Tropea Cooking Tour
Seven Day Itinerary| Four Day Itinerary

This delicious seven-day gastronomic and cultural tour is based in the picturesque coastal town of Tropea in the province of Vibo Valentia.

From here you will have the opportunity of visiting and tasting the best of the local food and wine from and in such places as Capo Vaticano, Monte Porro and Pizzo Calabro, the final location celebrated for its 'tartufo gelato' ice cream.

The tour also includes three cooking lessons with native Tropean Marianna in her charming second home in the hills of San Angelo, just a few minutes from the center of Tropea. An optional excursion into the waters off the Tropea coast with a local fisherman can also be arranged

Tropea Cooking Tour Seven Day Itinerary

The coastal town of Tropea is one of Calabria's most picturesque towns. Tropea will be your base from where all activities comprised in the tour will start. There is also the possibility of a fabulous boat excursion with local fisherman into the sea off the coast.

Day 1

• Transfer to bed and breakfast accommodation.
• Welcome dinner at an upscale restaurant overlooking the beach of Tropea. This restaurant is very elegant and is situated on the cliff facing the beach below.
• Includes full course meal with wine, coffee and dessert.

Day 2

• Morning walking tour of Tropea with your guide and visit the historical city center. Here you will be introduced to various local shop owners and get a chance to taste local products of the region from many different food vendors.
• Lunch at your own leisure. We suggest a visit the beach below the town where many restaurants and coffee bars offer a warm welcome.
• Late afternoon cooking class with Marianna. The duration is approximately 3-4 hours, followed by al fresco dining under the stars of what has been prepared with wine and an antipasto. Her rustic kitchen is located in the nearby hills and transportation is provided.
• The afternoon also includes a short tour of Marianna's lovely garden where many seasonal fruits and vegetables are cultivated and used as ingredients in the cooking lessons. Any meats used are organic and fish is caught fresh that day.
• Transport back to Tropea.

Day 3

• Your personal driver and guide will take you to Capo Vaticano to view the panoramic coastline, cliffs and rock formations from various look out points in the zone.
• From there we will take a 20 minute drive to Monte Poro.
• This miniature mountain area just minutes from the sea is famous for its small food producers and is ideal for picking up fresh typical products such as 'contadino' style bread, cheese and local wine etc.
• Lunch is a picnic overlooking the sea and hills or, alternatively, in a local restaurant frequented by the locals.
• Transport back to Tropea.
• Rest of the day is free to visit and laze on the beach or stroll in the center of Tropea.

Day 4

• We will head out to Pizzo Calabro with our personal driver. Pizzo is another beach side town and is characterised by its layers of small alleyways and narrowly packed old houses, one on top of the other.
• Pizzo is most famous for its original 'tartufo gelato' ice cream. We will stop at a coffee bar to try it.
• Short visit to Piede di Grotta by the beach . Situated here is a church built from sandstone displaying beautiful life size religious sculptures in the grotto. According to local folklore a survivor from a shipwreck landed here having clung onto a painting of the Madonna which acted as a sort of liferaft.
• Lunch at own leisure. We suggest you eat light as the afternoon features a cooking class with Marianna.
• Cooking class with Marianna. The menu is prepared on the seasonal products available, but is always based on the various ingredients produced locally such as the red onions of Tropea, local seafood caught offshore and hot 'pepperoncino' pepper.
• Transport back to bed and breakfast accommodation.

Day 5

• Free day to spend on the beach. Transport is available to remote beaches in the area.
• Day cruises to the Aeolean islands can also be arranged when available at an extra cost.

Day 6

• Free morning to visit the beach or do some last minute shopping.
• For an extra charge there is the possibility of a fishing boat excursion in the morning for a maximum of 4 people with local fisherman Francesco. The view of the cliff top houses of Tropea from the water is spectacular.
• Lunch at a restaurant in Tropea
• The afternoon features a farewell cooking lesson with Marianna which will focus on sweets or the typical 'dolci' of Calabria. Various sweets and biscotti are made using local ingredients.
• Also included is the preparation of pizza and Calabrian 'pitta' bread, which is the version of pizza in the region. We will light an old woodbrick oven to bake the pizza.
• A final meal in company with plenty of wine. Coffee and desserts are included.
• Transport back to bed and breakfast accommodation.

Day 7

• Transfer to airport or train station.

Additional Tour Details

The tour is available from May till end of October.

Cooking classes are approximately 3-4 hours long and all are followed by an evening meal. All recipes and meals are based on local ingredients and change with the seasons with wine and liquors included.

Alternatively, you can take a train to Tropea stations and, again, we will arrange for you to be picked up.

2010 Price:

April- October special: 1295 euro

May- June- September ; 1375 euro

July- August: 1575 euro

Prices are per person based on double occupancy (For single supplement contact us. )

The price includes:

• Transfer to and from airport or train station.
• 6 nights -7 days at a charming bed and breakfast in Tropea's historical center.
• Buffet-style breakfast every morning on the terrace.
• Transportation by car to Tropea and surrounding areas.
• Local, English-speaking guides throughout your tour.
• 3 cooking classes with a meal to follow
• Excursions to Capo Vaticano, Monte Poro, Pizzo and an optional remote beach day.
• Meals where specified including wine.
• Optional fishing excursion for an extra charge. Contact us for more information.

Not included:

Day 5 optional fishing boat excursion for maximum 4-5 people.

Participants are taught how to fish and have the possibility of trying themselves.

Discover the Gastronomy of Tropea

A full immersion in the food and wine culture of this beautiful corner of Calabria.

Although a relatively small territory, the range of typical products extending from the sea and coast to the nearby mountains of Monte Porro guarantees an incredible gastronomic diversity and many unique flavours to experience.

B&B Accommodation

Your base for your tour of Tropea is an elegant bed and breakfast in the historic center of the town.

The accommodation features elegant suites, a quaint terrace and easy access to the beach, shops, cafes and the artistic and historic treasures of Tropea.

In such a central location, you are walking distance to almost anywhere in the town you wish to go.

This bed and breakfast features six lovely rooms. All the rooms have a phone, sky TV, minibar, internet access with a laptop in every room and a private bathroom. Your suite will be warm, welcoming and refined - an excellent place to relax between visits.

Click here view photos of this lovely bed and breakfast!

Rustic Home Cooking

During your time, we will take you to the country home of native Tropean Marianna. A long-time friend of In Italy Tours, Marianna is an energetic cook who has a passion for feeding her friends and family.

Born and raised in Tropea, Marianna offers guests the opportunity to eat and cook the way real locals do. You will get to see her take one main ingredient and demonstrate a variety of ways to use it. Marianna uses ancient recipes to create delicious rustic meals you won't find in any restaurant - not even in Tropea.

This results in a huge variety of culinary creations from basic and simple ingredients, the essence of Italian regional food in fact.

Depending on the season you will be learning to make various recipes from pasta, fish, meat dishes, desserts and even local pizza bread.

Marianna's charming second home in the hills of San Angelo is just a few minutes from the center of Tropea. Most of her land is dedicated to a large vegetable garden. Her outdoor kitchen, brick oven, oversized grill and spacious veranda make it the perfect setting for these authentic cooking lessons.

How To Get There

Take a connecting flight from any major Italian city to Lamezia Terme. We will arrange transportation from the airport to the bed and breakfast. Or, you can take a train to the Tropea station and we will arrange for you to be picked up there.

Book the Seven Day Tropea Cooking Tour.

Tropea Cooking Tour Four Day Itinerary

For those looking for a short getaway, we offer a four-day stay in Tropea. During this excursion, you will stay at an elegant bed and breakfast in the historical centre of the town which features elegant suites, a quaint terrace and easy access to the beach, shops, cafes and the artistic treasures of Tropea. In such a central location, you are walking distance to the beach and almost anywhere in the town

This bed and breakfast features six lovely rooms, including three suites and three junior suites. All the rooms have a phone, sky TV, minibar, internet access and a private bathroom. Your suite will be warm, welcoming and refined - an excellent place to relax between visits to Marianna's kitchen.

Click here to view the bed and breakfast.

Enjoy the relaxing beaches of Tropea while you indulge in the real authentic flavours of this town. Guided tour of Tropea is included and a chance to see the houses embedded on the cliff of the town while you sail on the beautiful coast of the region.

Day 1

• Transfer to bed and breakfast
• Welcome dinner at a beach front restaurant in Tropea which boasts an incredible view of the Santa Maria dell' Isola which sits on a promenade facing the town.
• Rest from your travels as you bask in the medieval wonders of Tropea at night.

Day 2

• Enjoy breakfast on the terrace overlooking the town square.
• Guided walking tour of Tropea's historic centre.
• Enjoy lunch at a restaurant in Tropea.
• In the afternoon, Marianna will pick you up and transport you to her farm.
• On arrival, you will take an extensive tour of her lush gardens and rustic farm. On your tour, immerse yourself in the beauty and fragrance as you select seasonal ingredients for your cooking lesson. Welcome antipasto included with plenty of wine available while you cook with Marianna.
• In your first cooking lesson from Marianna, you will learn how to make homemade pasta and prepare flavorful main dishes. You will get the chance to roll up your sleeves and help her prepare many courses in the Calabrian tradition including fish, meat, vegetables and side dishes.
• Dine together outside. The long, country table will display a Calabrian feast that you created together.
• After dinner, you will be transported back to the bed and breakfast.

Day 3

• Enjoy breakfast on the terrace overlooking the city square.
• Fishing excursion is available with a local fisherman including a demonstration on how to fish the waters of Tropea. Meal follows from the day's catch on board. Alternatively you can relax on a remote beach in the area. Transportation and packed lunch provided.
• In the afternoon, you will be picked up and brought back to Marianna's kitchen for your second cooking lesson.
• During this cooking lesson, you will learn Marianna's sweet dessert family recipes. These include biscotti, and cakes typically made to celebrate traditional Calabrian festivals. Marianna loves baking and she uses fresh ingredients like almonds from her garden to create sweets for her guests.
• You will then learn how to make home made pizzas and watch them cook in an outdoor wood-brick oven.
• Farewell meal to follow with wine included.
• After the cooking lesson, you will be transported to the bed and breakfast.

Day 4

• Enjoy breakfast on the terrace overlooking the rooftops and the sea of Tropea.
• Check out and transfer to airport or train station.

Note: This programme runs April through October.

2010 Price:

April- October 995 euro

May- June- September- 1120 euro

July- August- 1225 euro

Prices are per person based on double occupancy.

Minimum: 2 people
Maximum: 6-8 people

Please contact us for a booking of 8 people or more.

Price includes:

• Transfer to and from the airport.
• 3 nights and 4 days at a charming bed and breakfast in the historical centre of Tropea. Click here to view the bed and breakfast.
• Breakfast served daily, either in your room or on the terrace.
• Transport in private car to and from Marianna's country home and all excursions specified.
• Welcome dinner in Tropea.
• English-speaking translator.
• 2 authentic Tropean cooking classes with Marianna that last approximately 3-4 hours.
• Followed by your meal including plenty of wine
• Fishing excursion or alternatively morning stay at a remote beach in the area. Lunch provided.
• All meals including wine, coffee.

How To Get There

Take a connecting flight from any major Italian city to Lamezia Terme. We will arrange transportation from the airport to the bed and breakfast. Or, you can take a train to the Tropea station and we will arrange for you to be picked up there.

Book the Four Day Tropea Cooking Tour.