For foodies, Italy is pure Paradise, and even for those without such passion travelers in Italy find themselves swept up in the region’s love affair with great food and perfect wines to accompany every meal.
Food makes a great theme for exploring all parts of Italy whether you are traveling on your own, or with a group on a food tour. No region is better than any other…destination selections are simply a matter of taste!
One region to consider is Piedmont, and several tour operators offer culinary and cultural tours to the area and the nearby Italian Riveria. These 12-Day tours include unique opportunities to sample high quality, traditional food and wines; featuring visits to wineries, bakeries, farms and markets for wine tastings and cheese samplings. Tours also include a variety of cooking classes to participate in, while learning about spices and the blending of flavors and textures.
However, independent travel offers ideal opportunities as well, since it is just as simple to book a private Villa that comes with your own cook…often times to prepare meals for you, but also as a teaching cook so that you can prepare meals together after returning back to your accommodations after a day of marketing shopping and touring local wineries.
The foodie trip is a perfect gathering for families, and also for girlfriend getaways. I personally have booked several trips to Italy for 40th birthday celebrations for 4-10 friends. These can be arranged to include a private Villa in any region, private guides, private drivers, and can be customized to include additional amenities such as spa services, private yoga instruction, shopping excursions and more. These are indeed trips of a lifetime…simple, laid back, and designed to meet your every whim!
Another option is joining a culinary retreat to a particular region, such as the one LUX World Travel is hosting to Puglia, Italy this fall. This trip is for women and includes all accommodations, meals, cooking lessons, yoga instruction, private guides, all in a region that belongs to centuries long ago. However, in Spring 2012, we will offer several specialized co-ed retreats as well. Such retreats are specialized to offer our clients a real taste of Italy, with a flair of simple luxury. See Trip Details are here: Women’s Italy Culinary and Yoga Retreat.
In short, there are just as many ways to enjoy the food culture in Italy as there are ways to make Pizza! It really is a matter of taste, style and preferences.
Mangiare bene ~ Melinda
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