It seems that Italian Cooking Vacations are on many people’s travel bucket lists!  There’s many opportunities to learn to make fresh pasta, but there is one Tuscany Cooking Class that stands out!  If you are looking for one-day cooking classes in Italy, look no further than Il Falconiere in Cortona!

Italian Cooking Vacations

Hey y’all!  You know how much I love Italy, and there is nothing dreamier than leaving the hustle and bustle of the big cities for a respite in the countryside!  For me, Tuscany is the perfect place, known for its lush landscapes and regarded as the birthplace of the Italian Renaissance.  In Tuscany, just outside the ancient walls of Cortona, nestled in the valley, is my all-time-favorite hotel in the world! A Relais & Chateaux property, Il Falconiere is an elegant resort, which was once a private family estate.  It offers a spa, a 1 Michelin Star Restaurant, amazing wines, bottled by the Baracchi Family, owners of the hotel, and just pure bliss!  I love the sparking Brut Rose they produce!   And what goes well with excellent wine?  One-day cooking classes in Italy!

Tuscany Cooking Class

Silvia Baracchi, Michelin Star chef, and her team, will lead you through the preparation of three or four courses, and provide you with a copy of all the recipes to take home!  On my most recent visit will Will, using locally sourced ingredients, we prepared ravioli filled with mascarpone and buffalo mozzarella and basil tomatoes.  We also prepared pork tenderloin stuffed with Tuscan olives and herbs, and a to-die-for red wine poached pear floating on a chocolate sea.  Is your mouth watering yet? 

Don’t be intimidated!  Sylvia is very patient, and hey!  You are on vacation.  In Italy!  Making pasta!  So relax and have fun!  And yes, while we cooked, we enjoyed lively conversation with six other hotel guests, while I sipped on amazing Baracchi wine.  We even enjoyed a surprise visit from the estate’s famed Falcon!

That evening, in the stunning dining room of the Restaurant, we were served each course that we carefully prepared earlier, completing the entire experience in the most delightful way.

Truly an unforgettable opportunity, I cannot recommend this Tuscany cooking class highly enough!  

Travel Tips

• Getting There:  The town of Cortona is about two hours driving distance from Rome, and about an hour from Florence.  There is also a train station in Cortona’s neighbor city of Camucia.
• Cortona is amazing, and spending a day there is high on my to-do list every time I visit Italy.
• What to Wear at Il Falconiere:  The hotel sits on beautiful rolling hills, and some of the rooms are in buildings scattered throughout the property.  Nice casual is appropriate during the day, with comfortable walking shoes, and dressing up a bit for dinner in the hotel’s restaurant is very appropriate, as its 1 Michelin Star rating and sumptuous decor draws people from all over the region for a special dinner experience.
• In the Same Region:  Surrounding Cortona are other amazing Tuscan towns like Montepulciano, home of the most wonderful Vino Nobile red wines, and Siena, where the ancient horse race, the Palio, takes place.

Italian Cooking Vacations are truly something special!  And while we love to spend as much time in Rome as possible, Tuscany is a really special place!  One-day cooking classes in Italy are also a great idea if you are taking teens to Italy!  Interactive experiences are something that age-group really enjoys!

Get yourself to Il Falconiere, y’all!  And enjoy a little slice of Italian heaven!