In order to discover the culinary traditions of Tuscany or just to spend a different day behind the stoves, Villa Marsili organizes cooking courses in two different fascinating farmhouses soaked in the greenness of the Cortonesi Hills, very close to the Hotel. Villa Marsili can organize two types of cooking classes:

OPTION 1: with Sgnora Donatella
Cooking classes can be of one or more days, begin at 9.00 a.m or at 6,00 p.m and last about 2 hours. During the lessons the participants can prepare typical Tuscan specialities such as hand made pasta, meat canapé and our delicious desserts. Classes are hands-on with an English translator. After the lessons, guests can relax themselves and sample the dishes they prepared.

In addition to this, each participant can buy a practical brochure with typical Tuscan recipes.

Cooking class daily
(Minimum of 4 people)

The rate per person is 75,00 Euro and includes:

1 Cooking class
1 Lunch or Dinner, sampling the dishes made during the lesson (Appetizer, first course, second course, dessert and drinks)
English translator

OPTION 2: with Signor Imperio
More particular cooking lessons which start in the afternoon, at 3.30 p.m, with a visit to an olive mill where guests are able to see the place where the famous extravirgin olive oil is made. Then guests reach an authentic farmhouse, very close to our Hotel, where they start the cooking lesson. During the lesson the participants can prepare typical Tuscan specialities and after they sample the dishes they prepared:

2 Appetizers
2 First Courses
2 Main Courses
2 Desserts
combined wines

Cooking class daily
(Minimum of 4 people)

The rate per person is 100,00 Euro and includes:

The guided visit to the olive mill
1 Cooking class
1 Dinner, sampling the dishes made during the lesson
English translator

History

At the beginning of the XIVth century, the Chiesa della Madonna degli Alemanni, a very ancient church with an underneath oratory, was standing on the very spot of the hotel. The church was on the present hall floor, while the oratory was on the lower floor. The two structures were connected by a staircase which is still linking the two floors.

In the origin, the church was a place of cult and devotion: people went there to worship a miraculous simulacrum representing the Virgin's bust with the Child (Madonna della Manna). It is a XIVth century terracotta which is actually on display in the Duomo di Cortona. The church was decorated with remarkable works of art; besides the above mentioned terracotta, there was a big picture representing Our Lady of the Assumption. This painting, which was attributed to Andrea del Sarto, is now stored in the choir of the Duomo di Cortona. There was also a wooden crucifix, by F. Fabbrucci, with its finely carved case which is today housed in the Chiesa dello Spirito Santo in Cortona. The cult of the Madonna degli Alemanni was so widespread and deeply felt that the church proved to be too narrow to host its devotees.

The church was thus knocked down in 1730 and a new, bigger one was erected in its stead. It was decorated with stuccoes and frescoes whose main remains is a Madonna with S. Andrea Avellino, by the artist F. Fabbrucci from Corstona (XVIIIth century). Among the original church's remains, two gothic capitals and two frescoes are particularly worth mentioning. They are now housed in the Istituto delle Suore Serve di Maria Riparatrici, in Via G. Severini, just opposite the hotel. The first fresco, from Bartolomeo della Gatta's school (XVth century), where the Virgin with the Child is painted on a tile just in front of an oak, is generally known as "Madonna della Quercia" (The Oak's Virgin).
The second fresco, whose author is still unknown, represents Giobbe and is dated 1504. On the 8th of October 1741, a solemn ceremony took place in the Duomo di Cortona to pay homage to the image of the Madonna degli Alemanni and the Child. Later on, the demolition of many small churches was ordered by the Archduke Leopoldo di Toscana. The church of the Madonna degli Alemanni was thus knocked down in 1786. In its stead, a gentleman's residence was built (Villa Marsili) looking about the same as the present hotel.

Spoletto

Even if shows evident traces of the Roman era even in its urban structure, substantially maintains a medieval appearance, due to the period in which it was first a flourishing longobard Duchy, and then an important city within the Papal State.

The Arch of Drusus (23 A.C.) to be found near the Romanic church of St. Ansano , the Roman theatre, whose construction goes back to the first years of the Empire, and the paleocristian basilica St. Salvatore of the 4th century (at about 1.2 km's distance to the north), are testimonials of Spoleto's earliest origins. Close by, the church St.Gregorio Maggiore,(12th century), characterized by its evocative apses zone and by the elevated presbytery, a Roman bridge (also called "the Bloody") consisting of three arches in travertine stone blocks and the amphitheatre of the 2nd century A.C. can be found. More modern monuments which are as fascinating are the churches of St. Dominic and St. Ponziano, both of which were built during the 12th century. The church of St. Peter is surely of great interest because of its extraordinary bas-reliefs which decorate the facade which dates back to the 12th century.

From the area found in front of the church of St. Peter one enjoys a wide panorama which encompasses all of Spoleto until the mighty Bridge of the Towers (ten arches with a total height of 80 meters and 230 meters long), which connects the Castle, which was constructed from 1352 onwards on the orders of the Cardinal Egidio Albornoz according to plans by Matteo Gattaponi, to the runners of the mountain which dominates the city. Monteluco was, in fact, the sacred mountain of the anchorites, who having settled in this zone from the 7th century on, founded the convent of St. Francesco, to be found at about 8 km's distance from the inhabited area, and the church of St. Julian. Without doubt, on the person who has the good luck of visiting these sights, the entire Cathedral complex constructed during the 12th century and characterized apart from the richness of furnishings of the interior also by the mosaics in the Byzantine style on its facade, and the Romanic church of St.Eufemia will make an unforgettable impression.
Among the most important manifestations taking place in the city we should absolutely mention the festival Festival of the two Worlds.

This very particular portable crucifix, tempera on a table of 39x49 cm, was realized by the Maestro of St.Alò and can be admired in the Communal art gallery of Spoleto.The history of this object can be built as follows: Gregory IX, was elected Pope in 1227, he was nourishing a particular affection for the Benedictine Sisters of St. Paolo; he consecrated again their church in 1234 and gave them precious relics, that were kept in the recesses of this reliquary of which the Sisters always took good care. The Crucifix is painted on two sides; on the front the Christ is surrounded by soldiers, on the lateral tables are represented the Madonna and St. Giovanni; at the feet of the Christ there is St. Claire, the ogee moulding has a long inscription, that continues going around the protection element of the recess aimed at keeping a small silver cross. On the back the Christ is presented collapsing from the cross, St.Paolo, St.Pietro and St.Giovanni Battista; on the tables are also represented the Madonna and St.Giovanni; at the feet of the Christ there is St.Francesco; on the ogee moulding two Angels with some torches are watching over the relics kept in the apposite recess. On the border of the object there is a stamping made of a double line of points with small stars inside. Bella Umbria thanks Mr.Massimo Eugenio Micanti, from the Centro Restauro Terni, for the collaboration for the realization of this article.

The basilica of St.Salvatore, the most ancient church in Spoleto, is an interesting monument whose origins go back to the the IV - V century.

The ornaments of the doors and the windows were imitated and inspired other constructions in the same area, as it is the case for the Small Temple of Clitunno. This ornamental style became characteristic of the area. Of the old and original building the facade has been maintained, with the three doors and windows characterised by remarkable decorations. At the inside, the presbytery with semicircular apse is well preserved. The columns dividing the three naves are probably the remains of a previous roman temple. Today the columns unfortunately are merged to walls built around the VIII century, when subsequently to a fire or a landslide in the basilica, some modifications of the original structure became necessary.

Although the origins of the church of St.Peter go back to the 5th century, the present appearance of the building is definitely the result of interventions during the 12th century on the facade and during the 18th century in the interior.

Particularly impressive are the three portals and the romanic bas-reliefs which flank the middle portal. The decoration of the facade, which is without doubt the building's most interesting element, represents in the uppermost part St. Peter and St. Andrew and two steers, symbols of sacrifice; at the centre three rose windows of which the central one contains the symbols of the Evangelist: the eagle for St. John, the angel for St. Matthew, the steer for St. Lucas and the lion for St. Mark; in the lower part, finally, ten scenes taken from the New Testament and from fairy-tales and medieval bestiaries: death of the just man; death of the sinne;, the lion and the woodcutter; the lion and the man genuflecting; the lion attacking the soldier; the washing of the feet; the vocation of St. Peter and St. Andrea; the fox pretending to be dead and the crows; the wolf and the ram; the lion battling against the dragon.