Taste of Marche combines Italian cooking classes with Art Tours In Marche, if you have a passion for cooking ànd Art in Italy. Everyday a cooking course, excursion to Art Cities, visit to local markets to buy the ingredients, or picking aromatic herbs and vegetables from the kitchen garden. Cooking classes and dinners based on regional recipes at the Caravanserraglio restaurant. All land travel in Italy included in the itinerary by private air-conditioned 8 person coach.

Highlights of the holiday

• Guided visits to Urbino, the exhibition Simone De Magistris, A Visionary Painter between Lotto and El Greco, Macerata, Tolentino, San Severino, Abbey of Fiastra and Caldarola.

• Italian cooking classes and dinners based on regional recipes at the Caravanserraglio restaurant. The cooking classes are held in English, by your Italian chef and host Ennio.

• Art tours with Phaedra, graduated art historian and enthousiastic narrator of local history, artists and traditions. You discover the many similarities between Marches culture and it's neighbouring regions Tuscany and Umbria, with local characteristics that makes this cultural inheritance absolutely unique.

• Accommodation at the beautiful Caravanserraglio agriturismo with swimming pool, in comfortable self-catering apartments

Preliminary itinerary of the 1 week holiday

This is a preliminary itinerary and will be altered to accommodate seasonal activities, local festivals or the availability of guides or lecturers. However the essential content of the itinerary will remain the same.

Saturday
In the afternoon arrival at the Caravanserraglio agriturismo, aperitif and introduction.
8.00 pm Rich welcome dinner at the Caravanserraglio restaurant.

Sunday
Tranquil awakening at the peacefull agriturismo.
The accommodation with breakfast at the Caravanserraglio agriturismo is in an independent apartment with kitchen. You'll find in the fridge milk, fresh bread, butter, home made marmelate, coffee and tea, for your breakfasts.
10.00 am Excursion to the Basilica and convent of S. Nicola at Tolentino
and to the Abbey of Chiaravalle di Fiastra, surrounded by woods and
Roman remains. Romanesque and Gothic architecture; Early 14th Century
fresco's of Pietro da Rimini (school of Giotto)
1.00 pm Lunch at the Abbey of Fiastra.
8.00 pm Dinner at the Caravanserraglio restaurant.

Monday
9.30 am Excursion to Caldarola, guided visit to the exhibition "Simone De Magistris, a visionary painter between Lotto and El Greco", in the Rooms of Paradise. After a 5 minute walk we reach Castle Palotta (9th Century), that was transformed at the end of the sixteenth Century into Cardinal Evangelista Pallotta's summer villa, with frescos, stucco and antique furniture. At the small Renaissance City of San Severino we visit villa Palazzo Manuzzini with fresco's of the Salimbeni brothers (late 14th Century) contemporaries and followers of the great Early Renaissance painter Gentile di Fabriano. We also visit the crypt
of the Romanesque church of S.Lorenzo with frescos of the Salimbeni.
1.00 pm Lunch at Caldarola
8.00 pm Dinner at the Caravanserraglio restaurant.

Tuesday
10 .00 am Cooking course at the Caravanserraglio restaurant.
1.00 pm Lunch at the Caravanserraglio restaurant.
Afternoon at leisure.
5.00 pm Cooking class at the Caravanserraglio restaurant.
8.00 pm Dinner at the Caravanserraglio restaurant.

Wednesday
9.00 am Excursion to Macerata, captial of the province. Today there's market in the historical part of the city.
1.00 pm Lunch at Macerata
3.00 pm We visit Palazzo Ricci, a villa with a beautiful collection of modern art: De Chirico, Medardo Rosso, Manzù, Ivo Pannaggi, Trubbiani and others.
8.00 pm Dinner at the Caravanserraglio restaurant.

Thursday
9.30 am Excursion to the Renaissance city of Urbino. In the morning
we visit the Ducal Palace, with masterpieces of Titian, Raphael and Piero della Francesca.
1.00 pm Lunch at Urbino
3.30 pm Visit to the family house of the famous Renaissance painter
Raphael and to the Oratory of Saint John with late Gothic fresco's
of the Salimbeni brothers from San Severino.
8.00 pm Dinner at the Caravanserraglio restaurant.

Friday
10 .00 am Cooking course at the Caravanserraglio restaurant.
1.00 pm Lunch at the Caravanserraglio restaurant.
Afternoon at leisure.
5.00 pm Cooking class at the Caravanserraglio restaurant.
8.00 pm Dinner at the Caravanserraglio restaurant.

Saturday

After preparations farewell and departure....

General description

The cooking classes are held in English at the Caravanserraglio restaurant, by the Italian chef and host Ennio. The maximum number of people for each group is eight, to guarantee our guests a personal entertainment and a good service.