THE UMBRIAN TABLE - HARVEST 2004
AN ITALIAN FOOD AND WINE ADVENTURE
NOVEMBER 1-12, 2004
DEPARTURE DAY - Monday, November 1 - Depart Minneapolis -
If you wish to travel with us on your way to Italy, we will
depart the Twin Cities on this day (flight to be determined).
Many of our clients travel before or after the group portion of
the journey and make plans accordingly.
DAY 1 - Tuesday, November 2 - Arrive in Rome and
transfer to Spoleto by motor coach. Check-in at the four-star
historic residence,
Palazzo Dragoni
for 10 nights. In the
evening,
welcome drinks are served in the sitting room. Next
we will proceed to a local osteria for our
welcome dinner of
traditional Umbrian specialties.
DAY 2 - Wednesday, November 3 - Spoleto and First
Cooking Workshop. Morning orientation walk around this
"little piece of heaven fallen to earth", the ancient town
of Spoleto. We visit the
Duomo, famous for its façade and
Fra’ Fillipo Lippi’s monumental fresco. We shop in the
ancient market square to prepare for our first cooking
lesson taught by Michael that afternoon in the hotel kitchen.
This will be a very "hands on" lesson. The menu for dinner
in the evening in the magnificent dining room of
Palazzo
Dragoni will highlight the fruits of our labor.
Lunch is
at your leisure.
DAY 3 - Thursday, November 4 - Assisi and Handmade Pasta Lesson.
Morning departure for
Assisi. The magnificent frescoes need little introduction,
but no traveler with an interest in the history of art would fail to visit and
experience the devotional fervor St. Francis inspired in painters of the 14th
and 15th centuries. The town is delightful, especially the central piazza
which features the original Roman façade of the Temple of Minerva.
Lunch is
at your leisure. In the afternoon we will
make fresh pasta during our second
cooking lesson. Chef Francesco will show us how to make fresh pasta in the
traditional way. We will make several types of pasta including a stuffed variety.
Dinner in the evening will feature pasta, of course, in the warm and friendly
atmosphere of Francesco’s restaurant.
DAY 4 - Friday, November 5 - Ponte delle Torri and Picnic on Monteluco.
In the morning we take a leisurely stroll across the magnificent viaduct and
aqueduct of
Ponte delle Tore and along the ancient pathway known as
Giro dei
Condotti, on the sacred hill of
Monteluco. This densely wooded slope has been
revered as a holy place since before the time of the Romans, and has been
protected by law for more than a thousand years. It is a pristine location
for a picnic, and we will share a meal somewhere along the way. After our
picnic, the rest of the afternoon is free.
Dinner in the evening at a local
restaurant.
DAY 5 - Saturday, November 6 - Valnerina, St. Pietro in Valle, Vallo di
Nera and lunch. In the morning, we explore
La Valnerina, with its stunningly
beautiful hilltop towns and villages set in a dramatic landscape. We will visit
the abbey of
S. Pietro in Valle, an exceptional monument both for its lovely
location and cultural value. We will also visit a beautifully restored, tiny
walled village which still retains its medieval character.
Lunch will be at
an exceptional new restaurant at S. Pietro. Dinner in Spoleto at your leisure.
DAY 6 - Sunday, November 7 - Flea Market and Cooking Lesson. In the
morning we will visit the monthly flea market that lines the streets and fills
the squares of Spoleto with merchants and treasure seekers from all over the area.
The flea market is not only a chance to shop, but a chance to meet friends and
acquaintances, to stroll the lovely streets on a sunny afternoon and to enjoy
lunch at one of the many fine local restaurants. All of the regular shops are
open on this Sunday and so this is the perfect chance to browse for those little
treasures you would like to take home with you. Later in the afternoon we enjoy
another cooking lesson with Chef Francesco, this time dedicated to vegetables and
a delicious main course.
Dinner at Francesco’s restaurant, La Cantina.
DAY 7 - Monday, November 8 - Olive Oil Tasting and Private Dinner in the Country.
In the morning we will browse among the food shops in and around the Market Square.
We will have the chance to sample and shop for local cheeses and other regional
specialties.
Lunch is at you leisure. In the afternoon we will visit an
olive
oil mill that has been in the same family for generations. They produce one of
the finest extra-virgin olive oils in all of Italy pressing olives from their own
trees in the traditional method. We will learn about the growing, harvesting and
tasting of olive oil, and will have the opportunity to taste the fresh oil just
minutes after it is pressed. After the tasting we will
share a meal with the family
in their dining room.
DAY 8 - Tuesday, November 9 - Narni and Carsulae. In the morning we depart
for the beautiful town of Narni, which according to some, was the inspiration for
the "Narnia" series by C.S. Lewis. Narni is dramatically perched on a steep hill
and is an almost perfectly preserved medieval town. There is a wealth of
underground Roman construction there as well. We then proceed to the ruins of
the mysteriously abandoned Roman city of Carsulae. It is a sight never to be
forgotten and was the inspiration for Robert Browning’s hauntingly beautiful poem,
"Love Among the Ruins".
Dinner in Spoleto.
DAY 9 - Wednesday, November 10 - Foligno, Wine Tasting, Truffle Dinner. In
the morning we depart for Foligno to explore the lively town center and charming
central
piazza. We tour the
Palazzo Trinci, a Gothic-Renaissance palace, decorated
with fascinating secular frescos. Foligno offers a grand collection of shops and
there will be ample time for shopping.
Lunch is at your leisure. In the afternoon
we visit
Montefalco and learn the art and pleasure of wine tasting with one of the
leading wine makers of Umbria. We will be sampling one of the greatest wines in
Italy,
Sagrantino di Montefalco DOCG, as part of this tasting.
Dinner in Spoleto
featuring the great treasure of Umbrian cuisine, the
black truffle.
DAY 10 - Thursday, November 11 - Spoleto and Farewell Dinner. In the
morning we will visit one of the
oldest
churches in Europe, enjoying a scenic walk along the way. In the afternoon you
can catch up with last minute shopping or sit in a piazza with a cappuccino and
enjoy the passing parade of life in beautiful Spoleto. Our final evening together
features a suitably
memorable farewell meal at a restaurant in town.
DEPARTURE DAY - Friday, November 12 - Check out of Palazzo Dragoni and
transfer to the Rome Airport. For those continuing their travels in Italy, rental
cars and bus and train connections are readily available.
Included in the Program
- 10 nights in the historic residence, Palazzo Dragoni
- Qualified bilingual guides
- Breakfast daily. Lunches or dinners as listed
- Pre-tour gathering with food and wine with Michael and Karin
- 3 Cooking lessons
- Private Wine Tasting
- Transfers to and from Spoleto (specified dates only)
- Entrance fees to museums, churches, historical sites on the itinerary
- All transportation for trips on the itineraryGratuities, hotel taxes and service charges
- Olive oil tasting
Price Per Person, Double Occupancy - Does not include items of a personal nature.
- $3349 US - Visa or Check ($25. discount if paid by check - applied to final payment)
- $300 US - Single room supplement at Palazzo Dragoni
Payment Schedule
- $750 US - Non-refundable deposit due July 15, 2004
- $2599 US - Final payment due not later than September 21, 2004
Cancellation policy: Due to the special nature of this trip, all monies paid are non-refundable. Trip cancellation insurance is highly recommended. Speak to your Travel Agent.
INFORMATIONAL MEETINGS
Informational meetings with food and wine: August 23, September 7, September 20, 2004.
All meetings with Michael and Karin at 709 W. 35th St.,
Minneapolis. Time 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM. Please RSVP 72 HOURS IN ADVANCE.
For those unable to attend these meetings we can provide you with the
information you need via telephone and/or e-mail.
For more information
or to make your reservations contact Michael or Karin Rostance, The Umbrian
Table. Telephone: 612-822-2782. E-MAIL:
Michael@HistoricItaly.com.
This will be our 7th visit to Umbria. It is a region of great
character, history and beauty. Our previous travel companions agree.
References are available upon request. This program has filled.
We book our flights and make other travel arrangements
through Brian Nystedt at
New Departures Travel, 625 Second Ave.
South #408, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55402 Telephone - 612-305-0025.
While you may book your flight on your own or through another agency,
Brian is familiar with our programs and our clients’ needs and can assist
you with all of your travel arrangements. Excellent air fares to Rome
currently available. We also have contacts with local travel agents in
Spoleto who can help you with last minute plans while you are in Italy.
We look forward to traveling with you - Michael and Karin Rostance