COOKING & E-BIKE CYCLING Tuscany
MaY 25th to June 1st, 2019
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Experience the best combination of gourmet meals, great wine and scenic cycling with the support of an electric bicycle! Chef Fabio Flagiello, a Michelin-award winning chef, and Tuscan native, will prepare all meals from fresh, locally sourced ingredients and offer three cooking workshops during the week. Enjoy 4-5 optional daily e-bike rides between 20-35 miles through Tuscan farmland, vineyards, and historic villages.
You’ll stay at Villa Caselle near Cortona, a luxurious private villa, complete with private rooms and bathrooms, outdoor dining, a lounge pool and scenic, countryside views. Don’t miss this once-in-a-lifetime immersive Italian culinary classic! |
itinerary |
cuisine |
lodging |
preparation |
Itinerary
- 1.30pm - Pickup at main train station in Florence
- 3.00pm - Arrive at Villa Caselle, Cortona
- 5.00pm - Welcome Prosecco and Stuzzichini
- 8.00pm - Dinner at the Villa, prepared by Chef Fabio
- 10.00pm - Limoncello and Gelato, pool side
- 8.00am - Breakfast at the Villa
- 9.00am - Cooking Class “Italian Basics”
- 12.30pm - Lunch at the Villa
- Poolside afternoon or E-Bike ride to Cortona
- 5.00pm - Departure for Arezzo; visit of the Historical Downtown
- 8.00pm - Dinner at L’Ostreria Agania
- 8.00am - Breakfast at the Villa
- 9.00 am - E-Bike ride to the Farmers Market in Foiano della Chiana; After Cappuccino and Shopping, we will head back to the Villa (van transport available)
- 1.00 pm - Lunch at the Villa: “Antipasti, Salads and Wine”
- 4.00 pm - Cooking Class “Menu Level 1”
- 8.00 pm - Dinner al Fresco and Grappa
Non Cooking Day
- 8.00 am - Breakfast.
- 10.00 am - Depart for Chianti region, for a visit to a local Winery and Lunch
- 2.00 pm - Drive to Siena
- Free afternoon in Siena to explore, shop, and enjoy dinner on your own
- 9.30 pm - Meet back at the square “Campo dei Miracoli”
- 10.00 pm - Return to Villa
- 8.00 am - Breakfast.
- 9.00 am - E-Bike ride to Castello di Gargonza,
- 12.00 pm - Lunch and Espresso at the Castello, then we will head back to the Villa
- Pool-side afternoon
- 5.00 pm - Cooking Class “ Menu level 2”
- 8.30 pm - Dinner at the Villa followed by Tiramisu and Limoncello
- 8.00 am - Breakfast at the Villa
- 9.00 am - Ride E-Bikes to the Farmer's Market
- 12.00 pm - Return to the villa for lunch
- 4.00 pm - Cooking Class “Menu level 3”
- 8.00 pm - Dinner under the Veranda at the Villa
- 8.00 am - Breakfast at the Villa
- 9.00 am - E-Bike Ride to Montepulciano
- 11.00 am - Visit and degustation at Cantina Cantucci
- 12.30 pm - Lunch at Ristorante Nobile
- 2.00 pm - Jump on the Van to return to the Villa for a poolside afternoon. Cycling back is optional.
- 7.00 pm - Antipasto and Prosecco
- 8.00 pm - Notte Finale wine pairing dinner and celebration, hosted by a local winemaker
- 8.00 am - Breakfast at the Villa
- 11.00 am - Depart to Florence train station
- 1.00 pm - Arrive at the Florence train station for drop off
Cuisine
- Three cooking workshops at the Villa with Chef Fabio
- Cappuccino and lunch at restaurants along the route handpicked by Chef Fabio
- Private dinners on the Veranda at the Villa, with all preparations by award-winning Chef Fabio
- Celebratory dinner on the last evening with wine pairing by local winemaker and special host of the evening
lodging
Cycling Tuscany is unique because you will not move between hotels throughout the week. Each day, cycling starts and ends at Villa Caselle in the heart of Tuscany. Our group will have the entire Villa to ourselves for the whole week, complete with individual rooms, private bathrooms, air conditioning, and free Wi-Fi. The villa features a swimming pool, outdoor veranda for dining with exquisite views, professional kitchen, and walking gardens – a wonderful, relaxing place to spend a rest day, or for your partner to stay while the group is riding.
Preparation
While cooking, Italian cuisine, and wine are the focus of this tour, electric bicycles enable further discovery of the Tuscan landscape. Terrain varies between the vineyards and olive groves of the rolling countryside to climbs of 5-7 miles averaging 2-4% grade. Tuscany has quite a bit of climbing as well, with sections of ascent and descent up to 12% grade. All roads are paved asphalt. Guests choosing to participate in the e-bike rides will enjoy breathtaking vistas, small medieval towns, and historic buildings along quiet winding roads.
Leading up to the trip, we recommend that guests are riding 1–3 days a week for an hour or more per ride so that they are comfortable riding a bicycle and operating a bicycle on hills and curved roads.
Leading up to the trip, we recommend that guests are riding 1–3 days a week for an hour or more per ride so that they are comfortable riding a bicycle and operating a bicycle on hills and curved roads.