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COOKING WITH MARIA AT MALVARINA
8 days/7 nights
Situated on a hillside east of Assisi, nestled among olive trees and rosemary bushes,
Malvarina Country Inn opens its arms to welcome both aspiring and accomplished cooks.
Maria Maurillo, the effervescent owner of the Inn, teaches Umbrian homecooking to small
groups of food lovers in her own kitchen.
From simple sauces to exquisite truffles, Maria delights in showing participants how
to use the traditional Umbrian ingredients to prepare regional dishes with remarkable flavors.
Bon Appetit (May 1997) calls Malvarina a picture- perfect property. Cooks don their aprons
and begin, usually with dessert, to prepare meals which will be served to the Inn's guests
each evening. This is not just practice, Maria will remind you. Cooking classes afford
time for good conversation, plenty of wine and time to enjoy La Dolce Vita.
The Inn dates from the Middle Ages. The name Malvarina derives from a strip of land
once part of a castle complex. The estate has been tastefully restored by the owners;
each room is furnished with antiques from the area.
Maria and her family live on the property and take pride in maintaining it; the g
rounds are impeccably groomed. Hospitality is a family affair. Maria's son Claudio,
his wife Patrizia, and their children enjoy making guests feel like part of the family.
In addition to the cooking classes which are held in the late afternoon, this tour includes
field trips to the quiet and gentle hill towns of Umbria. Here beautiful works of art,
harmonious architecture and views of a breathtaking and mystical landscape are just part
of the experience.
Post cards from Umbria
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Cooking with Maria - Typical Itinerary
Day 1 - Morning arrival in Italy, transfer to Malvarina, then time to relax before a
welcome social gathering, with locally produced wines served. Dinner at 8:00 PM.
Day 2 - Visit two jewels on the medieval Umbrian crown: Spello, noted for its intact
urban layout and remarkable frescoes by Pinturicchio master of the Renaissance and
Bevagna,
known for its elegant piazza and Roman mosaics. While in Bevagna there will be the opportunity
to taste the celebrated Sagrantino wines from this area. Return to Malvarina for dinner.
Day 3 - After breakfast travel to Gubbio. This beautiful hill town is one of the oldest
cities in Italy, older than Rome. Palazzo dei Consoli is one of the most elegant and perfectly
preserved Renaissance buildings in Europe. Gubbio is also, famous for Bucchero a pottery-making
technique known since Etruscan time. Cooking class then dinner.
Day 4 - Grocery shopping session, in the morning, with Maria. Experience and see how
Italian housewives do their morning spesa. Next visit Foligno to admire itıs 13th-century Palazzo
Trinci. An olive-oil tasting at Il Molino del Fattore will follow. At a local bakery and
pastry shop there will be the opportunity to observe traditional bread baking over a wood burning
stove. Return to Malvarina for a cooking class which will cover homemade pasta maker, including
Tagliatelle, Fettuccine and Lasagna. Cooking class then dinner.
Day 5 - In the morning we travel to Torgiano to visit the famous Wine
Museum and a wine
tasting. From here travel to Perugia for a walking tour of the underground fortress and other
highlights of the city. Perugia is a cosmopolitan city with good shopping opportunities.
Participants will have ample time to shop and enjoy La Dolce Vita (the relaxed pleasures of
the Italian lifestyle) prominent in Perugia. Return to Malvarina for dinner.
Day 6 - Morning excursion to Assisi for a guided tour of St. Francis
Basilica and
walking tour of the city. A scheduled stop at a local specialized butcher shop will include
a salami tasting. Return to Malvarina where an experienced huntsman and dog trainer will be
present to demonstrate the art of truffle hunting. Cooking class then dinner.
Day 7 - Morning excursion to Bastia Umbra for shopping at the weekly outdoor market.
For those interested in a substancial snack, this is a great place to purchase the Panino
con Porchetta (roasted suckling pig in a freshly baked bun) -- definitely a gastronomic treat!
Continue on to Deruta, famous for its pottery. At Ceramic factory participants can
observe "ceramisti" molding the clay. Return to Malvarina
for the last cooking session. Dinner and graduation ceremony will end the day.
Day 8 - End of tour and departure for your next destination.
Gabriele's Travels to Italy continually strive to improve tour itinerary and features.
If improvement can be made, or unforeseen circumstances beyond our control make changes
necessary, we reserve the right to vary itinerary excursions and to substitute hotels and
restaurants. Final documents and paperwork, sent out about three weeks prior to departure
date, will include an updated itinerary.
PACKAGE INCLUDES:
- 7 nights accommodations at Malvarina Country Inn
- Breakfast and dinner daily
- 4 cooking classes
- Wine tastings
- Field trips
- Olive oil tasting
- Observe traditional bread baking over a wood fire
- Sightseeing in major Umbrian hill towns
- Farewell dinner celebration
- Transportation throughout the tour as per itinerary
- Airport transfer on arrival and departure∗
- Bilingual tour manager/guide
- All local taxes and charges
∗Transfers to and from the airportis provided by Gabriele's Travels to
Italy at a pre-announced time. Arrangements can be made for participants whose arrival
and departure cannot be worked out into this schedule. An additional charge will result
for individual transfers.
2008 DEPARTURE DATES:
May 25
June 20
October 5
PACKAGE PRICE: €1,749 per person, based on double occupancy.
Single room €1,989
PLEASE NOTE: PRICE INDICATED IN EURO CURRENCY
USE THE CALCULATOR TO FIND THE EQUIVALENT IN USA
DOLLARS.
CURRENCY CONVERTER
Tour Booking Code GT01
We reserve the right to cancel any tour due to lack of participants or for circumstances
beyond our control. In this case, a full refund of all payments will be made. Prices listed
are based on tariffs and exchange rates at the time of printing and are subject to change without
notice.
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION PLEASE CALL 1-888/287-8733
email: info@travelingtoitaly.com
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