2024 Fall Itinerary
Wednesday, September 25 — Arrival | Corciano
Arrive in Rome, Italy, Rome Fiumicino International Airport “Leonardo da Vinci” by 10:00 am and travel by bus to Villa Pieve in Corciano. Greet your classmates, facilitators, host, and guide. Walk or travel by bus to Corciano for a light lunch at the Restaurant il Convento and caffè at Alberto’s Arte del Gelato bar on the main square to familiarize yourself with locals.
Walk to discover the historic center of this lovely hilltop hamlet. Here you will enjoy the view of small alleys and streets that have been the same since the Middle Ages — it is like taking a walk back in time. Highlights include the Church of Santa Maria Assunta with the Renaissance altarpiece of Perugino and if time allows, visit the Antiquarium with precious Etruscan and Roman remains. End the day with your new group for a welcome reception before enjoying a lovely dinner at Villa Pieve.
Thursday, September 26 — Cortona | Carini Farm
After breakfast, leave the Villa and travel to Le Celle via bus with tour guide, Catia Melani — time to explore Le Celle the Franciscan hermitage, built by Brother Elias after Francis died. Here the Saint, along with a few of his followers, built the first nine cells. This is believed to be the place where St. Francis dictated his will. Here you will meet a Franciscan Friar and Rossella Vasta. You will then reach the Basilica of St. Margherita by bus. St. Margherita is the Patron Saint of Cortona. At the end of the 13th century, she joined the Third Order of St. Francis, lived in strict poverty, and founded a hospital for the sick and poor. Before walking downhill into town, we will enjoy a view that embraces the whole Valdichiana and Lake Trasimeno, famous for the battle where Hannibal ambushed the Roman army in 217 BC. You will have free time to explore Cortona and find lunch. Cortona’s rich history is revealed by the beauty that springs from every corner.
Travel by bus to Carini’s Farm and tour the farm and wine cellar. Here you will experience how a focused and holistic/ethical approach to farming and animal relationships results in a richer experience of food and dining. Early dinner there with the produce of the farm cold cuts, cheeses, wine, and olive oil. Travel back to the Villa by bus and end the day with a small process session.
Friday, September 27 — Assisi | Spello | Cooking Class 1
After breakfast, travel by bus to Assisi; its magical atmosphere can hardly be described. A highlight will be your visit to the famous Basilica of Saint Francis and its cycle of frescoes by Cimabue, Giotto, Pietro Lorenzetti, and Simone Martini. You will have free time to explore Assisi and have lunch on your own.
After lunch, travel by bus to Spello, which is known as the City of Flowers. Built like Assisi with the local pink limestone taken from Subasio Mountain, Spello was anciently called “Hispellum” by the Romans. Walking through the medieval piazzas, the Roman arches, and the narrow streets overlooking the Umbrian Valley, it is impossible to take in one of the most splendid Renaissance fresco cycles in Umbria, painted by Pinturicchio, kept in the Romanesque Collegiata of St. Mary the Major.
Travel back to the Villa for the first cooking class and dinner.
Saturday, September 28 — Perugia | Chocolate Making | Cooking Class 2
After breakfast, leave the Villa and travel to Perugia via bus with Catia Melani. Explore Perugia and select your afternoon cooking class ingredients from the farmers market at Pian di Massiano. Visit the Perugia city center by Mini-Metro. Engage in a walking tour of the Acropolis of Perugia, including the Rocca Paolina and its undergrounds.
Lunch on your own to taste traditional dishes like Torta al Testo or real Pizza that we will help you find. After lunch, you will discover one of the treasures of this city: the Turan artisan chocolate laboratory. Offering an extraordinary experience of an interactive immersion in the world of chocolate, you will have the opportunity to experience the creation and processing of the famous “Bacio” guided by maître chocolatier Giulia.
Travel back to the Villa for the second cooking class and dinner.
Sunday, September 29 — Montefalco | Fratelli Pardi Winery | Carletti Olive Oil Mill
After breakfast, travel by bus to Montefalco. We will start by enjoying a cappuccino on the main square and have a walk in the little hilltop village known as “the balcony of Umbria” for its infinite views.
We will then visit the family-owned Cantina, Fratelli Pardi, for a wine tasting and learn about their unique wines among which the famous Sagrantino di Montefalco. We will then travel to visit Carletti Olive Oil Mill.
Travel back to the Villa for dinner.
Monday, September 30 — Orvieto | Labyrinth Lunch | Cooking Class 3
After breakfast, leave the Villa and travel to Orvieto via bus with Catia Melani. Orvieto is probably Umbria’s most peculiar town, built high up on a volcanic rock of tufa stone. It was founded by the Etruscans more than 2,700 years ago. In the heart of the medieval town is one of Italy’s most astonishing gothic churches, the Cathedral. Among the precious paintings inside, the Last Judgement fresco-cycle in the chapel of San Brizio is a masterpiece by the Renaissance painters Beato Angelico and Luca Signorelli.
Enjoy a group lunch at Il Labirino di Adiano where we will visit a network of underground tunnels and caves and learn the substrate of historic and archaeological Orvieto.
Travel back to the Villa for the third cooking class and dinner.
Tuesday, October 1 — Pietralunga Giuliano Tartufi (Truffle Hunting) | Gubbio
After breakfast, travel to Pietralunga by bus with Catia Melani. Enjoy a discussion on the bus ride around the implications of seeing creation as brothers and sisters. In Pietralunga, we will visit Giuliano Tartufi where we will meet Lola, Bebe, and the pack who work in complete harmony with each other and their human caretakers to locate prized truffles in the Italian countryside. We will accompany the pack on its morning hunt and enjoy a tasting as guests of Giuliano and family.
Travel by bus to Gubbio, among Italy’s best-preserved medieval towns, situated on the slope of the Monte Ingino. Here we will have a group lunch in a traditional restaurant. Gubbio is where, according to legend, St. Francis of Assisi made a peace pact with a wolf that had been terrorizing the town. The story of Gubbio and Francis of Assisi means the discovery of an intense relationship, interwoven with travels, friendship, and feelings. The main square is a daring construction, a so-called hanging square upon which rises an impressive town hall, starting from here on the 15th of May, the locals organize Italy’s most peculiar procession, the ‘Candle Race’ la Corsa dei Ceri, to the sanctuary of Saint Ubaldus on top of the mountain.
Travel back to the Villa to pack and enjoy a final dinner with the group.
Wednesday, October 2 — Departure
Travel to Rome via bus for return to the U.S. or further personal travel. Do not book flights before 11 a.m. to provide time for us to drive from Villa Pieve in Corciano to Rome.
