October 21 to October 28, 2011

Please direct all of your inquires to Vanessa DellaPasqua, Managing Partner of Global Epicurean, LLC. You can email her at vanessa@globalepicurean.com.

What is included…

Your cooking school and culinary tour package includes:

• All land transportation during the trip
• All lodging, based on double occupancy (single occupancy available for an additional fee);
• All meals, with the exception of lunch on October 22; breakfast, lunch and dinner daily, starting with aperitivo (a light dinner) on October 21 and ending with breakfast on October 28. Non-alcoholic beverages will be included with all meals, as well as a house wine for lunch. On October 22 we will be at Fiera del Tartufo di Alba and we would like to let everyone explore and experience truffles in their favorite manner.
• All excursions and any entrance fees to places we will visit during the scheduled portion of the trip
• A translator at every location and the entertaining value of Donato’s company and Vanessa’s expertise of Italy, its customs and its traditions.
• Unique cultural and culinary experiences to reveal the true heart of Italian cooking in spectacular location. Your body and soul satiated from the inside out!

And what is not….

• Airfare, transportation to and from the meeting point in Milan, personal shopping and other optional activities
• Wine service at dinner, premium wine service at lunch
• Lunch on October 22 (at Alba’s White Truffle Fair)
• Additional beverages from the bar that are not provided with dinner (grappa, digestive, etc)
• Tips  (optional)
• Anything not explicitly listed above under “What is Included.”

Pricing

Price per person, based on double occupancy, is $4,500 per person. Single accommodation is available for an additional fee.

Terms and Conditions

Please make sure you read through our Terms and Conditions page. We will need a signed copy of the release of liability with your deposit in order to reserve your spot..

Logistics

Most European hubs have multiple daily flights to one of Milan Airports, either Linate or Malpensa airports. Milan Malpensa is also connected via direct flight from several East Coast US cities, making reaching Lombardia pretty easy overall.

We will take our time to enjoy the best that Lombardia and Piemonte have to offer. We will spend one night in Milan, then head to Alba and stay in Piedmont for two nights. We will then spend two nights in Franciacorta and one night in Valtellina before heading back to Milan for our final night. We will be staying mostly at 4-star hotels, and we will move around via a 35-people bus. We will limit the number of participants to the trip to 24, on a first-come, first serve basis.

What to Pack

Dress in Italy is less casual than in the US. Shorts are only for the beach, and changing in the evening to dressier clothes is considered appropriate, even if you change from casual to business casual. Given the range of accommodations, we recommend comfortable clothing for the day, such as jeans and business casual tops- polo shirts and simple blouses.  Evenings are not overly formal- cocktail dresses and suits would be considered very dressy, but being “dressed up” is a must in many large cities. Slacks and dressy tops for ladies, and a shirt and jacket for the gentlemen will provide appropriate attire for all of our destinations. You won’t always be able to change before dinner, so clothing that can transition from day to night is best. Bring comfortable shoes for to visit artisan facilities and walk around the cities.

Electricity in Italy is 220 volts, 50 Hz. Voltage and frequencies are different than in the US, and so are the wall sockets. Pack an adapter plug or a transformer if you bring electrical items. Most computers and cell phones have a built-in transformer, but for other electronics you might need one. To ensure you get the right plug/transformer for your trip, click here for a list of products.