Italy Cooking Tours: Discovering Le Marche

Discovering Le Marche
Macerata, Le Marche

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About the location: Le Marche (translated as The Marches) lies on the eastern side of central Italy between the Apennines Mountains and the Adriatic Sea. It is bordered by the regions of Emilia Romagna to the north, Umbria to the west and Lazio and Abruzzo to the south. The region is an amazing combination of beautiful rolling countryside, mountain ranges, ancient hilltop villages, stunning coastline and beautiful cities. Le Marche offers the traveler a wealth of culture, art, crafts, excellent local cuisine and beautiful scenery in which you will rarely be faced with crowds.

Lesley and Dean fell in love with Italy many years ago and finally bought Caserma Carina in 2003. They spent the next three years sympathetically restoring this magnificent 19th-century Italian country house. Caserma Carina has been a labor of love and your hosts enjoy sharing their home and wealth of local knowledge with their guests. Set in a beautiful valley surrounded by a patchwork of rolling fields, olive trees and vines with amazing views of the Sibillini mountain range and Medieval hilltop towns, Caserma Carina is still only a 15 minute walk from the ancient town of Mogliano – perfect for strolling and people watching. Relaxing in your large, fully equipped luxury apartment, where you can enjoy a private escape with stunning views from the apartments and the immaculately kept, spacious landscaped gardens, terrace and private 12 × 6m pool.

About the cooking lessons: Your lessons will be at Il Maniero restaurant and art club, just 10 minutes from Caserma Carina Country House. You will enjoy a warm and friendly welcome from academy chef Guida Stacchietti and Marco Ferranti, who will create regional and traditional Italian dishes using fresh, local produce from this rural and unspoilt area of Italy. You will be taught how to cook a variety of local dishes including homemade pasta, traditional meat dishes and wonderful Italian desserts, just to mention a few. Guida will also guide you through the art of food presentation. Part-owner Daniele Cristallini is an accomplished artist, and you will be surrounded by works of art and antiques which can be purchased should you fall in love with a particular item.

Discovering Le Marche Itinerary

Day 1

  • Arrival and transfer from Ancona airport or train station.
  • Time to settle in and get to know your beautiful surroundings.
  • Welcome dinner tonight at a local restaurant.
  • Overnight.

Day 2

  • Following breakfast, your first cooking class at Il Maniero. Chef Guida will take you through the various handmade pasta and sauces, which you will get to taste during lunch.
  • In the afternoon, visit a local winery where you will sample some of Le Marche’s wines.
  • Tonight’s dinner is at a local restaurant
  • Overnight.

Day 3

  • Following breakfast, visit a market in Macerata. Explore this bustling market and beautiful city.
  • Stop at one of the best osterias for your lunch.
  • In the afternoon, visit the 15th-century Abbey of Fiastra and Nature Reserve and the nearby 1st-century BC Roman ruins at Urbs Salvia.
  • Dinner in a local restaurant.
  • Overnight.

Day 4

  • Breakfast, followed by you second cooking class featuring traditional meat dishes.
  • Lunch to follow based on your efforts.
  • The afternoon is reserved for shopping! Le Marche is widely known for their discount designer shops, which you will have a chance to explore on your own.
  • Dinner in a local restaurant and overnight.

Day 5

  • Breakfast and your final cooking class where you will concentrate on making delicious Italian desserts.
  • Lunch to follow.
  • This afternoon, you have the choice to visit the Frassasi caves, a trip to the Sibillini mountains or spend the time at leisure.
  • Dinner tonight at Il Maniero.
  • Overnight.

Day 6

  • Breakfast followed by a trip to the coast to visit the fish market at Civitanova Marche.
  • Your freshly prepared fish lunch will be in the stunning Monte Conero regional nature park.
  • Afternoon at leisure.
  • Farewell dinner at a local restaurant.
  • Overnight.

Day 7

  • Breakfast and departure to airport or train station.

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