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Secret Garden™

Positano ~ 2, 3 or 4 Night Cooking Getaways On The Amalfi Coast

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Let us create a bespoke cooking program from 2, 3 or 4-nights with cooking classes, a food lover’s tour, wine tour, or landmark visit.  

The shorter programs are ideal as a part of a multi-city Italy itinerary, as a pre or post cruise activity, or even just a quick weekend getaway – with the Naples Airport well connected to international destinations such as London, Paris, Barcelona, and even New York from May to September).  Let us know your dream Cooking Vacations tour and we will create a bespoke tour for you!

Your hands-on cooking classes feature our Chefs’ Filomena, Fortunata, Carmine, Guiseppe & Raffael using seasonal and regional recipes based on the healthy Mediterranean diet. Learn how to make regional antipasto, fresh pasta, local fish, meat or pizza in the heart of Positano. Our Secret Garden program takes you on a culinary tour of the famed Amalfi Coast and its Mediterranean cuisine, all while you soak up the culture and visit fun artisan food stops and landmarks.

Neapolitan Cooking Classes

We welcome you to our professional Mediterranean kitchen for authentic hands-on cooking classes where you will create a series of wonderful dishes using different recipes, techniques and styles. At each lesson you will make an antipasto, a first course, a main dish and a dessert. After each class, everyone eats the foods that were prepared in class. Toast with a glass of local red or white wine (included), and end with a sweet dessert like lemon Tiramisu, Capri cake or delicious babà soaked in limoncello.

You may also choose Neapolitan pizza making with our award-winning pizzaiolo, pizza-maker, who learned to make la vera pizza Neapolitana, real Neapolitan pizza, in Naples. This authentic pizza making class shares the secret recipe for mixing, kneading and stretching delicate pizza dough and baking it at a high temperature in a wood-burning oven for a perfect crispy crust.

If pasta is your favorite, you can choose to make fresh, hand-made pasta with seasonal sauces. Fresh pasta making is an art in Italy, and in Positano you will learn to make it step-by-step! Believe it or not, Italy boasts over 1,000 different types of pasta, including gnocchi, Positano Pizza, Ravello Pizza, ravioli, tortellini, cannelloni, orecchiette, casarecci, and garganelli, to name but a few.

Positano

John Steinbeck lived in Positano in 1953 and wrote, “Positano bites deep, it’s a dream place, that isn’t quite real when you are there and becomes beckoningly real after you have gone.”

Over time, Positano has attracted artists, writers, and photographers who came to capture its magic. Positano’s small winding streets are filled with tiny cafés, terraces, and artisan shops selling ceramics, limoncello and antiques. Take a walk along the stone pathway, the one little street that leads to the beach. The green and yellow majolica dome, Positano’s landmark, is that of the Chiesa Madre, or the parish church of Santa Maria Assunta. It was built on the site of a former Benedictine Abbey of Saint Vito, a 13th-century Romanesque structure, and was almost completely rebuilt in 1700. At the altar, is a 13th-century Byzantine painting on wood with the Madonna and Child. Legend claims that the painting was once stolen by Saracen pirates, who, when fleeing during a raging storm, heard a voice from the heavens, say: “Posa, posa!” “Put it down, put it down.” When they placed the statue on the beach near the church the storm calmed, as did the Saracens. Positano was saved, and the town’s name was established. Others claim the town is named after the god Poseidon.

The people of Positano celebrate the town’s feast day every August 15th, when the locals carry the statue along the beach with a parade of musicians. A spectacular firework display follows.

Positano Accommodations, Villa, 3, 4 or 5 Star

Choose from Villa, 3-Star or 4-star or 5 star accommodations for your Positano cooking program, based on your needs and your budget.  Our choice properties are located in the center of town and overlooking the sea. Each bedroom has a private terrace or balcony and sea & town views with a private bathroom and shower in each room. Additional amenities include: hairdryer, safe, refrigerator and air conditioning. Breakfast is served each morning and daily maid service is provided for your convenience. Click the link below to view accommodations options & photos.

Suggested Itineraries: 2, 3 or 4 Night

Day 1: Benvenuto & Chef’s Tasting Dinner

  • Pick-up and transfer from Naples airport or train station to the property.
  • Arrival and check-in.
  • In the evening, enjoy your Welcome Dinner with a full course Chef’s Tasting Dinner featuring local fare.  Wine is not included.

Day 2: Cooking Class 1

  • Breakfast is served.
  • Head into the kitchen for your first hands-on cooking class. Lunch or dinner follows including the food that was prepared in the cooking class with wine included.
  • Rest of the day is free to explore the area, or relax on Positano’s beach.

Day 3: Departure ~ or The Amalfi Coast & Ravello Excursion or Capri

  • Breakfast is served.
  • Check out & departure transfer to Naples Airport or Train Station.
  • OR – Add on an extra day & continue for a drive along the famed Amalfi Coast headed to Amalfi and the hilltop village of Ravello. Along the way, stop to visit our artisan ceramic maker. You will see old-world ceramics like tabletops made of volcanic rock and hand painted colors with seascapes, grapes and lemons, romantic angels and Mediterranean scenes.

Add-On A Guide: You may also reserve our English-speaking private guided for Market Visit & Food Lover’s Tour Amalfi and Ravello Landmark Tour.

  • Return to Positano in the afternoon & evening free.

Day 4: Departure ~ or Cooking Class 2

  • Breakfast is served.
  • Check out & departure transfer to Naples Airport or Train Station.
  • OR – Add on an extra day & continue for your Cooking Class 2: Tie on your apron for your second hands-on cooking class. Lunch or dinner follows on the foods prepared in class after the cooking class with wine included.

Day 5: Check Out & Departure

  • Breakfast is served.
  • Departure transfer to airport or train station. Ciao e a presto!

*Note: This schedule may vary due to inclement weather, saint days or festivals. All activities, in the event of rescheduling, are always included in the program.  Please note that museum tickets are not included in program price.

2-Night Program Includes:

  • 2 nights and 3 days accommodations, based on 2 guests. Click to view Accommodations Options & Upgrades!
  • Daily breakfast and maid service.
  • 1 hands-on cooking class, with lunch or dinner following including the food that was prepared in the cooking class with wine included.
  • In the evening, enjoy your Welcome Dinner with a full course Chef’s Tasting Dinner featuring local fare.  Wine is not included.
  • Round trip group transfers from Naples Airport or Naples Train station to Positano. *
  • Cooking Vacations welcome bag, chef’s apron, Prosecco and recipe book.
Program Prices

Please call for pricing as rates vary depending on your activities in a B&B, 3, 4 or 5 star or villa suite accommodation from garden to sea view.

For Single Guests: If you are traveling on your own, please call us for the best group price. We are happy to welcome you into an already scheduled group.

Check Availability

 

3-Night Program Includes:

  • 3 nights accommodations, based on 2 guests.   Click to view Accommodations Options & Upgrades!
  • Daily breakfast and maid service.
  • 1 hands-on cooking class, with lunch or dinner following. A toast of local wine included, with additional wines, beverages, after-dinner liqueur and caffè available at a surcharge.
  • Full course Chef’s Tasting Menu on your first night arrival. (Wine, beverages, after-dinner liqueurs and caffè available at a surcharge).
  • Choose from a full day excursion to Amalfi and Ravello with private driver. (Private tour guide available on request) or a full day boat to Capri on our private boat group tour, around the island by sea and on land to visit the island.
  • Round trip group transfers from Naples Airport or Naples Train station to Positano. *
  • Cooking Vacations welcome bag, chef’s apron, Prosecco and recipe book.
Program Prices

Please call for pricing as rates vary depending on your activities in a B&B, 3, 4 or 5 star or villa suite accommodation from garden to sea view.

For Single Guests: If you are traveling on your own, please call us for the best group price. We are happy to welcome you into an already scheduled group.


4-Night Program Includes:

  • 4 nights accommodations, based 2 guests. Click to view Accommodations Options & Upgrades!
  • Daily breakfast and maid service.
  • 2 hands-on cooking classes, with lunch or dinner following. A toast of local wine included, with additional wines, beverages, after-dinner liqueur and caffè available at a surcharge.
  • Full course Chef’s Tasting Menu on your first night arrival. (Wine, beverages, after-dinner liqueurs and caffè available at a surcharge).
  • Excursion to Amalfi and Ravello with private driver. (Private tour guide available on request) or a full day boat excursion to Capri on our private boat group tour, around the island by sea and on land to visit the island.
  • Round trip group transfers from Naples Airport or Naples Train station to Positano. *
  • Cooking Vacations welcome bag, chef’s apron, Prosecco and recipe book.
Program Prices

Please call for pricing as rates vary depending on your activities in a B&B, 3, 4 or 5 star or villa suite accommodation from garden to sea view.

For Single Guests: If you are traveling on your own, please call us for the best group price. We are happy to welcome you into an already scheduled group.

Check Availability

2024 Dates: This program is available throughout the year. Rates are subject to change based on currency exchange. Call for updated rates. Airfare not included. Group transfers for any cooking tour or tours that include transfers, are for the group and are not private. Transfers before, after or to another destination outside of your cooking tour are not included in the program price. If you would like to add on a private transfer or transfers, let us know and we will send you pricing.

Positano has many stairs throughout. People who do not like to walk or have health problems are advised to read up on the landscape of Positano and reserve the 3-Star~By The Piazza or 4-Star option. We suggest walking shoes, sun block, and a hat for excursions to Capri and Pompeii.

ROUND TRIP TRANSFERS

ARRIVAL-Arrival transfers from Naples Airport to Positano are 1:00pm and from Naples Train Station at 3:00pm. Group transfers leave promptly at the scheduled time.  If you cannot make the scheduled group transfer time, a special transfer can be reserved for you, please call for pricing.

DEPARTURE-Departure from the property in Positano to Naples Airport or Train Station are at 4am and 10am (in heavy traffic conditions, departures may start 30 minutes prior – you will notified). 10am is the official property check out time on the morning of your departure.  If you would like a private transfer, please call for pricing.  Departures between 2am to 7am have an 85E supplement.

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