Some Ideas and Recommendations:

Agritourism Trail

Explore hidden corners. See traditions and enjoy the food & cooking that tourism forgot (at a particularly relaxed pace!)

Let us help you plan. Below is just the beginning of one idea for a varied and interesting holiday, but, of course, we have loads more – historic trails, nature trails and so on. We would be happy to mix and match and adapt to your very own requirements. Change locations, length of stay; dip a toe into other regions; the possibilities are endless. Look at our website or call us for more ideas.

Day 1

Fly from Heathrow or direct from Manchester, Gatwick or Stansted, to Lamezia Airport and drive through beautiful green countryside, for less than an hour, to I Monaci. Settle into your room, meet Marina and family (and the dogs!) and explore the grounds. Take a dip in the pool, and, if you can tear yourselves away, explore the nearby mountain villages of Torre di Ruggiero and Cardinale, before Marina's delicious dinner. A taste of what's to come… Rumour has it that the buyers and chefs for a well-known store came here to “discover” recipes, for their Calabrian and “cooked in a wood oven” range….this is not just food, but mouth-watering, authentic and irresistible Calabrian food!!

Day 2

Up bright and early(ish), today you learn to cook! Marina will provide you with fresh, seasonal ingredients, to create typical Calabrian dishes. Agritourism is all about simplicity, passion and using the best of local ingredients, and this is what Marina will teach you - simple country recipes, executed with skill and attention to detail. This morning, you will prepare some typical “antipasti” and vegetable dishes, perhaps the famous 'Melanzane Calabre' - Calabrian Aubergine.

Lunch, over a good glass of wine (or three!), will see you tasting the fruit of your labours and discussing the next lesson.

Then, if it's not time for a snooze, head over to Pizzo, one of our favourite Calabrian towns, to recharge your batteries after the morning's exertions. Famous for its ice cream and fish, it's also a great place to sit in the “piazza” and watch the world go by. Later, head back for dinner at I Monaci. Let's hope that, by now, you've worked up another appetite!

Day 3

There are some wonderful towns within easy driving distance of I Monaci. Why not head off to see the mediaeval monastery at Serra San Bruno, before heading down, through spectacular forest and mountain roads, to Stilo, a beautiful town, perched on a hillside, with its amazing Byzantine church. Have a spot of lunch and saunter back to be in time for your late afternoon/early evening cookery lesson. Today you will prepare “gnocchi” Calabrian-style and some meat dishes.

At the end of another full day, you can treat yourself to an ‘aperitivo' on the terrace, gazing out over the mountains and revelling in the sense of tranquillity. Sit down for dinner together and talk the night away, eating the food you've cooked and absorbing all you can of I Monaci's very special atmosphere.

Day 4

It's time for your last cookery lesson and, of course, it has to be pasta and puds! A long morning of two back-to-back lessons, prepare them in the morning to be cooked for dinner.

For the rest of the day, why not relax by the pool? All work and no play…….. By now, of course, you'll be producing perfect dish after perfect dish, but take the opportunity to ask any questions you have, discuss ingredients and techniques – Italians love to talk food with anybody who loves food and Marina is certainly no exception!

Your last evening –with an ‘aperitivo' in hand, savour the unique atmosphere that makes this property, and Calabria as a whole, so special. Enjoy the food, the wine and the company, and your last night will be as special as the ones that went before.

Day 5

It's time to say goodbye to Marina (and the dogs!) and it won't be easy – take it from us!

Head back towards the coast, north (about an hour and a half) to Il Casale. Take your time driving up there, stopping somewhere for a bite to eat on the way, or maybe it's time to fast a little, to compensate for what's been eaten and to make space for what's next! You could always buy some fruit at any of the roadside vendors, along the way – chances are it will be their very own home-grown produce and better than any we find at home.

Arriving at Il Casale, you'll be immediately impressed by the sheer scale of the place. You approach along the farm track, surrounded by hundreds of olive trees, before arriving at the massive main building. The assembled tractors and farm vehicles leave you in no doubt that this is an agritourist property, and, when you walk through the doors, you'll know that it's one of exceptional quality. You can be assured of a warm Calabrian welcome from Federico, his wife Maria-Antonietta, his sister Clotilde and her husband Umberto - it's a real family affair!

Explore the well kept grounds, spend some time by the pool and enjoy the lovely views. Then relax with a drink in the courtyard, before dinner.

Day 6

With recipes featured in the book of a famous Vespa-riding food writer and critic, you certainly have a treat in store. At Il Casale, they will teach you how to cook traditional and antique Calabrian food, but with a different twist. You'll love it

An early first lesson will introduce you to the farm's own produce and this will be the basis of all your recipes. Today you will......................

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