6 Day Cooking Vacation in the Magical Tuscany, Province of Arezzo, Italy
All Inclusive Tuscan Cooking Holiday
MangiarDivino provides visitors with a unique and rare opportunity to live and experience the real life in Tuscany. You will learn to prepare all the essential components of an Italian meal, with passion for reviving Tuscany historic recipes, and give them a contemporary twist, using local fresh ingredients of our production. Dive in the regional culinary traditions technique and discover places where history and nature has taken its course.
Meet the instructors
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Highlights
- Welcome aperitif
- Vineyard visit with tasting tour
- Cooking classes at Villa Restaurant Point
- Meals with drinks (1 bottle for each meal)
- Excursion to the historical site
- 5 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
- Meet at the Arezzo train station at your scheduled time for free transfers.
- Upon arrival at the villa, enjoy a welcome aperitif snack buffet with Prosecco wine tasting, prepared for you.
- An introduction from chef Fabrizio; a chance to get to know each other and talk about the itinerary.
- Enjoy an exclusive dinner prepared for you by the chef.
Day 2 - Cooking lesson, wine tour
- Following breakfast, take your first cookery lesson where you can engage yourself in the art of Tuscan and Italian cuisine with the aid of an expert Tuscan chef.
- Enjoying the results for lunch. ( 3 courses + side dish )
- In the afternoon you'll have a wine tour in a prestigious winery, famous for its Chianti superior , rose and white wine.
- Return to the villa for dinner with a delicious crispy pizza and calzone menu prepared for you by the chef. ( 2 courses + side dish )
Day 3 - Excursion, free time
- Following breakfast, take a cultural tour in the historical city of Arezzo.
- Enjoy lunch at a local trattoria with drinks included. ( 3 courses + side dish )
- Free afternoon to relax by the spa with a good glass of wine or walk in the magnificent scenery around the villa, through vineyards, olive groves and woodland.
- Dinner will be served in the villa restaurant court. ( 3 courses + side dish )
Day 4 - Free time, cooking lesson
- After breakfast, you will have some free time to relax by the pool or take a stroll in the magnificent surroundings of the villa.
- Light lunch will be served for you. ( 2 courses + side dish )
- In the afternoon, you will prepare a delicious dinner during your second cooking lesson. ( 3 courses + side dish )
Day 5 - Cooking lesson, excursion
- After breakfast,we will leading towards the Tiber valley, birthplace of Michelangelo, to visit 2 medieval village , Anghiari and Citerna (HUMANITY HERITAGE), to admire its historical monuments and frescoes (leonardo da vinci - andrea della robbia - Donatello), lunch at the local trattoria ( 1 drinks included )
- In the afternoon you'll enjoy your final cooking lesson and lunch together ( 3 courses + side dish )
Day 6 - A warm arrivederci
- After breakfast and some time to relax you'll be taken back to the Arezzo central train station for your departure.
Note: The itinerary may have small changes depending on the availability of the wineries and tours
Included excursions
- 1 city escape guided tour
- 1 guided tour to hamlet of UNESCO world historical importance
- 1 private visit to vineyards and wine tasting tour
- 3 cooking lesson
Upon advance request the program can be changed (e.g. add or remove cooking or tours, etc)
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
When possible MangiarDivino will provide seasonal organic vegetable from is own gardens, organic Chianti wine and extra virgin olive oil of own production. The rest of the ingredients you will use during your holiday will be purchased from trusted suppliers to guarantee top quality and freshness. The key point of MangiarDivino's philosophy: good food need top ingredients.
Food options
- Your culinary holidays can be customized according to your needs. Please inform us before your arrival: preferences, skill level, and food intolerance.
The following meals are included:
- Breakfast
- Brunch
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Drinks
The following drinks are included:
- Water
- Coffee
- Tea
- Soda
- Alcoholic beverages
The following dietary requirement(s) are served and/or catered for:
- Vegetarian
- Gluten Free
- Organic
- Pescatarian
- Seafood
- Lactose Free
Things to do (optional)
There are activities that are available on request. Your holiday package can be customized with other trips and excursions or cookery lessons at an additional cost.
- City escape tours
- Truffle tour
- Medieval hamlets tour
- Medieval olive oil mil and olive oil tasting tours
- Medieval Saracen tournament (ticket to be booked 3 months in advance) June & September
- extra drinks
- special drinks to be agreed in advance
What's included
- Welcome appetizer and drinks
- Meals with drinks (1 bottle of wine for each meal included)
- Daily breakfast
- 1 wine tour
- 2 guided tours with lunch
- 3 cooking classes at villa restaurant point (no commuting)
- 5 nights accommodation on private apartment (two-bedroom)
- Arezzo train station transfers (to and from the villa)
- 4-hour cooking classes with executive chefs
- All tax
What's not included
- Airfare ticket
- Museum entrance fee
- Special drink requests, to be agreed in advance
- Personal expenses
- Tips
- Train fare
- Airport shuttle transfers (available at extra price upon request)
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.