Italian Cooking Holidays in Puglia
Nicknamed the heel of Italy, Puglia is a sunny coastal region in south-east of the country. We base ourselves in the Salento area in the heart of southern Puglia,where you’ll find a wealth of culinary inspiration for your cookery holiday. The region’s cuisine has been influenced over the centuries by its neighbours and invaders. The incredibly rich natural larder of the region is known for producing most of the country’s olive oil, full-bodied wines and its famously intensely flavoured olives, almonds and figs. Learn to cook local specialities like orecchiette (an ear-shaped pasta) con cima di rapa and seafood risotto using the local catch of the day.
Sights to savour along with the turquoise sea and long sandy beaches include the handsome Baroque cathedral in Otranto, with a mosaic floor to rival Ravenna, and the city of Lecce’s more than 40 churches and a noble palazzo built in the 17th and 18th centuries. South of Lecce, the landscape flattens and the sky opens out. Acres of olive groves and vineyards extend between dry-stone walls. The coastline of turquoise sea and red cliffs combine to form a dramatic backdrop – the perfect spot for a week of culinary indulgence and relaxation.
Everything was just wonderful. A little bit of paradise in Puglia.
Villa Accommodation
Our cooks get to enjoy two amazing villas in Puglia.
Casino Pisanelli is our Puglia holiday venue which is indeed a stunning venue, situated in the heart of rural Salento. It’s a real hidden gem. Originally a hunting lodge built in the 17th century for a local Count, the estate is now used exclusively by Flavours for just a few months of the year. The style of Casino Pisanelli is a stunning mix of traditional and modern, with wonderful formal gardens and a glorious swimming pool – the perfect spot to relax after a busy morning in the kitchen.
To find out more about our accommodation please email our team.
Your Holiday Price Includes:
- 5 cookery lessons with our knowledgeable local Italian chefs.
- Accommodation in a 17th century hunting lodge, beautifully restored into a glorious retreat.
- Private, en-suite accommodation in our Puglian villa.
- Day trips to local towns such as Lecce, known as the 'Florence of the South'.
- All meals and wine, including 2 meals at local restaurants.
- Private transport throughout stay.
- Group airport transfers*
- No single supplement
* Provided you are able to meet them. Please ask for transfer times.
Dates for 2025
Reserve your holiday by paying a deposit of £599 today.
| Date | Price | Availability | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sat 3 May - Sat 10 May | £1899 | Sold Out | |||
| Sat 10 May - Sat 17 May | £1899 | Last Room | Ask a question » | ||
| Sat 17 May - Sat 24 May | £1899 | Limited | Ask a question » | ||
| Sat 24 May - Sat 31 May | £1899 | Available | Ask a question » | ||
| Sat 31 May - Sat 7 Jun | £1899 | Sold Out | |||
| Sat 7 Jun - Sat 14 Jun | £1899 | Available | Ask a question » | ||
| Sat 14 Jun - Sat 21 Jun | £1899 | Last Room | Ask a question » | ||
| Sat 21 Jun - Sat 28 Jun | £1899 | Limited | Ask a question » | ||
| Sat 13 Sep - Sat 20 Sep | £1899 | Available | Ask a question » | ||
| Sat 20 Sep - Sat 27 Sep | £1899 | Available | Ask a question » | ||
| Sat 27 Sep - Sat 4 Oct | £1899 | Limited | Ask a question » | ||
| Sat 4 Oct - Sat 11 Oct | £1899 | Available | Ask a question » | ||
| Sat 11 Oct - Sat 18 Oct | £1899 | Available | Ask a question » | ||
| Sat 18 Oct - Sat 25 Oct | £1899 | Limited | Ask a question » |
Dates for 2026
| Date | Price | Availability | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sat 25 Apr - Sat 2 May | £1999 | Available | Ask a question » | ||
| Sat 2 May - Sat 9 May | £1999 | Available | Ask a question » | ||
| Sat 9 May - Sat 16 May | £1999 | Available | Ask a question » | ||
| Sat 16 May - Sat 23 May | £1999 | Available | Ask a question » | ||
| Sat 23 May - Sat 30 May | £1999 | Available | Ask a question » | ||
| Sat 30 May - Sat 6 Jun | £1999 | Available | Ask a question » | ||
| Sat 6 Jun - Sat 13 Jun | £1999 | Available | Ask a question » | ||
| Sat 13 Jun - Sat 20 Jun | £1999 | Available | Ask a question » | ||
| Sat 20 Jun - Sat 27 Jun | £1999 | Available | Ask a question » | ||
| Sat 12 Sep - Sat 19 Sep | £1999 | Available | Ask a question » | ||
| Sat 19 Sep - Sat 26 Sep | £1999 | Available | Ask a question » | ||
| Sat 26 Sep - Sat 3 Oct | £1999 | Available | Ask a question » | ||
| Sat 3 Oct - Sat 10 Oct | £1999 | Available | Ask a question » | ||
| Sat 10 Oct - Sat 17 Oct | £1999 | Available | Ask a question » | ||
| Sat 17 Oct - Sat 24 Oct | £1999 | Available | Ask a question » |
Cooking Holiday in Puglia - Itinerary
Day 1 - Group transfer to the villa.
Our Flavours transfer will meet you at Brindisi Airport and take you to the villa for welcome drinks and time to relax before dinner prepared by our local chef.
Day 2 - Your first cookery lesson followed by a visit to Santa Maria di Leuca.
After breakfast, you will have your first cookery lesson with our local chef Antonio, followed by lunch. In the afternoon, you will visit Santa Maria di Leuca, at the very tip of the Salentine Peninsula where the Ionian and Adriatic Seas meet. Enjoy an aperitivo and dinner in our favourite local trattoria.
Day 3 - Your second cooking lesson followed by a private wine tasting.
Following breakfast this morning, enjoy your second cookery lesson, followed by lunch. In the late afternoon, we’ll head to a local winery for a private wine tasting. Return to the villa for dinner this evening, prepared by your chef.
Day 4 - Sight-seeing in Lecce and lunch at a traditional trattoria.
After breakfast, the group will leave for a trip to Lecce – the ‘Florence of the South’. Lunch will be at a local trattoria. After lunch, we will visit Otranto situated by the sea, with the chance to visit the famous Cathedral with its beautiful medieval floor mosaic. Return to the villa for dinner.
Day 5 - Cooking lesson and day to relax at the villa.
This morning, enjoy another cooking lesson with Antonio and then lunch. The afternoon is free to relax in the villa, take advantage of the pool or take a walk around the olive groves. Dinner tonight is prepared by your chef.
Day 6 - Day trip to Gallipoli with dinner at a local trattoria.
This morning, time for another cookery lesson in the kitchen, enjoying your dishes for lunch. You will then have a late afternoon visit to Gallipoli, on the Ionic sea, where you can watch the fishing boats arrive and wander around the old town. Dinner will be at a local trattoria.
Day 7 - Final cookery lesson and farewell dinner.
Enjoy your final cookery lesson this morning and then lunch. The afternoon is free to relax by the pool or in the grounds of the villa. A special farewell dinner will be prepared for you by your chef.
Day 8 - Group transport to the airport.
After breakfast, your transfer will collect you and return you to the airport. Arrivederci!
No Single Supplement
A room to yourself. We never charge a single room supplement.
Solo Traveller Friendly
Over 70% of our guests travel solo taking advantage of our no single supplement policy.
Travel Information
Download Our Holiday Brochure
Our brochure includes detailed holiday itineraries, dates and prices, experiences shared by fellow travellers, profiles of our team in Italy, and travel tips.
If you might be interested in activities other than Cooking, you can find out more about the Pilates, Painting and Photography activity holidays that we offer in Puglia.
All your questions answered
For more information about Flavours Holidays:
Flavours Holiday Testimonials
Our chef Antonio was really inspiring and a very nice guy. Together with Mari-Angela they made a fab team in the kitchen. I felt that the down time that we had was a perfect match with the times that we were busy.
Another wonderful Flavours cooking holiday! It's so difficult to pick a favourite part. Our villa in Puglia was stunning, our host Mariangela, our cook Giulia and our ever patient teacher Antonio were all amazing. Cooking as a group was fun and we learnt a lot - followed up by prosecco on the terrace and enjoying the results of our cooking for lunch. We had a great group of people and went on several trips as well as relaxing by the beautiful pool. Have booked another Flavours trip for next year and so looking forward to that!!
The cookery lessons were very informative and interesting but the cooking brochure needs proof reading as there were numerous typos and ingredient errors. The grounds of the villa were beautiful to relax in.
The camaraderie throughout but especially in the kitchen and our lovely chef Antonio whonis just amazing. His dishes were delicious and as important all we can cook ourselves.nHis knowledge and patience knows no bounds!! Our host Mariangela and also our interpreter for Antonio (though from those little smiles I think he understands more than he let's on) was excellent, kind, thoughtful, knowledgeable - she's a keeper - don't let her get away! Last but by no way least the stunning villa - gardens, rooms all excellent and of course that never ending bottle of Prosseco!n
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