Good Eats & Meets-Columbia

Join Saveur the Journey for a Culinary Adventure to stunning Lake Como in the Lombardy region of Northern Italy. Experience the food, culture, history, and people of this eclectic area among beautiful mountains and the clear waters of Lake Como. Federica, a gastronome for the prestigious Slow Food University of Gastronomic Sciences, who also happens also to be a local will show you around and introduce you to the local way of living.

Enjoy dramatic landscapes from land and water, on hikes and boat rides. Be amazed by the views over wild valleys and Lake Como. Learn the distinct and different cultures of the people living in the cities, in the valleys or by the lake. Meet local producers and artisans. Taste traditional recipes and local food with a Gastronomy expert. Cheers to life with a glass of organic wine from the valley. A 360° experience that will deepen your understanding of this unique part of Italy!

Lake Como, a beautiful, glacially formed lake nestled in the foothills of the Alps, has attracted aristocrats and wealthy vacationers since Roman times. The lake is considered by some to be one of the most beautiful lakes in the world, and has many large and opulent villas and palaces on its shores. It is, and has always been, a very touristic area, especially the famous towns of Bellagio, Varenna, and Como. The vast majority of tourists visit these towns and tend to leave in the shade all the rest of the little towns and villages that developed on the lake coast and in the adjacent valleys.

The Lombardy region of Italy produces some excellent wines, and we will have a chance to try many wines and even visit a winery in the steep Valtellina area, where the Nebbiolo grape makes robust and intense wines. The areas around Lake Como are famous for Bresaola (cured, air-dried beef), fish from the lake (including perch, lavarello, pike, shad (missoltino), and eel), cheeses such as Taleggio, Gorgonzola, Quartirolo, and Bitto, polenta, risotto, and Pizzocheri. Gnocchi, sauteed simply with brown butter and sage, or even occasionally stuffed with local cheeses or sausage, is also found here. Sip an espresso, eat a perfectly charred wood fired pizza, and of course indulge in the vibrantly fresh gelato that Italy is famous for!

For more info and an itinerary click:
Lake Como Culinary Adventure

What: Lake Como Culinary Adventure with Saveur the Journey
When: June 7-15, 2024 (9 days, 8 nights)
Group size: 10 (3 spots available)
Nearest airport: Milan, Italy (MXP)
Highlights: Experience the food, culture, history, and people of this eclectic area among beautiful mountains and the clear lake waters of Lake Como. Enjoy dramatic landscapes from land and water, on hikes and boat rides. Be amazed by the views over wild valleys and Lake Como. Learn the distinct and different cultures of the people living in the cities, in the valleys or by the lake. Meet local producers and artisans. Taste traditional recipes and local food with a Gastronomy expert. Cheers to life with a glass of organic wine from the valley.
Website: https://www.saveurthejourney.com/product/lake-como-italian-culinary-adventure-in-lombardy/
Cost: $4150 (Save $500 with coupon code: SPRINGTRAVEL24)
Contact: Aaron Schorsch (aaron@saveurthejourney.com, 541-240-0087)

Join Saveur the Journey on an exciting small group Culinary Adventure through Provence; from the fishing villages flanking Marseille and the expansive Rhone river delta of the Camargue, all the way North to where shepherds graze their animals on the lush pastures of the Alps. In between, there is a part of Provence, the inner lands of Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, where agriculture is the main economic activity, and the countryside is still lively and attached to its rural traditions.
Provence is famous for picturesque lavender fields, the Gorges de Verdon (the deepest canyon in Europe), Chateauneuf-du-Pape, olives groves, charming hilltop villages, and great food. Bordered by the Mediterranean sea, the Southern Alps, and Italy, this region is one of France’s most seductive. Featuring beautiful and severe landscapes, excellent wines (Chateauneuf-du-Pape!), an abundance of seafood, and a rich agricultural history, Provence should not be missed. However, a good local guide is imperative to find and experience the small farms, cheesemakers, wineries, fisherman, shepherds, and food artisans that don’t cater to the usual tourists to this area. Our local guide for this trip is Maddalena Relli, a Gastronome with a Master’s degree in Food, Culture and Communications and Tour leader for Slow Food’s University of Gastronomic Sciences.
Taste a luxury Bouillabaisse with fresh-caught seafood near Marseille, see the estuaries of Camargue with its rich bird life (including flamingos), wild horses and free-range bulls, as well as rice fields, salt production, oyster farms, and the special wines of the Camargue. Hike along the Plateau de Valensole, passing by a family-run cereal farm to visit the mill and have picnic lunch under the fig tree. Spend the morning shopping at a local farmers market and then participate in a cooking class that evening with the fresh produce from some of Provence’s best farmers. Taste some of France most famous and important wines in Chateauneuf-du-Pape. Learn about the Roman history of Provence, as well as the influence of Spain and the mixing of Spanish and French cultures. Explore the tiny medieval streets of Arles, and be led to a few REALLY good restaurants. Visit some of the most beautiful and lesser known picturesque medieval hillside villages of Luberon, famous for their charming grey and white stone architecture, churches, castles and narrow roads. Forage with an expert for wild edible and medicinal plants or follow a shepherd as they watch their animals graze on the lush mountain grasses.
What: Culinary Adventure to Provence, France
When: September 6-14, 2024 (9 days, 8 nights)
Where: Provence, France (Marseille Airport is the closest)
Cost: $4150 (double occupancy) Use code: STJFALLSALE23 to save $500 when you book before December 1.
Includes: All tours and tastings, lodging, guides, most meals, transportation during the trip, english translations.
Not included: Airfare (Marseille Airport is closest), alcohol, trip insurance or gratuity.
Maximum Participants: 12
For more information and to reserve a spot please email aaron@saveurthejourney.com (info@saveurthejourney.com) or visit https://www.saveurthejourney.com/product/provence-a-culinary-adventure-france-9-days-8-nights/