Compare Tuscany Gourmet Cooking Holiday by Caspin vs Italian Intermezzo - Small Group, Summer Small Group by Insight Vacations
Compare details and see what other travelers are saying.
| Trip |
5 | Excellent
|
5 | Excellent
|
| Duration | 7 days | 8 days |
| Price From | $ 3,399 | $ 2,650 |
| Price Per Day | $ 486 | $ 331 |
| Highlights |
N/A
|
|
| Trip Style | Small group tour | Group tour |
| Lodging Level | Standard | Premium |
| Physical Level |
|
|
| Travel Themes |
|
|
| Countries Visited | ||
| Cities and Attractions |
|
|
| Flights & Transport | Internal airfare and ground transport included | Airfare included |
| Activities |
|
|
| Meals Included | N/A | N/A |
| Description |
The gourmet cooking holidays take place at Molino di Bordone, among the Tuscan and Umbrian hills, only minutes from the beautiful Etruscan walled town of Cortona. This is an ideal setting for a tasty week of culinary adventure, gourmet food & fine wines. Cookery demonstrations and lessons are by traditional and professional chefs. The culinary holiday Caspin offers you is an experience covering many aspects of family and refined cuisine. Seasonality and quality of ingredients are paramount and you use the freshest ingredients available from local producers, weekly markets and organic gardens. Skilled chefs provide you with the knowledge to recreate with confidence when you return home. A delightful selection of excursions compliments the program to medieval hill towns, ancient abbeys & Etruscan sites, Renaissance frescoes, classical concerts, vineyards & wineries, olive oils, pecorino cheese & wine tastings. On top of the quality tuition by exclusive chefs, visits to wineries and the experience of making world famous pecorino cheese. You will get to meet and travel with likeminded people, and of course you will receive our custom culinary book to take home, with all our favourite recipes. |
Travel from the shores of Venice to the ancient city of Rome on this 8-day guided tour of Italy. Begin your journey in Milan, where a festive feast — complete with decadent Italian wines — awaits you on the shores of Lake Como. In Venice, relax on a private boat as you pass by its iconic floating houses to St. Mark’s Square, where you will see a gilded basilica anchoring the bustling piazza. Later, take a traditional gondola ride and sail through the canals as your Italian gondolier serenades you with songs. See the legendary Colosseum in Rome, then travel to the Vatican Museums, where a Local Expert will lead you through the papal art collection and to Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel. Dine in the Pope’s garden, beneath the cupola of St. Peter’s Basilica, and celebrate a fantastic trip. |
DAY 1 : Cortona
Meet at Terontola station, Cortona, easily reached from Rome or Florence. Relax and settle into your accommodation in Cortona which will become your home for the week. Join us for a welcome cocktail party while the chef prepares a Tuscan Feast as we introduce you to the week’s activities.
DAY 2 : Exploring Cortona
Visit Cortona’s 12th century Franciscan hermitage, a spiritual and tranquil place just outside the Etruscan city walls; then enter Cortona through one of the ancient city gates to explore its medieval streets, monuments and bustling piazzas. A guided tour of the Etruscan museum and some free time to indulge in a gelato follows, but don’t spoil your appetite before a tasty picnic lunch in the shady tree lined park. In the afternoon we return to our tuscan country kitchen for Cooking Lesson 1.
DAY 3 : Montepulciano, Vino Nobile Wine country
Visit the wine country of Montepulciano and taste Vino Nobile at a winery before entering the historic town’s 16th century gates to stroll along the main street lined with magnificent buildings and ancient wine cellars. Visit a small, family run cheese-making farm and taste different varieties served with pears honey & marmellata. Then continue to Pienza a renaissance jewel and UNESCO world heritage site famous for its pecorino cheese. In the afternoon follows Cookery Lesson 2.
DAY 4 : Montalcino, Brunello wine country
Travel to the walled hill-town of Montalcino, famous for Brunello, one of Italy’s finest wines. From the battlements of the Rocca castle look down upon magnificent views of the UNESCO world heritage Val D’Orcia and Monte Amiata. Cheese and wine tasting in the Enoteca of the castle which offers a wide selection of Brunello’s. Visit the cellars of a well-known winery and then the picturesque Abbey of Sant’Antimo, built by Charlemagne where the monks still celebrate mass in Gregorian chant. Return journey is a spectacular drive through the countryside of the Val d’Orcia. In the evening enjoy Cooking Lesson 3.
DAY 5 : Siena & Chianti wine country
Travel through the idyllic countryside of Chianti Classico and taste wine at Castello di Brolio whose family created the blend for this world famous wine. In the afternoon we are accompanied by a Sienese art historian on a walking tour of the heart of Siena. We visit one of the most richly decorated cathedrals in the world with masterpieces by Duccio, Pisano, Lorenzetti, Donatello, Pinturicchio and Michelangelo. In the campo square we learn about the world famous Palio horse race and the traditions of its people.
DAY 6 : Farmers market excursion
Tour to the local fresh produce market. Free time to relax. Optional afternoon tour to a local Thermal Springs Spa (entry not included). The day concludes with Cooking Lesson 4
DAY 7 : Departure
Drop off (9.00-10.00) at Terontola station for onward travel.
Day 1: Elegant Como
Welcome to Italy. After being greeted by your Travel Director at Milan's Malpensa Airport, your transfer departs at 09:30 or 12:30. Join your Travel Director at 17:30 and head to L'antica Riva, an elegant restaurant on the shores of Lake Como, known for serving delicious fresh produce. Your Welcome Dinner provides the opportunity to mingle and get to know your fellow travellers over a pleasant evening.
Day 2: Venice, the Queen of the Adriatic Relaxed Start
Journey through the beautiful Italian lake district, past Lakes Iseo and Garda to the floating city of Venice, Queen of the Adriatic. Your hotel offers authentic Venetian charm, as it reflects the history and culture of the surrounding area. As night falls, why not savour the magic of St. Mark’s square with its orchestras and al-fresco cafes?
Day 3: Venice and the Magic of La Serenissima
Wake up ready to embrace this romantic city. While here, join a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience during a visit to a traditional arts centre, where you can see how beautiful handcrafted glass is made by expert glassblowers, safeguarding traditional skills. What better way to see Venice than from a private boat, cruising past palazzos and churches to St. Mark’s Square? See the gilded basilica, the Doge's Palace and Lord Byron’s Bridge of Sighs. No visit to Venice would be complete without a gondola serenade through the myriad of beautiful canals. Relax and enjoy the local traditional songs, as you drift along in awe. Spend the afternoon and evening as you wish.
Day 4: Tranquil Tuscany, Pisa and Florence
Follow the fertile valley of the River Po, into the peaceful landscapes of Tuscany. Continue to Pisa and see the Leaning Tower in the Square of Miracles. Later, visit the 11th century cathedral and baptistery. Venture on to beautiful Florence - a treasure house of the Renaissance. Explore Florence with Insight Choice. Choose to visit the Accademia Museum with and see Michelangelo's David. Alternatively, wander through the market stalls on a shopping tour, enjoying all the Italian treats and finery on offer. With your Local Expert, admire the marble-clad Cathedral and Baptistery, and wander Piazza della Signoria, an open-air gallery filled with Renaissance sculptures. In the evening, dinner is served with a selection of Tuscany's finest wines, presented by an expert sommelier who explains each of the wines being served.
Day 5: Free Time in Renaissance Florence Relaxed Start
Learn some secrets of traditional Florentine leatherwork when you visit a local workshop to admire the intricate work.The rest of the day is free for you to fully immerse yourself in the Tuscan capital. Perhaps shop for leather or gold goods around Santa Croce or relax and soak up the atmosphere in one of the many street cafés? Be sure not to miss the magnificent museums and galleries that house some of the most famous works of art in the world. In the evening, enjoy an opportunity to sample the true flavours of the region with a sumptuous optional Tuscan dinner, served with local wine.
Day 6: Chianti Country to Orvieto and on to Rome
Journey to Umbrian Orvieto, a hilltop village overlooking a vineyard-covered plain.Explore the town with your Travel Director and visit Piazza del Duomo to admire the cathedral, before continuing towards the Eternal City of Rome. In the evening, why not throw your coin into the Trevi Fountain to ensure your return to the city?
Day 7: Rome Sightseeing and Dinner in the Vatican
In the morning, enjoy the very best of the city’s highlights, including visiting the magnificent St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican. Cross the Tiber river to enjoy ancient Rome. See the incredible Circus Maximus and the legendary Colosseum, site of memorable battles and a legacy to the courage of gladiators.In the afternoon, gain exclusive fast-tracked priority entry to the Vatican Museums with a Local Expert. Admire the Papal art collection and observe the stunning Museo Gregoriano Profano, which documents various moments and themes in classical art, from Ancient Greece through to the late Imperial Roman age. You'll then enter the Sistine Chapel where you'll marvel at Michelangelo’s ceiling masterpiece.This evening, indulge in a special Highlight Dinner hosted at the Vatican's Cortile del Giardino Quadrato with spectacular views of St. Peter's.
Day 8: Arrivederci Roma
Bid farewell to the glories of Italy. Departure transfers arrive at Rome’s Fiumicino Leonardo da Vinci Airport at 07:00 and 09:30.
