Venice
Called the most beautiful city in the world, Venice features a haunting atmosphere, which exudes the splendor of its past. Venice is built on more than a hundred islands in a shallow lagoon, with the canals serving the function of roads - every form of transport is on water or on foot. In fact, Venice is Europe’s largest car-free zone, unique in Europe in remaining a sizeable functioning city in the 21st century entirely without cars or trucks.

Venice forever thought of as a city of romance, waterways, gondoliers, flowering window boxes, glass blowers and bellinis (a cocktail made with white peaches and Prosecco), is a popular destination. All the pictures in the world cannot prepare you for the city's exotic landmarks, rising like mirages from the surrounding waterways. With sumptuous palaces and romantic canals, Venice is straight out of an 18th-century masterpiece.

Executive Chef Sebastiano
For lovers of fine cuisine, Venice offers a wide selection of excellent restaurants serving delicious Italian food, traditional dishes of the area and international cuisine. Our Venice cooking program takes you to a private palazzo, where you will share the wonders of Venetian cooking with Executive Chef Sebastiano. From Risotto to Venetian delights, he leads the cooking classes teaching you the traditions of, Sarde in Saor, Venetian-style Risotto, Branzino and potatoes, Peoci gratinati and the Zabaglione Spumone with chocolate and almonds. Venetian cuisine is a feast for the eyes and palate.

The Grand Canal
Venice is laced with the Grand Canal, one of the world’s greatest and romantic waterways; and covered with tiny beautiful tiny bridges-each one with a name. The first bridge built in Venice was the Rialto Bridge, the most photographed bridge is the Bridge of Sighs. Its labyrinth of waterways and tiny winding streets make it a city on the sea to discover. People stroll the squares and streets by foot, or zip along the waterway on vaporetti, motoscafi and speed boats. If you are not in a hurry, take an old-world gondola. The city will always capture you with its beauty.

Itinerary:

Day One

• Pick up and transfer by private boat from Venice Airport to the Venice, crossing the wonderful Venetian Lagoon with our hostess.
• Check in, refresh and relax. Upon arrival select from a welcome "apertivo", which is a traditional Italian cocktail or brunch in the beautiful old-world living-room of Palazzo Forno.
• Relax and unwind. Dinner on your own.

Day Two

• Breakfast is served. Daily breakfast includes traditional Venetian treats and homemade cakes cooked by Mrs. Mariagrazia.
• Cooking Class 1
  Chef Sebastiano leads the class in making a Pasta and Riso menu: Risotto with vegetables, Pasticcio di Lasagne, Gnocchi with blue cheese, and a Venetian dessert, similar to Strawberry Bavarese, or a dessert of the season. During the lesson, you will take a break and have a typical Venetian aperitif, also known to stimulate your appetite.
• Lunch.
• A traditional aperitivo is the Bellini. The Bellini was first invented in 1948 at Harry's Bar in Venice, Italy. Giuseppe Cipriani was the head bartender at the time, and had a strong fondness for Italian White Peaches. He created the Bellini which is served throughout Venice, and famous all over the world.
• In the afternoon, our guests will have a two-hour guided tour to Saint Mark’s Square, Saint Mark’s Cathedral and Palazzo Ducale.
• Dinner on your own.

Day Three

• Breakfast is served. After breakfast following you will have the morning to walk, explore the area, shop or take a break in one of the many outdoor cafes.
• In the afternoon you will have a guided ‘Bacaro Tour’ with our hostess. The excursion includes a 3-hour walking tour through Venice with 3-4 stops in historical “bacari”, the typical Venetian bar, for a “cicchetti” (typical appetizers) and “ombra” (a glass of wine).
• Dinner on your own.

Day Four

• After breakfast, you will visit the fish and vegetable market on Rialto Bridge, accompanied by our Executive Chef, Sebastiano. At the market, you will see the colourful vegetables, fruits, cheeses and more. Everyone participates in selecting the fresh seasonal ingredients for the second cooking class.
• Cooking Class 2
  Chef Sebastiano’s class consists of preparing a complete menu with Sarde (fish), Venetian-style Risotto, Branzino and potatoes, Peoci gratinati and Zabaglione Spumone topped with chocolate and almonds. During the class, we will take time out for an aperitivo.
• Lunch
• In the afternoon you will have a gastronomical-historical tour accompanied by our expert guide. You will discover Venice and its history with visits to monuments, masterpiece paintings and secret corners of the mysterious city. Tour the winding streets, bridges and alleys discovering the hidden Venice.
• Dinner on your own.

Day Five

• After breakfast, you will the Venetian Lagoon Islands of Murano, Burano, Torcello, with a private boat and professional tour guide.
• Murano ~ a glass world
  Murano is worldwide famous for its glass factories. We will visit one of the most famous glass factories where you will see artists create glass into works of art before your eyes. Glass is blown and worked into a workshop filled with beautiful creations. You will be able to purchase authentic Murano glass at the studio. Next stop Burano, the beautiful little island dotted with colourful small houses, and where women still sew lace in front of their houses. You will visit the Lace Museum, where beautiful and ancient laces are displayed. After Burano, you will visit Torcello. Torcello is one of the most ancient Venetian islands. You will visit 2 beautiful churches followed by lunch in one on the famous restaurants of the island.

Day Six

• Breakfast is served. After breakfast take the morning to visit Venice’s piazza San Marco, or shop along the tiny streets filled with artisan creations.
• Lunch (not included)
• Cooking Class 3
  In the afternoon, Chef Sebastiano will lead the third cooking lesson, which will include a meat-based menu. We will make traditional Venetian asparagus and potato cakes, homemade Tagliolini and zucchini, duck with artichokes. Dessert could include a season traditional dessert or chocolate & coffee and mousse.
• Dinner and graduation ceremony.

Day Seven

• After breakfast, our guide will take you to one of the following tours: Venetian masks and handicrafts: you will visit an authentic mask shop. You can choose your own mask and paint it following the mask master.
  ~or~
  Secret Venice: a tour to visit some beautiful hidden corners of Venice, not included on the tourist map.
  ~or~
  The Jewish Ghetto: a tour to the very ancient Jewish area in Venice, where we can visit a synagogue, museum, and other interesting historical sites.
  ~or~
  A Venetian museum: you can choose from the famous Galleria dell’Accademia, where the most important collection of Venetian paintings are shown, dating from the 14th to 17th century, Ca’ Rezzonico, a museum dedicated to exploring and explaining 18th century Venice; and the Peggy Guggenheim Museum, the most important museum in Italy for European and American arts of the first half of the 20th century.
• Lunch (not included)
• Afternoon and dinner: free time

Day Eight

• Breakfast is served. Following time for departure.