Travel Challenge: A cookery holiday in Italy

Every week we invite three competing companies to give us their best deal for a specific holiday. Today: a week-long holiday learning to cook in Italy in August. Prices are per person.

GoLearnTo

£872: Cortona, Tuscany

Includes half board at Casa Betania from either 19 or 26 August and five cookery lessons. Local wines and coffee are also included, plus a guided excursion to Florence with the chef and transfers from Perugia airport. Flights are extra. "Cortona is a beautiful town with magnificent views over the plains of Tuscany. Visit the restaurants to enjoy delicious regional food and wine, or soak up the colours, flavours and sunshine at one of the busy street markets," says Vanessa Lenssen of GoLearnTo (0844 502 0445; golearnto.com).

Holiday On The Menu

£2,200: Arezzo, Tuscany

Includes B&B at Torre del Tartufo villa from either 21 or 28 August and four cooking classes (based on two sharing). Most lunches and dinners are included with local wines and coffee, plus excursions to a cheese factory and a vineyard. Flights and transfers are extra. "Don an apron at this gorgeous Tuscan villa near Arezzo while soaking up the sun, food and wine of the Italian good life," says Pru Goudie of Holiday On The Menu (0870 899 8844; www.holidayonthemenu.com).

Kirker Holidays

£1,659: Perugia, Umbria

Includes Ryanair flights from Stansted to Perugia on 10 August and B&B at the Villa di Monte Solare with two half-day cooking classes followed by lunch with wine (based on two sharing). Car hire is provided for the duration. "Set in olive groves and vineyards in the rolling Umbrian hills, this converted ancient patrician villa offers comfortable accommodation with superb Umbrian cooking and locally produced wines," says Edward Coltart, of Kirker Holidays (020-7593 2283; kirkerholidays.com).