Enjoy Fish, Seafood, Truffle And Olive Oil In Le Marche

Sunday – Get settled, enjoy a welcome dinner, and get familiar with regional Italian cuisine
We’ll meet you at the Senigallia train station or Ancona airport and provide private transport to our four-star hotel where you can settle into your “prestige room.” At the hotel, you’ll be able to admire stunning views of the Adriatic Sea and of the town center with a fortress, arched walkways, and river promenade.
For dinner, you’ll enjoy fresh fish at a beach-side restaurant that is uniquely matched with seasonal vegetables, delicious side dishes, and indigenous wines. Welcome to Le Marche!

Monday – A tasting session for extra virgin olive oil, lunch at an olive oil mill, and a cooking lesson
Le Marche is a region filled with gentle hills, mountains, and the sea. You will experience its territorial complexity in the cuisine you enjoy throughout the week. Breakfast will be served at the hotel and includes an early morning buffet with a generous selection of regional delights.
After breakfast, we will venture to the medieval village of Corinaldo—hidden in the hills of Le Marche. You’ll take a trip to the past as you admire its gates, 14th-century defensive walls, and surrounding towers. We’ll soak in the warm atmosphere of this hidden jewel that is considered one of the most beautiful and well-preserved towns in all of Italy.
The area near Corinaldo is known for having the best extra virgin olive oil in Le Marche. We will learn from the owner of one of the most renowned “aziende agricole” (olive oil mills) in the area as he teaches how to recognize excellent extra virgin olive oil, which is no easy task. We will taste the olive oil as we delight in a light lunch of cheeses and salumi as we converse about the history of extra virgin olive oil. After lunch, we will take a short walk through another amazing hill town nearby the olive oil mill.
In the afternoon, we will travel back to Senigallia where we will enjoy dinner at a private home with Simonetta, an Italian mother and chef. She will give us an entertaining history of Le Marche along with traditional regional recipes as we prepare these dishes together in the kitchen. We’ll enjoy the results of our kitchen duties at the dinner table as we listen to short stories, anecdotes, and old legends.

Tuesday – Visit to Ancona, a wine tasting, and fish dinner
We’ll begin the day with a drive along with Adriatic coast towards the capital of Le Marche, Ancona. We
will take a guided English tour of the historic town center (with a minimum of four people) and learn about its churches, fortresses, and old port hidden by steep roads that climb up the steep hills.
From Ancona, we will visit an outstanding winery in the Monte Conero area that is set amongst white cliffs and ample wildlife. We’ll enjoy extraordinary views of the neighboring coast line as we taste Rosso Conero wine and enjoy a delicious lunch.
After lunch, we will drive to the ancient fishing village of Portonovo. This village is one of the most beautiful spots of Monte Conero with gentle hills, luscious greenery, orchards, and wildflowers that reflect in the pristine waters of the sea. We will enjoy a fish and vegetable dinner at a fantastic restaurant that is accompanied by Verdicchio, one of the most famous indigenous white wines of the region.

Wednesday – Truffle hunting with a scent dog, Verdicchio wine and olive oil tasting
Wednesday will begin with a drive to the Acqualagna area for a truffle hunting adventure. An experienced truffle hunter and his trained scent dog will lead us through parks and forests as we search for the prized white truffles.
After our hunt, we’ll visit a truffle products factory that produces truffle sauces, pasta, and other delicious cuisine. We will enjoy lunch together with our experienced truffle hunters at a simple trattoria with traditional food and special pastas.
In the afternoon, we will visit a Verdicchio winery located on Castelli di Jesi, known not just for its wine but also high-quality extra virgin olive oil. Its vineyards are set next to an ancient 10th-century castle in tiny town with just 10 inhabitants. After our tasting, we will stop in at a tiny borough at a small trattoria for dinner.

Thursday – A trip to the fresh fish market and a fish cooking lesson
Our morning will begin early with a walk to one of the highest quality markets at the port that is brimming with fresh fish. We’ll purchase fish caught earlier that morning to use for our afternoon cooking lesson.
Following our visit to the market, we’ll stroll through the center of Senigallia and the weekly open air market held each Thursday. We’ll enjoy the sights, sounds, and smells of this typical Italian market as we shop and enjoy a lunch of typical street food: porchetta.
In the afternoon, an Italian chef will teach us recipes for an amazing dinner that you can also use to surprise your future guests upon your return home. We will use the fish we purchased earlier that day at the market and learn how to clean, marinate, and cook an unforgettable fish dinner. Buon appetito!

Friday – Departure day
Departure from Ancona airport or Senigallia train station after breakfast at the hotel.

2016 Dates:
25-30 September

This tour is also available upon request in other dates from April to September. Contact us If these dates do not fit in your schedule.

Price per person
Euros 2420 (5 nights) – Single supplement Euros 180

Included in the price:
• 5 nights in lovely 4 star hotel (breakfast included)
• 2 Italian cooking lessons with English assistance
• 2 dinners after the cooking lesson with selected regional wines included
• 6 meals with selected regional wines, mineral water and coffee
• 1 porchetta tasting
• 2 extra virgin olive oil tasting
• Ancona guided visit with an English-speaking guide (for minimum 4 people)
• Truffle hunting experience with the truffle dog
• Walk in the port to buy fresh fish
• Private transfers and assistance on arrival and at departure (from and to Senigallia train station or Ancona airport)
• Local tour director English speaking throughout

Not included:
• Flight ticket
• Personal expenses
• Everything not written in the program
• Cancellation insurance
• Local taxes (city taxes)