5-11 MARCH 2010
SIX DAYS IN THE CILENTO NATIONAL PARK: BETWEEN HIDDEN TREASURES AND TASTES OF CAMPANIA
 
Step back in time by visiting prehistoric caves and stunning protected parks, while picking
some local herbs or listening to local tales of long ago.
Far away from the madding crowds, discover the beautiful hidden spots of Cilento and
meet farmers in their homes, see them at work and taste their family recipes.

 FIRST DAY
In the early afternoon you will be met at your hotel by Piera, your Campania food
and wine expert who will be with you all week. After a guided visit of the historical
centre and the Cathedral, one of the best examples of Southern medieval art, we will have
dinner in a small colourful trattoria where we will be served sea food dishes made
whit catch of the day.

SECOND DAY
In the morning we will leave our hotel in Salerno and head towards Capaccio Scalo (SA)
where we will be welcomed inside  a  buffalo mozzarella making farm of the area.
We will have a tour of the stables and the dairy where we will view the making of the
cheese by-hand and then, after a delicious mozzarella tasting together with other
organic products, we will move to Paestum for a guided visit of its Greek temples
dating back to 600 BC.
In the late afternoon we will have a cooking class and a light dinner at a local farm
house. Our day we will finish at our new hotel in Paestum area.

THIRD DAY
Our day starts at a small winery where, looking out over an amazing view of a typical Mediterranean bay, we will have wine tasting and take a walk around the Vineyards,
perfectly set in the natural surroundings.
For lunch we will be welcomed in a local restaurant where, in a friendly atmosphere,
we will be served traditional Cilentian sea-food.
In the afternoon we will first have a walk in the historical centre of a medieval hill
top village with a wonderful view of the sea and we will then move on to Agropoli
to visit another wine making company also famous  for their production of extra virgin
olive oil. Wine and olive oil tasting.

FOURTH DAY
We will start our day with a visit of the historical center of Buccino, with its underground Roman ruins and its precious archeological museum, where they preserve the so-called “ Princess’ s jewels” found in a tomb from the V century BC.
The visit of a small dairy farm to see the production of provolone cheese, will be followed
by a delicious choice of genuine local dishes, especially made for the occasion by the
same cheese producers .
We will finally have a guided visit of the spectacular prehistoric caves in Pertosa, unique
in the world, entered on  a short boat tender.
Once back to our hotel we will have a free evening.

FIFTH DAY
Our first stop will be a small family-run restaurant where we will make pasta and pizza
dough, while we will be visiting the protected area of Morigerati,
with its astonishing grotto on the Bussento river.
After tasting our pizzas together with cured local meats, we will have a short visit with
light tasting in a cured meat factory.
Our day will end with a guided tour of an antique christening baptistery or of the
Padula XIV century monastery.
On our way back to Paestum, we will stop in San Severino di  Centola, a ghost village,
set on  the top of a cliff, stuck in the past, looking down on the natural beauty of the
valley below. Our evening will be free.

SIXTH DAY
Our first stop will include the tour of the ruins of Elea, the old Greek city once rich with
cold spring waters and house for Parmenide’s  school.
For lunch we will be welcomed inside a small dairy-farm, set in a beautiful nature
surrounding where they produce a rare cheese, the Cacioricotta, made from the Cilentian
goat milk. After visiting the stables and viewing the making of the cheese, we will taste
delicious traditional recipes  of the Cilento Coast.
 
For our last night we will have dinner in a local “taverna” where the coluorful owner
will be happy to let us try his Cilentian recipies and watch him making them.

Price per person: 2550€ per person
Minimum to operate: 8
Maximum number of participants: 18
The price includes:
six nights in four star hotel, all the needed transfers to and from the hotel, all the meals mentioned, three wine tastings, one cheese tasting, one limoncello tasting, one pasta
tasting , all the guided farm visits mentioned, 2 cooking lessons, all the entrance fees,
all the professional guided tours in English, an English speaking food and wine expert.

The price does not include:
Insurance, gratuities and all that is not specified in “the price includes”.