Simpson Travel present the world on a plate.

We recommend a number of holidays with which to experience the many flavours the world has to offer.

In Corsica, time is taken to eat - it's never rushed. Meals are quite long and generally consist of several courses.

All the usual French products can be found in Corsica, like croissants and baguettes and gastronomic meals are becoming more common than they used to be before. But the origins of real Corsican cooking are in the simple, mountain fayre and the use of fresh local produce, which is often seasonal and undoubtedly superb, when at its best.

Corsican cheese is still made up in the mountains from either sheep or goats' milk - animals, which are still raised according to traditional transhumance (moving the goats to the mountains in the summer and then back to the sea-side for the winter). Goat's cheese is usually quite pungent and comes in soft and hard varieties, whilst a typical Corsican soft cheese is brocciu. Try a delicious omelette stuffed with brocciu and fresh mint!

Typical of mountain cuisine, Corsicans make delicious stews - civet. Most commonly made from wild boar (sanglier) when in season, but also with veal (veau) and olives, or kid (cabri), which is sometimes roasted.

Seafood is by no means to be excluded - there's plenty of trout in the mountains and fresh langouste (crayfish), mussels and different fish from the Mediterranean, on the coast. It would be difficult not to try a fish soup, served with grated cheese and spicy mayonnaise, smothered croutons.

Aromatic herbs from the maquis are often used as ingredients in recipes and many of Corsica's fruits like arbouse (arbutus berry), myrte (myrtle), cédrat (citron), and clementines are made into sweet conserves, whilst Corsican honey comes in so many varieties with quite distinctive tastes. These sometimes come in pretty jars, ideal as gifts.

Savour the flavours of Corsica with Simpson Travel

Indulge in fine gastronomy of a the excellent Hôtel-Restaurant A Pasturella in Montecellos' village setting with a free meal, compliments of Simpson Travel Hôtel-Restaurant A Pasturella.

Country calm settles like a soft duvet on the outskirts of the village of Monticello but, on the main square, A Pasturella enjoys being the hub of local life.

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Faultless luxury and 'Michelin' star food are the hallmarks of the visually stunning Hotel La Villa overlooking Calvi's incomparable citadel and harbour.

Hotel La Villa is an elegant Relais et Châteaux hotel with 4 swimming pools and fitness centre Calvi airport transfers included.

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Casadelmar is a one-off, the coolest, most beautiful contemporary hotel in Porto Vecchio, Corsica, and we at Simpson Travel are delighted to be the only UK Corsica specialist to offer it.

The hotel features a Michelin Star restaurant.

Arrestingly designed and luxurious in its simplicity, the cedar-clad Casadelmar has an almost eastern serenity. Zen is the word that immediately springs to mind. Attention to detail has been fastidious at every level, from the spare elegance of the pool area to the exquisite and imaginative Mediterranean food or the sybaritic surroundings of the Feng Shui spa and fitness centre, specialising in oriental therapies.

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Much of Greece's charm derives from a sense that nothing much changes here from year to year. But there is one area where change has occurred and it is a welcome one. For years Greek food was, famously, a matter of kebabs, moussaka, Greek salad and taramaslata; simple, but sometimes lacking in variety. Yet Greece has always been rich in produce - from seafood to olives, from pastries to colourful vegetables, fragrant honey, fruits and wine. Now a revival in regional Greek cooking is being spearheaded by local enthusiasts and, at its best, it is rediscovering a breadth and expertise to compete with the leading cuisines of Europe.

Some of the best flavours are found in apparently simple dishes. Horta - wild greens, served with olive oil and lemon juice, gigantes - butter beans in spicy tomato sauce, saganaki dishes of cooked local cheese, and vegetables stuffed with pine nuts, rice and herbs, spicy meat, cheese and vegetable pies. An eclectic range of seafood and meat dishes, seasoned with local herbs, is usually grilled or cooked in a clay oven and more intrepid eaters can discover the marvellous flavours and textures of smoked fish, stewed rabbit, garlic salad and lentil and caper puree. The popularity and versatility of vegetable dishes also make Greece one place where the vegetarian will never feel short-changed.

Wine has been produced and drunk in Greece since antiquity but while retsina is ubiquitous, the marvellous wines of the Peloponnese, Crete, Macedonia and the Aegean have been something of a secret. Even now they are only beginning to appear in wine shops in the UK. However in Greece itself, if you are willing to ask advice and pay a little more, some truly exceptional wine can be found.

The flavours of Greece with Simpson Travel

Food is a highpoint of the Emelisse Art Hotel and is based on fresh ingredients, imaginatively prepared to provide a fusion of Mediterranean cooking. A smaller dining area offers a range of traditional mezhedes while the main dining room is so close to the sea that there is a sense of being on board a ship. There is an excellent wine list and menus range from light meals to threecourse dinners.

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The Belvedere Hotel has a peaceful position between the island's two best beaches: Gerakas and Porto Roma.

Dinner is served on the restaurant's outdoor terrace, the food reflecting the same relaxed elegance as the rest of the hotel and the menu encompassing some of the most well known Greek traditional dishes with a touch more class.

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One of the loveliest parts of the city of Athens is Mount Lycabettus. Green and shady with perhaps the best views of all from its summit, and reached by a funicular. Here you will find the St George Hotel, a 5 star hotel commanding beautiful views over Athens with rooftop swimming pool.

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Moroccan cuisine combines elements of Mediterranean and Moorish cooking using the freshest of fish, meat and homegrown vegetables. It is also known for its spices and fragrances; cumin, coriander, saffron, fiery harissa, rose water and dried fruit are some of the ingredients, which give the food its unique flavours. Among the best-known dishes are the seven vegetable couscous, usually served with chicken or lamb, or a rich tajine, a juicy stew slowly cooked in a peaked clay pot.

In the souks of the Medina, local craftsmen use the same materials and techniques that they have for centuries to produce their wares. This is the place to browse and barter for kaftans, jewel-covered kid babouches (slippers), copper dishes, a length of silk organza, or simply a tiny bag of saffron.

Moroccan Cuisine with Simpson Travel

Set in an oasis of calm with panoramic views across olive groves to the Atlas Mountains, Kasbah Agafay is a wonderful hideaway to retreat to for total relaxation and some pampering.

The highlight of any stay at Kasbah Agafay, near Marrakech, is the optional traditional cookery workshop available to all guests.

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Riad Merdoudi features exquisite décor, delightful bedrooms with tadelakt walls, hand-crafted stucco ceilings, Egyptian cotton sheets, bathrooms inspired by Philippe Starck, a unique rooftop cookery school and friendly, welcoming owners, Riad Merdoudi has it all - including cookery classes!

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Maison Arabe was for years a legendary Marrakech restaurant, created in the 1920s in two fine old houses in the Medina. Its recent expansion into a small, boutique hotel has seen the spirit of the 1920's blended with the Italian heritage of its owner. Traditional cookery workshops are organised with an English interpreter.

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The best Italian food - the finest hams, olives and wild mushrooms, fruit, vegetables and fresh fish - makes its way to the markets of Tuscany and Umbria.

The key to using such quality ingredients is simplicity. What could be more perfect than roasted baby artichoke (carciofi), or carpaccio of beef served with shavings of parmesan, or local pecorino cheese partnered by ripe figs? And the best pasta dishes come with the least complicated sauces - perhaps just fresh chopped tomato, torn basil and fragrant olive oil. Almost always on the menu, pasta and risotto dishes offer plenty of choice for vegetarians, particularly in Umbria where main courses are more meat oriented.

Eating out can be extra simple - perhaps just bruschetta or crostini (toasted bread with different toppings) accompanied by a salad. And many coffee bars offer delicious sandwiches and snacks. As for the ice cream, need you ask?

A tempting choice in Tuscany and Umbria.

Tempting Tuscany & Umbria Choices with Simpson Travel

Most people who travel to Tuscany and Umbria will try the local wine and this section aims to provide some background information, as to the different regions and tastes.

The standard of local wine has improved greatly over the past couple of decades, partly due to greater competition from abroad. The grape harvest is in September, when the fields are full of activity and your day trips will be held up by laden tractors.

The main grape used is the Sangiovese and traditionally Tuscan wine is red, however improved techniques are producing some better whites - such as the Vernaccia of San Gimignano and Bianco di Montecarlo.

Italian wines are now among Europe's best. You will want to linger over Chianti Classico - made in the centre of Tuscany from the Sangiovese grape (black cockerel on the label). Other producers have been using Cabernet Sauvignon grapes to improve body and style in wines like Tignanello, Solaia and Ceparello. Vino Nobile di Montepulciano and Rosso di Montepulciano are excellent, as are the new 'Super Tuscans', while the much-revered Brunello and Rosso di Montalcino are still, arguably, the very best.

Orvieto, in Umbria, is known for the quality of its whites (look for the stylish Cervaro della Salla produced by Antinori), though in Torgiano, Lungarotti is using new techniques to produce some of Italy's finest wines.

Italian cuisine enjoys an enviable reputation internationally. Some of our small countryside hotels in Tuscany and Umbria prepare exceptional meals, often using home-grown organic produce. Justifiably proud of their skills, some hotels offer cookery lessons. The hotels would be ideal on their own or in combinations to introduce you to a wide selection of excellent Italian cuisine.

Chianti Wine

The most famous wine producing area of Tuscany must be broken down into its seven areas in order to help understand the varieties of Chianti found on the shop shelves.

Chianti Classico - The district, which produces Chianti Classico lies roughly between Florence and Siena, and the Si-Fi superstrada and A1 motorway. Producers use the Black Cock (gallo nero) as their symbol. The main towns in this area are Greve, Radda, Gaiole and Castellina (all -in-Chianti)

Chianti Colli Aretini - Produced on the hills on the east side of the Arno, north of Arezzo. Lighter than Classico and best drunk young.

Chianti Colli Fiorentini - The zone is directly south and east of Florence. Often sold as the 'vino di casa' (table wine) in restaurants.

Chianti Colli Senesi - The largest area which includes the towns of Montepulciano, Montalcino and the region east of San Gimignano.

Chianti Colli Pisane - The lightest Chianti comes from the area Southeast of Pisa

Chianti Montalbano - From the hills west of Florence and south of Pistoia

Chianti Rufina - From the lower Sieve valley, producing some refined and long-living Chiantis. The famous Frescobaldi produces some fine Rufina chianti.

Once the former residence of Leopold II, Duke of Tuscany, L'Andana is a beautiful summer palace dating back to the 1600's, located in the unspoilt Maremma, known for its wildlife reserves and protected oasis. This luxury hotel features a Michelin Star restaurant.

The setting is breathtaking and unique. Amidst its olive groves and rolling hills, it offers guests complete relaxation and only 7km away is the lovely beach of Castiglione della Pescaia with its own small, pretty town.

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The 11 bedrooms, suites and apartments of Villa Cicolina, Montepulciano, Tuscany, are individually furnished with antiques and beautiful fabrics, while the separate two-bedroom cottage Il Noce has its own garden and is particularly suited to friends and families.

Breakfast and dinner are served in a converted barn or, in the summer months, the garden. A superb local chef, who enjoys sharing her talents with others, gives cookery lessons.

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It would be hard to find a more idyllic hideaway in the heart of the Chianti Classico. Surrounded by sighing woodland, Cogno is simply heaven.

Having their own well-equipped kitchens doesn't stop guests choosing to enjoy breakfasts in the main house - or succumbing to the lure of Giovanna's delicious home cooking.

Cookery lessons for guests of Cogno takes place twice a week.

More details on Cogno...

Simpson Travel is run by a select team of travel professionals with extensive experience of running successful specialist travel companies, including Graham Simpson who was the founder of 'Simply Travel'.

We share a passion for the holiday destinations we offer and the service we want our customers to enjoy. In essence, we are dedicated to offering our clients the type of holiday we ourselves would wish to take.

Not for us large impersonal hotels and blocks of apartments. We prefer quality accommodation to quantity, and to work in harmony with local communities respecting their culture, traditions and environment. And above all, we wish to offer our clients a truly personal service.

Tailor-made and flexible service

Our reservations team in the UK have personally visited all the villas and hotels in our holiday destinations and are well placed to advise and guide you to making your booking. They can tailor-make holidays of any duration using charter and scheduled flights, with additional services to suit you. We can arrange short break and special interest holidays, as well as 'accommodation-only' for those who prefer to make their own travel arrangements, subject to availability.

Your choice may be to stay put in one place or 'mix and match' a few nights in a romantic retreat followed by a stay in a small, charming hotel. Or you may wish to combine an idyllic villa with a visit to one of the many vibrant cities on offer.

Our personal service is as professional, unobtrusive and friendly overseas as it is knowledgeable, detailed and dedicated in the UK.

Our accommodation

All our villas and hotels have been personally selected. Careful consideration is given to location, charm, character, ambience and the owners' professional attitude and willingness to ensure a smooth holiday for you, plus of course, the general standards and levels of comfort on offer.

Peace of mind

Full protection is guaranteed when you book with us. Our holidays are protected by the Civil Aviation Authority, under the Air Travel Organisers Licence (ATOL) number 5858, and by the Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA) under our licence number W5698. ABTA ensures its members adhere to high standards of service and business practice.

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