Culinary Experiences

FOOD & WINE

-Cooking course: Ligurian Specialities

In our beautiful farmhouse “Villa” in a beautiful panoramic location in the middle of olive groves and vineyards near to Levanto we would like to introduce you to the Ligurian cuisine – known for its natural and pure ingredients composed of fresh products from the garden and the forests. Very characteristic is the generous use of wild herbs, such as rosmary, thyme, sage and borage. Fresh basil is not only the base for the famous pesto sauce but adds flavour to many other Italian dishes. Lessons start with the introduction to the menu and the hand out of recipes. It continuous with the preparation of the dishes together with the Chef Alberto. Participants will have hands-on experience by creating a 3-courses meal with Ligurian specialities.  In the relaxing atmosphere of the Villa and its surrounding gardens and accompanied by a good wine you will enjoy an unforgettable afternoon followed by a nice aperitif on the beautiful terrace and the candle light dinner.

Every Monday from 15th March – 31st October 2011. Meeting in Levanto at 3 pm, duration about 6 – 7 hours.

Price per person Euro 149,00 (min 6 pax)

Included in the price: transfer from the Levanto train station to the farmhouse, hands-on cooking experience, printed recipes, aperitif, candle light dinner with 3 courses.

 

-The Cinque Terre: our landscape, the wines, the people. An introduction with tasting of wines, olives and much more

Groppo is a tiny village, hidden in the middle of the terraced vineyards above Manarola. Our winetasting in this location is full of symbolic importance, for Groppo is also the home of the winegrower´s cooperative and therefore the origin of modern winemaking in the Cinque Terre. But in the last years we observe a completely new trend: more and more young and passionate winemakers come out with new interesting wines worthy to explore. Christiane, wholehearted sommelier and ethnologist, with a very exciting manner to explain, will introduce you not only to the history of the Cinque Terre wines but also give you a colourful description of the people, their way of living and their many pleasant little quirks. Christiane and her husband Maurizio, one of the most important cooks of the Cinque Terre, have created in Groppo a little culinary paradise. Decorated and beautifully designed in a mixture of local flavour and modern art, their restaurant and wine cellar is the best setting for the first encounter with the wines of the Cinque Terre. The wine tasting will be accompanied by a selection of Ligurian snacks and completed with a tasting of different Ligurian olive oils.

Every Wednesday from 15th March – 31st October 2011. Meeting in Groppo at 3 pm, duration about 1,5-2 hours.

Price per person Euro 49,00 (min 6 pax)

Included in the price: wine tasting with sommelier with 3 different DOC-wines of the Cinque Terre, tasting of Ligurian olive oils, regional products as bread, cheese, olives, honey etc.

 

-Cooking lesson Ligurian fish specialities with visit to the market

Your culinary experience starts with a short stroll through La Spezia and a visit to its beautiful market: see the fish sellers with the fresh fish and seafood, find the regional vegetables: depending on the season the are juicy tomatoes, green asparagus, aromatic mushrooms or the precious artichokes. With Sandra, your cook, you buy freshly the things you’ll need to prepare your lunch. After the market visit do it like the locals: we invite you to a short stop in a typical caffè to have your “italian breakfast” – a cappuccino and a fresh made croissant or better: the ligurian foccacia.Then you continue to your “Osteria”, a beautiful little restaurant which today gives us it’s kitchen for this beautiful lesson. Normally this is one of the best seafood restaurants in La Spezia, following the ideas of Slow Food. This is also what Sandra wants to get across with – the idea of Slow Food: prepare the traditional local dishes with as much as possible local ingredients and with as low as possible environmental impact. Sounds complicated but the result are incredibly mouth-watering dishes! You will be surprised by the simple finesse of the dishes you are going to prepare – using only few ingredients but of a high quality. At the end you will enjoy one of the most delicious lunches of your life – prepared by yourself!

Every Tuesday from 15th march – 31st October

Meeting: La Spezia train station 8.30 (for people staying in La Spezia there can be fixed another meeting point). Duration about 6 hours.

Price per person Euro 129,00 (min. 6/max. 12 participants)

Included in the price: visit to the local market, second breakfast, hands-on cooking experience with English speaking cook, printed recipes, lunch with drinks

 

HIKING

-Cinque Terre: Hiking & Wine

One of the most authentic Cinque Terre experiences  with a beautiful hike off the „beaten tracks“. One of our expert hiking guides welcomes you in Corniglia, one of the little Cinque Terre villages which you will explore during a little walk. You will hike on a very varied path first crossing pine forests and the famous terraced vineyards. More than once the stunning views over the sea and the tiny little villages will make you speechless! In this unique scenery you will meet with our winemaker. Luciano explains you the more than thousand years of history of winegrowing in the Cinque Terre,  the dry stone walls, the vines and the people, who since generations have been struggling against the opposing surrounding conditions and who are so proud of every drop of wine they produce. Taste these fine wines during the visit of the traditional wine cellar of Luciano and enjoy some local snacks like focaccia or vegetable cakes. The last part of the hike is the long romantic stairway through olive groves. In Manarola, where the tour ends, you will arrive in the afternoon.

Tour every Saturday from 15th March – 31st October 2011

Meeting in Corniglia, railway station at 8,30 am (compatible with train arrivals from both directions: Genoa and La Spezia. For guests staying in Corniglia a meeting in the town will be arranged). Duration about 7 hours

Price per person Euro 89,00 (min 6 participants)

Included in the price: hiking with guide, visit to the didactical vineyard and the wine cellar, wine tasting and snacksEquipment to bring with you: sunglasses, hat, camera, depending on the weather conditions also rain cloths, spare cloths, hiking shoes,  drinking water (1 lt). Sure footedness and physical fitness are necessary.

-The Levanto Valley – hiking, eating at “la mamma’s” and pesto-course

An eventful day! You’ll meet your hiking guide in the morning at the train station of Levanto and start a lovely hike on beautiful paths with wonderful views over Levanto, the little picturesque villages of the surrounding hills and the sea. The vegetation varies from the gardens and vineyards at the beginning through olive groves and colourful macchia plants and at the end through a chestnut forest. You will climb up to about 500 m a.s.l. and descent then a narrow steep path to reach one of the scenic villages where, in an old traditional  “osteria”, “la mamma” is just waiting for you with mountains of handmade ravioli and big jugs with quaffable house wine. The descent after lunch is easy and quick – in about one hour you will be back to Levanto where in the afternoon the next highlight of the day is awaiting: the pesto course. Learn during this funny “hands on activity” how the most delicious and aromatic Ligurian pasta sauce is made from fresh basilica, pine nuts and best olive oil.

Tour every Tuesday from 15th March – 31st October 2011  Meeting: Levanto railway station at 9 am. Duration about 7 hrs

Price per person Euro 99,00 (min. 6 participants)

Included in the price: hike with hiking guide, lunch, pesto course (max. 1 hour)Equipment to bring with you: sunglasses, hat, camera, long trousers, depending on the weather conditions also rain cloths, spare cloths, hiking shoes, drinking water (1,5 lt)Sure footedness and physical fitness are necessary .

FLYING

-Scenic flight over the Cinque Terre

Explore a unique landscape with the eyes of a seagull! Enjoy a flight which takes you first over the beautiful Gulf of Poets with stunning views of the villages of  Tellaro, Lerici and Portovenere and their impressive churches and fortresses. You will see also the islands of Palmaria and Tino with its beautiful lighthouse, which is closed to the public and spectacularly visible only during this flight. And then you reach the area of the Cinque Terre! The beauty of a landscape that will make you speechless! There they lie, the five tiny villages with their coloured houses nested into each other, their narrow streets and steep stairways, the picturesque harbours with bobbling multicoloured fisher boats. And all around the terraced vineyards making the landscape of the Cinque Terre unique. Their dimension can be well seen from the airplane. You will be amazed about the clear sea in the intense colours of blue, green and turquoise. A stunning experience offering strong impressions that will become a highlight of your holiday! After the flight a light lunch with an assortment of local specialities in the cozy Osteria waits for you.

Tour every Wednesday and Friday from 15th March till 31st October 2011. Meeting point railway station La Spezia Centrale FS at 10 a.m. Duration about 3/4 hours

Price per person Euro 149,00 (5 – 16 participants)

Included in the price: transfer roundtrip railway station La Spezia Centrale, scenic flight about 30 minutes in aircraft with 4 seats (3 passengers each), Light lunch, insurance To bring with you: sunglasses, camera .

 

-Paragliding over the Cinque Terre

Unique experience! Tandem Paragliding flight over the Cinque Terre with wonderful view.

Start on a hill above Monterosso, fly for 15/20 minutes, land on the beach of Monterosso.

Everyday on request at 2 pm (between 1st October and 30th April)

Total Duration about 1,5 hrs

Price per person Euro 119,00 (Min. 1 participant)

Included in the price: transfer from Monterosso railway station to the start point of the flight. Tandem flight with English speaking expert pilot, insurance. To bring with you: water, sunglasses, sun protection, comfortable cloths, sneakers. Requirements: Body weight between 40 and 100 kg

THE SEA

-“the azure day” – sailing along the Cinque Terre coast with mini course

A great experience to explore the coast of the Cinque Terre and the Gulf of the poets from another perspective! In La Spezia harbour you will go on board and cross first the Gulf of Poets seeing the beautiful villages of Portovenere and Lerici and the islands Palmaria and Tino. Later you will sail along the Cinque Terre coast enjoying great views of the villages. At a nice place, maybe in front of Vernazza you will stop and have lunch with local specialities like spaghetti al pesto or salted anchovies. Also a stop for swimming and snorkelling in the wonderful marine protection area is planned. Who does not only like to relax will have the possibility to learn from our experienced English speaking skipper the basics how to sail.

Tour every Thursday and Sunday from 1st April  – 31st October 2011. Meeting point at harbour of La Spezia at 10,00 a.m. Duration about 7 hours

Price per person Euro 129,00 (4 – 10 pax)

Included in the price: tour with a modern sailing boat with English speaking skipper, lunch on board, drinks (water and wine) on board, insurance, mini sailing course to bring with you: sunglasses, hat, sun protection, camera, swimming costume, bath towel, depending on weather conditions rain protection and/or an extra jacket

-Fishing offshore the Cinque Terre with sundowner!

During the summer months we offer a very special experience: fishing with a fisherman of Manarola, Andrea (who speaks a fine English), with his traditional fishing boat. The tour starts in the late afternoon and takes you offshore the Cinque Terre. Enjoy the marvellous views over the coastline with the picturesque villages and the vineyards in the golden afternoon sun. Help Andrea to haul the fishing net that he had set out in the sea hours before. You will catch red breams and red mullets, hake, rays and small tuna fishes. Thereafter just lean back and relax with a glass of chilled local wine and enjoy the sunset over the sea!

Tour daily from July 1st to September 15th 2011

Departure in Manarola at 5 pm

Duration about 3 hours

Price per person Euro 85,00 (1-4 participants)

Included in the price: boat tour with skipper and fishing, drinks on board, To bring with you: sunglasses, hat, camera, sweatshirt with cool weather