Register today and get 10% off any eligible trip!     Register Now!
AdventureLink Logo
Register Login Why Book with us? Talk to an expert!
24/7: (877) 691-4488, +1 (626) 539-7506, Skype : Support.adventurelink.com
HIGHLIGHTS
A quick look about this trip!
DURATION
7 DAYS
COMFORT
LANGUAGE
RATING
  • Explore valley lies in northernmost Lombardy, on the border with Switzerland, the stunning Valtellina
  • Enjoy the four-star Grand Hotel della Posta
  • Experience cooking courses will be held by the executive chef of the hotel, will lead by Chef Della Torre
$2500USD
Prices vary by date. Make sure to pick your departure date.
Available Dates:
Available Spaces:
8 SPOTS AVAILABLE
Ready to book? Want more info?
You can also talk to an expert or book online:
BOOK ONLINE NOW
ONGOING PROMOTIONS
"Get 5% off when you book with AdventureLink before May 31st, 2012!"
SAVE 5%
Applies to Departures Between:
4/25/2012 and 1/1/2013
Promotion lasts :
From 4/25/2012 To 6/1/2012
TRIP MAP
See the locations you'll visit!

Cooking in the Valtellina Valley

The stunning Valtellina (Valtelline) valley lies in northernmost Lombardy, on the border with Switzerland. Known in the winter for its skiing and hot spring spas and in the summer for its hiking and golf, it is also famous for its food and wine.
About the location: The stunning Valtellina (Valtelline) valley lies in northernmost Lombardy, on the border with Switzerland. Known in the winter for its skiing and hot spring spas and in the summer for its hiking and golf, it is also famous for its food and wine. Cheeses such as Bitto and Casera, the well-known wines of Sassella and Grumello, and time-honored local pastas and desserts make it an ideal location for one of our most unique culinary vacations in Italy. This land is unlike the touristy parts of the country, instead rife with glorious landscapes, modest and friendly locals, Italian comfort food and plenty of fresh air. The Valtellina’s location not only makes it an ideal starting point for a foray into Switzerland (and its famous resort town St. Moritz), but also an intriguing mix of various cultures: Swiss, Austrian, Romansh, German and of course Italian.

Your home in the Valtellina will be the town of Sondrio, located in the heart of the valley. With over 22,000 inhabitants, the comune boasts plenty of sites (including its central piazza Garibaldi, the Palazzo Sassi art and history museum, and the Masegra Castle). Right in the heart of this charming town is the four-star Grand Hotel della Posta, which since 1862 has been welcoming guests to the region. Recently restored with great attention to detail and maintaining the building’s historical importance and unique charm, the hotel now offers all the modern comforts, including spacious rooms, an elegant restaurant and bar, an exercise room and a relaxing spa. The large rooms include flat screen TVs, telephones, wi-fi access, mini bar and safe in addition to modern bathrooms in marble. Wander through the halls and admire the vaulted ceilings, frescoed walls, and period furniture and you will feel like you are staying with a rich noble family in the heart of Lombardy’s mountains.

About the cooking lessons: Your cooking courses will be held by the executive chef of the hotel’s renowned “1862 Ristorante dalla Posta,” Aurelio Della Torre. Chef Della Torre has experience working in Saint Moritz and MonteCarlo restaurants and was for 10 years executive chef at the Restaurant “La Veranda” at the Grand Hotel Menaggio on Lake Como. He subsequently owned a restaurant in Lugano (Switzerland), where he was named in 2007 by Gaul Millau the “young Swiss cook of the year.” During your 2-hour cookery lessons at the Grand Hotel della Posta, chef Della Torre will lead you in the preparation of complete menus based on fresh seasonal products, savory sauces, local specialties, and regional pastries. All cookery courses held in the hotel will take place in the 18th-century Stua, a room completely covered in wood, typical of the Alps. Come and enjoy the best that the Valtellina has to offer during this amazing and unique cooking vacation in northern Italy.

Note:

Minimum of 2 person
Day 1: Sondrio
Arrival on your own in Sondrio. (The hotel is a 5-minute walk or short taxi ride from the train station. Or, transfers from Milan can be arranged on request.) Check in and time to relax, or to explore this charming town. This evening enjoy an apperitif with a local sparkling wine during which the itinerary for the week will be presented. Three-course dinner in the hotel restaurant.
Day 2: Valtellina
Breakfast at the hotel. This morning, a cooking lesson with the chefs of the Accademia del Pizzocchero. Learn to make such traditional dishes of the Valtellina as pizzoccheri and sciatt. Pizzoccheri are a long flat pasta, similar to tagliatelle, made with 80% buckwheat flour and traditionally prepared with greens such as Swiss Chard, cubed potatoes, and local cheeses (the Valtellina Casera cheese and Grana Padano or Parmigiano Reggiano), and dressed with garlic and sage. Sciatt in the Valtellina dialect means “toad,” but here refers to crisy fritters stuffed with cheese and served on a bed of chicory. Enjoy a lunch based on your efforts, wine included. This afternoon, a visit to a producer of the famed Italian Bresaola (air-dried, salted beef originating in northern Lombardy). Evening and dinner on your own.
Day 3: Valtellina
Breakfast at the hotel. In the morning a visit to a local vineyard where you will tour the cellar and have a wine tasting. Lunch on your own. In the afternoon, a professional sommelier will give a course on wine parings and the right glass to use with different wines. Dinner on your own.
Day 4: St. Moritz
Breakfast in the hotel. Today enjoy an excursion on the Bernina “Red Train” to Swiss St. Moritz. The train ride (which takes around 2 hours 20 minutes) is truly spectacular. The only railway line that goes through the Alps in the open (and not through tunnels), the train reaches an elevation of over 1800 meters and faces the sheer mountainsides of the Alps. Having arrived in Swiss St. Moritz, you can explore this deluxe resort town and its many attractions before taking the train back to Sondrio. Evening and dinner on your own.
Day 5: Morbegno
Breakfast at the hotel. This morning, your second cooking lesson, focussing on traditional Italian sauces (ragù, amatriciana, fresh tomato sauce, etc.). Lunch to follow based on your efforts. This afternoon, travel the 12 miles to Morbegno to visit the renowned Ciapponi shop, where you will learn about typical Valtellina cheeses such as Bitto and Casera. Dinner tonight at the restaurant of the hotel.
Day 6: Valtellina
Breakfast at the hotel. This morning, your final cooking lesson on Valtellina cookies and cakes. Taste your creations after the class. Lunch on your own. This afternoon, a professional sommelier will teach you about wine combinations. Farewell dinner tonight in the hotel’s restaurant.
Day 7: Sondrio
Breakfast and departure on your own
Overall Rating
Guide Rating
Accommodation Rating
Itinerary Rating
Value Rating
Sutton R., CA
We were treated like VIP family. The hotel was exceptional, the excursions were very special and the service was memorable. Every person we encountered was professional, personal, and polite. The food took Italian cuisine to a whole new level. The classes were customized to our preferences. This experience was a once in a lifetime. Every meal at the hotel was phenomenal. This partner went far beyond our expectations in every facet of the vacation.
Overall Rating
Guide Rating
Accommodation Rating
Itinerary Rating
Value Rating
Susan B., TX
I loved the town of Sondrio. I had been all over Italy except for the northern portion so that was my reason for choosing the Valtellina Valley class. The town was small enough to be charming but not so small that there wasn’t enough to do. Although many of our dinners were at the hotel, we found some wonderful restaurants right off of the square where our hotel was situated. Our hotel, the Grand Hotel Della Posta, was amazing! It was beautifully decorated and by the end of the week we knew everyone there on a first name basis. The breakfast room in the basement level was amazing. It looks like a stone grotto. We were delighted when we walked in for the first time for breakfast. We never made it to the spa (also on that level) but it looked first-rate. After our cooking class, we would go outside to the outdoor dining are in the garden and have a glass of prosecco or two while we waited to be served what we had just learned to prepare. This was served with a nice bottle of wine as well. Karen and Richard at The International Kitchen were very courteous and helpful. All suggestions were good ones. I wanted to attempt driving while in Italy, and although we rented a car and drove one day, we were not comfortable doing so (standard transmission) and returned the car, opting for a driver to take us back to Milan. I think Karen suggested this originally and I should have just listened to her.
Overall Rating
Guide Rating
Accommodation Rating
Itinerary Rating
Value Rating
TRIP INCLUDES
  • Six nights accommodation at the Grand Hotel della Posta in standard double room
  • Three cooking lessons
  • Visit to a bresaola producer
  • Visit to the Ciapponi shop
  • Winery visit and tasting
  • Two wine courses with a professional sommelier
  • Tickets for the Bernina Red Train to St. Moritz
  • Four dinners and two lunches, wine included
  • Transportation for excursions
CANCELLATIONS: 20% cancellation fee applied if cancelled 60 days prior to departure. Cancellations within 60 days are 100% non-cancelable

Did you know that you can customize this trip?

Customizing a trip is a great way to:

  • Change anything about the itinerary you don't like.
  • Change the size of the group or make this a private tour.
  • Change the duration or departure date of the trip.
  • Because we use the local operator, this customization usually won't cost you extra!
Contact us to customize this trip
SEND TRIP TO A FRIEND
Email this Trip to:
Seperate multiple emails by a new line.
Customize your message:
SEND
Customize the Brochure
Download Brochure
AS SEEN ON

Company

About Us Our Blog API Terms of Use Privacy Policy
California Seller of Travel #2088061-40
Real Time Web Analytics

Customers

Why book with AdventureLink? Invite Friends - Get $100 Trip Credit! Talk to an Expert - Get Travel Advice & Booking Help

Tour Operators

List your Trips on AdventureLink Tour Operator Portal Login

Affiliates

Become an Affiliate Affiliate Widgets

Help & Support

Contact Us Support Portal
Call Us or Our Experts:
(877) 691-4488
+1 (626) 539-7506
Skype : Support.adventurelink.com