If you don’t have fun here, you simply don’t know how to have fun. The scenery is magnificent, the Villa is beautiful, and the surrounding hillside communities are charming. My sister who is a professional interior designer was thoroughly impressed with the interior design of the Villa, done with a modern flare but in keeping with the traditional Italian “look”. We conducted a tour of the rooms, and all were beautiful, so no bad choice there, you should be pleased with any of them. The living room begs for a party, our group managed to make that happen.
At the heart of this adventure, Is Laura Giusti, who is the Chef/teacher. I defy anyone to spend a week with her and not fall in love. She is a born teacher, a knowledgeable cook, and such a kind spirit, she positively oozes of joy. She is a perfectionist, and lucky for you her eye for detail is evident as you notice the individual attention that has been given to every aspect of your stay. I fell in love with the Sicilian Ortigia toiletries that were left in our rooms. Upon return from my vacation I went online to buy more of the body lotion, only to find that a 10 ounce bottle cost $55.50 (ouch). Another surprise, an American wash cloth for your face, which I have found hard to come by in Italy. There was fresh flowers in all common areas, and the grounds were immaculate. The tablescapes in the dining room were gorgeous, and changed on a daily basis. Overall, if you consider all that you get, I feel you receive great value for your money. Three delicious meals a day, with all the wine, beer and water you can drink. Laura even went so far as to throw me a surprise Birthday party with the most beautiful Birthday cake ever. A special thanks to Alex, who always went out of his way to make sure we were happy.
I saved the best for last. The wonderful people we met from all over the country as well as Canada. Sharing the cooking experience makes you get to know one another, and our group really clicked. We laughed and laughed and by the end of the week we friends. You won’t be disappointed with this experience. I hope to return next year to another cooking school location.