Pizzoccheri made during your culinary tour of Northern Italy

The chef of the Grand Hotel della Posta, home for your cooking vacation in Northern Italy

Coffee after dinner during your culinary tour of Italy

Pizzoccheri enjoyed on your culinary tour of Italy

View of the valley during your culinary tour of Northern Italy

Plate of Pizzoccheri on a cooking vacation in Italy

Sciatt on a cooking vacation in Northern Italy

The kitchen of the Grand Hotel della Posta, home for your cooking vacation in Northern Italy

Bernina Express train on a culinary vacation in northern Italy

A plate of Bresaola on a Northern Italy culinary tour

Lombardy and its produce during your cooking vacation in Italy

Bresaola enjoyed on your cooking vacation in Italy

Main square of Sondrio, home for your cooking vacation in Italy

Elegant room at the Grand Hotel della Posta, home for your cooking vacation in Northern Italy

Twin room at the Grand Hotel della Posta, home for your cooking vacation in Northern Italy

Double room at the Grand Hotel della Posta, home for your cooking vacation in Northern Italy

Bedroom at the Grand Hotel della Posta, home for your cooking vacation in Northern Italy

Bedroom and bath at the Grand Hotel della Posta, home for your cooking vacation in Northern Italy

Table at the Grand Hotel della Posta, home for your cooking vacation in Northern Italy

Hallway at the Grand Hotel della Posta, home for your cooking vacation in Northern Italy

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Overview

Cooking in the Valtellina Valley

This trip is eligible for our Worry-Free Booking promotion.

The stunning Valtellina (Valtelline) valley lies in northernmost Lombardy, on the border with Switzerland. Known in the winter for its skiing and hot spring spas and in the summer for its hiking and golf, it is also famous for its food and wine. Cheeses such as Bitto and Casera, the well-known wines of Sassella and Grumello, and time-honored local pastas and desserts make it an ideal location for one of our most unique culinary vacations in Italy. This land is unlike the touristy parts of the country, instead rife with glorious landscapes, modest and friendly locals, Italian comfort food and plenty of fresh air. The Valtellina’s location not only makes it an ideal starting point for a foray into Switzerland (and its famous resort town St. Moritz), but also an intriguing mix of various cultures: Swiss, Austrian, Romansh, German and of course Italian.

Your home in the Valtellina will be the town of Sondrio, located in the heart of the valley. With over 22,000 inhabitants, the comune boasts plenty of sites (including its central piazza Garibaldi, the Palazzo Sassi art and history museum, and the Masegra Castle).

Latest Review

We gave this trip 4 stars

★★★★★

Adele & Sarah

New York

Trip taken June 2013

I cannot say that our cooking vacation did not meet our expectations but in some ways that is true. We had received in the mail from you, a program of our week in Sondrio. Upon our arrival the concierge at the hotel, which by the way, was fabulous, handed us their program. There were a few changes, some of which were not to our liking. First of all they had us booked on the Red Train to St. Moritz on a Sunday when everything would be closed. That was rearranged and worked out okay but it took some doing and the Manager of the Hotel to arrange it. Your program also had us at a "farewell dinner" on Sunday evening, our last night in Sondrio. Apparently you did not have close contact with the hotel because the kitchen is closed on Sunday. I do think it behooves you to be totally knowledgeable about the hotel and its programs before you arrange a calendar for your guests. That being said, I want to commend the staff of the hotel, all of whom went out of their way to make sure we had a good time. Also the sommelier, Cristina, was superb and Gigi, our guide, was also excellent. All in all we had a great time but it was not exactly what we expected. We thought it would more of a "cooking course" and instead we were in the hotel kitchen with the chef, the sous chef and his assistant and that was great fun. I think we did learn something and I for one will try to duplicate one of the recipes we learned to make. I hope this satisfies you and that in the future you will be sure you have all the details down pat before you send daily programs to participants. Adele W., NY _Note from The International Kitchen: The hotel provided a complimentary trip to Lake Como._

Trip Details

Your 3 cooking courses will be a combination of hands-on and demonstration, and will include:

A class on the famed ‘pizzoccheri’ pasta and ‘sciatt’ fritters
A class on traditional pasta sauces
A dessert class on Valtellina cakes and desserts

Day One

Depending on season and theme, itinerary details and order of activities may vary.

Arrival on your own in Sondrio. (The hotel is a 5-minute walk or short taxi ride from the train station. Or, transfers from Milan can be arranged on request.)
Check in and time to relax, or to explore this charming town.
This evening enjoy an aperitif with a local sparkling wine during which the updated itinerary for the week will be presented.
Three-course dinner in the hotel restaurant, beverages not included.

Day Two

Breakfast at the hotel.
This morning, a cooking lesson at the hotel. Learn to make such traditional dishes of the Valtellina as pizzoccheri and sciatt. Pizzoccheri are a long flat pasta, similar to tagliatelle, made with 80% buckwheat flour and traditionally prepared with greens such as Swiss Chard, cubed potatoes, and local cheeses (the Valtellina Casera cheese and Grana Padano or Parmigiano Reggiano), and dressed with garlic and sage. Sciatt in the Valtellina dialect means “toad,” but here refers to crispy fritters stuffed with cheese and served on a bed of chicory.
Enjoy a lunch based on your efforts, wine included.
This afternoon, a visit to a producer of the famed Italian Bresaola (air-dried, salted beef originating in northern Lombardy).
Afterwards, enjoy a guided tour to an old family distillery with tasting of grappa and local products. (Please note this visit can also happen other days during the week, depending on availability.)
Evening and dinner on your own.

Day Three

Breakfast at the hotel.
In the morning a visit to a local vineyard where you will tour the cellar and have a wine tasting.
Lunch on your own.
In the afternoon, a professional sommelier will give a course on wine parings and the right glass to use with different wines.
Dinner on your own.

Day Four

Breakfast in the hotel.
Today enjoy an excursion on the Bernina “Red Train” to Swiss St. Moritz. (This excursion is organized on Sundays only, as the hotel restaurant is closed today). The train ride (which takes around 2 hours 20 minutes) is truly spectacular. The only railway line that goes through the Alps in the open (and not through tunnels), the train reaches an elevation of over 1800 meters and faces the sheer mountainsides of the Alps.
Having arrived in Swiss St. Moritz, you can explore this deluxe resort town and its many attractions before taking the train back to Sondrio.
Evening and dinner on your own.

Day Five

Breakfast at the hotel.
This morning, your second cooking lesson, focusing on traditional Italian sauces (ragù, amatriciana, fresh tomato sauce, etc.). Lunch to follow based on your efforts.
Afternoon at leisure.
Dinner tonight at the restaurant of the hotel, beverages not included.

Day Six

Breakfast at the hotel.
This morning, your final cooking lesson on Valtellina cookies and cakes. Taste your creations after the class.
Lunch on your own.
This afternoon, a professional sommelier will teach you about wine combinations.
Farewell dinner tonight in the hotel’s restaurant, beverages not included.