Waterbury, VT (March 2008) – Through a new partnership with The International Kitchen Country Walkers will be welcoming gourmet chefs and beginners alike on Italy: Tuscany Fall Harvest & Tuscan Cooking with Chef Claudio, a NEW cooking class-infused walking adventure, launching September 2008.

Country Walkers, the premier purveyor of small group walking tours has teamed up with The International Kitchen, the leading provider of cooking school vacations in Europe, to create a delectable amble through the hills of central Tuscany. The ten-day tour leads guests through Tuscany’s best preserved medieval towns, including Siena, San Gimignano and Volterra – each rife with ancient architecture and artwork, as well as rustic ambiance and historic accommodations for which the region is so renowned.

Then turn your attention to the kitchen – and the table – as Chef Claudio Piantini brings equal doses of generosity, patience and skill to conduct hands-on cooking lessons of favorite Italian dishes. Piantini’s distinguished career has included formal culinary training, a stint as a restaurant sommelier, and his current position as owner and chef of Torre Guelfa Restaurant in Figline Valdarno.

Chef Piantini will lead tour guests in the creation of traditional dishes such as ribollita (Tuscan vegetable and bread soup) and crostini (grilled bread typically served with chicken liver or fresh tomatoes and olive oil), as well as less traditional fare like castagnaccio (chestnut flour cake enriched with nuts). Beginner and advanced cooks alike will have much to glean from Chef Piantini’s craft, and every appetite is certain to be satiated. Walking is the perfect complement to cooking, and this itinerary invites guests to explore the region by foot before sampling its culinary bounty in the kitchen with Chef Piantini.

Italy: Tuscany Fall Harvest & Tuscan Cooking with Chef Claudio, 10 days, 9 nights, starting at $4,898; departure September 14, 2008, with more tours to come in 2009.

For more information on Country Walkers and The International Kitchen, or to make reservations with Country Walkers, please contact (800) 464-9255, or www.countrywalkers.com.

Country Walkers, based in Waterbury, Vermont(www.countrywalkers.com) was established in 1980 and is the world.s premier small group walking tour provider. Country Walkers offers well-crafted itineraries for walking, snowshoeing, family, women.s adventures, and private vacations. All trips highlight superb cuisine, outstanding tour guides, and authentic accommodations.

First Choice Holidays PLC is a leading international leisure travel company. It operates from 17 major source markets, has 8 million customers and 72 brands. For more information visit First Choice Holidays PLC (www.firstchoiceholidaysplc.com).