Independent travelers hungry for unique culinary experiences will be happy to hear that Avanti Destinations has added 25 cooking classes to its menu of travel products in Europe. Most of the new classes take place in France and Italy, including Lyon, Nice, Sorrento, and Venice, as well as many towns in Sicily. Lessons are taught by professional chefs in a restaurant kitchen or by local cooks in their homes and focus on creating seasonal dishes using locally produced ingredients. Many classes also include tours of the markets to purchase ingredients. Avanti’s selection of new add-on cooking classes includes a 2-hour private pastry workshop in Lyon, France (starting at $99 pp) taught by a pastry chef at his shop, where guests can bake a praline pie; a private fish shop tour, plus a pizza and cannoli making class in Catania, Sicily (starting at $285 pp), where guests tour a famous fish market, taste the traditional summer drink (acqua e zamm), and learn to make pizza and stuff cannoli; and a private, 7-hour cooking class at the Dindina Farmhouse in Neviglie, Italy near Turin (starting at $485 pp), where guests can sample wine and learn how to prepare regional specialties such as veal in tuna sauce, ravioli, and hazelnut cake.
In addition to cooking classes, Avanti offers a wide range of other add-on activities and itineraries for travelers interested in food, wine, beer or spirits, including the new 4-day Sicilian Countryside Escape itinerary, which includes a cooking lesson and wine tasting. For more information, call (800) 422-5053 or visit avantidestinations.com.
