Devil’s Bridge Week 2024
Are you ready for a spectacular week with me ?
Course details
We are now introducing Garfagnana, a rugged valley situated up north of Lucca and Cinque Terre, Unesco World Heritage, beautiful hidden treasure located in Liguria, on the Ligurian Sea!
An unforgettable week
This is our new dream week and is dedicated to both beginners and accomplished chefs and to all those who have been to the school before and want to experience more.
ON SUNDAY everything will start we will pick you up in Pisa (airport or station) and the day will be all yours. Enjoy lunch and dinner with us and during the day, if you ike, visit the nearby village of Massaciuccoli with its lake and the archaeological area with a Roman villa its scenic view over the Lake Massaciuccoli.
Essential Tuscan techniques you will master
seasonal traditional recipes. Fresh homemade pasta, raviolis, gnocchi, pizza, bread, focaccia, risotto, bruschette and crostini, roasted meats, fish and meat preparation, pastry dough and desserts, biscotti, ice creams and sorbets, vegetable and grain soups, sour dough and bread.
Places
Lucca, Torre del Lago, Pisa, San Gimignano, Garfagnana, Cinque Terre.
Activities
Truffle Hunt with Hunter and Dog , Wine tasting.
Schedule
Discovering Lucca,
breakfast starts at 9 am and until 10 am you can enjoy freshly baked pastries and breads, savory delights and fresh fruit. At 10 am we start working on our recipes and lessons and for 4 hours you will learn ancient and traditional Tuscan and Italian recipes, using local and seasonal ingredients. Lunch is normally served around 1:30 pm. At 3 pm enjoy the first tour of the week: Lucca! Let me show you this beautiful small city with its Medieval walls, 100 churches and belltowers. Have a coffee or a spritz in the ancient Roman amphitheater and visit the little shops and bottegas selling local products. Do not miss the shopping on the Fillungo street: beautiful silk and cachemire handmade scarves, hand made pottery, jewelry stores, linen stores…the list is long. Dinner will be ready around 8 pm. During dinner there will be a wine tasting paired with the food that we have cooked together.
The Devil’s Bridge,
breakfast starts at 9 am and until 10 am you can enjoy freshly baked pastries and breads, savory delights and fresh fruit. At 10 am we start workinmg on our recipes and for 4 hours you will learn ancient and traditional Tuscan recipes, using local and seasonal ingredients. Lunch is normally served around 1:30 pm. At 3 pm be ready for the second tour of the week where you will discover the Garfagnana valley with its treasures such as rural farm houses, castles and the ancient millstones still used to grind farro and chestnuts. Walk on the mysterious Devil’s Bridge with its perfect arches dating back to the 11th century and treasure its fascinating legend.
Dinner will be served at the school at 8 pm.
Puccini & Tower,
morning the schedule remains the same: breakfast starts at 9 am and until 10 am you can enjoy freshly baked pastries and breads, savory delights and fresh fruit. At 10 am we start workinmg on our recipes and for 4 hours you will learn ancient and traditional Tuscan recipes, using local and seasonal ingredients. Lunch is normally served around 1:30 pm. Wednesday is the day we get more advanced with the lessons. Be ready for that as you will be surprised of how much you have already learnt in such a small period of time.
In the afternoon, at 3 pm Torre del Lago and Pisa will wait for you. Torre del lago is the place where Puccini lived and composed most of his operas. The little town is floating on the lake Massaciuccoli and offers a relaxing view of the lake with the outdoor theater where the opera
season takes place during the Summer. Visit Puccini’s House and find the school on the other side of the lake. And now, onto Pisa! Let the jaw dropping view of the leaning tower of Pisa impress you and visit the Duomo, the Baptistry and the Jewish cemetery, all concentrated in one place: Piazza dei Miracoli.
Dinner will be served at the school at 8 pm.
Truffle hunting,
we will spend the day in San Gimignano. Breakfast from 8:30am till 9.30 am and then off we go! San Gimignano with its 14 tower houses is probably the most romantic of all the Tuscan hilltop towns. Have a gelato at the famous gelateria Dondoli, or a coffee at the very central Bar la Cisterna. Buy local saffron which made San Gimigano famous in the past centuries, hand made linens or pottery. After the visit to the town, we will go truffle hunting, one of the most typical and traditional activities in Tuscany and after the truffle hunt, let me offer you a fantastic wine tasting and charcuterie board at Teruzzi e Puthod, the best Vernaccia in San Gimignano.
Finally, let’s end the day with Alessio’s pizza at the school.
Cinque Terre,
Friday morning get ready for what I consider the highlight of the week! Cinque Terre.
Breakfast at 8:30am until 9 am and then ready to jump on the bus. We drive for 1 1/2 hours straight to Monterosso, the largest and in my opinion the best of the Cinque Terre. Of course we will set you free to choose where you want to spend more time, swim, just relax, or visit them all. Your call. But let’s also save some time to see Portovenere, an authentic timeless gem, which cannot be skipped.
Dinner with diploma at the school at 8pm will end this week.
Price 2024
October 20st/26thcalendar
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What is included in the price :
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All lessons from Monday through Friday.
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Accommodation with self contained bathroom.
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Transfer from Pisa (airport or train station) to the school on Sunday and transfer to Pisa (airport or train station) on Saturday morning. Please find our transfer policy in Terms and Conditions.
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All meals (Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner every day), Wines/Beer/Coffee/Tea with Lunch and Dinner.
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Wine tasting at Teruzzi and Puthod in San Gimignano.
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Truffle hunt with dog and hunter.
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All the tours in the afternoon: Lucca, Torre del Lago, Pisa, San Gimignano, Garfagnana, Cinque Terre.
