I am taking 11 women to Umbria near Gubbio. We would like to do a half day cooking class and maybe two other day trips like a wine tasting lunch and a trip to go antiqueing or to Lake Trasemino. We need recommendations of beautiful quaint lovely places! Thanks
Any recommendations? We found a couple of cooking tours in people's home but for our group it was going to be about 1200 Euros- seems quite steep to me- HELP! We have two vans and can travel.

How did you pick the Gubbio area as your location? It seems a bit isolated to me.

I think the 1200 euros for 11 people (or is it 12 counting you?) only sounds steep because of the weak U.S. dollar (assuming you're American).

I think the best place for antiques in Tuscany would be the monthly market in Arezzo. The first Sunday of every month plus the Saturday before. Gubbio to Arezzo is 90 minutes each way, and you should figure out in advance where you're going to park.

FWIW, I love Gubbio, but if you're planning many excursions, it is a little isolated. You could probably arrange a wine tasting lunch in Gubbio, but the Umbrian wine region is centered 60 minutes or more south of where you'll be.

Thanks for your responses. I should say that I just picked Gubbio because of the remote locale. We are painters wanting a different experience than "mobbed" tourist destinations. We intend to drive south for the wine experience and paint along the way, just didn't know where to go. I also am having a difficult time directing my students inquiries about train stations from Florence (petrola) and Rome airport. I have said that I'll pick them up at the gubbio train station but I'm finding conflicting info about routes? Can you help me? Thanks for your insight- it means a lot.

You know there is no train station at Gubbio itself? The closest one is at Fossato di Vico, about 20km away. There are buses from Rome, Florence, and Perugia. I have taken a bus from Perugia and back last year.

If you would like your students to enjoy a quiet peaceful excursion take the boat to Isola Maggiore from Passignano sul Trasimeno (about 20KM north West of Perugia). Pretty little village with views from the little church at the summit of the island.

The ones arriving at the Florence airport would take the bus into the city and then a train. Rather than Fossato di Vico, I'd suggest Umbertide. It will be a slightly longer drive for you (10 mins.?), but a much shorter train ride for them (60 mins.?). Here's the airport website for bus info and the train website to search the timetables:

http://www.aeroporto.firenze.it/EN/i...s&jk=17&curr=0

http://www.ferroviedellostato.it/homepage_en.html

The ones arriving at FCO/Rome would just take trains all the way from the airport to Umbertide.

I'm a little surprised you didn't investigate this aspect of staying in Gubbio before you picked it. Oh well, have a great time in one of my favorite areas of Italy. We had a great lunch in Gubbio at a restaurant named Ristorante Picchio Verde (green woodpecker, a local endangered bird). Take your pocket translator with you; we were the only English-speakers in the place.

http://www.karenbrown.com/Restaurant...o_Verde/17.php

What great info everyone and thanks. To Jean- yes you would be surprised I hadn't investigated this area unless you knew that I had relied on my Italian consierge to help me and he continued to NOT be forthcoming with this information saying he would provide all info as our trip drew closer. What I found was that someone that is holding thousands and thousands of your dollars can't be made to divulge information no matter what and I just flat didn't understand routes of trains, etc. I would guess that someone as unknowledgeable as myself just shouls stay home. We rented a castle back in January I think it was and couldn't get help with itenarary, routes for travel, from their company, my personal consierge nor several places I tried on the internet. I don't know why it was so very very hard as others have no problem. - it's been a complete and total nightmare. Your kind words and travel ideas were great and I also want to thank Bellini , Greg, and Bob the Navigator.

I sincerely hope that in the future someone will contact me for help stateside in an area that I know. I will be so happy to help and not admonish those asking as I understand how utterly frusterating and helpless a foreign traveler can feel.