Culinary and Adventure Tours - Europe,Italy,France

We have to admit we have a soft spot for this area. We have spent many months each year in this area in the last few years. The beautiful Cinque Terre is along the Italian Riviera. These five villages were only connected by roads about 50 years ago and today they are a protected national park. So you won't find a McDonalds or a Starbucks. What you will find is villages that still feel like old world Italy. Pastel houses clinging to the cliffs, harbors with fishing boats, and hillsides of terraced vineyards. All this is along one of the most beautiful coastlines in the world. Experience this special area in a personal local way that tourists miss.

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You'll meet our friends like Manuel, an artist who was born here, Gianni who owns the best restaurant in town, and Kate who has lived here for 17 years. She goes mushroom hunting with her Italian husband and son, knows everybody in the village, hikes all the trails and speaks Italian like a local.

Cooking Classes and Wine Tasting: This is the birthplace of pesto and focaccia bread. This is your chance to enjoy fish just caught early this morning, limoncino made by a nonna, and local wine from the terraces. If you have ever wanted to make pizza in a wood fired oven then this is your chance to do it on a terrace overlooking the sea. Classes are hands on. Tie on an apron and actually learn to make the dishes with an Italian, of course we always have a translator. Besides the cooking we will taste the local specialties and learn about the wine from our friend Susanna, a sommelier and expert on the Cinque Terre wines.

We enjoy the cooking classes but we do so much more. We go out onto the sea by boat to see the spectacular coastline. A local guide takes you to the heart of the Cinque Terre to walk the famous trails between the village. We also go inland to the "Organic Valley" and see this village built in the round with a castle at the gate.

Accommodations are in a charming bed and breakfast only steps from the sea. Staying here allows you to experience the local lifestyle. Lick a late night gelato while strolling the moonlit boardwalk overlooking the sea. Grab an early morning coffee with the locals or find a bench in the park and enjoy la dolce vita (the sweet life).

Trip Highlights:

Tie on an apron and learn to make pasta with a chef in a hilltop town
Walk the famous trails between the villages with stunning views stopping at our favorite places
Cruise through the Bay of Poets and along the Cinque Terre coastline (great photo ops)
Taste the local wines at our friend's private vineyard high above town with views of the sea