Tie on your aprons for Jubilee Roma 2025 with Chef Barbara in the heart of Rome!
Celebrate the Jubilee with cultural tours and in hands-on cooking with our chef in her private kitchen and dining room terrace overlooking the rooftops of Rome. During your stay in the Eternal City, experience special Jubilee tours with our English-speaking guide to events, churches the Vatican and Saint Peter’s Basilica.
Rome, the Eternal City, offers ancient history and landmarks along with Old World cuisine and wine making it a place one always wants to come back to. Three thousand years of history are on display in this open-air museum, with the Forum, the Colosseum, Trevi Fountain, Piazza Navona and the Vatican.
Roman Life has always been lived passionately. Passion inspired artists to create world-renowned masterpieces like Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel, Bernini’s Fountains, and timeless culinary Roman traditions. A traveler who experiences Rome experiences La Dole Vita, the sweet life – whether they are admiring the view from one of its Seven Hills, discovering a trattoria in Trastevere, shopping on Via Condotti, or lingering in a cafe near Piazza della Rotonda.
Visitors can’t help but be swept up in the Eternal City’s vibrant energy where city’s centuries-old architecture blend with modern day art exhibits – as Vespas sour by and warm Italians of all ages chatter on their cell phones while sitting in an outdoor caffè.
Jubilee Roma 2025
Every 25 years, the Catholic Church celebrates the Jubilee, a year where millions travel to Rome to visit the Vatican ask for forgiveness. The tradition dates back to 1300 when Pope Boniface VIII first declared it a Holy year. Originally, the Jubilee was celebrated every 100 years, but that has changed to once every 25 years offering each generation the chance to celebrate.
During the Jubilee, pilgrims from all over the world visit Rome and walk through the Holy Doors of the four major basilicas- Saint Peter’s, Saint John Lateran, Saint Mary Major, and Saint Paul – which are only open during this period. There is a rite of reconciliation, gaining a plenary indulgence to forgive all their sins at this time. The four major basilicas are part of the seven major churches of Rome, which are all key pilgrimage stops.
The 2025 Jubilee began on December 24, 2024, with the opening of the Holy Door of Saint Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican and continues to January 6, 2026. During the year, Pope Francis presides over the celebration in Saint Peter’s Square with many special masses and events. The Holy Door of Saint John Lateran Basilica was opened on December 29, 2024, the Holy Door of the Basilica of Saint Mary Major on Jan. 1, 2025, and the Holy Door of the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls opens on Jan. 5, 2025. The latter three Holy Doors close on December 28, 2025. The Jubilee ends on January 6, 2026 when the Holy Door of Saint Peter’s Basilica closes.
Throughout the year, the Catholic Church holds special Jubilee celebrations and pilgrimages to Saint Peter’s Square. There is also Pilgrim’s Card, or Carta del Pellegrino, a free digital pass that grants visitors access to the key Jubilee events, and provides calendars, schedules, and resources related to the Jubilee. Visitors can sign-up on the official Jubilee website or the mobile app, Iubilaeum25.
Jubilee Roma 2025 Cooking Classes
Tie on your apron and celebrate the Jubilee with food, wine and culture in hands-on cooking classes with Chef Barbara. Chef Barbara welcomes each guest to her private palazzo and kitchen in the heart of Rome; following the cooking classes, everyone dines together on her majestic rooftop overlooking Rome. You’ll learn to cook traditional Roman classics from antipasto to fresh pasta and sauces, main courses and desserts with farm-to-table ingredients from the nearby outdoor market.
Chef Barbara shares her family recipes in making delicious Roman recipes with techniques gained through years of her passion for food, wine and cooking. You will also visit the outdoor marketplace and shop with the chef selecting the finest seasonal local ingredients which will be used in the cooking class to follow.
Learn how to make fresh pasta, stuffed eggplant, and classic Roman recipes to celebrate the occasion. Learn how to prepare the perfect Amatriciana, Pasta alla gricia and Gnocchi alla Romana with sauce. You’ll also learn the history and of ancient Roman foods with Chef Barbara as she shares her knowledge of the Roman food culture.
Traditional Roman includes stuffed artichokes and eggplant. On the menu, there is carbonara, pasta served in a sauce with crispy guanciale, cured pork cheeks, tangy pecorino Romano cheese and eggs. Another Roman classic is gricia, carbonara without eggs. Also on the menu is Amatriciana pasta, made with tomatoes and cream and cacio e pepe, pasta served in a creamy pecorino and spicy black pepper sauce. Main courses tempt with coda alla vaccinara, oxtail stew cooked in tomatoes and wine with cloves, black pepper, pine nuts and raisins. Roman desserts wow – think, crostata ricotta e visciole, an open pie filled with a cherry filling and torzetti, Roman wine biscotti.
Following each class, everyone enjoys the food that was prepared in the kitchen with a toast of wine included, and soft drinks for children. During the spring, summer and autumn months, everyone dines on the terrace overlooking the city of Rome.
During your Jubilee week, you will discover a Roman outdoor marketplace as you shop with Chef Barbara. Visit rows of farmers and artisans selling prized vegetables, fruits, fish, meat and artisan cheese, and experience the bustling marketplace that is the heart of Rome’s daily life. Chef Barbara takes you through the market explains the importance of seasonal ingredients while experiencing the sight and scents venders conversing over tables piled high with eggplant, zucchini, pumpkin, persimmons, figs and Pecorino. After the market visit, return to her kitchen for a hands-on cooking class with the products purchased at the market.
Pasta alla Papalina
During your experience, learn how to make Pasta alla Papalina, a royal Roman pasta with very aristocratic origins originally made for the Pope Pius XII, born Eugenio Pacelli. He requested a lighter than carbonara. The story goes that in 1950s spaghetti alla carbonara was gaining popularity in post-war Rome, but Pope Pius XII wanted something that was refined, and he asked Vatican chef to modify the recipe. The result was pasta alla Papalina where guanciale was replaced with prosciutto crudo, and the pecorino romano was replaced with parmigiano-reggiano. He replaced the garlic a onion sautéed in butter, and egg yolk to create a velvety sauce without the heaviness of the traditional cream-based one. The final secret ingredient was a wide noodle pasta. Everyone loved it, and the Pope made history with Pasta alla Papalina.
Rome Accommodations
Rome 3-Star Boutique Deluxe with Rooftop Terrace
Our charming 3-Star deluxe hotel is set between the 18th-century Spanish Steps and the beautiful Via Veneto. It has been newly renovated, while preserving its old-world charm offering elegant rooms, charming decor and the perfect location in the heart of Rome. The hotel is privately owned and has a professional staff to help you with any questions during your stay. The hotel is bright, white and clean with archeological treasures on display in the spacious hall. Elegantly furnished rooms with Italian bedding and furnishings, a reading room near the bar along with a rooftop deck offering a spectacular view of Rome make this home-away-from-home a haven of relaxation in bustling Rome. Each room offers a private ensuite bathroom, air conditioning/heat, minibar, Satellite TV, hair dryer & Wi-Fi internet.
Rome 4-Star Luxury with Rooftop Restaurant and Terrace, and Sweeping Views Over Rome
Our welcoming 4-Star luxury hotel is located between the Spanish Steps and Piazza del Popolo, and walking distance to the Piazza Navona, Trevi Fountain and Via Condotti. Set in the heart of Rome amongst charming streets, trattorias, wine bars, and Italian designer shops, it is in the perfect neighborhood for walking, sightseeing, and shopping. Check in and you are welcomed by the professional staff who is at your service for your every need. The grand hotel lobby is decorated with vintage Fellini movie artwork and Roman artwork. An intimate refined atmosphere combines the warmth of wood and gold in a sophisticated design. Check into your room, elegantly furnished with comfortable modern beds and Italian linen bedding with private ensuite baths. All amenities are included: conditioning or heat, a minibar, personal safe, satellite TV, hair dryer and wi-fi. The property offers four restaurants, a piano bar and a private fitness room. Enjoy an aperitivo at the hotel’s piano bark or dine in the main restaurant or gorgeous rooftop terrace and restaurant with a sweeping view over the Eternal City. The restaurant serves classical Roman fare and has an interesting and infinite wine list.
Itinerary ~ 7 days, 6 nights
Day 1: Arrival & Jubilee Welcome Dinner
- Arrive to Rome Airport or Train Station and transfer to the hotel.
- Check in and relax.
- A Cooking Vacations’ Welcome Gag is waiting for you with Prosecco and a chef’s apron.
- In the evening, enjoy a Jubilee Welcome Dinner featuring a full course Roman meal with a toast of wine
Day 2: Roman Market Tour & Cooking Class 1
- Breakfast is served.
- Join Chef Barbara for an early morning visit to the colorful outside marketplace in Rome. Your morning starts off with a one-hour tour of Rome’s historic and colorful Roman marketplace. You will meet vendors and visit rows of stands selling prized vegetables, fruits, fish, meat, and cheese.
- Following the market tour, head to the kitchen with Chef Barbara for your first hands-on cooking class. You will prepare a full course Roman menu with antipasto, fresh pasta and sauce, main course and dessert. Lunch follows and includes the foods prepared in class with a toast of local red or white wine.
- Afternoon is on your own. Walk through the heart of Rome from the Pantheon, San Luigi dei Francesi church – featuring Caravaggio masterpieces – to Piazza Navona. Visit the Trevi Fountain. Throw a coin in, make a wish that you’ll return to Rome!
- Dinner is on your own with suggestions provided.
Day 3: Cooking Class 2: Pasta Making, Tour the Archbasilica of Saint John Lateran & Santa Croce in Gerusalemme
- Breakfast is served.
- After breakfast, head to the kitchen for your second hands-on cooking class. This class will teach you to prepare hand-made pasta all’uovo, egg pasta, gnocchi or ravioli and two types of homemade sauces with a Roman dessert. Lunch follows and includes the foods prepared in class with a toast of local red or white wine.
- In the afternoon, meet your English-speaking guide for a tour of the Archbasilica of Saint John Lateran, the seat of power for the Pope. The church was consecrated in 324 AD and is the oldest basilica in the western world. Fires badly damaged the building in the 14th century, but church officials renovated it in later years. The tour will take you throughout the complex to explore the basilica, cloister, twelve statues of the Apostles, baptistery, and the Holy Stairs. Also visit Santa Croce in Gerusalemme with its museum of relics of the crucifixion
- In the evening, enjoy dinner on your own with suggestions provided.
Day 4: Vatican & Saint Peter’s Tour – Celebrate the Jubilee
- Breakfast is served.
- After breakfast, meet our English-speaking guide for a tour of the Vatican and Saint Peter’s Basilica. Visit the Vatican Museum, featuring classical sculptures –the Belvedere Torso, and Apollo Belvedere, the Stanzas of Raphael and Sistine Chapel.
- Continue to Saint Peter’s Basilica, where the Holy Door will be open for the Jubilee. Saint Peter’s Basilica features Michelangelo’s Pieta, Bernini’s altar, and the Papal tombs. You may also opt to climb to the top of the dome for a panoramic view of the Eternal City! Following the tour, take time out for lunch on your own
- Enjoy the afternoon with free time on your own. Stroll through the Trastevere neighborhood and discover artisan shops, Roman caffés, and the majestic Santa Maria In Trastevere Church. Enjoy a gelato and soak up the Roman culture.
- In the evening, dinner is on your own with suggestions provided.
Day 5: Cooking Class 3 ~ Roman Traditional – Jubilee Menu
- Breakfast is served.
- Following breakfast, return to the kitchen for your third hands-on cooking class and prepare a Jubilee Menu including an antipasto, fresh pasta and sauce, main course and dessert with a toast of local red or white wine. Following the cooking class, everyone enjoys the food together on Chef Barbara’s terrazzo overlooking the rooftops of Rome.
- Afternoon is free. Visit Barberini Gallery, Doria Pamphilj, or Palazzo Altemps.
- In evening, dinner is on your own with suggestions provided.
Day 6: Tour of the Basilica of Saint Mary Major
- Breakfast is served.
- Following breakfast, meet our English-speaking guide for a private tour of the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore. The church is one of Rome’s four major basilicas and the largest of the Marian churches in Rome. It sits on the summit of Esquiline Hill with gorgeous mosaics, large marble columns, a golden, coffered ceiling, and the highest bell tower in Rome. The church is also the site of the Miracle of the Snows, when snow covered the hill in the middle of summer on August 5, 358. The miracle is celebrated every year on that date when a shower of white petals falls from the ceiling above the Major Altar.
- Following the tour, enjoy a Roman lunch on your own.
- In the afternoon, explore Rome on your own. Visit one of the other Seven Pilgrim churches of Rome, such as the Basilica of Saint Lawrence Outside the Walls, Basilica of the Holy Cross in Jerusalem, or the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Divine Love.
- Dinner in the evening is on your own with suggestions included.
Day 7: Departure & Arrivederci!
- Breakfast is served.
- Check out of the hotel and depart.
- Transfer to Rome Airport or Train Station.
Program Includes:
- 7 days, 6 nights, based on 2 guests in our 4 – Star luxury hotel or 3 – Star Boutique Hotel.
- Daily breakfast and maid service.
- Welcome Dinner featuring a Chef’s Jubilee Roma Tasting menu with a full course menu of local fare with a toast of wine included.
- 3 hands-on cooking classes with lunch or dinner following with a toast of local red or white wine.
- A Roman market tour including a Shop with Chef Barbara.
- Guided Tour of the Archbasilica of Saint John Lateran with private English-speaking guide.
- Guided Tour of the Vatican and Saint Peter’s Basilica with private English-speaking guide. Museum tickets included.
- Guided Tour of the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore with English-speaking guide.
- Round trip transfers from Rome Airport or Train Station to the hotel.
- Cooking Vacations Welcome bag with chef’s apron, Prosecco and recipe booklet.
- A copy of Lauren’s cookbook, “It’s A Dream Place – Stories & Recipes of Food, Love and the Amalfi Coast.”
Program Prices
$4,595 based on two guests in a private room in a 3 Star Deluxe with Roof Deck and Sweeping View of Rome
$5,195 based on two guests in a private room in a 3 Star Deluxe with Roof Deck and Sweeping View of Rome