Lucia's Villa In Lucca™

Nestled high within the Apennine Mountains lies the enchanting medieval town of Barga, home to Beatrice’s unique Tuscan cooking classes. Take a step back in time as you make your way down the Villa’s captivating and majestic garden path and through the century-old grand doorway. Beatrice and her team of chefs are waiting to take you on an unforgettable culinary adventure where you will learn the ancient secrets and methods of Italy’s most humble cuisine.

Lucca Cooking Classes

Tuscan cuisine, characterized generally as the most modest, wholesome and authentic of Italian cooking styles, offers, a taste of the real Italy. Beatrice and her team of local chefs, Emma and Anna, are dedicated to upholding the sacred culinary traditions of this distinct region and with them, you will learn how to master the art of true Tuscan food preparation, cooking and presentation.

During Beatrice’s one week course, as well as gaining a deeper insight into the cultural and culinary history of this unique area of Tuscany during classes and tastings, you will be accompanied on a tour of the medieval hillside town of Barga, taken to local markets to purchase the most fresh, organic ingredients available, accompanied by the Chefs who will then instruct you on the essential practical skills necessary to create the mouth-watering dishes which make up the traditional four-course Italian menu. Your chefs combine their knowledge and traditions with the fresh, locally grown ingredients to provide you with hands-on experience in authentic Tuscan cooking.

Each class will be followed by lunch or dinner where participants eat and enjoy the foods prepared in class accompanied by a bottle of Chianti, Brunello di Montalcino, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, and ending always with Vin Santo and side bar Cantucci for dipping, that we keep in our cellar.

This exciting and unique cooking class is accessible to everyone, no matter what your culinary experience may be. Rest assured that each participant will return home a budding gastronome, ready to show off their Italian cooking skills to friends and family.

Lucca Accommodations

Check in to the exquisite family-run Villa, located in the quaint and picturesque Tuscan town of Barga, high in the Apennine Mountains, close to the city of Lucca. The Villa was built in 1924, a time in which Art Nouveau characterized art and architectural design throughout Europe. The Villa was built Castelvecchi family . After years of working in Scotland, they returned to their native town of Barga to create the magnificent holiday home.

The Villa is situated in Barga’s giardino, a stone’s throw away from the historic center. Guests have both dramatic mountainous scenery on one side of the Villa, and a direct view of the beautiful medieval ‘old-town’ of Barga on the other: the perfect setting for an inspirational cooking course.

The antique furniture, glass chip mosaic floors, Murano glass lamps, hand-woven carpets from Florence, wrought iron banisters, and artwork by the Barga-born painter Bruno Cordati form every detail of the Villa. The same style and sophistication that is in the hotel’s common areas is also found in the bright and spacious guest bedrooms. The Villa has a total of 12 luxurious bedrooms, all decorated with early 20th century, traditional Tuscan furniture and equipped with every modern comfort, from Satellite television to wireless Internet. A number of bedrooms are connecting and, on request, can accommodate families and groups of different sizes. At the Villa, a continental breakfast buffet is served each morning, which includes café-Americano, cappuccino, espresso, fresh fruit salad, cheeses & meats, fresh local pastries and much more.

If you wish to enjoy your free time for simple indulgence and relaxation, why not stay in Barga, soaking up the town’s charm and taking advantage of the luxuries the Villa has to offer. After kick starting the day with a lavish home cooked breakfast, guests can relax in the reading room, unwind in the hotel bar, or sit back and enjoy an Italian coffee or alcoholic beverage on the large, shaded terrace overlooking the garden and hydro-massage swimming pool.

A grand and scenic hydro-massage swimming pool tucked within the privacy of the Villa’s extensive gardens offers the perfect opportunity for guests to unwind and take in some of the Tuscan Sun while a bar service is always available. Just a short five-minute walk from the Hotel guests can enjoy all that is on offer in Barga’s Old Town.

 

Click for Property Photo Gallery

The Town Of Barga

Barga is home to a vast music, food, art & culture, and throughout the year hosts many events, shows, exhibitions and food and wine tastings such as La Sagra di Porchetta – Roast Pork Festival, and the Festa di Cioccolato – Chocolate festival in December. During the summer from June through to September, enjoy any one of the exciting music festivals in Barga such as Opera Barga, Barga Jazz, and Festa di Centro Storico during which live music can almost always be heard and enjoyed in the town’s open piazzas.  A stunning antique market is also set up in Barga’s Old town on the first Sunday of each month.

Tuscan Seasons

Like most gastronomic traditions in Italy, Tuscan menu choices are determined seasonally which allows the delicious local menu choices to vary all throughout the year, and offer the freshest of produce available, from the wild berries and plum tomatoes in summer, to mushrooms and chestnuts in winter. Some of these local products used by Beatrice in her cooking classes are porcini mushrooms, chestnuts, olive oil, polenta, spelt and of course, local wines and cheeses.

Chestnuts & Mushrooms

Autumn in Tuscany brings many changes to the landscape and the lifestyle. The bright and deep greens turn to the warmer yellows and browns of falling leaves. Soon many forests will be left bare awaiting the first snowfall. Autumn is still warm, and the daytime temperature is perfect for a walk in nature, especially if you head towards the chestnut woods. The beauty of these tall trees and the color of their fruits make for a splendid stroll. This is the chestnut season in Tuscany, which means you will be able to make and taste all kinds of chestnut specialties, such as chestnut-flour pasta and castagnaccio and learn of the long tradition that ties this area to the versatile fruit which was a staple for the people living here during times of struggle and poverty.

Depending on the summer rainfall, this area’s mushroom season can begins in August and lasts through to the end of October. Guests can go mushroom-picking in the forest to pick their own porcini, or simply await the arrival of the brimming baskets which local mushroom-pickers bring back daily.

The Garfagnana

Use your free time to explore other areas of the Garfagnana like the town of Castelnuovo, which runs its local market every Thursday morning. The Garfagnana’s own nature and wildlife park Orechiella is also a must see, and guests can spend the whole day there. You can dine either in their charming restaurant or pack your lunch and find a secluded area for a picnic.

The zone of La Garfagnana is known for its mushrooms, including the rare prugnoli primaverili, chestnuts and spelt, as well as meat roasts. Barga is known for its black and white truffles, and depending on what time of year you come, you may be able to find some of these wild delicacies.

Suggested Excursions

Lucca, Pisa, Florence and the Cinque Terre are all easy to reach by train and car. Beatrice provides maps and brochures containing information on places to visit and activities available in the area such as hiking, horseback riding, golf, tennis and of course, wine and food tastings. Staff are always available to offer help and advice on possible day trips, and can provide daily travel timetables for public services and/or book taxis.

Lucca & The Finest Italian Olive Oils

Lucca was the home of Giacomo Puccini and Leonardo da Vinci, so for the art and opera lovers this walled medieval town is worth a visit. There are regular Puccini Opera Concerts (sometimes with free entry), grand piazzas to explore, restaurants to try, and tourists can rent bikes and ride through the beautiful cobblestone city or around the city’s impressive walls which date back to the 16th Century.

Since ancient time, olive-growing has characterised the province of Lucca. In fact around the mid-15th century olive oil was defined as “necessary for man’s well-being.” ?Lucca’s olive oil is so famous throughout the world that the Concise Oxford Dictionary defines it as “Lucca Oil”: superior quality of olive oil,” thus giving it an esteemed position among the highest quality olive oils of the world – on a par with Cognac and Champagne. Tastings can be arranged.

Itinerary ~ 8 days 7 nights

Day 1: Benevento & Welcome

• Check in to your luxurious hotel room, relax and meet your hosts.
• Welcome Dinner in the Villa’s beautiful dining room or on the terrace by the pool. Guests will taste some delicious examples of local cuisine and be treated to 2 complementary bottles of the property’s prized Lucchesi wine, and as is the nature of the social practices of the Tuscan Table, get to know the hosts in a relaxed and informal setting.
• After dinner, you can enjoy a sip of local Vin Santo as you discuss the itinerary of the week. The Villa is dedicated to making guests feel as relaxed as possible, Beatrice organises your itinerary with you when you arrive, according your individual needs and desires for your trip.

Day 2: Shop With The Chef & Cooking Class 1

• Breakfast is served.
• 1 hour Tour of Barga with guide and coffee stop at one of the old town’s artisan cafés.
• Shop With The Chef market visit to learn about fruits and vegetables in season and pick fresh produce for the day’s lesson.
• Return to the Villa for your Introduction and brief history of Italian and local cuisine.
• Cooking Class 1 begins! You will prepare two dishes: an antipasto and primo (first course), and learn typical garnishes for each plate.
• Lunch in the villa or on the villa’s spacious terrace of the foods prepared in class. (Wine can be chosen from our extensive selection in the cellar).
• The rest of the afternoon is free to spend as you wish. Suggestions provided.

Day 3: Free Time!

• Breakfast is served.
• Day free (staff available to advise on add-on excursions).

Day 4: Cooking Class 2

• Breakfast is served.
• In the morning, Shop With Chef at Barga’s local produce market to buy fresh ingredients for the afternoon’s cooking class.
• Lunch time is free, and hotel staff are happy to book tables at local restaurants so you can taste some different varieties of the area’s main dishes
• Aprons on at 2pm for Cooking Class 2 where you will prepare two dishes: a secondo, main dish and contorno, side dish, whether it be meat, fish or vegetarian. Informal discussion included on garnishing and traditional presentation. Your hands-on cooking class will help work up an appetite for your evening meal!
• Dinner on the terrace: You are invited to a relaxed, sit-down dinner in the evening where you can taste delicious second courses as well as your own. Discussion on wine pairings of local wines to accompany the dishes you have made, whether it be a full bodied, dry Chianti or a light and fruity Montepulciano.

Day 5: Cooking Class 3 – Desserts!

• Breakfast is served.
• Morning Cooking Class 3: Dolci! Things are guaranteed to get messy and floury as Beatrice holds your third hands-on cooking class focusing on desserts. There are a great many varieties of local desserts to choose from depending on the season and what fresh produce is available. Tastings follow of the desserts made in class.
• Afternoon is free to relax or visit the area on your own. Suggestions provided.

Day 6: Free Day ~ Suggestion: Visit Lucca Or Reserve A Tasting At The Villa

• Breakfast is served
• Use your day to visit the city of Lucca and perhaps take in a Puccini Opera Concert. Visit the fantastic ‘Grotta del Vento’, make your way to Forte dei Marmi beach or simply kick back and relax at the Villa’s pool
• Olive Oil and Wine tastings can be booked for you in Lucca.
  Alternatively, book a Tasting at the Villa including a tour of the Cantina, the most important room of the Tuscan home. Emma provides you with a step-by-step introduction to some of the finest cheeses, cured meats and wines available in Tuscany.

Day 7: Cooking Class 4 ~ Pizza Or Polenta Party!

• Breakfast is served.
• Morning free and lunch on your own.
• In the afternoon, Bea hosts a Polenta or Pizza Party. Cooking Class 4: Your Choice of traditional Italian Pizza or Local Polenta. Enjoy the fruits of your labor out in the garden with Barga’s own “Barga Beer” or a toast of local wine. Informal pairing discussions included upon request.

Day 8: Arrivederci!

• Breakfast is served.
• Check Out, goodbyes and Bea’s Goodbye Gift!
• Arrivederci and have a safe journey!

 

Special Cooking Courses:

Christmas, Valentine’s Day and Easter Menus

Leading up to everyone’s favorite time of year, Christmas, where most people like to live by the philosophy of ‘eat, drink and be merry’, the Villa offers special cooking courses of either 4 days or a week, which focus on how to cook a traditional Italian Christmas Menu so you can spice up your season’s festivities at home.

Christmas Menu Sample

• Antipasto (bruschetta, crostini alla Toscana, prosciutto)
• Tortellini in Brodo (stuffed pasta in homemade broth) or Lasagne
• Bollito & Salsa Verde(Beef with green sauce)
• Arista (Roast meat)
• Sformato, Insalata, Patate Arroste (Pie, Salad & Roast Potatoes)
• Panforte or Panettone (Traditonal Tuscan Dessert)
• Vin Santo
  

We also provide cooking classes to celebrate San Valentino, Valentine’s Day. Couples tie on their aprons to learn to a special Valentine’s menu in the land of love. Enjoy a romantic lunch or dinner following, just for the two of you.

Easter Menu classes are also offered: this is the time of year for the Garfagnana’s celebrated dessert Pasimata, a type of sweetbread made with aniseed and currants.