You've traveled before. You've seen the sights. This time, you want to belong in Italy, not just visit it.
Someone who cares how a dish is made and why, who wants to walk into the woods behind a truffle dog, stand in a market before the town wakes up, and learn a family recipe from the people who've been making it their whole lives. You want the old world wisdom that gets passed down before anyone realizes what's being given.
You will step through the doors of the villa and feel it before you can explain it. Every window opens onto the golden sweep of the Valdichiana valley, sunlit olive groves, and Lake Trasimeno catching the light in the distance. This is the Tuscany I have come back to for many years now. September is one of my favorite times to be here. It is still warm, but the air is a little different. The olive groves start to change color, the vineyards get ready for harvest, and the villages hold their festivals, full of food, music, and neighbors who have known each other their whole lives.
Throughout the week, we live Tuscany the way it has always been lived. Through shared meals that run long. Through conversations with people who still work this land, whose families have worked it for generations. Through mornings, afternoons, and evenings in hilltop villages that most travelers never find their way to. Nothing here is rushed and nothing here is staged. There is a plan, but there is also room for whatever the day wants to give us.
Cooking was never just about food in my family. Born in Naples, there was always a story behind every dish, old world wisdom passed down before anyone realized what was being given. I did train formally too, at a culinary school in New York, but the truth is my nonna's stove, my mamma's hands, and my aunts' tables taught me more than any classroom could.
What keeps this trip coming back every year is not the itinerary. It is watching a group of strangers become a group of friends by Tuesday. Conversations that last far longer than the meal. That is the whole point, and it still gets me every single time.
Pasqualina
Traditions
The recipes and rituals of a real Italian kitchen, made by hand the way our family has always made them.
Authenticity
Nothing staged, nothing rushed. The Italy that's actually lived, not performed for visitors.
Belonging
Strangers when you arrive, family by the time you leave. That's not a figure of speech, it's what happens.
Legacy
Knowledge older than any of us, carried forward through generations and now shared with you.
Experience
You don't watch this trip happen. You're inside it, every day, from the first morning to the last.
Saturday to Saturday. There is always a plan, and there is always room for what the day wants to give us.
Arrival at the Villa
Check in at 2:00 p.m., a bottle of local wine waiting for you, and a welcome Apericena in Cortona's old town that evening, where you will meet your fellow travelers and my family for the first time.
The Family Farm
A hands on pasta making class with me and my family, followed by a traditional Sunday lunch together, surrounded by family, friends, and good food.
Truffle Hunting in Umbria
A morning in the woods with a local truffle hunter and his dog, on a scenic estate belonging to a family of winemakers, followed by a truffle lunch paired with wine made right there on the property.
Val d'Orcia and Montepulciano
A three course cooking class at a small, family owned restaurant in a medieval town overlooking the Val d'Orcia, then an afternoon in Montepulciano, known for its Vino Nobile wine and its views over the countryside.
A Free Day
Time to enjoy however you like: an excursion, or simply another charming Tuscan town at your own pace.
Market Morning and Medieval Towns
An optional morning at the weekly market in Camucia with Pasqualina, then a drive through hills, vineyards, and olive groves to two off the beaten path medieval towns, ending with a Tuscan and Umbrian dinner.
Free Time and Farewell Dinner
A free day to explore Cortona or simply relax at the villa, then a farewell dinner at a beloved local restaurant, once an old olive oil mill, with one last toast to the week.
Departure
Breakfast at the villa, checkout at 11:00 a.m.
Arrivederci! Until we meet again.
Don't just take our word for it. Here's what our guests have said, some of whom have traveled with us two or three times.
Dearest Lina, of the many wonderful things that made up our time in Italy, perhaps the best memories were from our time together as a group. Simple things like the time we did an impromptu visit to a small shop and had ice cream. The night we sipped gin on the patio of the main villa on the grounds where we stayed. The tutorials on making pasta and also when we made cheese. The greatest takeaway from these experiences was the sense of community we established in such a brief time. After all it is the people who make the adventure special and it all starts with you, My Italian Princess. In Italy as in Life, it's the small things that are the Big things! Homemade wine on the truffle farm — how simple, yet how much fun. Those moments are rich and the memories lasting. Much like you My Dearest, simply unforgettable.
I have been so very fortunate to have traveled twice to Italy on excursions with Pasqualina, or Lina for short, and the Culinary Genes. The first time to Tuscany and then again this past fall to the Amalfi Coast. Without question, both excursions were beyond my wildest dreams and I have had the time of my life! The attention to detail that Chef Lina and her team put into each trip is extraordinary. They go above and beyond to guarantee every detail is covered and every guest is treated like family. You are immersed in the country and its people in a way that is second to none because you are guided by passionate people who truly love Italy. It is truly magical. I will definitely be going back and wouldn't do it with anyone other than Lina.
All I can say is we had never been to Italy, and we had the greatest opportunity to visit Italy with Lina through Culinary Genes. It's been the best vacation we've ever had, so much so that we're now on round two, and it is fantastic. It's the only way to experience Italy through Lina, through her beautiful family, learning the culture firsthand, and finding all the hidden gems that only Lina and Culinary Genes knows about. You must do it. Her and her family are incredible. Love them.
We were privileged to participate in the Culinary Genes Culinary Experience in Tuscany. We cannot overstate what an amazing time we had on this adventure. The experience was curated and led by Pasqualina ("Lina") Raspaolo, who is both a consummate professional and a thoughtful, warm and fun human being. Her delight and love for the food, wine and people of the Tuscany region was abundant in every aspect of this experience. Over the week, we learned to make ravioli and pecorino cheese, spent a day truffle hunting with dogs, and explored ancient walled cities. After a few days, Lina's extended family felt like our family as well. We have fond memories of our time with Culinary Genes and hope to do another trip in the future.
- 7 nights at the villa, including daily cleaning, minibar, and one laundry service
- Daily breakfast, with gluten free and vegetarian options
- Welcome Apericena
- A Culinary Genes gift bag, with a bottle of local Tuscan wine
- Hands on pasta class and family Sunday lunch
- Truffle hunt, lunch, and wine tasting in Umbria
- Cooking class and lunch in the Val d'Orcia
- Tuscan and Umbrian dinner in a medieval village
- Visits to off the beaten path medieval towns
- City taxes
- Private transportation and gratuities for all listed excursions
- Farewell dinner at a converted olive oil mill
Limited to 12 guests, minimum 8 to run. Every room includes free Wi-Fi, a smart TV, tea and coffee, a minibar, a safe, and a bathrobe waiting for you. Every room also has a king size bed or twin beds and looks out over the Valdichiana and Lago Trasimeno.
Superior Valley View
Elegant rooms with frescoed ceilings.
Deluxe Room
Elegant rooms with frescoes, classic Tuscan style furnishings, and a sitting area.
Suite
Elegant and spacious. Composed of four rooms: an entrance hall, a living room, a bedroom, and a bathroom with a Jacuzzi tub and separate shower.
A non-refundable deposit of €650 secures your place, along with a signed waiver. Final payment is due by June 1, 2027. Payments accepted via PayPal, Zelle, or personal check.
Cancellation Policy
Cancellations between June 1 and July 1, 2027 forfeit 50% of the trip price, including the deposit. From July 2, 2027 onward, all payments are non-refundable and non-transferable. No exceptions can be made, including for weather, illness, or personal emergencies. If Culinary Genes LLC cancels the trip before it starts, all payments are refunded in full.
What about dietary needs?
Vegetarians and those who are lactose intolerant will find plenty of naturally delicious options, since Tuscan cooking leans on simple, seasonal, local ingredients. For mild gluten sensitivities, we can accommodate you. Because our partners are small, family run kitchens, we cannot guarantee the precautions required for severe gluten allergies.
Which airport should I fly into?
Florence (FLR) is about an hour and thirty five minutes away, and Rome (FCO) is about two hours and twenty minutes. Italy is several hours ahead of wherever you're flying from in the US, so plan to fly overnight and expect to land the following day. Arriving a few days early gives you time to settle in before jet lag catches up with you.
What should I pack?
A water bottle, mosquito spray, a swimsuit if you would like to visit the hot springs, a light sweater for the evenings, comfortable walking shoes, and your appetite. Transportation and hotels outside of planned events are not included, so we are happy to help you arrange private transportation to and from the villa.
My cookbooks carry the same traditional family recipes passed down for generations.
My first two books were written gluten free, out of love for my nephew and a dear friend who could no longer eat gluten. That is where it started, and it grew from there. My newest book leads with the traditional recipe first, and always includes a gluten free way to make it, because everyone deserves a seat at the table.
If this sounds like the trip you have been waiting for, I would love to hear from you.
Email Us to ReserveCon affetto,
Pasqualina