4 Day Organic Vegetarian Cooking Vacations in Tuscany, Province of Arezzo, Italy
Vegan Cooking Holidays in Arezzo
Experience the delights of the traditional Tuscan lifestyle, while attending fun-filled cooking classes and enjoying relaxing excursions. You will learn to prepare all the essential components of an Italian meal, passion for relive Tuscany recipes and giving them a contemporary twist, using local products of our production. You can dive (hands-on) in the regional culinary traditions and discover places where history and nature has taken its course, through guided tours and excursions.
Meet the instructors
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Highlights
- 3 hands-on, Italian cooking classes
- Wine tour and historical village excursion
- Organic ingredients from MangiarDivino's production
- Daily breakfast, lunch, and dinner with drinks
- City excursion with lunch at local restaurant
- 3 nights accommodation
Skill level
- Beginner
- Intermediate
- Advanced
Accommodation
Facilities
- Hot tub / Jacuzzi
- Air-conditioned public areas
- Air-conditioned rooms
- Barbeque facilities
- Environmentally friendly
- Garden
- Meditation garden
- Special menu request
- Terrace
- Bicycle rental
- Free bicycle
- Free parking
- Free Wi-Fi
- Parking lot
- Tour assistance
- Wireless internet
- Outdoor shower
Moonlight Homestay
Moonlight Homestay is located on a hill on the outskirts of the Lignano national park, surrounded by prestigious Chianti and olive grove production wineries with typical Tuscan Apennine landscape, just 2,5 km from the centre of the historic city of Arezzo, easily reachable by taxi, bus or bicycle.
It has 1 private apartment with 3 separate double bedrooms with en suite bathroom for maximum privacy. It is also equipped with eat-in kitchen with exit to a panoramic terrace, outdoor garden with tables, deckchairs and gazebo. Fully aircon room with smart TV.
The facilities at guests' disposal include a fenced park of 6 hectares, heated Jacuzzi pool, and relaxation area with loungers, sofa and solar outdoor shower. The villa has a refreshment point with a large professional kitchen, where all courses and catering services will be held.
Program
Day 1: Arrival, cooking lesson
- Meet at the Arezzo train station at your scheduled time for free transfer.
- Upon arrival at the villa, enjoy a welcome aperitif snack buffet with prosecco wine tasting
- An introduction with the chef Fabrizio , will follow. It's a chance to get to know each other and talking about the itinerary.
- In the late afternoon take your first cookery lesson where you can engage yourself in the art of Italian and Tuscany vegetarian cuisine technique with the aid of an expert Tuscan chef.
- Enjoy the results for dinner.
- Overnight: private apartment.
- Meal plan: dinner.
Day 2: City tour, free time
- Following breakfast is a cultural tour in the historical city Arezzo. Lunch with drinks is included at a local trattoria Toscana.
- Free afternoon to relax by the pool with good glass of wine or walk in the magnificent scenery around the villa, through vineyards, olive groves and woodland.
- Return to the villa for an excellent gourmet dinner.
- Overnight: private apartment.
- Meal plan: breakfast, lunch, dinner.
Day 3: Cooking lesson, wine tour
- Enjoy your last cooking lesson where you will prepare farewell lunch.
- In the afternoon have a wine tasting tour in a prestigious winery.
- Return to the villa for a delicious crispy pizza calzone menu prepared for you by the master chef.
- Overnight: private apartment.
- Meal plan: breakfast, lunch, dinner.
Day 4: A warm arrivederci
- After breakfast and same time for relax you'll be taken back to the Arezzo central train station for a warm arrivederci.
- Departure on your own.
- Meal plan: breakfast.
The program may change slightly based on seasonality and availability of the cellars.
- Wine tour (minimum 2 persons)
Included excursions
- Arezzo city tour
- Wine tour (minimum 2 persons)
Instructors
Fabrizio Merli
Chef Fabrizio grew up in a family with strong Italian culinary traditions, foundations of the traditional Tuscan cuisine, and the Mediterranean diet. After a long experience in the UK as a chef, then he moved to various countries and worked with important chefs, who have taught him new techniques and exotic touches. While favoring the traditional cuisine, using methods of the past and highest quality ingredients, Fabrizio can delight with aromas giving them a contemporary twist.
Location
Your cooking holiday will take place on the outskirts of the historic city of Arezzo city; origins are lost in the very ancient past. As the settlement grew, it eventually became an important Etruscan city and was later part of Rome. Already in the 4th century, Arezzo had become a Bishopric. It was occupied by the Lombards at the end of the 6th century and was strongly conditioned by their influence.
In the Middle Ages, Arezzo was a free and powerful commune, often ruled by its bishops who were counts of the Holy Roman Empire. The city was frequently at war, with Siena certainly, but above all with Florence and, in 1384, it was finally subjugated to Florentine rule. From then onwards, with the exception of two widespread rebellions in 1502 and 1529-30, Arezzo's history runs parallel to the history of Florence and, later on, to the fortunes of Tuscany.
Today, the ancient center of the city retains all the fascination of its illustrious past. The principal buildings and monuments possess a wealth of Medieval and Renaissance art created by artists such as Cimabue, Michelangelo, Piero della Francesa, Andrea della Robbia, and Giorgio Vasari ETC... Arezzo was the birthplace of the great poet Petrarch, the inventor of the Italian language; and it became internationally famous as the backdrop to a widely acclaimed movie when some of the most beautiful corners of the city’s monumental center formed the setting for scenes in Roberto Benigni’s film Life is Beautiful, three-time Oscar winner..
This is Arezzo, the modern, hard-working, artistic city rooted in the past but renewing itself in the architecture of the present and in exhibitions of contemporary art, whose citizens, with their ingenuity and creativity, still find expression in the aromas and tastes of an ancient culinary tradition, in handicrafts of renowned quality, in a genuine sense of hospitality to tourists, and in such jewelry-making expertise that Arezzo is known worldwide as the “city of gold”.
Arezzo is a gem set amidst the gentle Tuscan hills, the birthplace of so many illustrious personages that the distinguished poet Josue Carducci exclaimed that the territory of Arezzo alone is sufficient to give glory to Italy!
Distances
- Perugia airport 80 kilometers – 1,5 hours
- Florence Airport, Peretola (FLR), 80 kilometers - 1.5 hour
- Leonardo da Vinci - Fiumicino Airport (FCO), 250 kilometers - 2-3 hours
- Pisa International Airport (PSA), 150 kilometers - 2 hours
- San Francesco d'Assisi Airport (PEG), 80 kilometers - 1 hour 30 minutes
- Siena downtown, 60 kilometers
- Florence downtown , 60 kilometers
- Cortona, 30 kilometers
Food
Sample menu
Appetizer
- Bruschette
- Cecina flat bread made with chickpea flour, served with Tuscany ham and stracchino cheese
- Eggplants parmigiana
- Marinated mussels
- Panzanella salad
- Panzerotti stuffed with cherry tomatoes and mozzarella
- Seasonal vegetable flan
- Spelt salad
- Tomato bruschetta
- Tuscany antipasto
- Zucchini flowers
Starter
- Black tagliatelle with truffle served with mushroom sauce
- Cannelloni with ricotta cheese and spinach
- Gnocchi di pane con ragù di salsiccia
- Gnocchi potatoes dumplings with tomato sauce or pesto
- Gundi served with truffle cream (typical dish of Arezzo with spinach and ricotta cheese ball)
- Handmade pasta
- Lasagna with Chianina beef ragu
- Pappardelle with chianina meat sauce ragu (Bolognese style)
- Pappardelle with duck sauce
- Ravioli filled with porcini mushroom served with truffle cream
- Ravioli ricotta e spinaci flavored with butter and sage
- Squid ink tagliolini
- Taglietelle with cream of mushrooms
- Tagliolini with carbonara sauce
- Tagliolini with seafood
- Tortelli with beetroot and asparagus gorgonzola cream
- Tortelli with pumpkin and ricotta cheese served with truffle butter
- Vegetable lasagna
Rice dishes
- Risotto granny Landa
- Risotto with chianti and season pecorino cheese
- Risotto with porcini mushrooms
- Risotto with saffron and melted robiola cheese
- Seafood risotto
Soups
- Cacciucco (fish soup)
- Carbaccia the real onion soup
- Creamed chickpeas and truffle
- Moscardini al guazzetto (baby octopus stew)
- Pappa al pomodoro
- Porcini mushroom soup
- Ribollita
- Spelt and legume soup
Main course served with seasonal side dish
- Baby octopus stew
- Beef meatballs Tuscany style with tomato sauce
- Chicken stuffed with peppery sausage served with wine gravy
- Eggplant parmesan
- Escalope of veal with lemon
- Escalope with porcini mushrooms
- Fagioli all’uccelletta with peppery sausages
- Guinea fowl in hunting style sauce
- Involtino alla pizzaiola
- Peposo (Renaissance dish of Tuscan traditional made with beef cooked in Chianti wine)
- Pizza calzone stuffed, served with tomatoes and oregano cream
- Pork fillet rolled
- Roll of turkey stuffed
- Rosticciana stufata (stewed pork ribs with black olives and pine nuts)
- Salmon in crust
- Shoulder of lamb Tuscany style
- Stuffed squid
- The real crispy pizza
- Tomatoes stuffed with rice and meat ragu
- Zucchini flowers stuffed
- Zucchini stuffed Tuscan style
Desserts
- Cantucci di prato con vinsanto (typical Tuscan biscuits with almonds served with Vin Santo sweet wine)
- Castagnaccio (traditional cake with chestnuts flower served with pistachios ice cream)
- Chef Fabrizio tiramisù
- Chocolate fondant
- Chocolate panna cotta
- Gato
- Grandmother cake
- Limoncello tiramisù
- Profiterole
- Ricotta cheese cake and chocolate
- Strudel
- Vanilla panna cotta with seasonal fruit and chocolate coulis
- Zuppa Inglese (delicious spoon dessert of the Tuscan Renaissance tradition)
MangiarDivino can cater to your special dietary requirements. Please let your host know in advance.
The following meals are included:
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Drinks
The following dietary requirement(s) are served and/or catered for:
- Vegetarian
- Gluten Free
- Organic
- Other dietary requirements on request
Things to do (optional)
- Historical hamlet tours (at extra price)
- Medieval olive oil mil and olive oil tasting tours (at extra price)
- Special event (medieval tournaments and others event) available on request (subject to ticket availability)
- Val d’Orcia (Siena province) tour (at extra price)
What's included
- 2 hands-on cooking lessons with the aid of professional Italian chef
- 3 nights accommodation in private apartment
- Complimentary transfer to and from train station
- Daily meals with drinks
- Excursions to the historical sites with meal at typical trattorias
- Seasonal organic ingredients from OUR production
What's not included
- Additional tours
- Airfare
- Extra drinks OR special request
- Museum entrance fee
- Personal expenses
- Tips
- Train fare
- Transfer to from airport (extra price available on request)
How to get there
Arrival by airplane
The closest airports to the location are Florence Airport, Peretola (FLR) and San Franceso d'Assisi Airport (PEG). MangiarDivino can pick you up from the airport. The pick-up is not included in the price.
Arrival by train
Please book your train to arrive at Arezzo train station. Complimentary transfer from and to Arezzo train station is provided at your scheduled time. The meeting point is in front of the train station by the taxi stand. Please go to the exit Piazza Della Repubblica. Do not take the direction Campo Di Marte. which lead you to different entrance.
GPS
N 43°30'36.6 - E 11°54'08.7
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.
For this organizer you can guarantee your booking through Tripaneer.com. All major credit cards supported.