Pilates & Italian cooking holiday, Piedmont
| country: | Italy |
| departures: | Departures on Mondays and Thursdays from mid February to end of November |
| price: | From €800 (4 days), €1050 (5 days), €1600 (8 days) low season - €1000 (4 days), €1350 (5 days), €1950 (8 days) high season excluding flights, based on single/double/triple occupancy. |
| offers: | 2009 Early bird special: 10% discount on all holidays booked and deposit paid before 31st December |
read 6 travellers reviews
the amazing things you'll be doing
Our farmhouse offers guests the possibility of taking both Pilates and Italian cooking courses in a unique double activity vacation. Guests can elect on a daily basis to take one, or both activities, or skip a session and just chill out and enjoy the great facilities.
The property has been remodelled around an old Piemontese farmhouse set within its own organic vineyard and kitchen gardens in the most stunning 'eagles nest' location overlooking hilltop villages and vineyard covered hills and valleys in Southern Piedmonte, North West Italy. For programme activities, the teaching kitchen and Pilates studio are equipped to the highest professional standards.
Accommodation: This exclusive property has just 5 luxuriously appointed guest bedrooms, all en suite with flat screen satellite TV and WiFi. Every bedroom and bathroom has amazing panoramic views and from some you can see the Alps on a clear day. We have extensive facilities for your relaxation and enjoyment including a swimming pool, sauna, & steam rooms, a large south-facing terrace, a home cinema and a library. Throughout the property you can always find a secluded area for a siesta or quiet read.
Pilates: This is aimed at people of all ages and ability. The Pilates Method can help you to become flexible, increase mobility, tones the body and helps you unwind. Our studio offers both Classical and Mat based Pilates. Experienced and highly qualified Pilates teachers are recruited from the UK and USA, and after a consultation etc, the resident Pilates teacher will be able to offer you a fun, safe and effective training programme. Guests who are experienced in Pilates can use the studio equipment at any time of their stay without supervision. Now fully equipped with Balance Body Pilates equipment, and with the opening of the new mat work studio, it is now rated at the best Pilates vacation studio in the world.
Cooking: Limited to 8 hands on students, you will be under the guidance of chef Gino Minacapilli. Gino who has extensive knowledge both as a top class chef and in hotel management. Gino and will guide you through the selection, preparation, cooking and finally the eating of what you have jointly created.
Guests can also cook with the owner Robyn who prepares most lunches, learning from her extensive repertoire of dishes and her healthy cooking techniques taking maximum advantage of seasonal vegetables and herbs from the our organic vegetable gardens or local markets. There are five, three hour Culinary Experiences sessions for the eight day holiday. Three for the five day and two for the four day.
Wine & gourmet events: In September, October and November gourmet lovers from around the world descend on our part of Piedmont for the famous white truffles (Tartufo Bianco), wine festivals & Slow Food sponsored food and gourmet festivals.
Autumn and Fall activities include: Horse trekking, Truffle Hunting and Massages ( additional cost)
NEW for 2009 Skiing: From Mid February to the end of the ski season, there is the opportunity to visit and ski at Sestriere, home of the 2006 Winter Olympics. Two mid week ski days will be arranged including ski hire and lessons. (minimum of three guests)
8 day stay includes: 7 nights accommodation (Monday to Monday), 7 breakfasts, 6 lunches, 5 cooking sessions, up to 12 Pilates sessions, 2 local market visits and visits to a local restaurant and a Cantina.
5 day stay includes: 4 nights accommodation (Thursday to Monday), 4 breakfasts, 3 lunches, 3 cooking sessions, up to 6 Pilates sessions and visits to a local market and a local restaurant.
4 day stay includes: 3 nights accommodation (Monday to Thursday), 3 breakfasts, 2 lunches, 2 cooking sessions, up to 5 Pilates sessions and visits to a local market and a Cantina.
Included for all guests: Drinks and wines, transfers to Asti station, recipes, embroidered apron, wi-fi access. Truffle hunting (in season is an additional €35).
The property has been remodelled around an old Piemontese farmhouse set within its own organic vineyard and kitchen gardens in the most stunning 'eagles nest' location overlooking hilltop villages and vineyard covered hills and valleys in Southern Piedmonte, North West Italy. For programme activities, the teaching kitchen and Pilates studio are equipped to the highest professional standards.
Accommodation: This exclusive property has just 5 luxuriously appointed guest bedrooms, all en suite with flat screen satellite TV and WiFi. Every bedroom and bathroom has amazing panoramic views and from some you can see the Alps on a clear day. We have extensive facilities for your relaxation and enjoyment including a swimming pool, sauna, & steam rooms, a large south-facing terrace, a home cinema and a library. Throughout the property you can always find a secluded area for a siesta or quiet read.
Pilates: This is aimed at people of all ages and ability. The Pilates Method can help you to become flexible, increase mobility, tones the body and helps you unwind. Our studio offers both Classical and Mat based Pilates. Experienced and highly qualified Pilates teachers are recruited from the UK and USA, and after a consultation etc, the resident Pilates teacher will be able to offer you a fun, safe and effective training programme. Guests who are experienced in Pilates can use the studio equipment at any time of their stay without supervision. Now fully equipped with Balance Body Pilates equipment, and with the opening of the new mat work studio, it is now rated at the best Pilates vacation studio in the world.
Cooking: Limited to 8 hands on students, you will be under the guidance of chef Gino Minacapilli. Gino who has extensive knowledge both as a top class chef and in hotel management. Gino and will guide you through the selection, preparation, cooking and finally the eating of what you have jointly created.
Guests can also cook with the owner Robyn who prepares most lunches, learning from her extensive repertoire of dishes and her healthy cooking techniques taking maximum advantage of seasonal vegetables and herbs from the our organic vegetable gardens or local markets. There are five, three hour Culinary Experiences sessions for the eight day holiday. Three for the five day and two for the four day. Wine & gourmet events: In September, October and November gourmet lovers from around the world descend on our part of Piedmont for the famous white truffles (Tartufo Bianco), wine festivals & Slow Food sponsored food and gourmet festivals.
Autumn and Fall activities include: Horse trekking, Truffle Hunting and Massages ( additional cost)
NEW for 2009 Skiing: From Mid February to the end of the ski season, there is the opportunity to visit and ski at Sestriere, home of the 2006 Winter Olympics. Two mid week ski days will be arranged including ski hire and lessons. (minimum of three guests)
8 day stay includes: 7 nights accommodation (Monday to Monday), 7 breakfasts, 6 lunches, 5 cooking sessions, up to 12 Pilates sessions, 2 local market visits and visits to a local restaurant and a Cantina.
5 day stay includes: 4 nights accommodation (Thursday to Monday), 4 breakfasts, 3 lunches, 3 cooking sessions, up to 6 Pilates sessions and visits to a local market and a local restaurant.
4 day stay includes: 3 nights accommodation (Monday to Thursday), 3 breakfasts, 2 lunches, 2 cooking sessions, up to 5 Pilates sessions and visits to a local market and a Cantina.
Included for all guests: Drinks and wines, transfers to Asti station, recipes, embroidered apron, wi-fi access. Truffle hunting (in season is an additional €35).
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Arrival and transfer to Asti Station after 4.00pm. Relax and explore the property, take a swim or stroll etc. Welcome dinner. |
| Day 2: | Pilates consultation and first workshop. Robyn invites guests for lunch session. Afternoon, another Pilates workshops, followed by Culinary Experiences cooking session and dinner. |
| Day 3: | Local market and town visit to Asti in morning, followed by lunch preparing guest purchases. Each guest is given €5 to purchase an item of food for later preparation of lunch. Afternoon Pilates session followed by second Culinary Experiences session and dinner. |
| Day 4: | Start the week guests leave and we welcome the long weekend guests after 4.00 pm. Guests on 8 day vacations continue with Pilates sessions and the third Culinary Experiences session. |
| Day 5: | Similar to Thursday with the fourth Culinary Experiences session. |
| Day 6: | Local market and town visit to Alba in the morning, similar to Wednesday. Pilates session in the afternoon before the fifth and last Culinary Experiences session. |
| Day 7: | A flexible schedule depending upon what's on locally and guests preference. In the morning we could visit a local fiesta, antiques market or continue with the Pilates sessions. Lunch is either a traditional Sunday lunch in a local restaurant, or Lunch prepared by Robyn. For the energetic there is a final Pilates session followed by either a light supper, or a restaurant visit for a local traditional Sunday evening pizza in a local restaurant. |
| Day 8: | Departure. |
Note: Wine tasting visits, truffle hunting, horse trekking, skiing and visits to festivals etc. will be dependent upon the season and guest preferences.
travellers' tales
I think the pole - dancing, (or pole - lates!) was the most memorable part, together with the pilates/pole - lates instructors and the other guests who really helped to make it a fabulous holiday. (more)
how this holiday makes a difference
 We aim to provide our guests with an unforgettable rural Italian experience. All our staff, including our Chef Gino Minacapilli live within 5 km, with the exception of our visiting Pilates teachers. The success of the village, and with it the Italian rural way of life, is very important so we strive to maximise use of the village community. We actively seek out local suppliers of goods and services and use small producers for more specialised items. We are founder members of a newly formed consortium of farmers and producers in the village, and we will create a small display featuring members wines, preserves etc. that guests can purchase. A typical stay with us would involve local market visits where guests can choose a food item to feature in a buffet lunch, encouraging interaction with the locals. We visit local restaurants and take a wine tasting tour of small family vineyards. We also suggest local walks, church services, etc. In redeveloping the property natural cork insulation was used extensively thought out the walls and ceilings etc for both heat and sound insulation. 80% of our total lighting is LED based, giving us dramatic energy reductions over normal lighting systems. We have 2 high efficiency stoves that provide heating. We also have plans to use solar photovoltaic produced energy. We have special shower heads, which use 30% less water than conventional showers. All water taps in public areas are infra red to reduce water flow if inadvertently left on. All waste water is treated on site in our biological treatment works. This, and collected rainwater are used for both the toilets and to irrigate the vineyard and vegetable gardens in periods of low rainfall. The indoor swimming pool uses an oxygen system for water treatment, thereby minimising the use of chlorine. Being organic, we compost as much as possible and reuse on the land. We have very little packaging as virtually all of our additional food items are sourced fresh and locally without point of sale packaging. In addition all non compost waste is taken by us to a central recycling depot in the village. |
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