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Italy

Cooking in Tuscany

Program No. 19672RJ
Tuscany: The word conjures images of golden vineyards, nodding sunflowers and artfully prepared meals. Come learn the art of Tuscan cooking on this culinary adventure of a lifetime.
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Start
Food & WineMicro Group
Length
10 days
Rating (5)
Activity Level
Starts at
3,249
Flights start at
950

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Itinerary
While we make every effort to ensure the accuracy of our published materials, programs are typically advertised more than a year prior to their start date. Read More.
While we make every effort to ensure the accuracy of our published materials, programs are typically advertised more than a year prior to their start date. As a result, some program activities, schedules, accommodations, personnel, and other logistics occasionally change due to local conditions or circumstances. Should a major change occur, we will make every effort to alert you. For less significant changes, we will update you during orientation. Thank you for your understanding.
Duration
10 days
9 nights
What's Included
19 meals ( 8B, 6L, 5D )
1 expert-led lecture
8 expert-led field trips
4 hands-on experiences
An experienced Group Leader
8 nights of accommodations
Taxes and customary gratuity
Road Scholar Assurance Plan
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Activity Note
Hotel check-in from 3:00 p.m. Remember to bring your nametag (sent previously).
Afternoon:
After checking-in at the hotel and getting your room, take some time to freshen up and relax before our Orientation session. Orientation: 6:00 p.m. The Group Leader will greet everyone and lead introductions. We will review the up-to-date program schedule, discuss roles and responsibilities, logistics, safety guidelines, emergency procedures, and answer questions. Accommodations will be in the pedestrian-only historical center of Lucca. Pick-ups and drop-offs will be at the bus stop, a 5-minute walk from the hotel. Streets are mostly cobblestones. Typical Italian food courses include l’antipasto — literally “before the meal” — a hot or cold appetizer; il primo piatto, the first course, often soup or pasta; il secondo piatto, the second course or main dish; il contorno piatto, a side dish such as vegetables or salad; and il dolce, dessert. Breakfasts will be at the hotel; most lunches and some other meals will be two courses featuring local dishes. Periods in the schedule designated as “Free time” and “At leisure” offer opportunities to do what you like and make your experience even more meaningful and memorable according to your personal preferences. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. Program activities, schedules, personnel, and indicated distances or times may change due to local circumstances/conditions. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your understanding. We will gather before dinner for a welcome drink together.
Dinner:
At a local restaurant.
Evening:
At leisure. Continue getting to know your fellow Road Scholars, settle in, and get a good night’s rest for the day ahead.
Activity Note
Walking about 2 miles throughout the day; cobblestone streets.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
We will begin our learning adventure with an expert-led walking field trip through Lucca, taking in the atmosphere and seeing architectural legacies predating the Roman Empire all the way to the Renaissance at the Domus Romana, an archaeological site in the center of Lucca. We’ll delve into the lengthy history of this area through informative museum exhibits and excavation sites. Lucca is a city that exudes charm and history and where the people are particularly pleasant and ready to help visitors with their Italian. The charm of Lucca consists in a beautiful mix of eras, stories, characters, and architecture. The charm of this small-large city of art, lies also in the fact that it is not yet inflated by mass tourism, and for this reason it is full of possibilities for a visitor who wants to capture the most authentic spirit of life in Italy, in a provincial city where the rhythms are still natural. Lucca is a still hidden jewel, a treasure to be revealed, and whoever discovers it cannot help but be enchanted. It has pre-Roman origins; therefore, it is very ancient and retains evident traces of its entire past. What makes it unique, are its Walls: four kilometers of history, which surround the entire ancient center and can be entirely explored on foot or by bicycle, constituting the city park. A walk on the Walls is a unique experience to live.
Lunch:
At the Domus Romana, we’ll experience a Roman-style “convivium.”
Afternoon:
After lunch, we will walk to the hotel to freshen up before we will walk to the cooking school for our first cooking class with a professional chef at the International Academy of Italian Cuisine. The comprehensive, hands-on curriculum is designed to teach us how to make four-course lunches through cooking techniques applicable to pasta, pastries, and everything in between. The International School of Italian Cooking is located in the historic center of Lucca. Its premises offer a kitchen divided into 3 areas: the kitchen room, where classes are held; the dining room, where meals are eaten after class, and the outdoor garden. The beginnings of the Italian Cuisine school date back to 1985 when Professor Nobuo Nishimura, owner of the Japanese publishing house, Bunryu, began to spread Italian traditions in Japan. Nishimura, who had met the young Chef Gianluca Pardini a few years earlier in Tokyo, decided to entrust him with the task of training Japanese Chefs in Italy. After many years in the hills of Siena, the school was moved to Lucca in 2004, opening its doors to aspiring Chefs from Italy and from all over the world. Director and Chef Gianluca Pardini, together with his close-knit team carries on the business, teaching the beauty and challenge of confronting the stove every day and being constantly up to date. The School’s values are dedication, passion, willingness, internationality, and professionalism, values that distinguish its daily work and make the school for over 30 years train Chefs from all over the world.
Dinner:
At the cooking school, we will enjoy the results of our cooking lesson along with other dishes prepared by the chef.
Evening:
Returning to the hotel, the rest of the evening is at leisure.
Activity Note
Walking about 2 miles throughout the day; cobblestone streets. At Palazzo Pfanner, several flights of stairs with handrail (no elevator).
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
We’ll set out on an expert-led walking field trip in Lucca with emphasis on the progression from the Renaissance to the Modern Age.
Lunch:
At a local restaurant.
Afternoon:
We’ll walk to the hotel from the restaurant to freshen up before we will walk to the Cooking School for our hands-on cooking class.
Dinner:
At the Cooking School, we will enjoy the meal we helped to prepare.
Evening:
Returning to the hotel, the rest of the evening is at leisure.
Activity Note
Getting on/off a motorcoach; driving about 48 miles throughout the day, approximately 1 hour riding time. Walking about 2 miles; cobblestone streets, uneven terrain.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
We’ll board a motorcoach and ride to Pietrasanta with our Group Leader for a walking field trip in this medieval town. Pietrasanta is a diamond set in the heart of Versilia, an enchanting town of medieval origin. It has become a very important center of attraction for Italian and foreign tourists who, throughout the year, crowd the streets of the historic center to enjoy its beauty, its many works of art and the culture of which it is imbued. Pietrasanta is a reality that was capable of seducing countless poets, writers, artists and above all renowned sculptors from all over the world of the caliber of Michelangelo, Vasari, Miro', Botero. This excellence in the creations in marble & bronze, has led to the creation of small artisan workshops whose presence create a particular atmosphere that immediately captures and enchants the visitor. The atmosphere visitors breathe has an almost bohemian flavor; the small clubs that overlook the narrow streets of the center and the main square have heard many stories. Right there, between a coffee or a glass of wine, ideas and inspirations were born, debates among artists or men of culture, great projects and great initiatives have been realized. It is no coincidence that Pietrasanta is called "Little Athens" because its history has been closely linked to art for centuries. Pietrasanta is also called an "open-air museum" because in every street, alley, square or roundabout it is possible to admire world-famous sculptures. In addition to the numerous art galleries abound, among one of the finest, visited year-round, such as "Giannoni & Santoni Artistic Collaborations" in Via Sauro. Last and not least, art in Pietrasanta also goes hand in hand with the tradition of excellent food and wine tradition, evidenced by famous restaurants featured in prestigious guides such as the Michelin, Gambero Rosso, and SLOW FOOD Guides.
Lunch:
At a restaurant in Pietrasanta.
Afternoon:
Free time in Pietrasanta. This period has been set aside for your personal independent exploration to see and do what interests you most. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. Please note that the period scheduled for free time is subject to change depending on local circumstances and opportunities for independent exploration. We will return to the hotel.
Dinner:
This meal has been excluded from the program cost and is on your own to have what you like. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions.
Evening:
At leisure.
Activity Note
Getting on/off a motorcoach; driving about 2.5 miles, 1/4 hour riding time. Walking about 1.5 miles; cobblestone streets.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
We will board a motorcoach and ride to a local market with our Group Leader for an authentic experience of how people from Lucca go food shopping in preparation for cooking. We’ll then ride to the Cooking School for our hands-on cooking class.
Lunch:
At the cooking school.
Afternoon:
Returning to the hotel, the remainder of the afternoon is free. Take this opportunity to see and do what interests you most.
Dinner:
On your own to enjoy what you like.
Evening:
At leisure.
Activity Note
Getting on/off a motorcoach; driving about 12 miles throughout the day, approximately 1/2 hour riding time. Walking about 1.5 miles; cobblestone streets, uneven terrain. At Villa Sardi, several flights of stairs with handrail (no elevator).
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
In the late morning, we will board the motorcoach for a short ride to Fabbrica di San Martino, a farm producing “biodynamic” wine and oil. The owner will give us a presentation on what “biodynamic” farming means and how it works, through a holistic view of nature as an interconnected whole where every element plays its specific role. Next, we will walk to nearby Villa Sardi in Fabbrica di San Martino. This historical noble residence datds from the 17th century, and is now a winery. We will learn more about the production of wine, cheese, and olive oil including tastings.
Lunch:
On your own to enjoy what you like at Villa Sardi.
Afternoon:
Next, we’ll ride to the International Academy of Italian Cuisine for our hands-on cooking class.
Dinner:
At the cooking school, we’ll enjoy the meal we helped prepare.
Evening:
Returning to the hotel, the remainder of the evening is free.
Activity Note
Getting on/off a motorcoach; driving about 74 miles throughout the day, approximately 2 hours riding time. Walking about 1.5 miles throughout the day; uneven terrain. A deep hill terrain to reach the cava in Carrara.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
We will board a motorcoach and ride to Carrara to visit a private marble quarry. Carrara merges with the Alps in a succession of changing and fascinating landscapes, dominated by the white mountain profiles and the marble extracted from the quarries, which has made the history and fortune of this place. An ancient Roman colony, Carrara, due to the importance of its quarries, was a land of conquest. But the centuries of domination have never quelled the rebellious character of its people who boast a strong working-class tradition told by the thousand stories of anarchist quarrymen, who were able to preserve different dialects and cultures, bringing them together in a single tradition. Frequented by artists such as Michelangelo and Canova, the Carrara marble quarries are an open-air museum. The dazzling charm of her white treasure.We will visit a private marble quarry and learn by a local expert the technique for extracting marble from the mountain and how it is worked. We will ride to a local factory producing lardo in Colonnata.
Lunch:
At a lardo factory in Colonnata.
Afternoon:
We will visit the factory. The lardo of Colonnata, a real delicacy, is a type of salumi made by curing strips of the pigs back fat with rosemary and other herbs and spices. What makes it so special is the processor of production and curing (in a marble basin). Its unique taste compatibility makes it one of the best ingredients to prepare a “bruschetta”. We will return to the hotel. The remainder of the afternoon is free.
Dinner:
On your own to enjoy what you like.
Evening:
At leisure.
Activity Note
Getting on/off a motorcoach; driving about 25 miles throughout the day, approximately 1 hour riding time. Walking about 1.5 miles; cobblestone streets, uneven terrain, hilly sections.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
We will board the motorcoach and ride to the medieval town of Montecarlo where a local expert will lead our exploration of the “borgo antico” — old village. The fortified medieval village of Montecarlo is the proud holder of an Orange Flag, the prestigious eco-tourism award presented by the Italian Touring Club. It was founded in the fourteenth century by Charles IV of Bohemia around the Cerruglio fortress, and it was named Montecarlo in his honor. In the fourteenth century, during the wars between Lucca, Pisa and Florence it has been a very important strategic garrison. The history of Montecarlo is strictly connected with viticulture, hence the meaning of its original name Vivinaia, which means passing along the wine road which gets across the hill of Montecarlo. Until late Medieval times this area was characterized by the production of quality wines organized by religious orders. This activity is testified by the Abbey founded in 1200 in San Martino in Colle by the Benedictine order which was stating very positive judgments on the wine of Montecarlo. Today, the village is famous all over the world for the production PDO Montecarlo wines and CDO Lucca extra-virgin olive oil. From Montecarlo, we’ll ride to a local winery.
Lunch:
At the winery in Montecarlo.
Afternoon:
Returning to Lucca, the remainder of the afternoon is free for independent exploration.
Dinner:
At a local restaurant. We'll share some of our favorite experiences from the program with fellow Road Scholars.
Evening:
At leisure. Prepare for check-out and departure in the morning.
Activity Note
Hotel check-out 11:00 a.m. See your program’s “Travel Information” regarding transfers.
Breakfast:
At the hotel depending on departure times. This concludes our program.
Morning:
If you are returning home, safe travels. If you are staying on independently, have a wonderful time. If you are transferring to another Road Scholar program, detailed instructions are included in your Information Packet for that program. We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on another rewarding program in the future. Don’t forget to join our Facebook page and follow us on Instagram. Best wishes for all your journeys!
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