Umbria cooking vacation, Italy
Highlights
Stunning organic farmstead | 3 days cooking classes | Traditional Umbrian cuisine | Wineries | Orvieto | Montepulciano | Pienza | Swimming pool
Travel Team
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Responsible tourism
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Our aim is to preserve nature the way it is, that's why our farm is totally organic, and have banned all kind of chemical products. Also the products used for cleaning are all natural and don't affect the enviroment. We produce our own soap for the dishwasher just out of natural ingredients, We produce our own electricity and hot water through solar energy, we compost all the leftover from food which makes it a great fertilizer for our vegetable garden. Our dogs and cats eat natural food and not canned or ready food. All that nature provides is precious so nothing should be wasted, that's why we put reductors of water on all showers, and all our lights turn off automatically. Most of the food that people waste can be converted in good food for our pets, or our sheep and hens. We try to share this philosophy with our guests and it works!
The Impacts of this Trip
Whatever we cannot grow we get it at the local market, we only buy regional products such as wine and beer. We only get eggs and meat from local suppliers and cheese is only bought directly from farmers. We love taking tourists to local wineries and food farm, and organizing food and wine tastings for them. We supports small productions as they may find it difficult to compete with the industrial production, so they need extra help to survive.
We always privilege these products which risk to disappear because they require too much work and high costs of production such as saffron and a few varieties of local beans.
All our guests are encouraged to attend the local market or the little shop, rather then go to the bigger supermarkets. We also invite them to go to those restaurants that share the same philosophy, and they make the effort, also because food there is better and healthier.
We always use products which we know can be found locally, if not we just change our plans, and cook something different!
Our aim is to preserve nature the way it is, that's why our farm is totally organic, and have banned all kind of chemical products. Also the products used for cleaning are all natural and don't affect the enviroment. We produce our own soap for the dishwasher just out of natural ingredients, We produce our own electricity and hot water through solar energy, we compost all the leftover from food which makes it a great fertilizer for our vegetable garden. Our dogs and cats eat natural food and not canned or ready food. All that nature provides is precious so nothing should be wasted, that's why we put reductors of water on all showers, and all our lights turn off automatically. Most of the food that people waste can be converted in good food for our pets, or our sheep and hens. We try to share this philosophy with our guests and it works!
The Impacts of this Trip
Whatever we cannot grow we get it at the local market, we only buy regional products such as wine and beer. We only get eggs and meat from local suppliers and cheese is only bought directly from farmers. We love taking tourists to local wineries and food farm, and organizing food and wine tastings for them. We supports small productions as they may find it difficult to compete with the industrial production, so they need extra help to survive.
We always privilege these products which risk to disappear because they require too much work and high costs of production such as saffron and a few varieties of local beans.
All our guests are encouraged to attend the local market or the little shop, rather then go to the bigger supermarkets. We also invite them to go to those restaurants that share the same philosophy, and they make the effort, also because food there is better and healthier.
We always use products which we know can be found locally, if not we just change our plans, and cook something different!
24 Reviews of Umbria cooking vacation, Italy
Reviewed on 12 Jan 2020 by Jennifer Welsh
Cooking lessons we're great! I loved all of the small towns we were able to visit and the hosts are spectacular! Read full reviewReviewed on 03 Sep 2019 by Tom Van der Heyden
The most memorable part of the vacation was the local team's dedication. Read full reviewReviewed on 17 Jul 2019 by Corinne Male
I wanted to get away from it all, relax, meet new people and do new things. Four ticks! Read full reviewReviewed on 25 Oct 2019 by Asma Abu-Taleb
The most exciting part of the vacation was the different activities and excursions. Read full reviewReviewed on 29 Oct 2018 by Martyn furzer
The whole package was full of interesting elements from the cooking to the trips out to stunning hilltop towns. The food was, as always in Italy, such a pleasure to enjoy along with the excellent wines. Read full reviewReviewed on 12 Sep 2018 by Christine Aickin
It was a perfect vacation for me, It was restful but not too restful, provided great food, great site seeing, great company and the best hosts you could ever meet. Read full reviewReviewed on 29 May 2018 by Peggy Harrison
The wonderful hospitality that Marina gave us, and the unbelievable meals that Gianluca prepared, some with our help. It is really impossible to pick one thing. The whole week was absolutely wonderful. Read full reviewReviewed on 20 May 2018 by Suzy Dobson
Had a truly amazing time, in spite of the variable weather. Learning to cook lots of new dishes, amazing food, and meeting likeminded people from the USA and Europe. Such a fun yet relaxing trip. Read full reviewReviewed on 26 Sep 2017 by Susan White
We enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere of the cooking classes, delicious meals, the excellent tours of nearby villages and towns, the spacious and comfortable rooms and the beautiful rural setting in Umbria. Podere le Olle is a truly memorable experience. Read full reviewReviewed on 24 Sep 2017 by Jennifer Young
The place as a relaxed elegance about it and many of the visitors had been there before. The meals were beautiful and the cooking lessons had the right balance of watching and participating. The visits to the local towns were relaxed and each place chosen was memorable. Read full reviewReviewed on 16 Jul 2017 by Adrian Norman
Turn up and enjoy a very relaxed and interesting week. Read full reviewReviewed on 20 Jan 2017 by Simone Micallef
The most memorable was the location and the kindest of attention shown. The service was so personalized which distinguishes this trip from many others I have had. Read full reviewReviewed on 25 Jun 2017 by Ben Weeks
Most enjoyable. We were made to feel very welcome and Marina was an excellent host and guide during the visits. Our room was simple but perfectly comfortable. Read full reviewReviewed on 09 Oct 2016 by Kevin Fidler
There are a number of memorable things - the house and it's very peaceful location, Marina and Gianlucca's hospitality; perhaps extra special were the cooking lessons in their superb kitchen followed by some excellent meals with great company. Read full reviewReviewed on 19 May 2016 by Richard Soper
The cooking was great and we helped out with different parts such as frying courgette flowers in rice flour a delicacy and making ravioli Read full reviewReviewed on 20 May 2016 by Penny Kent
The cooking was fun and well balanced with other activities and visits to interesting places in the wider area. Read full reviewReviewed on 17 Apr 2015 by Annette Chapman
This is foodie heaven. The cooking classes were fabulous came back with a lot of good ideas. This is vacation is run by a local couple on their own organic smallholding. As far as possible food is sourced from their own vegetable garden or local farmers and the vine from local vineyards. Read full reviewReviewed on 11 Feb 2015 by nicola cosgrove
The cookery course was fun and we made tasty but not too fiddly food, so what you learn you can put to use when you return home. Read full reviewReviewed on 07 Nov 2014 by Joanne Anagnostu
They were the perfect hosts! They always catered for our every need and went out of their way to make sure that our stay was an enjoyable one. We would not hesitate to book this vacation again! Read full reviewReviewed on 23 Mar 2014 by Joanne Wilkins
The location is stunning, Marina and Gianluca make you feel welcome, and they work exceedingly hard to ensure that you have an enjoyable stay. We came to learn cookery, but Marina ensures you know about so much more. I can't wait to try some of the recipes we have been taught. Read full reviewReviewed on 23 Jan 2014 by Hilary Brett
It was amazing. One of the best vacations I have ever had (& I am old...so have had a few!) I can honestly not praise this trip enough. It was FABULOUS. Read full reviewReviewed on 21 Aug 2014 by Yvonne Stark
A very special week filled with many memorable moments, that will always be cherished Read full reviewReviewed on 01 Apr 2014 by Sylvia Azem
The overall experience was memorable. The location is great and Marina and Jeancarlo are excellent hosts, they make you feel at home since the begining. When you realize you are relaxed, feeling energetic and sleeping like a baby after an excellent meal with nice wine and company. Read full review
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