Umbria
Umbria, a beautiful region in central Italy, has medieval hilltop villages and towns scattered across its lush green countryside, as well as Roman ruins and amphitheatres and Etruscan tombs. In the south, the fertile slopes are covered with olive trees and vineyards, and to the north, the hills on either side of the Tiber river have oak and chestnut woods where white truffles and porcini mushrooms are found. Neighboring Tuscany, Umbria is often overlooked, but it is a mystical and fascinating part of Italy. Its roots are ancient and the region manages to maintain a quintessentially Italian feel, with the modern day Umbria very attached to its history and traditions. Perfect for those who love to go exploring, the roads are fairly quiet and many of the more beautiful, undiscovered sights are off the beaten track.

Accommodations
Your residence is a luxury guest house in Umbria with more than 800 years of history. Once a monastic complex belonging to the friars of Mont'Ulivetani di Gubbio, this historic monastery has been restored and converted to a luxury country house estate by its owners Liliana and her husband John. The main house, adjacent cottage and private chapel nestle in several acres of landscaped gardens and offer beautiful views over the surrounding countryside and woodlands. Situated on a quiet road, your accommodation is perfectly situated for taking wonderful country walks in all directions. The residence is north of Umbria, on the border with Tuscany, with Umbertide, Cittá di Castello, Montone and the real Green Heart scenes of Italy just minutes away, whilst the amazing hilltop cities of Perugia, Gubbio, Cortona and many others are within about thirty minutes drive.

All rooms have an en-suite marble bathroom, and are furnished and decorated to a very high standard. The beds are fitted with luxurious silk and cotton blend sheets and there are matching white waffle towels and guest robes, slippers and a hair dryer. The furniture has been carefully chosen and each room is different, all with terracotta tiled floors, under-floor central heating, electric cooling fans, luxurious bedcovers, elegant chairs, hand-made painted tables, beautiful curtains, padded window seat cushions and silk braided parchment lampshades. Most bedrooms have television – and DVD is available on request.

The gardens have been carefully tended to create an oasis of calm and tranquility, reflective of the time when the monks who once lived there tended the land. Banks of rosemary, lavender and thyme stretch alongside the grassy pathways; acacia, ipericum, and rose trees bloom and a gentle stream meanders through the magical sunken garden. Laze on one of the elegant sun loungers under the branches of the acacia tree, or sit a while on one of the stone benches, found at different view points in the garden, simply absorbing the atmosphere of your surroundings. Alternatively, what could be pleasanter than taking afternoon tea under the shade of an umbrella at one of the tables alongside the pool area…

Gubbio
Fabulous medieval town situated on the slopes of Monte Ingino, it is one of the most beautiful medieval towns in Italy! There are incredible views from the Piazza Grande and a cable car can be taken up to the basilica of Sant'Ubaldo high up on the mountainside. The Palazzo dei Priori houses the famous Eugubian tables, 7 bronze tablets dating back to 300BC written in an ancient Umbri language. An important centre in Roman times, the remains of an ampitheatre can still be seen. Gubbio still holds many traditional annual festivals of medieval origins including the Festa dei Ceri. It also boasts the worlds largest Christmas Tree which covers the mountainside behind the town!

Perugia
The capital of Umbria, Perugia is an incredible network of cobbled streets and twisting alleyways! It's easy to get lost here, but as long as you follow up hill, you will always arrive at the main street, Corso Vanucci and the famous fountain, Fontana Maggiore, in front of the Palazzo dei Priori. With a fascinating history (dating back to the Papal States), Perugia has many buildings of great beauty and historical importance. Part of the city is underground where you can still walk the original medieval streets.

Cortona
Although it is just over the border in Tuscany, Cortona is included as it is within a half an hour drive of the residence. This sleepy medieval town has become quite exposed to tourism in recent years but there are tremendous views and the windy cobbled streets still have loads of character. Just down the hill from Cortona is Le Celle, an ancient monastery which has immense peace and calm and is well worth a visit. Bramasole, the house featured in   Under The Tuscan sun is in Cortona.

Cooking Lessons
Classes are held in the residence’s well equipped kitchen, morning or afternoon, and last approximately three hours. Our cooks, Mara and Emma, are two local ladies who were brought up on traditional Umbrian fare and whose culinary experience has taught them that few things in life are better than the fresh simple food that typifies their homeland. Umbria’s most important products include excellent meat, game and fowl, cheese, truffles (during truffle season naturally), salami, ham and olive oil, but also legumes, homemade pasta and fish from the nearby lakes. And these are just some of the ingredients you can hope to meet during your cooking classes.  During your time in Umbria, Mara and Emma will share with you the best ways to cook these ingredients simply to create delicious dishes that underline the exceptional taste of these Umbrian products.

6 Day Gourmet Cookery Course Program
(Starting Mondays – Minimum 4 People)

Day One

• Afternoon arrival and welcome drinks
• 19.00  Aperitivo and Stuzzichini (Italian Canapés) before dinner (Served either on the Loggia, in the living room, in the garden or by the pool)
• 20.00  Informal evening meal at your residence.Menu includes local produce such as ciaccia con prosciutto (local unleavened bread), salame, pecorino (sheep’s cheese) and tozzetti (almond biscuits) with Vin Santo (fortified matured sherry wine) Meet Mara and Emma, our cooks, and sample traditional Umbrian cooking in the company of John and Liliana Tunstill, your hosts.

Day Two

• Delicious Buffet Breakfast
• 09.30  Morning Cookery Class (3 hours approx): Learning Italian Salads and Dolci with “La Cuoca”
• 13.00 – 14.30  Lunch at your residence
• Afternoon at leisure to explore the countryside, take a ride on vintage bicycles, play croquet or simply relax by the pool...
• Dinner – guests are free to choose. Booking and transfer to local restaurant possible on request.

Day Three

• Delicious Buffet Breakfast
• Morning at leisure to explore the countryside, take a ride on vintage bicycles, play croquet or simply relax by the pool...
• 13.00 – 14.00  Lunch at your residence or guests free to choose
• 14.30  Departure for afternoon excursion “Truffle Hunting” near Cittá di Castello including tasting of different truffles, explanation of their use in Italian cooking and preparation of various dishes, at the Truffle Fattoria (driver and interpreter will accompany you)
• Dinner based on truffles at the Fattoria, retuning to residence afterwards

Day Four

• Delicious Buffet Breakfast
• 09.30  Departure to local market to choose produce and purchase local products, (driver, cook and interpreter will accompany you)
• 12.30 – 14.00  Lunch at a trattoria (La Lea, Cittá di Castello)
• 16.00  Afternoon Cookery Class: (3 hours approx): Learning the art of pasta making with ‘La Cuoca’ – tagliatelle, ravioli or cappelletti and pasta fillings and sauces for pasta.
• 20.00  Aperitivo and Dinner at your residenceincluding wines, coffee and liqueurs

Day Five

• Delicious Buffet Breakfast at
• 09.30 Morning Cookery Class: (3 hours approx): Learning Umbrian antipasti and learning to prepare meat in a traditional Umbrian way (marinated/pan-cooked).
• 13.00 – 14.00  Lunch at your residence
• Afternoon at leisure to explore the countryside, take a ride on vintage bicycles, play croquet or simply relax by the pool...
• Dinner – Guests free to choose. Booking and transfer to local restaurant possible on request.

Day Six

• Delicious Buffet Breakfast
• 10.30am  Excursion to Montone, a beautiful medieval village nearby, voted one of Italy’s 10 prettiest hamlets. 
• Lunch at trattoria in Montone
• Visit a local agriturismo to discover the ancient tradition of making “Vin Santo” (fortified matured sherry-type wine) at a farmhouse which has been restored, maintaining the original ancient fireplace, stairs, stone sink, etc. and visit to their museum
• Dinner – Guests free to choose. Booking and transfer to local restaurant possible on request.

Day Seven

• Delicious Buffet Breakfast
• Late morning departure...