Illinois Restaurant Association Educational Foundation – Chicago Gourmet Auction
Auction Ends: Oct 2, 2013 08:00 PM CDT

Travel

7-Night Tuscan Culinary Escape for Two (2): Includes Winery Tour, Cooking Lessons and More

Item Number
409
Estimated Value
12200 USD
Opening Bid
8525 USD

Live Event Item

After the online close, this item went to a Live Event for further bidding.

Item Description

Tuscany Culinary Escape

Private Cooking Lesson, Lunch, Winery and Olive Oil Tour & Tasting, Spa Treatment, Car Rental, Hotel Ponte Sisto Rome 2-night Stay, Renaissance Tuscany Il Ciocco Resort 5-night Stay with Airfare for 2

This Experience Includes:

  • 2-night stay in a superior room at the Hotel Ponte Sisto, Rome
  • 5-night stay in a classic room at the Renaissance Tuscany Il Ciocco Resort & Spa (Barga, Lucca)
  • Daily breakfast for 2
  • 1 spa treatment for 2 at the Renaissance Tuscany Il Ciocco Resort & Spa
  • Private cooking class, lunch, wine cellar and olive oil mill tour and tasting for 2 at Fattoria Colleverde (Lucca)
  • $1000 towards the rental of a 7-day compact car rental (round-trip from Rome Fiumicino International Airport)
  • Round-trip coach class airfare for 2 from the 48 contiguous U.S. to Rome, Italy
  • Winspire booking & concierge service

Gourmets and wine buffs descend on this hidden Tuscan Valley to enjoy local specialties. The Garfagnana Valley is famous for its prosciutto, pork, pecorino cheese and honey. Fortunately, the area also boasts beautiful areas for walking, hiking and biking, so you can work up an appetite in between meals.

Pisa, Florence and Cinque Terra are reachable by car or train – day trips not to be missed. Cinque Terra, a 5-mile stretch of a breathtaking beautiful rocky coast at the border of Tuscany and Liguria, was declared a National Park in 1999 and has been protected by UNESCO as a unique natural environment since 1997. Walk along the winding paths overlooking enchanting beaches and bays, and admire the hundreds of miles of walls and terraces built by man to cultivate vineyards that cling steeply to the cliffs, making this region a true masterpiece where the work of man and natural beauty found an ideal balance.

Hotel Ponte Sisto, Rome

Enjoy a 2-night stay in a superior double room (one queen bed or two twin beds) including daily buffet breakfast for two, subject to availability. Guest rooms overlook either the charming courtyard or the garden of the historic Palazzo Spada. The 4-star Hotel Ponte Sisto is a gorgeously renovated palazzo and just steps from Trastevere and Campo de' Fiori.  Located in the heart of Rome on a quiet downtown street, you are within walking distance to the Piazza Navona, Campo de’ Fiori, Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps, Via Giulia and the Trastevere district. A wonderful choice of trattorias awaits just across the Ponte Sisto in Trastevere.

For your convenience, you may wish to split your stay so you have one night at the beginning of your trip and one night at the end in Rome.

Renaissance® Tuscany Il Ciocco Resort & Spa (Barga, Lucca)

Enjoy a 5-night stay in a standard room (maximum occupancy of two) including daily breakfast for two and a spa treatment (one per person).  This recently renovated luxury Tuscan resort is perched high atop a hill within a 1500 acre estate inside the greenest land of Tuscany, the Serchio Valley, and is surrounded by views of snowcapped mountains, lush parkland and charming villages. 

Get away from the hustle and bustle of the city and unwind in this invigorating and tranquil setting. With tennis courts, health club, soccer fields and swimming pools, you may want to spend several days just relaxing at the resort. The charming medieval village of Barga is a small hill town in the valley region known as the Garfagnana. Bordering the Apuane Alps, Barga is considered one of the most beautiful medieval cities in Tuscany.

NOTE:  Tuscany is approximately a 4-hour drive from Rome.

Culinary Extravaganza “La Cucina Italiana”, Fattoria Colleverde (Lucca)

Enjoy a private cooking class, lunch, tour of the wine cellar and olive oil mill and tasting for two at Fattoria Colleverde, an organic/biodynamic vineyard producing some of the most distinctive wines and olive oil in Tuscany. Owners Francesca and Piero welcome you to Fattoria, where you will cook with Chef Rodolfo as he shares the secrets of Tuscan cuisine with you -- everything from how to make fresh homemade pasta to the use of aromatic herbs and spices, from baking bread to preparing main courses using seasonal meats and vegetables.

Located in the beautiful rolling hills just minutes from the medieval walled city of Lucca, Fattoria Colleverde is a half-hour drive from Pisa and an hour drive from Florence and Cinque Terre. Beautiful vineyards and olive groves lie within a wide, south-facing valley. This natural amphitheater of terraces creates an extremely well-balanced and unique agricultural ecosystem that produces flavors that are full and rich. 

Available April through early November (Monday through Friday).  (During winter months, an alternate culinary experience or cooking class at the Renaissance can be arranged for you.)

Car Rental

Enjoy a $1000 credit towards the rental of a 7-day compact car rental with automatic transmission (round-trip from Rome Fiumicino International Airport), inclusive of tax, insurance (not including deductible) and unlimited kilometers. Vehicle license fee (3.5 EUR/day), additional drivers, GPS, and gasoline are the responsibility of the purchaser. 

NOTE:  Tuscany is approximately a 4-hour drive from Rome.

American Airlines

This package includes round-trip coach class service for two from any American Airlines destination in the 48 contiguous United States to Rome, Italy, subject to availability. A minimum of three nights or a Saturday night stay is required. Flights will not accrue AAdvantage miles.  Miles cannot be utilized to upgrade these coach class certificates to a higher level of service.  The following blackout dates apply:

2013: Dec 20-23, 27-31.

2014: Jan 1-2; Mar 21-23; Mar 28-Apr 1; May 23-26; Dec 19-22, 26-31.

Airfare will expire one year from the date of purchase. Airfare taxes and a $25 per person processing fee are the responsibility of the purchaser.

Winspire Booking & Concierge Service

Winspire provides a team of seasoned travel professionals who will help you redeem your experience. All travel related details and reservations are handled for every part of your Winspire experience. Operating as a full-service travel agency, Winspire can assist with extra hotel nights, airfare upgrades, and additional guests. This service also provides you with an established network of onsite contacts who can help you book additional experiences, activities and tours.

Item Special Note

  • Must be booked a minimum of 60 days in advance. 
  • Reservations are subject to availability. 
  • Certificates cannot be replaced if lost, stolen or destroyed. 
  • All purchases are non-refundable. 
  • Packages cannot be resold. 
  • Suggested retail value is calculated using tariff air rates and rack room rates. 
  • Ground transportation is not included unless where specified.