Eat, Drink and Parliamo Your Way Through Italy

Italy has been welcoming visitors from all over the world for decades and it’s easy to see why. Great food, romantic language, delicious wines and a historic back story to rival many of its neighbours. But, and there is a but. How many of us go on holiday to actually learn about the culture, learn how to cook, visit the vineyards and learn about the grape that made your sundowner glass of wine. How many of us really bother to do something different when it comes to holidays?

Well, if you’re tired of lying around getting sunburn year after year, why not try something new this year. As more and more of us hunger for new experiences and knowledge, it seems there are actual vacation packages tailored to discerning holidaymakers with a lust for learning and Italy has some corkers. So, instead of just ordering these delicious dishes off the restaurant menu, why not consider making it yourself with the help of the experts. Yes, you can learn to cook with some of the best Italian chefs on these amazing activity holidays.

What better way to combine your love of Italian food and wine with the chance to brush up on your culinary skills in the country that created some of the most famous and best loved cuisines in the world. There are cookery holiday packages available all over Italy but some are strategically placed in some of the finest gastronomic regions of the country such as Tuscany, Umbria, Sicily and Lombardy.

You can learn new skills and techniques as you decode traditional recipes using locally sourced produce, and all while expert chefs share their passion and secret tips with you. Just think how impressed all your friends will be at your next dinner party!

Of course you don’t need to spend your entire fortnight’s holiday in your apron. You could easily combine a long weekend activity break with a week or two in the glorious Tuscan countryside or on a sun-kissed Italian beach resort. Afterall, you’ll have worked up a sweat in the kitchen and you’ll deserve some chill out time too.

As well as cookery breaks where the focus is all on food, there’s also some fascinating wine tours and wine appreciation trips to be found in Italy.
Some of the finest wines we enjoy the world over are produced in Italy, in regions such as Piedmont and Tuscany. In the UK, we consume a vast amount of another Italian tipple… Prosecco!

And what better way to kick off your holiday than a visit to the Veneto and then spending a few days relaxing in Venice or Verona or even the pretty towns on the shores of Lake Garda, So you see, it’s easy to combine an educational trip or activity break with the rest of your holiday and that way you won’t feel like you’ve had to tax your brain too much!

Imagine sampling a whole host of wines, learning how they are made and what to look for when choosing a bottle of wine. It would really enhance your knowledge of wine and you could also learn how to pair it with the right dishes. Food, wine and Italy…what’s not to like?

Even if you didn’t want to book a residential course there are also some cracking day tours from popular resorts and cities in Italy. This way you can simply enjoy your holiday with maybe just a morning or afternoon away from the sun lounger but still feel like you’ve made an effort to try something different and learn more about the fabulous cuisine and wines that make up so much of your holiday’s enjoyment.

For example if you are in Tuscany you might want to consider some of these gastro tours and wine tasting day trips…

Or when in Rome, as they say…

Now, so far all we’ve talked about is food and drink and that’s no bad thing but would you know how to order these in a restaurant? Or do you just mumble in English whilst pointing to the menu? Well, that’s no use. Now’s your chance to really expand your skill set and learn a new language. We’re not expecting you to come back fluent in Italian, speaking like a native but wouldn’t it be nice to be able to communicate even a tiny bit rather than just expecting every waiter, hotel receptionist, shopkeeper and taxi driver to be able to understand us?

Many of us who have tried just a few simple words and phrases will know that a little goes away and the locals will appreciate even the worst efforts. A cheery “buongiornio” is a great start and a ‘per favore’ or ‘grazie’ makes all the difference.

There are countless language courses on offer these days both at home and abroad but some experts say there’s no better way to learn than by practicing on the locals and being in the country itself. So, in addition to learning about your Bruschettas and Barolos, you could try speaking some of this beautiful language too. Being able to speak a foreign lingo is very empowering but it’s also very very useful if you find that not everyone you come in contact with speaks English. Find out about some of the holiday courses available here.

We hope these suggestions have tickled your taste buds and your mouth is just watering at the thought of your next holiday. Don’t forget to come back and tell us where you went and what you learned. We’re not the best of cooks here at talkholiday so maybe you can give us some tips until we can go on one of these breaks too. We’ve always got tasty travel on the menu for our members and you’ll always find the best travel deals right here.