December 2008
Chef Guida shows off the pie people made
Guests enjoying the October sunshine.
Helping with the Olive harvest...
... then seeing how the oil is produced
We are grateful and proud that based on
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number one out of 400 Marche places to
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Gourmet Holidays
We had an excellent reception for our Gourmet Olive Breaks. During the 4 day weekends our guests were entertained at a dramatic, award winning vineyard; they enjoyed panoramic coastal views over a delicious seafood lunch; they learned some of the secrets of Italian cooking at an eclectic arts club and ate local delicacies at restaurants in restored palazzos. We also found time to show them some beautiful renaissance cities and to let them try their hand at olive picking together with a fascinating visit to the press.
The 2008 breaks were featured in a full page Observer article.
People are already booking for 2009, to join them on a Gourmet Olive Break next year, book before 31st January for £50 off the price.
Outside the peak season we would be delighted to organise a gourmet break for small groups, please contact us if you would like more information.
Cookery courses
One of the most popular parts of our weekend breaks was the cookery course. Academy chef Guida Stacchietti makes the course as enjoyable as it is instructional, in the wonderful setting of the Il Maniero Arts Club, you can let your creative juices flow and learn how to create some wonderful Italian dishes.
You can take part in a cookery course as part of your stay at Casal dei Fichi. Anything from a morning's course to 5 days. Prices start from as little as £50 per person. We can even customise the programme based on what you'd like to learn.
Autumn Sunshine
Again the sun kept shining right into November. This year even more people discovered the beauty of Marche in autumn and thanks to solar panels and a summer cover our guests kept on using the pool right up until the end of October.
Extra Facilities
Work has started on rebuilding our outbuildings, this will give us a large additional room which will be ideal for functions and courses, we are already planning a wedding for 2010.
Photography Courses
With our stunning views and expert tuition from Guilio Mazzarini of London's St Martin's College you can learn to get the best results from your digital camera. We have a course scheduled for the week of 12th September and hope to run an additional one this spring.
2009 Bookings
We have already received many bookings for 2009 and there are limited places remaining for August. We would love to see you all again next year and are holding this years prices for bookings made before 1st January 2009. Remember there is also a 10% discount for returning guests - so book now for a gorgeous holiday at a discounted price!
Looking for a more space?
Outside the peak season you can rent Raffaello configured as a very large two bedroom/two bathroom apartment which can sleep up to 6.
2009 Calendars
Our 2009 calendar are ready to be sent out, full of tempting photos of Casal dei Fichi and Le Marche. If we don't have your address and you would like us to send one to you, please mail us and we will pop one in the post.
New for 2009
 |
We always try to ensure that we provide everything our guests need but we value your feedback and wherever practical incorporate the suggestions into our apartments. In addition to the new facilities mentioned above, for 2009 we are delighted to announce: eggcups, aprons, new (and hopefully wind resistant) pool umbrellas, road maintenance scheduled over the winter and improved outside lighting. |
Christmas and New Year
Just in case you haven't made any plans yet and fancy something different we are here and open over the holiday
and finally...
We would like to thank all our guests who have visited us this year and helped us make Casal dei Fichi such a success. We wish you all everything that you would wish for yourselves and wherever you are in 2009, have a fantastic time.
Bob and Ian
If you're planning your next holiday, so are we!
Retrace the progress of Casal dei Fichi
PS, Balzo, Hattie and the cats are all fine.