** This is a sample itinerary to give you ideas for your custom designed tour so prices are approximate only.
4 nights
Immerse yourself in exceptional, authentic cooking, food, wine and local life experiences, getting to know a cast of local people so you feel part of their lives. Food lovers treasure this region for its hazelnuts, white truffles and chocolate. Barolo and Barbaresco wines rank among Italy’s top reds.
Cook typical local dishes with elder women in a village kitchen and creative dishes with an innovative, young chef in his restaurant. Eat, drink and connect with them heart to heart as you savour your creations together.
Sit down in private visits with welcoming Barolo and Barbaresco wine makers. They discuss and drink their wines with you in their cellars and you exchange stories. They feel like new local friends.
Soak up beauty in this exquisite countryside of hills crowned with castles and towns, and covered with vineyards, hazelnut trees and forests.
Visit an artisan cheese maker on his farm to see how he makes his cheese naturally. Stroll with a hazelnut producer among their trees to discover how they grow them and what products they make. Nutella anyone?
Read about the “Italians you will meet” on this Italy cooking school tour.
View the 6 night Italy cooking school tour itinerary
Sunday: Welcome to Barolo wine country
Meet your driver at Turin airport or railway station. Drive to town of Barolo. Get settled at a pretty, three star, family-run hotel with lovely views of Barolo castle and vineyards.
In Barolo, visit a charming family in their winery cellars, where a family member tastes their wines and you enjoy conversation. When you dine in their restaurant, they feel like pals.
Dine on authentic Piedmont specialties at a great restaurant as you drink a line-up of great local wines.
Monday: Explore hill towns, torrone factory, cooking class
Explore hill town of La Morra. Take in splendid views of the Barolo wine area hills and valleys, while your guide points out towns you’ll visit.
Visit a winery near Barolo well known for its fine wines and warm hospitality. You’ll feel their passion for their wines as they tell you all you ever wanted to know about Barolo, Barbera, Nebbiolo and other local wines.
Drive along Barolo country roads, gazing in awe at the spectacular wine country views, and to hill town Castiglione Falletto. Light lunch on a cafe patio with splendid views.
Visit a torrone candy factory to discover how they make the famous Piedmont torrone with local hazelnuts and chocolate and sample these sweet delights.
Drive to a restaurant in the countryside for a hands-on cooking class on local dishes with creative touches with a young, passionate chef. Dishes like: tasty risotto with Barbera wine and tuma cheese cream or semifreddo with boysenberries, white chocolate and mint.
Savour your creations with great Piedmont wines.
Tuesday: Ancient castle, cheese artisan on farm, Barbaresco wine
In hill town, Serralunga, explore a unique medieval castle. With the castle’s guide, discover ingenious architectural features that kept invaders out. Marvel at the 360 degree views of the countryside and town.
Drive to a small, family farm way up in the hills to meet a man passionate about making his cheeses the natural way. Learn how he makes his cheeses in the cheese making room. In a divine picnic, sample a range of his cheeses as he eagerly tells you all you’d ever want to know about them.
Drive to the scenic Barbaresco wine country hills, stroll through town of Barbaresco and visit a small family-run winery to chat and taste their excellent wines.
Dine in a typical restaurant on more delicious Piedmontese specialties.
Wednesday: Wine museum with prestigious wines tasting, cooking class with village women
Drive to Pollenzo, home of the University of Gastronomic Sciences. Visit their famous Banco del Vino, a huge wine museum where you can learn about wines from all of Italy’s regions and taste some of the most prestigious wines. You’ll taste a variety of wines from all over Italy. Enjoy a light lunch.
Back to your hotel for a siesta.
Drive to Sinio where friendly elder women, excellent home cooks, welcome you to a community kitchen for your hands-on cooking class. They show you how to make their families’ traditional dishes, share cooking secrets with you and dine with you around the table.
After breakfast, leave via private transport for Turin airport or Alba train station. Alba is the hub town of the Barolo and Barbaresco areas.
Included:
- 4 nights at 3 star hotel with private bath and continental breakfast
- 2 hands-on cooking classes
- 3 lunches & 4 dinners
- 3 winery visits
- Visit University of Gastronomic Sciences’ wine museum with tastings
- Visit artisan cheese maker at his farm
- Visit an intriguing castle
- Visit torrone factory
- Visit 4 small towns
- private transport in minivan
- local guides
- private pick-up and drop-off at Turin’s airport or train station
Not Included:
- wines with your meals so you can choose which wines you want to drink
Tour Dates
** This is a sample itinerary to give you ideas for your custom designed tour so prices are approximate only. Please ask us for your dates.
Tour Prices
Staying at a 3 star hotel
# people in group: 2-8
subject to foreign exchange fluctuations
CDN: $2830 about
U.S.: $2150 about
Euros: about €1885
Single Supplement (1 person)
Euros: €205
CDN: $308
US: $234
Please ask us about prices if you would like to stay at a four star hotel.