Terra Summer Italia is a unique parent-and-child summer educational travel experience that immerses you in the study of the foods of Southern Tuscany in a magical venue in the company of your child.
On a splendid and exclusive property cradled by rolling hills and textured vistas of the Val d’Orcia, we grow our vegetables with you in our orto (vegetable garden); we learn to cook Tuscan food with local people and chefs; and we learn about local food traditions and folklore. Led by expert staff, we study the history, geography, and anthropology of the foods we prepare, and we explore the alluring connections of the people and places behind it all.
The Terra Summer Italia experience, rooted in the simplicity of an ancient way of living and eating, introduces you and your child to a soulful and holistic relationship with food that involves bodies and minds, awareness of other people and cultures, and the mindfulness of your choices.
Terra Summer Italia’s home is the magical eleventh-century Abbazia di Spineto, located halfway between Rome and Florence, in the province of Siena. With its 2,500 acres of pastures, hills, and woods, eleven immaculately restored farmhouses, lakes and walking trails, Lo Spineto offers Terra Summer and its students beautiful spaces for study and learning, peaceful vegetable gardens and kitchens for growing and cooking, and stunning homes in which to play and rest.
It is an honor – by dint of a long and dear relationship – for us to be able to offer Terra Summer Italia at Lo Spineto. I had the fortune of growing up just a few kilometers away, in the town of Cetona. Here, I played, studied, loved, found my emotional and intellectual landmarks, and became an adult. This land is the residence of my senses and sensibilities. My knowledge of and connections to local people, traditions, and customs offer you the privilege of an insider’s experience and afford Terra Summer the exclusivity of a magnificent home as well as greater learning and expertise.
Come join us. Take a break; learn something new; make new friends; stay in a wonderful home; eat delicious food in good company; enjoy the unadulterated beauty of Tuscany; and share an unforgettable experience with your child.
Please visit the links above for information on the Terra Summer Italia 2012 session dates and costs, our program of study, and our accommodations.
Warmly,
Sybil Fix
Founder & CEO
Terra Summer Italia