbs of Aboca. Then, get a memorable taste of Tuscany and stay for the last three days and three nights in the enchanting countryside of this famous Italian region - a tapestry of rolling hills and historic towns.

Wander through the stunning landscapes of Pienza, Montepulciano, Montalcino, and Siena, each offering a unique and unforgettable experience. Indulge in tastings of world-renowned wines such as Brunello, Chianti, and Montepulciano, accompanied by the finest extra-Virgin Tuscan olive oils and delectable Pecorino cheese from Pienza. Basque in the tranquil beauty of the authenticity of Tuscany where each sip and bite tells a tale of the region’s rich culinary and viticultural heritage.

Included excursions

Visit the splendid mountainous region of the Apennines
Dining in Stefano's favorite restaurants and picnicking in the woods
Visiting local farmers, wine cellars, and markets
Other included excursions

On the border with Tuscany and Marche, away from the typical tourist routes, you will discover a fascinating, cozy, and very romantic area, unveiling its treasures at every corner.

Visit the Sanctuary of La Verna (Tuscany)
Visit Borgo San Sepolcro (Tuscany)
Visit Monterchi (Tuscany)
Sant'Agata Feltria, Pennabilli, and Monte Fumaiolo are just some of the dozens of welcoming towns and villages where art mixes with food, natural beauty, and tradition, creating an intimate charm for those who visit.

Instructors

Stefano Corvucci

A passion for food runs through the veins of CIBO’s owner and chef, Stefano Corvucci and it is his infectious commitment to putting the food first – its texture, taste, aroma and seasonality – and not just the end result, that pervades his state-of-the-art cookery school. Stefano’s journey towards founding Bologna’s best-equipped cookery school facility, CIBO, in 2012, has been an unusual one. Stefano studied Law at the University of Bologna, but that was never his destiny. After graduation he started his chef career opening his first restaurant, then 3 more till his cooking school was born.

Location

The tour will take place in Italy. This culinary vacation will take you from Bologna or Florence to the splendid mountainous region of the Apennines, on the border between Emilia Romagna, Tuscany, Marche, and Umbria. Stay at the Italy Culinary Vacations ancient mountain retreat nestled atop Mount Fumaiolo, a 4,500-foot high mountain on the border between these regions. Immerse yourself in the rich tapestry of quaint ancient villages and meet local food and wine producers.

Explore quaint little mountaintop villages in Montefeltro, Tuscany, and Umbria and meet with local food and wine producers. See the amazing art of notable Renaissance artists like Piero Della Francesca, Cimabue, and Giotto (Assisi). Return in the afternoon and learn how to make authentic Italian food in a 19th-century kitchen. Make handmade pasta, roasts, sauces, and more. Enjoy dinner paired with local wines.

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Food

You will be served daily meals, snacks, and drinks as well as local wine tastings included in the price. Every morning you will decide the menu for the day and purchase fresh seasonal ingredients at the local stores. You will make handmade pasta from scratch with the authentic long rolling pin, together with local sauces such as Bolognese, sausages, and seasonal vegetables. You will discover and learn the authentic recipes from the 19th-century Pellegrino Artusi cookbook.

The following meals are included:

Lunch
Dinner
Snacks
Drinks

The following drinks are included:

Water
Coffee
Tea
Alcoholic beverages

The following dietary requirement(s) are served and/or catered for:

Regular (typically includes meat and fish)

If you have special dietary requirements it's a good idea to communicate it to the organiser when making a reservation

What's included

Daily cooking classes
Visits to local food producers, art, and cultural sites with the chef
Mountain hikes and Ebike rides
Local wine tastings
Daily market visits and purchases
Exploring Val D'Orcia with its culture and cuisine
9 nights accommodation
Daily complete lunch, dinner, snacks, and drinks
Private chef and guide
Transfer from Bologna or Florence airport
All private transportation during the trip

What's not included

Airfare

How to get there

Recommended Airports

BLQ

Bologna Guglielmo Marconi Airport

105 km

Transfer included

FLR

Florence Airport, Peretola (Amerigo Vespucci Airport)

71 km

Transfer included

Arrival by train

Cesena Railway Station - one hour from Bologna
Arezzo Railway Station - one hour from Florence

Airport: Bologna Guglielmo Marconi Airport Airport transfer included: Bologna Guglielmo Marconi Airport No additional charges. You can request this in the next step.

Airport: Florence Airport, Peretola (Amerigo Vespucci Airport) Airport transfer included: Florence Airport, Peretola (Amerigo Vespucci Airport) No additional charges. You can request this in the next step.

Cancellation Policy

A reservation requires a deposit of 30% of the total price.
The deposit is non-refundable, if the booking is cancelled.
The rest of the payment should be paid 30 days before arrival.

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