Holiday itinerary
Combine a stay in Torri del Benaco in the hills overlooking the beautiful Lake Garda, a visit to a local producer of wine, cheese, olive oil or grappa with learning to cook authentic Italian food in a professional restaurant kitchen for a cookery holiday with a difference.
You’ll spend 3 nights / 4 days in the charming 3* Hotel Marina in Torri del Benaco ideally located right in the centre of one of Lake Garda’s most historic towns just 100 metres from the beach. You will enjoy beautiful views over the countryside surrounding Lake Garda.
You’ll spend 2 mornings in a nearby professional restaurant kitchen learning to cook a host of Italian dishes with Chef Andrea. One afternoon, you’ll take a short trip to visit a local producer of either wine, cheese, olive oil or grappa for a true culinary experience.
Suitability
- Suitable for all levels from beginner to advanced cooks
- Minimum age 18 (although children are accepted accompanied by adults)
- Please note that the rooms can only be booked for 2 persons sharing
- The hotel staff speak limited English but all cooking classes will be taught in English (or Italian if you prefer)
- We strongly recommend you hire a car for this course
Cookery Holiday Start Days
- You can arrive any day of the week you choose
- You will stay in the hotel for 3 nights / 4 days (so if you arrive Friday afternoon for example, you leave Monday morning)
- This course is on request but we will always do our best to accommodate your request so to check availability, please email with your preferred arrival dates and you will be assured a quick response
Italian Cooking Break Itinerary
Day 1
- You may check-in to the Hotel Marina anytime after 2pm
- The afternoon and evening are free
Day 2
- Enjoy breakfast at the hotel before setting off to the nearby restaurant for your cooking lessons with Chef Andrea
- Your cooking lesson starts at 9.30am and finishes around 2.30pm after you’ve eaten the lunch you’ve learned to cook
- You’ll focus on learning to make a 3 course Italian meal
- Once you’ve cooked, you’ll sit down to enjoy a lunch accompanied by a glass or two of wine finished with a good Italian coffee
- The afternoon and evening are free
Day 3
- Again, enjoy breakfast at the hotel before setting off to the nearby restaurant for your second cooking lessons with Chef Andrea
- Your cooking lesson starts at 9.30am and finishes around 2.30pm after you’ve eaten the lunch you’ve learned to cook
- You’ll focus on learning to make new dishes for a different 3 course Italian meal today
- Once you’ve cooked, you’ll sit down to enjoy a lunch accompanied by a glass or two of wine finished with a good Italian coffee
- Either on your first afternoon or today, you’ll visit a local producer either visiting a local winery, cheese maker, olive oil producer or a grappa distillery (transport included)
- Note: The exact producer you visit depends on availability and time of year, you can add a preference to the special request box at the time of booking although we will try to accommodate you, they cannot always be guaranteed and a suitable alternative will be arranged on arrival for you
- Your evening is free
Day 4
- After breakfast guests are asked to check-out of their rooms ready for departure taking home with them new cooking skills and an insight into local food production from the Lake Garda area
What Will I Learn?
- How to select fresh, seasonal ingredients
- How to make and cook a host of Italian dishes including pasta, meat, desserts and more
- You’ll gain an insight into cooking in a professional restaurant kitchen
- You’ll learn to select the right wines to pair with the food you’ve cooked
- You’ll also learn about local food and wine production depending on which producer you visit
Sample Italian Menus
Please note that menus change depending on the seasons and fresh food available but dishes may include:
- Lemon Risotto with Taleggio
- Gnocchi
- Stuffed tomatoes and zucchini
- Italian Chicken with roast potatoes and herb butter
- Pastissima
- Ravioli with cream cheese
- Tiramasu
- Fresh fruit with liquorice parfait
- Please note that dietary requests can be catered for if requested at the time of booking
About The Italian Cooking School And Chef
- You’ll be taught to cook by Chef Andrea who has been cooking Italian food professionally for many years
- Andrea and his wife Lara run the restaurant and cooking school and have a passion for teaching Italian cooking in a relaxed and fun way using only the freshest, seasonal produce much of which is sourced from local producers
- The cooking school and restaurant is located in a private villa on a hillside in Albisano, just 5 minutes from Torri del Benaco; a small village on the coast of Lake Garda north of Garda
- Surrounded by a beautiful garden with olive trees and rose bushes with stunning views of the lake, there’s no better location in which to learn to cook
Accommodation At The Hotel Marina
- This charming 16 roomed hotel is just a 5 minute drive or taxi ride from the cooking school in Torri del Benaco just 100 metres from the beautiful Lake Garda shore and a stone’s throw from Lake Enrica the dedicated swimming area of the lake
- The hotel has well appointed twin and double rooms all with private bathrooms
- The hotel also offers spa facilities including a jacuzzi and sauna area to relax in
Short On Time?
- This Italian cooking course is also available on a 2 night / 3 day cooking package if you are short on time
Go on a culinary journey in Lake Garda, learn to cook Italian dishes and visit a local producer for a cookery holiday with a difference and learn new skills that will stay with you long after the holiday is over.