Cosmos, Treasures of Italy Tour

If you, like me, have an affinity for food and especially dishes incorporating truffles, then there can be no greater experience to be had than the Truffle Hunter's (www.trufflehunter.co.uk) weekend away in the Sibilini Mountain National Park; right in the heart of where some of Europe's finest truffles are hunted! I have become a regular patron of Truffle Hunter, simply because they offer the best and easiest way to get one's hands on fresh truffles! I then saw that they were offering a weekend away so that people like you and me (who appreciate fine dining) could delve into the world of the intrepid truffle hunter! It took me all of ten minutes to convince my husband, since he too is a culinary enthusiast, and we booked ourselves into Truffle Hunter's exciting holiday program!

A month later, we returned to Devon from a whirlwind romance with untouched natural beauty, food that could well be served in heaven and fantastic experiences that took us deep into the heavy forests blanketing the flanks of the Italian Sibilini Mountain range. Wine tastings, luxurious accommodation, the greatest company and (my favorite) cooking lessons dispensed by a chef with years of experience in preparing gourmet meals with truffles! The Truffle Hunting weekend away was simply magical and filled with incredible food, wine, company and breath-taking experiences. I would recommend this to all, whether you have tasted the delights of a truffle or not!

My brother and I took a 'Treasures of Italy tour' with Cosmos and it was fabulous! The tour was very well planned, the tour director was professional and extremely helpful and the local tour guides were excellent. The hotels and facilities were good enough considering that we only stayed in most of them overnight. There were plenty of optional extras such as a gondola ride with accompanying music in Venice, a good tour of Capri in a boat around the Island (being told that local tour guides could charge too much for a VERY short trip around the island) and lots more. The help with where the cheapest places to eat and where the cheaper toilets were, was very welcome indeed! Our luggage was sent to our rooms and taken back to the coach without us having to carry it around which was good.I highly recommend the chair lift trip in Capri as it is the only way to see the island. Even if you are scared of heights (like me!), it doesn't feel like you are so high. Also, the trip to the Vatican is a must as it is truly amazing.Overall, the trip was very good with a lot to do for everyone. I highly recommend it!!