Secrets of Spoleto and Umbrian Cooking
Secrets of Spoleto and Umbrian Cooking
This trip is eligible for our Worry-Free Booking promotion.
Umbria is Italy’s spellbinding heart of natural beauty and is acclaimed for its culinary authenticity and genuineness, even by Italians themselves. Spoleto — your home for this classic Italy cooking vacation and fabulous artistic adventure — is a center of culture for its many attractions, from its festivals to its ancient sites and cuisine. Often described as a little piece of heaven fallen to earth, it’s a town that truly embodies the history of Italy at every turn. The cuisine here is rustic, and while sometimes referred to “peasant cooking,” it truly is from the land, with ingredients like farro, wild herbs, truffles, and lentils, as well as a plethora of cured meats.
Explore this wonderful town with a guide by your side, well-known artist and activist Richard di San Marzano. Richard has created events and organized trips for many famous actors and artists. He will help you discover the secrets of Umbria, both culinary and otherwise!
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Trip Details
Your 4 hands-on cooking classes will demonstrate how art and history connect with the gastronomy of a place. Your cooking classes will be lead by different chefs or cooks, including:
- a master class with a Michelin-starred chef, Eros Patrizi
- ‘Mamma’ Proietti, owner of a popular local restaurant, who will share her family’s recipes, all seasonally based
- the young chef of your hotel, Alfredo, for a class on homemade pasta and traditional Italian food
- a true mountain country cook named Angela, whose traditional lore and skills are remarkable, for a class featuring local products such as farro, lentils, free-range meat, wild herbs, and honey
Itinerary
Day One
Order of activities may vary based on season and dates booked.
- Arrive at Spoleto train station and transfer to the town center to check into Palazzo Dragoni.
- Begin your trip with a welcome aperitif with your host, Richard di San Marzano, followed by a gourmet welcome dinner.
- Overnight.
Day Two
- Breakfast.
- In the morning, embark on an orientation walk to get to know the ancient town of Spoleto. Visit the Duomo, famous for its facade and Fra’ Fillipo Lippi’s final fresco cycle; as well as the market square that dates back to 200 BC. You’ll also have time to stroll the maze of enchanting lanes that characterize Spoleto as one of Italy’s most beautiful hill towns.
- Enjoy a light seasonal lunch al fresco, weather permitting.
- In the afternoon, begin your first hands-on cooking class with Chef Alfredo by making fresh pasta by hand. You’ll also create an entire Italian menu.
- Dinner to follow based on your efforts in the magnificent candle-lit 500-year-old dining room of your hotel.
- Overnight.
Day Three
- Following breakfast, embark on a trip to one of Italy’s finest olive producing regions. This high valley region features stunning small hilltop towns and villages in a dramatic verdant landscape. Visit an 1800 year old olive tree and marvel at the extraordinary hand-made stone terraces along the steep hillsides.
- Take part in your second hands-on cooking with Angela in her restaurant. The lesson will focus on rustic mountain cuisine and the products popular in the area such as farro, lentils, free-range meat, river trout, wild herbs, and honey.
- Lunch to follow based on your efforts.
- In the afternoon, it’s time to visit one of Umbria’s oldest olive mills to learn about one of Italy’s most important ingredients: olive oil. Discover the secrets of olive oil, how it is produced, the different qualities of olive oil, and how to taste and select it. Along the way your host will also share what life is like at an olive mill.
- Return to Spoleto in the late afternoon for some time on your own.
- If you’re still hungry, dinner on your own.
- Overnight.
Day Four
- Breakfast.
- Start the day with a visit to La Rocca, a military fortress that dominates the valley of Spoleto with its museum, frescoed rooms, and massive viaduct. Take a scenic walk and discover the castle’s extraordinary history.
- Lunch on your own.
- In the afternoon, meet Chef Angelo for a memorable cooking class at a local restaurant where the dishes will be a surprise (but will be based on the season)!
- Dinner to follow the class based on what you made — and perhaps more! The seemingly never-ending feast will be served by Mama Proietti’s son.
- Overnight.
Day Five
- Breakfast.
- This morning, take a country stroll through a scenic vineyard on your way to the tiny medieval walled-town of Bevagna, which is interestingly characterized by how history has been incorporated over time. Roman sites coexist with modern buildings.
- Next, it’s on to Montefalco, a town famous for its wine. Experience a wine tasting at one of Italy’s most prestigious wine makers, along with some food pairings for a light lunch.
- Dinner tonight is by private invitation at Casa San Marzano, the historic familiy home of your host, Richard di San Marzano. The home is featured in the book A Game Called Survival: The Biographical Story of Betty di San Marzano and Her Children in Wartime Italy (Ian Douglass Ried, 1980. It was also the location where Michael Adams wrote his critically acclaimed book, Umbria Faber and Faber (1964).
- Overnight.
Day Six
- After breakfast, enjoy some time on your own to shop and stroll in Spoleto. Perhaps sit in one of the piazzas with a cappuccino and people watch.
- Lunch on your own.
- In the afternoon, return to the kitchen for one last hands-on cooking class, this time led by Chef Eros Patrizi who leads master classes for cooks of all skill levels.
- Dinner to follow in Chef Eros’s elegant Michelin-starred restaurant “Tempio del gusto” – a magical experience!
- Overnight.
Day Seven
- Breakfast followed by check out and transfer to Spoleto train station.
Trip Details
Included in the 6-Night Trip
Accommodations
6 nights accommodations at a historical residence in Spoleto
Food & Beverages
- Daily breakfast
- 3 lunches
- 5 dinners
- Wine with all included meals
Classes & Instructors
Your 4 hands-on cooking classes will demonstrate how art and history connect with the gastronomy of a place. Your cooking classes will be lead by different chefs or cooks, including:
- a master class with a Michelin-starred chef, Eros Patrizi
- ‘Mamma’ Proietti, owner of a popular local restaurant, who will share her family’s recipes, all seasonally based
- the young chef of your hotel, Alfredo, for a class on homemade pasta and traditional Italian food
- a true mountain country cook named Angela, whose traditional lore and skills are remarkable, for a class featuring local products such as farro, lentils, free-range meat, wild herbs, and honey
Excursions
- Walking tour of Spoleto
- Visit a picturesque olive oil producing area with olive mill visit
- Visit of La Rocca and its viaduct, one of Spoleto’s signature sites
- Visit to Bevagna and Montefalco with wine tasting
Transfer Details
- Arrival and departure transfers to/from Spoleto train station
Accommodation Information
The magnificent hotel of Palazzo Dragoni is a family-run property located in the heart of Spoleto. The oldest part of the building dates back to the 900s, and was once an ancient medieval tower. Many of the renovated rooms offer sweeping panoramic views across the valley, with views of the hill towns of Montefalco, Assisi, and Trevi, and landscapes of ancient olive groves. All 14 rooms at the Palazzo are well appointed, spacious, and richly decorated with antique furniture and comfortable beds. Modern amenities include satellite TV, minibar, hair dryer, telephone, Wi-fi, safe, and air conditioning. (Depedending on availability, accommodations at the historic Palazzo Leti might be proposed instead.)
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The Palazzo Leti was the residence of the noble Leti family and is located in the heart of Spoleto. The gorgeous villa and grounds are now an elegant villa hotel offering beautiful rooms and first-class service. The 12 rooms maintain the original look of the building and feature en suite bathrooms, safe, mini bar, air conditioning, satellite TV, and WiFi, as well as beautiful views.
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Pricing & Tour Dates
Looking for tour date information?
Year-Round Pricing:
6-night Program
US$3300 per person based on double occupancy
- Add US$350 for single occupancy (use of a double room by 1 person)
30% deposit due to confirm booking.
This trip is eligible for our “Worry-Free Booking” promotion*, which means your deposit is fully refundable up to 31 days prior to the trip start date. Questions? Please contact us!
*See our terms & conditions for details and exclusions.
Tour Dates
Available the following weeks for 2 to 6 people.
Itinerary generally starts on Sunday, but other start dates also possible.
2020
July 5-11
July 12-18
July 19-25
July 26-August 1
August 2-8
August 9-15
August 16-22
August 23-29
August 30-September 5
September 6-12
September 13-19
September 20-26
September 27-October 3
October 4-10
October 11-17
October 18-24
October 25-31
November 1-7
November 8-14
November 15-21
November 22-28
November 29-December 5
December 6-12
December 13-19
December 20-26
2021
January 3-9
January 10-16
January 17-23
January 24-30
January 31-February 6
February 7-13
February 14-20
February 21-27
February 28-March 6
March 7-13
March 14-20
March 21-27
March 28-April 3
April 4-10
April 11-17
April 18-24
April 25-May 1
May 2-8
May 9-15
May 16-22
May 23-29
May 30-June 5
June 6-12
June 13-19
June 20-26
June 27-July 3
July 4-10
July 11-17
July 18-24
July 25-31
August 1-7
August 8-14
August 15-21
August 22-28
August 29-September 4
September 5-11
September 12-18
September 19-25
September 26-October 2
October 3-9
October 10-16
October 17-23
October 24-30
October 31-November 6
November 7-13
November 14-20
November 21-27
November 28-December 4
December 5-11
December 12-18
December 19-25
Available weekly year round for a minimum of 2 people.
Itinerary generally starts on Sunday, but other start dates also possible.
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Country:
Italy
Region:
Umbria
Tour Dates:
Available any dates you choose for a minimum of two people. Please review our complete pricing details.
6 Nights
Starting at
$3,300
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