5 Day Journey in the World of the Olive Oil Culinary Holiday in Perugia, Italy
Olive Harvest and Cooking Holiday in Italy
Participate in the olive harvest and enjoy the fruits of the Umbria region, near Tuscany, Italy. Enjoy cooking and eating local food, drinking area wines, and soaking up the rural beauty of Umbria while staying in a beautiful farmhouse just five minutes from the historic center of Perugia. The olive harvest is a unique opportunity to participate in an autumnal ritual that is essential to Italy's agrarian and culinary interests.
Meet the instructors
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Highlights
- Olive harvest experience
- Explore the mystical city of Assisi
- Wine and olive oil tour with tastings and Umbrian specialties
- 2 hands-on cooking classes and four-course meals
- 'Let's Cook in Umbria' apron and recipes
- 4 nights accommodation
Skill level
- Beginner
- Intermediate
Leonardo da Vinci–Fiumicino Airport (US$ 269 per person)
Perugia San Francesco d'Assisi – Umbria International Airport (US$ 35 per person)
Accommodation
Facilities
- Swimming pool (outdoor)
- Garden
- Free Wi-Fi
- Parking lot
During your cookery holiday in Italy, you will stay on a beautiful, spacious, working farm in the heart of Umbria - a region famous for its green countryside, cuisine and medieval towns. Your culinary escape into the Italian rural lifestyle is conveniently located only 15 minutes from Perugia airport.
Just 4 kilometers away lies the capital city of Umbria, Perugia, which is steeped in history, dating well back before 309 BC. Perugia has a flare for culture and the arts. You will have free time to get to explore it, know it and fall in love with it.
The farm is home to your host, Rafaella, her husband, and many pets. Rafaella has a great passion for her home region of Umbria, its people, food and culture. Your Italian cooking classes will take place within her traditional kitchen, using the freshest products from the local surroundings and producers.
'La volpe e l'uva' (The Fox and The Grapes) farm is a little corner of paradise - a quiet, peaceful oasis, an ideal place to relax and unwind surrounded by the Umbrian hills, valleys and medieval villages. The property consists of 10 hectares of olive groves, vineyards and orchards.
Five lovely, two-room apartments (named Rocco, Riding, Fico, Oca and Paulownia) have been renovated paying close attention to detail. The apartments are sunny and comfortable so that guests, even those who stay for a few days, feel welcomed.
In your free time you can hike, try the local wineries, or jump in the car for a day trip to one of several surrounding medieval cities. Or, perhaps, for something more leisurely, you can unwind by the swimming pool, in the gardens under the shade of the fruit trees, or in the bright communal garden.
Refine your cooking skills and daydream on this lush, laid back, Umbrian farm, packed with regional specialties and the mountains and valleys awaiting you.
Program
Experience the special period of the olive harvest and enjoy the fruits of the Umbria region, near Tuscany (Italy) – cooking and eating local foods, drinking area wines, and soaking up the rural beauty of Umbria while staying in a beautiful farmhouse just five minutes from the historic center of Perugia.
The olive harvest is a unique opportunity to witness an autumnal ritual that is essential to Italy's agrarian and culinary heritage. Olive oil production, like wine production, has been an important economic resource since Etruscan times. The regions of Umbria and Tuscany, with their rolling hills, fertile grounds, and ideal climate, provide perfect conditions for olive trees to thrive and produce superior-quality olives with low acidity.
During this special period, you will have the chance to explore the traditions of olive oil production. Learn about the different kinds of olive trees that characterize the oil from Umbria, observe the harvesting process – still carried out by hand – and visit a traditional mill where you can see the transformation of olives into extra virgin olive oil.
Most importantly, you will savor the exquisite taste of their freshly pressed oil and immerse yourself in the rich culture and flavors of this enchanting region.
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival
Arrival at the country farm “La volpe e l’uva” (Central Italy, Umbria, near Tuscany). Check-in at your apartment at 16:00. Dinner reservations can be made at a restaurant of your choice. Cook in Umbria can arrange transfers to and from the airport on request.
Day 2: Olive grove, olive oil tour in Bevagna
Morning. The cooking class combines hands-on learning with a delightful exploration of the farm’s natural beauty. Take a scenic walk through the vineyards, thriving vegetable gardens, and fragrant orchards before arriving at the heart of the experience—the olive grove. Here, you’ll discover the secrets of the Umbrian region’s iconic olive trees. Learn to identify different species, understand the year-round care they require, and witness a captivating demonstration of the traditional olive harvest. Back in the kitchen, let the magic of olive oil take center stage. The cooking class highlights exquisite recipes where this golden nectar of Umbria shines as the hero, infusing every dish with unparalleled flavor.
Afternoon. Bevagna, the Roman “Mevania”, is a little fascinating gem that retains most Roman monuments in the Umbrian Valley. In the main piazza, one of the finest medieval squares in Umbria, there are the two 12th-century Romanesque churches, St. Michael and St. Silvestro. You will visit the village and the Antico Frantoio Nunzi. In the tour, Cook in Umbria helps you to discover all the phases of the olive pressing process and the secrets to a good extra virgin olive oil. After seeing the machinery, you sit at a table and the tour guide will serve you different types of extra virgin olive oil of local production.
Day 3: Cooking class, Assisi tour
Morning: A hands-on cooking lesson starts around 10:00. You will prepare a four-course lunch. For lunch, you will eat your creations accompanied by wine.
Afternoon: You will visit the mystical city of Assisi, a beautiful medieval town based on Mount Subasio, overlooking a peaceful Umbrian landscape. The tour will allow getting to know the main landmarks where St. Francis lived. You can see the St. Francis Basilica whose superior walls were frescoed by Giotto and Cimabue. You will also visit the Eremo delle Carceri, one of the oldest Franciscan convents. There's a professional guide on the tour.
Day 4: Cooking and ceramic and wine tour
Morning: A hands-on cooking lesson starts around 10:00. You will prepare a four-course lunch. For lunch, you will eat your creations accompanied by wine.
Afternoon: You will visit a ceramic laboratory in Deruta where the majolicas are completely handmade. Deruta ceramics are a milestone in the history of Italian pottery. They gained worldwide fame during the Renaissance thanks to their creative and qualitative excellence. Their high-quality products keep the tradition alive and evoke the classic decorations of the various periods of Deruta. The production cycle is completely carried-out within the company and rigorously worked by hand in all its phases.
Then you will have a wine tour from a winemaker company near Perugia. It is a vineyard under family management, which with special care from their very own vines, produces D.O.C. Colli Perugini and IGT dell’Umbria white, red and rosè wines.
Day 5: Departure
Departure after breakfast.
Note:
If for climatic reasons it will be impossible to do the olive harvest, another cooking class will be added to the program.
It is also possible to bring along a non-participating partner who can spend the morning enjoying the surroundings, and could then join the group at lunchtime. Non-participating guests are welcome on the excursion and can use all the facilities at the farmhouse and join all the meals, just not the actual cooking classes. For more information, please send an inquiry.
Included excursions
- Ceramic tour in Deruta
- Excursion in Assisi
- Olive harvest in the farmhouse
- Olive oil tour in Bevagna
- Wine tour near Perugia
Instructors
Raffaella Bucefalo
After she decided to give up her job in scientific research, Raffaella Bucefalo, PhD in Micropalaeontology, rediscovered, reclaimed, and developed her three great passions: cooking, connecting, and creating. Since 2005, she has run courses teaching traditional Italian cookery at her agriturismo in Umbria. In 2020, Raffaella published her first cook book "Sprinkle with Flour": a journey into the world of fresh pasta, the food that symbolizes Italian culinary culture. In the book, the description of 19 pasta shapes illustrated with handmade drawings and 22 traditional recipes with photo.
Location
The farmhouse "La Volpe e l'Uva" is located in central Italy, Umbria, north of Perugia, in a hilly position, very near to the main Umbrian towns and near to the Tuscany. It is only 4 kilometers from the historic center of Perugia and it offers a suggestive view of the Umbrian hills. The proximity of Perugia makes the farm's position ideal for visiting other artistic towns in Umbria, such as Assisi, Gubbio, Todi, Orvieto, the Trasimeno Lake, and towns in Tuscany like Siena, Arezzo, and Cortona.
Distances
- Assisi, 15 kilometers
- Gubbio, 28 kilometers
- Orvieto, 45 kilometers
- Spello, 15 kilometers
- Todi, 45 kilometers
- Trasimeno Lake, 20 kilometers
Food
The cooking classes are an immersion in the lifestyle and culture of Umbria. You will learn to cook authentic Italian recipes in an informal and friendly atmosphere. Let’s Cook in Umbria offers you a unique experience: Raffaella opens the doors of her home and you will cook in her kitchen in a true Italian style.
The cooking classes are totally hands-on. Raffaella will teach you traditional Italian techniques of cooking and the history of each recipe. Groups are never larger than 8 participants to ensure that everyone has enough space to get rolling. This course is a hands-on cooking and not only a demonstration!
In the farmhouse, there is a luxuriant organic vegetable garden where they grow the vegetables used in classes. The other products are purchased in local markets. Cook in Umbria can arrange menus for vegetarians and people with food intolerances.
Guests get to prepare from scratch a complete meal consisting of 4 courses: appetizer, first course, main course with side dish, and dessert. After the lesson people will reap the fruit of their labor by enjoying the delicacies they created complemented by the estate’s own red wine and extra virgin olive oil.
At the end of each lesson, participants will receive copies of the recipes, the “Let’s Cook in Umbria” apron to take home as a souvenir, and a cooking diploma.
It is also possible to bring along a non-participating friend who can spend the day enjoying the surroundings and then join the group at dinnertime as well as join in the excursions.
Starters
Tasty and delicious, starters have evolved as a true course meal of Italian cuisine. Cold or hot, they can open a tasty meal or a special buffet. These are some of the starter recipes made in the cooking classes.
- Bruschette –Tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, and mushrooms
- Cake with zucchine, potatoes, and Taleggio cheese
- Mixed grilled vegetables with bread and garlic
- Spelt salad
- Millefoglie with eggplants
- Zucchini flowers stuffed with ricotta
- Torta al testo with ham and rucola
- Crostini with chicken liver
- Panzanella
- Pizza Scarola
- Focaccia with onion and sage
- Pumpkin and Amaretti pie
First courses
A journey into the preparation of the symbol of the Italian diet: pasta. The dry and fresh versions will alternate with different fillings and combinations of sauces inspired both by tradition and fantasy. Either fresh or egg pasta adapts well to many cooking styles or as a basic ingredient of Italian-style soups. These are some of the recipes that you will do in the cooking classes.
- Homemade pasta with and without eggs (Tagliatelle, strangozzi, maltagliati, pappardelle, spagnetti)
- Gnocchi
- Ravioli
- Lasagne
- Risotto
- Polenta
- Lentil soup
- Pasta and chickpeas
- Pasta and beans
- Soup with spelt
- Orecchiette
- Homemade spaghetti
- Stuffed gnocchi
The sauce for the pasta will use fresh and seasonal products.
Main courses
You will discover the world of meat by focusing on the techniques of preparation and cooking of both white and red varieties, two parallel universes, which often meet. These are some of the recipes that you will do in cooking classes.
- Umbrian meatloaf with pine-seeds and dry grapes
- Rabbit with wild herbs
- Salmi of guinea fowl
- Pork loin with grapes and juniper
- Pork with pears and Pecorino cheese
- Rabbit “all’arrabbiata”
- Chicken ”alla cacciatora”
- Chicken roller with Umbrian ham
- Stuffed vegetables
- “Saltimbocca alla romana”
- Chicken rollers with sausage and orange
Desserts
Cook in Umbria invites you to discover the many facets of pastry, preparations, and cooking techniques. A journey through cakes, cookies, and cream to delight. These are some of the recipes that you will do in the cooking classes.
- Crostata (with cream, fresh fruit, and jams)
- Tiramisù
- Panpolenta with ice cream
- Cake with carrots and almonds
- Cake with chocolate and pears
- Tozzetti with holy wine
- Chocolate and pears pie
- Pie with Ricotta, pears, and sauce of blueberries
- Torta caprese
The following meals are included:
- Drinks
The following drinks are included:
- Water
- Coffee
- Alcoholic beverages
The following dietary requirement(s) are served and/or catered for:
- Vegetarian
- Vegan
- Gluten Free
- Organic
- Regular (typically includes meat and fish)
- Other dietary requirements on request
Things to do (optional)
Reserve a massage during your free time.
What's included
- 2 cooking classes of approximately 4 hours
- 2 four-course meals from the cooking lessons
- 1 lunch after the olive harvest
- Umbrian wines during meals, liquors for after dinner / lunch
- Certificate of participation
- Folder with all the recipes
- Apron of 'Let’s cook in Umbria'
- 3 tours as indicated in the itinerary
- 1 morning of olive harvest on the farm
- 4 nights accommodation in the apartment of the farmhouse
What's not included
- Airfare
- Dinners
- Personal expenses
How to get there
Recommended Airports
Leonardo da Vinci–Fiumicino Airport
149 km
Transfer available for additional US$ 269 per person
Pisa International Airport (Galileo Galilei Airport)
172 km
Transfer not provided
Florence Airport, Peretola (Amerigo Vespucci Airport)
121 km
Transfer not provided
Perugia San Francesco d'Assisi – Umbria International Airport
11 km
Transfer available for additional US$ 35 per person
Driving directions from Rome
- Motorway A1, exit Orte, follow Terni-Perugia, pass the exit Perugia and continue following the sign Cesena until the exit Ponte Felcino.
- Continue straight until exit 100 meters.
- Make a left turn under E45.
- Look for sign "Zona Industriale", make right at sign and continue for about 5-6 kilometers.
- You will pass an IP gas station on left. Keep going.
- You will see sign at right for Ponte Rio. Immediately on left you will see Total Gas station and Bar Pizzeria.
- Just after pass Bar Pizzeria, the next right is "Strada Comunale San Marino."
- Take this road that go up to the hill, and after 3 kilometers you will find at right the sign "La Volpe e l'Uva."
Driving directions from Florence
- Motorway A1, exit Bettolle, follow Perugia, pass the exit Perugia and continue following the sign Cesena until the exit Ponte Felcino.
- Continue straight until exit 100 meters.
- Make left turn under E45.
- Look for sign "Zona Industriale." Make right at sign and continue for about 5-6 kilometers.
- You will pass an IP gas station on left. Keep going.
- You will see sign at right for Ponte Rio. Immediately on left you will see Total Gas station and Bar Pizzeria.
- Just after pass Bar Pizzeria next right is "Strada Comunale San Marino."
- Take this road that go up to the hill, and after 3 kilometers you will find at right the sign "La Volpe e l'Uva."
Driving directions from Cesena
- Go out at the exit Ponte Felcino.
- Continue straight until exit 100 meters.
- Make left turn under E45.
- Look for sign "Zona Industriale." Make right at sign and continue for about 5-6 kilometers.
- You will pass an IP gas station on left. Keep going.
- You will see sign at right for Ponte Rio. Immediately on left you will see Total Gas station and Bar Pizzeria.
- Just after pass Bar Pizzeria next right is "Strada Comunale San Marino."
- Take this road that go up to the hill, and after 3 kilometers you will find at right the sign "La Volpe e l'Uva."
Arrival by airplane
The nearest airports to the location are Florence Airport, Peretola (FLR), Leonardo da Vinci International Airport (FCO), or Pisa International Airport (PSA). Cook in Umbria can arrange for participants to be picked up from Rome and Florence airports and brought to the farmhouse.
Arrival by train
The nearest station is Perugia railway station.
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 on arrival.
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