COOKING & LIFESTYLE

DAY 1: WELCOME TO CALABRIA

We will meet you at the LameziaTerme International Airport at 2 pm. Our well-equipped touring bus takes us to our first stop: Il Mulino Relais in Corigliano Calabro, about an hour and half away. Get acquainted with your fellow tour members over some Calabrian wines and homemade salumi at a reception following our arrival. We will follow with a traditional dinner featuring some local specialties. During the meal, we will discuss what to expect in the coming days of our Calabrian tour, and answer all your questions.

DAY 2: ALTOMONTE, liqueur tasting and cooking class  

The day starts with breakfast and then we are off to the medieval town of Altomonte. We will enjoy lunch after we tour this charming town and then go for a tasting of artisanal liqueurs. We will head back to Il Mulino for a tour of the farm where we will pick some of the abundant produce for our cooking class. We will prepare local dishes to enjoy for our evening meal.

DAY 3: ROSSANO, Ciro wine region, special dinner at Dattilo  

Driving south along the coast, we will stop in the town of Rossano, one of Calabria‟s centers of Byzantine civilization. Visit the local museum to admire the Codex Purpureus, a unique Gospel handwritten in the 6th Century on red parchment paper, believed to be the oldest illustrated manuscript of the New Testament. We will have lunch in the town of Rossano and take a tour of the Amarelli Factory, famous for its licorice. Taste licorice products and shop in the factory store for gifts to take home. In the afternoon, we will head south to the winemaking region of Cirò, home of Calabria‟s most prized wines and spend the rest of the day at Dattilo. One of Calabria‟s most renowned estates, Dattilo not only hosts the region‟s best restaurant, but also is home to an extensive organic farm, a vineyard, and an olive grove that produces a tasty extra virgin olive oil. Enjoy the estate‟s hospitality by sampling its excellent olive oils and wines. Dinner this evening will be at the estate.

DAY 4: Arberesh town of CIVITA, cheesemaking, wine tasting 

Before we leave Il Mulino, we will spend part of our morning observing the cheesemaker make ricotta and some of the other cheeses that are prepared at the farm, like mozzarella, provolaor caciocavallo. We will head north to the Arbëresh town of Civita where we will enjoy Arbëresh specialties, only to be found in these unique towns. We will make a stop at a local winery to taste some of the Pollino DOC wines. We will then head towards the Tyrrhenian coast and check in at Grand Hotel San Michele, high on a cliff overlooking the Tyrrhenian sea. We will enjoy watching the pizzaiolo make real Neapolitan pizza baked in their wood-burning ovens for dinner.

DAY 5: COOKING CLASS and SHOPPING

Enjoy a leisurely pace today. Gather in the late morning for a cooking class. We will have lunch on the dishes we prepare. After lunch you can relax at the pool or at the hotel‟s private beach. Later in the day we will show you around Diamante, known as the “City of Murals”, where you can shop for foodsmade with the local citrus and peperoncino. Then we will head to La Taverna del Conte restaurant for a seafood dinner prepared with the local catch of the day

DAY 6: AMANTEA, FIGS AND TROPEA 

Heading south on the west coast, we will stop at the Colavolpe Factory, maker of exquisitely packaged confections based on dried figs. Our lunch in the town of Amantea will be in the restaurant Clarisse located inside a restored 16th century monastery. After a busy morning we will head down further south to our last resort, Porto Pirgos , near Tropea. Enjoy the breathtaking view of the sea, take a stroll on the white sandy beach or swim in the pool with its view of the Mediterranean. Later in the day, we will visit the beautiful town of Tropea where you can shop for Calabrian specialties to bring back home. We will enjoy dinner and later in the evening we will stroll through this medieval town and enjoy its panoramic views.

DAY 7: PIZZO AND FAREWELL DINNER

For our last day, we will visit the town of Pizzo famous for its gelato and tartufo. We will enjoy lunch at my favorite seafood restaurant in town and then stroll to the square to enjoy the famous tartufo di Pizzo as the locals do. Later in the afternoon, we will head to a local agriturismo for our cooking class and a majestic farewell dinner featuring the specialties of the area, including the prize-winning red onions and „nduja sausage for which this area is famous.

DAY 8: Departure  

After breakfast, the shuttle takes you to the LameziaTerme International Airport for your return flight. Arrivederci!

**Sequence of activities and excursions may vary. The final itinerary will be given to each guest on arrival day