About the Stile Mediterraneo Cooking, Wine and Language School in Puglia (Apulia) Southern Italy:
"Stile Mediterraneo" Cooking and Wine School provides an authentic and tailor made experience of Puglia and Southern Italy: something unique you will never experience using a tourist guide book.
Accommodation and classes:
Accommodation and classes are provided in a beautiful villa selected because of its comforts and first quality services as well as the authentic experience it provides.
The Villa has a swimming pool and lots of gardens and terraces where our guests can take a cooking class or enjoy a dinner al fresco. The villa palace is not a hotel. It is privately owned and is a Sixteenth Century country manor house which has been in a local Baron’s family for nearly five centuries.
The property includes several bedrooms, each with private bathrooms (wth both baths and showers) and air conditioning, many dining rooms, large kitchens, a piano room and much more. There will be a cook for all meals at the palace and two maids who provide breakfast and general housekeeping and room cleaning. There will be private transfer service.
The vill is located in a small village off the tourist tracks, where our guests can experience the authentic and relaxed Mediterranean lifestyle.
Puglia's cuisine and cooking classes:
Moreover, Puglian cuisine is the true home made and Mediterranean cuisine. Recipes are very healthy since ingredients are very fresh and made with ancient and artisan methods.
Cooking classes are provided by local women and are hands-on. We, at the Stile Mediterraneo School show how families eat and cook in Southern Italy which is different from the Italian cuisine you will learn in other regions.
Cooking classes are always combined with dinners at private Italian families and culinary tours which include: visits of traditional fruit, vegetables and fish markets, visits of artisans hand making their products (mozzarella, cheese, bread, pasta, salami, ice creams, sweets, liquors, jams, chocolate) with ancient and traditional methods.
Programs always include visits of the best olive oil producers, wine makers and vineyards. According to the season it is possible to attend the olive oil and wine harvest and production (August/September for the wine; October to December for the olive oil).
Date of the program:
The program runs from August 30 to September 6, 2008. It is a 8-day program. You may ask for a similar program customized at a different time of the year. Also given that in Puglia every province has different culinary traditions you may extend this tour up to 1 month.
Weather in Puglia:
Puglia has a typical Mediterranean climate. It is sunny 99% of the year. Winters are very mild: at midday temperature can be 15-20°C.
People and partners not attending the classes:
Guests not attending classes included in this tour will be free to play golf, use the bicycles for a ride along the coast, relax by the swimming pool.
Location: Salento
The property is located in the Lecce countryside, in a little village with only 3,000 inhabitants!
The villa is walking distance from the main small square where you can experience the authentic Southern Italian life.
The villa is 5m drive from a beautiful sea.
As part of the package you will be exploring different regions of Puglia, such as the Trulli area (Trulli are Unesco World heritage). You will be experiencing what makes Puglia such a special place: its wine, food, people, culture and incredible scenery.
Your Hosts:
The school is run by the two sisters Cinzia and Marika Rascazzo who were born and brought up in Puglia. Their grandmother taught them all the little secrets about the Pugliese recipes. Their grandfather used to take them to the vineyard during the grape harvest and to teach them how to make the wine.
After spending many years abroad studying and working in Boston, New York and London and being exposed to the most diverse and international cultures, Cinzia decided to move back to her home town and started the Stile Mediterraneo School.
They both speak fluent English and French.
People attending the Stile Mediterraneo classes discover the authentic secrets of Southern Italy and Puglia!
At the Stile Mediterraneo School, guests do what the local Italians do: eat at the most authentic local restaurants, mingle with interesting local people, learn about the real local culture, visit the best artisans, learn about the authentic local cuisine and wines. The school approach is relaxed and friendly but very professional at the same time: guests will experience only the BEST of Southern Italy.
Itinerary:
Day 1
Arrival in Brindisi in the early afternoon and transfer to the villa.
Relax at the villa and dinner.
Day 2 Otranto
After breakfast, cooking class (3 hours) followed by lunch.
Visit of a famous pasta artisan.
Free afternoon in Otranto, the beautiful sea town by the Adriatic sea.
Dinner at a traditional restaurant in Otranto by the sea.
Day 3 Cisternino
Leave after breakfast for full day outing.
Visit of the famous Monday food Market and lunch in Cisternino..
Free afternoon in Ostuni. All the area around Ostuni is famous for the centenary olive trees and the extra virgin olive oil.
Dinner at the villa prepared by a cook.
Day 4 Lecce
After breakfast, visit of a famous papier-maché artisan in Lecce.
Lunch at a typical restaurant in Lecce.
Visit of a famous ice-cream artisan.
Dinner at the villa prepared by a cook.
Day 5 Wine day
After breakfast, visit of one of the best local vineyards. Attend the grape harvesting and wine making.
Lunch at a farmhouse in the countryside.
Free afternoon at the villa followed by a barbecue dinner.
Day 6 Gallipoli
After breakfast, visit of a mozzarella and cheese artisan.
Lunch at a seafood restaurant in Gallipoli.
In the afternoon second cooking class, followed by dinner at the villa.
Day 7 Santa Maria di Leuca
After breakfast, we drive to Santa Maria di Leuca.
Visit of a famous wine maker located in a castle. Wine tasting.
Lunch at a beautiful small restaurant by the sea.
Free afternoon.
Farewell dinner at the villa, enjoying the rhythm of typical Pugliese music and dance.
Day 8 Saturday
End of the classes and activities. Private transfers to the Brindisi airport
Notes:
Airfare is not included in the tour price.
Price will be different for guests and partners not attending the cooking classes. Price includes: a tour escort; all meals (both at the villa and at restaurants); - 2 cooking classes (3-hour each) with a local chef followed by lunch; - selection of best wines at all meals; - wine tasting at the vineyard and grape harvest according to the season; - 7-night accommodation at the luxurious palace; - personal cook; - two maids who provide breakfast and 8 hours general housekeeping and room cleaning during the whole tour; - all transfers including from and to the airport; towel and bed linen daily change. - Prices are based on double occupancy. - Prices are based on bank money transfer payments. Additional charge will be added for credit card payment.
Price does not include: travel insurance; optional activities; airfares.
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