Le Marche Italy has so much to offer that we have decided to carefully plan and put together some special holidays which are aimed to introduce you to some of the treasures this region has to offer as well as teaching you something new.
So if you are looking for more than just a holiday in Italy and would like to broaden your horizons and expand your skills or simply reconnect with your body while staying in our villa then then have a look at our special holiday packages.
Daniela, the property manager and daughter of the owners of this wonderful villa is fluent in both English and Italian and has carefully put together specialised holidays contacting highly qualified professionals to make sure you get the very best experience whichever is your preferred activity.
Daniela has been living in Le Marche for the past 20 years, planning events and weddings for 10 years and will be your host during your stay at the Villa. She will welcome you at the villa with a glass of Prosecco and some nibbles and since her main passion lies in cooking and baking she will be preparing your breakfasts and lunches and some of your dinners.
Whether you are interested in cooking, fitness or simply would like to learn how to take better care of yourself we have planned every detail meticulously and collaborate with experienced and highly qualified professionals to ensure you will benefit from all of our courses.
Daniela and Paolo will be your hosts for this incredible 7-day cooking course where all your needs and comforts will be taken care of and you will get the chance to meet talented chefs and food experts who will gladly share their techniques and traditions which have been passed down to them from generation to generation.
It is an immersion into Italian lifestyle through exploring local artisans, food markets, butchers, wine cellars etc, rolling up your sleeves and cooking alongside experts who will guide you through the process and the getting to sit down and enjoy your much deserved feast which you helped prepare paired with exceptional local wines. Does it get any better? Creating and sharing delicious meals with friends and family around the table using only the freshest ingredients!You will learn how to bake focaccia, bread, make fresh pasta, ravioli and traditional vincisgrassi (Marche’s traditional lasagna), delicious meat sauces like sugo alla papera o lepre o cinghiale (duck or hare sauce or wild boar), a four course fish meal and so much more.
The retreat has been carefully planned to make sure you get to experience a real taste of Le Marche while mastering invaluable cooking skills in a relaxed laid back family environment. We have thought of everything for you so all you need to do is book your flights and we will take care of the rest.
Price for 7 night all- inclusive culinary retreat
€ 1850 double occupancy + € 500 per person surcharge for single occupancy
DAY 1 - WELCOME
Arrive at Villa Prati to a welcome Aperitivo.
Afternoon to unpack, relax by the pool and settle in.
Delicious meal prepared paired with wines from Le Marche.
DAY 2- LETS GET COOKING
After breakfast you will have your fist cooking lesson with Daniela and our talented Marcella, who will demonstrate how to make 3 types of pasta and complimentary sauces.
Afternoon visit to a local vineyard where you will have a private tour of the vineyard and winery and enjoy a wine tasting.
Later you will enjoy a delicious meal at Villa Prati.
DAY 3 - MORE COOKING AND EXPLORING
After Breakfast head up to the local village for the weekly market with Daniela to buy the fresh produce of the day and some fish which you will later prepare for your evening meal.
Afternoon cooking demonstration at villa prati where you will learn how to make a delicious four course
fish meal which you will then enjoy for your evening meal.
DAY 4 - DAY OUT WITH TRUFFLE HUNT
After breakfast Stefano will drive you to the mountains where you will enjoy a few hours walking in the woods with truffle hunting experts who will guide you to hunt for truffles followed by a special truffle lunch. Evening meal at Villa Prati
DAY 5 - SAUSAGES AND VINO COTTO
After breakfast we will visit a local butcher who will demonstrate how to make traditional sausages and other typical cured meats. You will also see how traditional vino cotto is made. After lunch at villa prati you have an afternoon to relax and maybe book in a massage or roll up your sleeves and spend time in the kitchen with our chef who will be preparing a delicious meal for the evening .
DAY 6 - TRADITIONAL CHEESE MAKING, PIZZA & FOCACCIA
Experience the art of traditional cheese-making using authentic methods passed down through generations. Learn how to make 3 types of cheeses from cow’s milk and how to stretch your own mozzarella. Using your cheese, make a typical Calcione ricotta desert as well as Crescia Marchigiana (a typical bread from the area). Later, learn the art of creating the perfect pizza base, and then use your freshly made cheese as part of your ingredients! Enjoy your creations over dinner.
DAY SEVEN - FAREWELL
After breakfast Stefano will pick you up and accompany you back to the Airport.
I would definitly recommend this course, it was so much fun, I met some great people, tasted amazing food and wine and brought home lots of great memories and great recipes Danielle & Tim, Surrey UK
Who knew such healthy food could be made to taste so good! Thank you Villa Prati Suzy, Liverpool, UK
Great experience at Villa Prati, everything was perfectly organised and the cookery course was great fun and very helpful, i hope to put all the helpful tips into practice! Tom, USA
Our bespoke Pilates retreats are led by Leonie Dykes, qualified Advanced Level 3 Diploma Modern Pilates Instructor based in York. Click here to read more about Leonie and her qualifications and accreditations.
Leonie will teach body control techniques, a method of Pilates with a huge amount of physical advantages from getting fit and toning your body to combating back problems and arthritis. It really is suitable for any age or ability and the course is guaranteed to leave you feeling truly rejuvenated, healthier and refreshed.
It is available for all levels of experience; beginners will build a strong foundation in a focused atmosphere which will efficiently spring board you onto your next level Advanced will develop a keener eye and further develop and refine existing skills. Every exercise taught will generate a deeper awareness of your body, mind and general well-being.
Everything is carefully planned for you, all you need to do is book your flights and we will think of all the rest. This LUX holiday includes airport transfers, accommodation in our luxury villa, full board meals with delicious wines and snacks throughout the day, group Pilates lessons twice a day and one to one sessions, Postural assessment at the beginning and end of retreat with personal workshop at the end of the week with exercises to take home to continue your work; a wine tasting in a nearby vineyard and a BBQ or pizza evening with live music on the last evening.
Our aim is for you to leave the retreat feeling relaxed, unwound and spoilt with great memories. But also with a clear idea of how you have developed and what to do next to keep it up.
Do you fancy a warm cycling destination to build strength and stamina topped off with core strength activities and rehabilitation at the end of each day?
Use the week to train, build on existing capabilities or simply ride to enjoy the scenery.
We offer a week of daily guided cyclists retreat lead by an exceptional Allan Hargreaves finished off with Cycling specific Pilates and structured rehabilitation exercises. Through our knowledge and skill your cycling retreat on and off the road will be an unforgettable experience.
Don’t just train, train right with Allan Hargreaves and Leonie Dykes of LJ Modern Pilates on one of our Cycling ‘Retreats’ in Italy. Amongst Allan’s accolades he started cycling with the Clifton CC in 1960. Then in 1961 with his father they opened a cycle shop in York hand building bikes for competition on the road and track. Allan went on to become junior club champion in 1963 and was part of the team winning the British best all-rounder competition and the national 100 mile championships in 1965. In 1966 he became British best all-rounder and 12 hour championships and then decided to give up competitive cycling in 1967 to take up water ski racing, this is only a snap shot of this man’s talent. Allan has continued to be involved with bike maintenance, wheel building etc. for road mountain and downhill. For the past 15 years he has spent the summer months living and cycling in le Marche Italy.
The holiday includes airport transfers, Breakfast and lunch buffet style and sit down 3 course evening meal every day, Cycling specific Pilates once or twice a day depending on route taken with guided cyclist plus everyone gets a one to one with me during the week, Postural assessment at the beginning and end of retreat with personal workshop at the end of the week with exercises to take home to continue your work and much more. Contact us for more details.
Are you feeling stressed, tired and not sleeping? Unless we have the time and space recharge ourselves things only get worse. So what’s the answer? 5 nights in our beautiful luxury villa, cut off from the demands of your frenetic lifestyle in stunning private grounds, it’s the perfect backdrop to immerse yourself in your personal sanctuary and fill up your own love tank. Anandi will be your host mentor during the retreat, She has many professional credentials with Yoga and Meditation - she is an approved Ayurveda Practitioner, registered senior Yoga teacher and author of the book Breath Better, Sleep Better.
Anandi has designed a special retreat that will give you the tools that will help you sleep better, have more energy and more vitality. You will learn to apply yoga Ayurveda not just on the retreat but for the rest of your lives. This retreat will have you feeling recharged, re recentred and ready to create magic in your life. Anandi will explore your personal constitution and how to take care of yourself in a unique way. According to Ayurveda we are all different and we have different needs to stay well. You’ll be learning how to do advanced breathing techniques how to meditate and how to eat in a way that is nourishing for your personal constitution. This is the perfect opportunity to choose to put yourself first and by taking the opportunity to invest in yourself you will find that it will seriously pay off tenfold. Self-care is one of the most difficult things to get women to focus their attention on, it’s our nature to nurture others before ourselves; this retreat is about self-care, self-love and how to put practices into place for deep profound sleep. You’ll come away from this retreat feeling completely relaxed, completely rejuvenated and will a know how to take better care of your constitution.
By joining this week long retreat you will be cut off from the demands of your frenetic life and enjoy a peaceful Imagine not having to think about a thing. Every detail is meticulously planned for you. All you’ve had to do is show up, be present and enjoy it. You’re being deeply immersed in the ancient Indian wisdom of Ayurveda learning how to take better care of yourself. As the stress slips away, you start to feel brighter and more inspired about life.
