White truffles from Tuscany, Italy. Photo credit: Camino Ways.

In Tuscany, Italy, every fall in San Miniato, there is a National White Truffle Fair called La Sagra del Tartufo Bianco.

During the last three weeks of November, the festival features San Miniato’s white truffles and other Tuscan products, attracting Italians and culinary travelers alike.

Grown in the hills of San Miniato, these white truffles are considered some of the finest quality white truffles in Europe.

As the Truffle Fair is located along the route of the Via Francigena, section 14, travel company CaminoWays.com offers a gastronomical and cultural Truffle Fair Holiday.

A basket of white truffles. Photo credit: Camino Ways.

“Truffles are a form of fungi and often difficult to find as they are grown underground. This Italian mushroom delicacy, typically a pale orange in color, is considered to be the best in the world, even compared to the black French truffle,”says Camino Ways.

In the region, the neighboring Tuscan villages and towns also participate by organizing exhibitions within the festivals where locals and travelers can buy fresh truffles and savor truffle-based dishes.

Private pool at Cortijo El Carligto in Andalucia, Spain. Photo credit: Cortijo El Carligto.

A private mountain hideaway can be a dreamy place.

Take the case of Cortijo El Carligto, a private Andalucian hideaway. Perched on a secluded hilltop at the junction of three mountain ranges, this luxury villa rental offers views over the Mediterranean to the Moroccan coast.

Cortijo El Carligto and its team of freelance professionals offer gastronomy, Flamenco performances, beauty therapy, personal training, guided city tours and trekking in the mountain nature reserve.

Cortijo El Carligto is situated on 10 acres overlooking the sea. Photo credit: Cortijo El Carligto.

Says owner Alan Hazel:

“Guests can have everything at El Carligto that they would expect from a five-star hotel, but here we offer something they cannot: peaceful, luxurious privacy.”

Poolside summer kitchen. Photo credit: Photo credit: Cortijo El Carligto.

Calling itself a “gastro-villa”, Cortijo El Carligto opened to the public in 2010, attracting A-listers including singer George Michael, the villa’s first guest.

Cortijo El Carligto chefs Juan Quintanilla and David Palacios create daily catering and gourmet tasting menus, cooking courses and private meals. On their guided culinary outings, the chefs have taken villa guests to Malaga’s food markets, tapas routes and local wineries.

A Spanish feast. Photo credit: Photo credit: El Carligto.

El Carligto features special culinary packages – short culture and gastronomic breaks (example: four-day Spanish Cocina Nueva) and autumn/winter Harvest Holidays with hands-on experiences (harvesting grapes and olives).

Cortijo El Carligto

Loma de la Caceria

Apartado 8

29716 Canillas de Aceituno,

Malaga, Spain

Website: www.carligto.com