Time your arrival for late morning or early afternoon. Settle in at the Casa before your first cooking class at 6 pm. You will be taught by Chef Luis in the kitchen of his renowned local restaurant a 10 minute drive from the hotel. Your first lesson will be focussed on traditional Portuguese food. Dinner of what you've prepared follows paired with excellent matching wines. Next morning it’s off for a private tour of historic Santarem, its food market and main monuments. After the tour the time is your own to explore the town at your own pace and do some shopping. We'll give you tips as to where to find local delicacies. At 12.30pm we head off to one of the region’s finest wineries. We will tour the imposing quinta of this excellent wine producer, which will be followed by a wine tasting combined with a light lunch of delicious local foood. Around 4.30pm it’s back to the hotel with time to relax or have a swim before the evening’s cooking class at 6.00pm You have the morning to yourself to explore or just relax. At noon there's a trip to Quinta Vale de Lobos, one of Portugal's best olive oil producers. You'll see the picturesque farm and the surrounding land; learn about the production of olive oil, as well as have a comparative olive oil tasting. The late afternoon cooking class starts at 6 pm, hosted by Claudia the owner and chef of the casa, together with her mother Isabel. The focus will be on Portuguese home-style cooking, with a specific emphasis on the authentic desserts of the convents. A real treat. The cooking class will be followed by dinner in the dining room of the casa, with wines to accompany. Departure is after a leisurely breakfast. 2008 : 24 April, 22 May, 26 June, 11 Sept, 9 Oct