Tuscany, Pisa
Introduction to Borgo di Colleoli, Tuscany
The latest addition to our 2008 locations is the glorious estate of Borgo di Colleoli (www.ilpalazzocolleoli.com), which stands gracefully on top of a gentle hill just 30 minutes from Pisa airport, in a very special, unspoilt corner of Tuscany. This beautifully maintained olive oil estate has over 60 private apartments scattered around the grounds in converted farm buildings, whilst in the centre of the grounds, reached down the long avenue of trees, stands the Palazzo di Colleoli itself, once the historic home of the noble Agostini family.
The Palazzo is a huge, lovely, elegant house offering 12 enormous suites with either one or two bedrooms on the ground and first floor and also our fully appointed teaching kitchen with its own private side entrance. The oval music room, with its minstrel gallery, is the main reception and a communal lounge area. All guests have full use of the 2 swimming pools, the grounds and the formal restaurant and rustic wine bar.
At Borgo di Colleoli you have the choice of staying in one of the comfortable apartments, or enjoying extra luxury in the Palazzo itself (subject to availability).
Nearby is the tiny little village of the same name, which boasts an old-fashioned Italian village bar, a simple restaurant and a few houses. The nearest larger village is Palaia, with several shops, an achingly lovely Romanesque church and amazing views over the hills towards Volterra in one direction and the far away mountains in the other.
We will be running our courses here all year round as this is a location that is very easily accessed from almost anywhere in Europe being so close to the airport. Tuscany is stunningly beautiful at any time of the year, and Borgo di Colleoli has much to offer even in the depths of winter thanks to its proximity to many of the ‘must see’ locations in Tuscany such as Lucca, Florence, Volterra, Pisa etc. all of which are so much more fun to visit out of season when the hordes of tourists are mercifully absent!
In any case, our full hands-on cookery programme will keep you busy in the kitchen and all the delicious flavours celebrating the genuine, authentic Tuscan food and wines of this very special area will be sure to enthral you from January through to July.
