Art and cooking courses in Medieval Spanish town of Trujillo
Trujillo Villas Espana has launched three new art and cooking courses for 2012 Trujillo is a walled hilltop town overlooking the plains of Extremadura in South West Spain, which has remained under the tourist radar.
The seven night course is based at Villa Piedras Albas, a grand Palazzo and one of Trujillo’s most historic properties. An important example of 16th century Renaissance architecture with a Florentine style arched loggia, Villa Piedras Albas overlooks the main square of the town, which is full of cafes and restaurants. Guests on the course stay at the Palazzo and can relax in its walled garden, which has a swimming pool, a games area and a summer dining pavilion.
The course includes two days of art tuition with English art teacher Noelle Griffiths, who focuses on individual requirements according to the level of expeience. She teaches basic observational skills for beginners and improving existing skills for the more experienced. Guests are given the opportunity to sketch local scenes, wildlife and Medieval architecture under expert tuition.
The two day cooking course focuses on Iberic and Moorish cuisine with English cook Pippa Sharman. Local ingredients, such as Iberico ham and pimenton are used and guests learn how to make regional specialities such as Caldereta, a local lamb stew. Other dishes are heavily influenced by ingredients brough back from the New World by Trujillo’s conquistadors, such as chocolate, peppers, tomatoes and maize. Lunches are served in the garden, dinners on the loggia and the conquistador feast in the formal dining room.
The final two days of the course are spent touring the area, including a guided cultural tour of Trujillo and a day trip to the Roman UNESCO World Heritage site of Merida.
Trujillo Villas Espana is the only villa operator in Trujillo with a portfolio of five properties. The seven night course costs £980 per person, including accommodation, tuition and all meals (excluding the Tapas lunch in Merida). Guests staying at one of Trujillo Villas Espana’s other villas can join the course on a daily basis from £95 per day.
Course dates for 2012 are 23-30 June, 15-22 September and 13-20 October.
Trujillo is approximately two and a half hours from Madrid. It is advisable to hire a car or there is an express coach (avanzabus.com). Transfers from the local bus station are incuded. For more information and bookings visit trujillovillasespana.com.
