This week is devoted to the traditions of spring in Southern Italy. We'll forage for herbs and wild asparagus in the foothills and hunt for black truffles with expert truffle dogs in the mountains of the Cilento National Park. We'll visit the 3,000-year-old temples at Paestum and taste the IGP Paestum artichoke.
In the kitchen, we'll learn to make the traditional stuffed bread of the Easter season with local women and see how fresh ricotta is made.
A highlight of the week will be a cooking class at Antica Trattoria di Pietro, open since 1934, and one of Italy's most beloved historic restaurants. This trattoria retains recipes and traditions that are disappearing in modern Italy.
On Easter Sunday, guests can attend church in the local village if they like. In the afternoon, we'll sit down for a traditional Easter dinner. For Pasquetta, we'll again head to the countryside for a picnic lunch.
If you'd like to speak with Danielle, make an appointment here for a 30 minute Zoom call.
Pickup and dropoff is Napoli Centrale (Naples train station)
Daily housekeeping included
The group will meet at 2 pm in the Naples train station. From there, our private van will take us to Borgo La Pietraia (about a 1.5-hour drive) to check in and relax.
We'll gather for a 5-course meal in the evening to kick off our week together.
Paestum is known for Italy's best buffalo mozzarella because of the highest animal welfare standards practiced here. We'll visit local cheesemakers to learn about the entire process.
At sunset, we'll visit the 3,000-year-old temples of Paestum with an archaeologist.
We'll travel to Melito Irpino for a full-day cooking class at Antica Trattoria di Pietro, which has been open since 1934. First, we'll forage for the local herbs that define their cooking, then spend the day in the kitchen with Anita Di Pietro and her parents as we learn the traditional recipes of Irpinia.
We'll travel into the mountains of the Cilento National Park to forage for wild asparagus and truffles. Led by a local truffle hunter and his dogs, we'll learn how the landscape comes alive in spring and how its bounty is translated to the traditional springtime dishes.
In preparation for Easter, visit a local farm to see how pecorino cheese is made, then bake with local women to paper the traditional Easter pies of Southern Italy.
Enjoy a free, relaxing day with an Easter dinner at the Borgo. You can attend church in nearby small villages and walk in the hills if you like.
For Pasquetta, Italians head to the countryside the day after Easter for picnics. We'll spend the day on the Cilento Coast, exploring the sea and the small villages.
After breakfast at 10 am, our van will transfer the group back to Naples.
