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VBT's Special Culinary Vacations 2013
Puglia: Italy's Undiscovered Coast - April 15, 2013
Savelletri • Monopoli • Ostuni • Itria Valley • Alberobello • Otranto • Salento • Lecce
Though Puglia is the heel of Italy, you just might think you’re cycling through its heart. Here, fl at coastal roads whisk you past an emerald countryside and a crystalline sea. Stone villages seem to climb up steep hillsides. Fascinating conical houses called trulli adorn a cypress-dotted landscape. And locals – from fishermen carrying on a generations-old tradition to a matronly signora sharing treasured family recipes – welcome us to their little corner of Italy shrouded with olive groves. Even our accommodations conjure age-old traditions as we stay at historic masserias, ancient farm-fortresses with a five-star touch. Join us!
Special Features:
- Learn from a pizzaiolo how to make Pugliese style pizza in a wood-fired oven
- Visit an olive orchard and observe the processing and grading, and sample olive oils and wines
- Explore the Alberobello trulli houses, which are UNESCO World Heritage Sites
- In Masseria Montelauro watch a cheese demonstration, featuring fresh mozzarella and Salento wines
Provence: The Alpilles - September 3, 2013
Aix-en-Provence • St-Remy-de-Provence • Arles • Les Alpilles • Pont du Gard • Avignon
Van Gogh captured the essence of Provence on canvas. VBT captures it on two wheels, and you’ll feel as inspired as the great artist. Lush vineyards and poppy fields line our biking routes, and limestone cliffs give rise to the soaring Alpilles. Our bucolic roads lead us to the cobbled streets of historic cities, breathtaking Roman remnants from empire days, and achingly quaint villages and their traditional Provençal marchés. Along the way, historians regale us with the sweeping stories behind St. Remy, Arles, and Avignon. And we enjoy the finer touches of le joie de vivre over dinner with a famed pastry maker.
Special Features:
- Sample regional wines like Gigondas, Vaqueyras, and Baume de Venise while dining on the terrace beneath the same starry night sky that captivated van Gogh
- Rocquefort, banon, chevre, roleau…Discover the wonderful cheeses of Provence
- Pastry maker Odile Mifsud presents a home cooked dinner
- Relax with an aperitif as you sip prized Chateauneuf du Pape wines with Trip Leader Pascal
- A delicious picnic in a classic Provençal setting
Tuscany by the Sea - October 4, 2013
Orvieto • Talamone • Giglio Island • Capalbio • Porto Santo Stefano • Magliano • Rome
Join VBT as we explore Tuscany’s spectacular coastal vistas. In the unspoiled Maremma region, Tyrrhenian waves lap at white-sand beaches and ancient Etruscan routes trace protected wetlands that harbor an Italian aviary. Amidst this tranquil beauty, we ride past vineyards and poppy fields, pause for invigorating swims on magnificent shores, and explore ancient castles and forgotten Etruscan roads. And we’ll look beyond this broad, spellbinding view to sample local vintages, learn culinary secrets during a cooking class, and savor mouth-watering meals prepared with the freshest ingredients at local farms and our agriturismo resorts.
Special Features:
- During a cooking class learn how to make double baked biscotti, locally known as cantuccini
- Try acclaimed wines, cheeses, yogurt, balsamico, organic pastas, and more at Tenuta la Parrina resort
- Toast the evening with an aperitivo as we cruise the Orbetello lagoon, then savor fruttie di mare at a local seafood restaurant
- Enjoy a special meal prepared by the Andreini family at their family owned olive oil mill
- At La Capitana enjoy a Tuscan farewell dinner
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