“Via Emilia” the Italian Food Route

1st day
Arrival in Parma in the late morning, guided visit with final tasting at one of the local family-run ham factories producing the mythical Prosciutto di Parma PDO. Full lunch based on the typical products of the area: Prosciutto, other kind of local cold cuts, a typical stuffed pasta dish (tortelli di Parma), homemade cakes. Picture-stop at the medieval fortified village of Torrechiara dominated by its breathtaking castle: one of the most spectacular among the manors included in the Italian network called Castles of the Duchy, it dates back to the early Renaissance time and – with its gentle lines and the golden frescoes housed in the highest tower –  it still represents the switch from the Middle Ages to the modern era. Visit to a winery on the hills of Parma to discover the most typical CDO wines: Malvasia and red Rosso dei Colli! Dinner and overnight.

2nd day
Guided tour to a Parmigiano-Reggiano PDO cheese dairy with tasting of different types (ages) of cheese. The tour starts from the processing department with a close-up look at different steps of the production cycle, including pre-salting room, salting vats and warm room and finally the “wheel cathedrals”, real walls of cheese in a single room. Transfer for a guided tour to a wine cellar where the world famous Traditional Balsamic Vinegar of Modena and Modena Lambrusco DOC are made! Lunch with tasting of products. Entrance to the famous Ferrari Museum in Maranello. A permanent exhibition dedicated to Formula 1 and the World Championship, complete with cars and a “pit stop wall” where visitors can gain an understanding of telemetry and pilots’ in-race driving behaviour, is flanked by five rooms that host themed exhibitions with wide-ranging appeal. Finally transfer for a guided cultural tour of Modena old city center and its the Unesco site. Dinner and overnight.

3rd day
Guided visit Dozza, a charming medieval village where art becomes urban landscape through the decoration of house walls, streets and squares: a real open-air museum with more than 100 works by several prestigious contemporary artists. Possibility to visit the Fortress and the ancient cellars that host Enoteca Regionale dell’Emilia Romagna. Visit to an industrious family-run wine estate on the hills between Bologna and Imola. Guided tour of the winery, to learn about their peculiar product range, including Pignoletto and Albana. Wine tasting paired to top quality, locally-produced gourmet foods.
Transfer to Bologna for a guided walking food & cultural tour to discover the most important monuments and also the Food Quarter, where you will taste the best products of the region during some stops in the little shops: tortellini, mortadella & gnocco fritto, chocolate or ice cream, Italian espresso! Cooking class with focus on “Tortellini” the most traditional stuffed pasta! The “sfoglina” (the queen of the kitchen) will share all of her secrets held in her pasta. In a couple of hours, you will learn how to prepare the dough, following the traditional recipe, and you’ll be directly involved in the laying of the dough, using a wooden “mattarello”.  Taste the fruit of your labour for dinner! Overnight.

4th day
Guided visit Brisighella, the town stands on three gypsum pillars, which host the Manfredian Fortress (XV century), the Clock Tower (XIX century) and the Monticino Sanctuary (XVII century). The local excellence is DOP Extra Virgin Olive Oil: tasting of “Brisighello” Oil and typical products. Continue to Forlimpopoli and visit to Casa Artusi: the first centre of gastronomic culture. Library, restaurant, cookery school, wine cellar, bookshop, museum and location for events: is a living museum to home cookery. Lunch with “Aurtusian” Menù.
Transfer to Bertinoro to visit an ancient winery with 10 recognized Cru included in the historic vineyards of Emilia Romagna, 27 biotypes of Sangiovese, and an exclusive vine variety that has marked the history of Romagna wines: Barbarossa! Tasting of Sangiovese, Albana, Barbarossa. Continue to Cesenatico, visit to the Canal Port, designed by Leonardo da Vinci, to the historical centre to the docks, the fish shop in Piazza Fiorentini, built in the 1800s in Liberty style, Piazzetta delle Erbe and Piazzetta delle Conserve. Possibility to visit the Museo della Marineria, the only museum in Italy that has a true floating section with eleven boats in the water! Dinner with fish menu in a typical osteria. Overnight.

5th day
Guided visit Santarcangelo di Romagna, guided visit of the beautiful small medieval town, the secret tuff caves and the ancient Stamperia Marchi with its traditional mangle dating back to 1633 and still functioning today. Trasfer to a farm where the “Azdora” will share you the secrets of a perfect Piadina Romagnola with the cooking class! Taste the fruit of your labour for lunch. Transfer to Mondaino, walkthrough visit of the small historic village, the cradle of the famous Rothschild bankers, to the pits cheese factory, the production site of “Formaggio di Fossa”, a specialty of Romagna. You will see the phases of production, ripening and storage and you will taste the very tasty cheese from the pits. Continue to San Clemente to visit a special Stop at a well-known winery to finally discover the best white wines of Romagna! Visit to the vineyard, the winery and tasting of 4 white wines, including the best Rimini Rebola & Trebbiano! Last destination Rimini. Dinner in a beautiful Osteria with “Fellinian”menu and guided walking tour by night of Rimini old city center, to discover the Roman & Medieval wonders of the city and learn about the highlights of the city so loved by the film director Fellini. Overnight.

6th day
Guided visit Cervia where the charm of canals is linked to the trade of “white gold”: Sale di Cervia (salt). Visit of the little city centre with the MUSA – (Museum of salt and salt Civilization), the suggestive fountain The Suspended Carpet, the Old Fish Market and of the eighteenth-century Town Theater. Continuation to the solemn Basilica of Sant’Apollinare in Classe and its magnificent polychrome mosaics and the ancient marble sarcophagi placed along the naves. Full lunch in a typical Osteria or Agriturismo to celebrate the perfect marriage between the local cuisine and the Vini delle Sabbie (Sand Wines). The strong identity of such wines allowed them to obtain a specific denomination of origin, DOC Bosco Eliceo, whose most representative wine is Fortana.
Transfer to Ravenna. Guided walking tour of the city, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, thanks to its unique collection of Byzantine mosaics and early Christian monuments such as the Basilica of San Vitale and the tomb of Dante, author of the “Divine Comedy”. Arrivederci!

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