Course itinerary
Tucked away in the peaceful and pretty village of Cison di Valma, flanked by the Alps this charming and tastefully restored 18th century house is the setting for your Italian cooking holiday experience.
Under the guidance of your fun and friendly Italian host Chef Antonella, you will immerse yourself in Italian life to discover the gastronomic delights of this beautiful area of Veneto.
The aim of the course is to give you the skills to cook fabulous Italian dishes from the region to impress even the most experienced foodies. You’ll learn to cook in the well equipped kitchen of the house where you’ll stay with great views over the local castle and gardens.
Antonella will also take you to visit a local wine producer and on a market tour during your stay as well as giving you the secrets of her homemade limoncello.
You will be introduced to magnificent local wines, concentrating on local grape types right in the middle of the Prosecco DOC region. You will enjoy your hosts favoured red of the Venetian Republic, Raboso and other captivating wines including the fine wines of Friuli to the east, and Soave and Valpolicella to the west.
You’ll also combine a host of sightseeing and excursions with fun hands-on Italian cooking lessons with plenty of time to relax on this 7 night / 8 day Italian cookery holiday with a difference.
Suitability
- Suitable for all levels from complete beginners to experienced foodies
- Your hosts are Italian but speak perfect English
- Minimum age: 5 (children under 18 must be accompanied by an adult)
- Note: Children under 14 will receive a 50% discount on the course price when sharing a room with 2 adults
Travelling Solo?
- These cookery holidays make great singles holidays and in fact, many people travel solo
- Singles can join existing groups and rooms can be booked with NO single supplements, to check availability for singles please contact us at hello@golearnto.com with your preferred date of travel
Non-Cooking Guests
- Non cooking guests are welcome to share a room with a cooking guest and prices for the non-cooking guest will be discounted accordingly, please email hello@golearnto.com or contact us via live chat (click on the ‘start chat’ link at the bottom of this page) or call us for details
Italian Cookery Holiday Start Days
- This Italian cooking and wine course runs on set dates from April-October although if you wish to travel from November to March, cookery holidays will run on request, please contact us to discuss your requirements
- All arrivals are on Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday and departures are 8 days later (7 nights / 8 days)
Italian Cooking And Wine Course Itinerary
Day 1 – Arrival Day
- You’ll be collected from Venice airport and driven to the house for your cookery course
- Enjoy welcome aperitifs with your hosts and other guests
- Traditional Italian cuisine and wine from the region will be served by your hosts in the evening
Day 2 – Free Time and Cooking Class
- Enjoy a leisurely Italian breakfast and enjoy some free time to explore the beautiful village on your first morning
- Head back to the house for lunch
- After lunch, you’ll start your first cooking lesson learning to cook dishes from the region
- After the cooking lesson, sit down and enjoy eating what you’ve learned to prepare accompanied by local wines
Day 3 – Cooking Class and Visit a Wine Producer
- Enjoy a leisurely Italian breakfast before heading to the kitchen for your 2nd cookery lesson
- Relax over lunch eating what you have learned to prepare that morning
- After lunch, you are welcome to join the group for a tour of the local area visiting one of the best examples of a 13th century abbey in Italy, a beautiful old waterwheel, and finish with a visit to a local wine producer
- After your tour and wine producer visit, head back to the house for dinner with wine
Day 4 – Cooking Class, Villa Barbaro and Asolo Visit
- Enjoy a leisurely Italian breakfast before heading to the kitchen for your 3rd cookery lesson
- Relax over lunch eating what you have learned to prepare that morning
- After lunch, take a trip to Villa Barbaro, one of Palladio’s greatest masterpieces, decorated with frescoes by Veronese
- Later, you’ll continue to the beautiful hill-town of Asolo to discover the winding streets, shops and history of this pretty town before heading back for dinner
Day 5 – Free Time
- Enjoy a leisurely Italian breakfast today before deciding how to spend your free day
- Many guests choose to visit Venice for the day or explore the Dolomites, Padova, Vicenza, Belluno, Bassano d. Grappa, Feltre or nearby Treviso all within an hour’s drive
- Today you’ll make your own arrangements for lunch and dinner
Day 6 – Cookery Lesson, Shopping or Walk
- Enjoy a leisurely Italian breakfast before heading to the kitchen for your 4th cookery lesson
- Relax over lunch eating what you have learned to prepare that morning
- The afternoon is free to either enjoy a walk, visit Castel Brando on the hillside or just head to the shops or local factories for shopping
- Chef Antonella will bake bread today in the 18th century bread oven which you’ll enjoy with dinner
Day 7 – Market Visit and Cookery Lesson
- After breakfast, you’ll take a morning trip to the food market at Conegliano with Antonella to select fresh food for your farewell dinner
- Enjoy lunch before starting your 5th cookery lesson where you’ll cook and enjoy your farewell dinner
Day 8 – Departure Day
- After breakfast guests are asked to check-out of their rooms by 11am ready for departure taking home with them new cooking skills and an insight into Italian life that will stay with them long after the holiday is over
What Will I Learn?
- Courses concentrate on the cuisine of the Veneto: its antipasti, pastas, risottos, gnocchi, crespelle, sorbets, main courses and desserts
- Dishes vary across the region, from the seafood specialities of Venice, to the heartier food of the foothills of the Dolomites
- At the start of your stay, Antonella will discuss menus with you to ensure you cover what you’d like to during the course
Sample Italian Menus
Dishes vary according to the season and what food is available but may include:
- Pumpkin risotto or gnocchi
- Asparagus lasagne
- Crespelle stuffed with wild mushrooms
- Meat balls in a lemony sauce
- Saltimbocca alla romana
- Roast duck
- Ossobuco
- Pasta with cuttlefish and black ink
- Homemade gelato
- Tiramisu
- Sgruppino which is based on lemon ice cream with prosecco and vodka
- Local wines are carefully chosen to accompany each dish and of course you’ll have plenty of prosecco from the area
- No meal is complete without Antonella's famous homemade limoncello, which will make you tingle all over in delight
- Hardier souls can enjoy the grappas she infuses with various berries, seeds and roots
- Dietary requests can be catered for including vegetarians if advised at the time of booking
About Your Chef
- Your host is the easy going, fun and friendly Antonella who lives at the house with her husband and son
- Antonella’s philosophy is that food is central to life and believes that meals should be full of flavour, beautifully presented, and not too difficult to prepare
- Antonella will teach you to be boldly creative and cook with confidence
- Not only an accomplished Italian chef learning from her own mother, Antonella has also learned to cook Indian, Thai, Mexican and Chinese cuisine
- Antonella takes traditional Italian recipes, as prepared in Italian homes, but occasionally adds her own creativity to produce dishes that will surprise and delight you
Accommodation
- Accommodation is set in Antonella’s stunning house which is a beautifully restored 18th century farmhouse with wooden beams and stonework, maintaining its original charm whilst offering comfortable luxury
- There are 2 fantastic double bedrooms that share a big bathroom with Jacuzzi and a self contained apartment all with ensuite bathrooms for cooking holiday guests
- The apartment is set on the ground floor so is ideal for guests that struggles with stairs etc. or if you are travelling with your family then extra beds can be added for children
- Tastefully restored to retain the rustic charm; your room will have double bed, private bathroom and a delightful view of the surrounding area
- You'll cook in the beautiful rustic kitchen set in the house that is light, airy, and furnished with all the modern equipment you could need, it also has wonderful views of the castle on the hillside and is a real joy to create your culinary masterpieces in
- All rooms are full of character and are delightfully decorated throughout
- Singles can book a room for no extra charge
- Please note that you'll cook in the beautiful rustic kitchen in the house that is light, airy, and furnished with modern equipment, it also has wonderful views of the castle on the hillside, and is a real joy to work in
- An 18th century bread oven is used to make the delicious bread and pizzas
- The house has lovely gardens for guests to use
- There are stunning views of the courtyard and the medieval castle on the hillside surrounding the house
- The accommodation also boasts a small leisure centre, including a small indoor swimming pool and a table-tennis table for you to relax
Meals
- Breakfast is included each day
- Lunch and dinner are included each day apart from on your free day - Wine is included as well as Antonella's famous homemade limoncello after dinner
Free Time In Veneto
- Castel Brando can be reached by a five minute walk, followed by a short trip in a funicular railway
- The castle has a spa, theatre, and various bars the views from its ramparts are wonderful
- In summer it occasionally hosts concerts, throughout the year there are various food festivals in local villages that might be attended
Go learn to cook in the north of Italy near Venice, pursue your passion for food, good wine and discover all this region has to offer on a cookery holiday with a difference.