CULINARY DELIGHTS OF EMILIA ROMAGNA & LE MARCHE

DAY 1: Benvenuti in Italia! (D)

Arrive Bologna international airport and be met by your tour manager. Let’s start your “Central Italy Experience” and transfer to your elegant country resort in Emilia area. Free time to relax and then be ready for a delicious “Welcome Dinner”, accurately prepared by the resort’s master chef, with local products.

Overnight

DAY 2: Parmigiano Reggiano & Balsamic Vinegar Tastings (B,L)

Early bird breakfast this morning! Today you will leave your resort extra early in order to get to an authentic Parmigiano Reggiano producer by cheese making time. There are dairies in an array of cities and you´ll visit a dairy in Reggio Emilia, about one hour from Modena. The visit is complete, and you will be an expert by the end of the cheese tour. You will see all elements of the Parmigiano production from the processing of milk in the vats, the molding of the curd, the salting and then the ageing process of the photogenic cheese wheels.

After this fascinating tour you will head back to the wealthy little Modena for a visit to the 11th century UNESCO heritage preserved Duomo and relax with an aperitif, sitting outside if weather permits.

Lunch today is at local trattoria, right in the heart of Modena, tasting traditional cuisine. After lunch, you will probably want to enjoy a short little digestive walk! Before returning to the resort, you will visit a beautiful “Acetaia”, a real “Aceto Balsamico” cellar, where you will learn about the interesting history and production of this liquid gold and taste a few aged balsamic. This is a treat!

Return to the countryside, independent dinner and overnight.

DAY 3: Culatello Ham Tasting – The Motor Valley (B,L)

Breakfast at the resort and then head towards Colorno, province of Parma, to visit a small and upmarket Culatello cellar producer’s; you will taste some slices of the “crème de la crème” prosciutto of Italy, finishing with an elegant lunch focused on local specialties. Sample dishes will be offered, including Culatello di Zibello d.o.p. and a selection of the best charcuterie. Superb wines will be chosen for you from the encyclopedic wine list.

After lunch enjoy a digestive “passeggiata” in Parma, a small gourmet town that was also the home of Italy’s famed composers Giuseppe Verdi and Arturo Toscanini. Do not miss the wonderful Duomo, and neither you don’t’ have to miss the great Teatro Farnese and the Art Gallery, renowned for its paintings by Correggio. 

On the way back to the Resort, along the Via Emilia, you will have an interesting tour of the most important factories and museums dedicated to motors such as Ferrari (Maranello), Lamborghini (Modena), Maserati (Sant’Agata Bolognese) and Ducati (Bologna). 

When in Maranello, learn all about the “prancing horse” and visit the Ferrari Museum, which is quite large, containing over 40 real models such as Formula 1 racecars from many different decades. For Ferrari-philes, there is also a Ferrari shop and you can also have the chance to enjoy a test drive (Ferrari California or Ferrari 458 Italia)!

Arrival at the resort, independent dinner and overnight.

DAY 4: Bologna – Ravenna – Pesaro (B,L or B,L,D)

Breakfast at the resort, this morning you will have a walking tour of Bologna, with a local art guide, who will lead you through the best highlights of Emilia Romagna’s capital, such as Le Due Torri, Piazza Maggiore and Piazza del Nettuno, the Jewish Ghetto, and the fascinating 16th century Anatomical theater in the Archiginnasio Palace, ancient home of the University of Bologna, that shows on its walls one of most precious heraldry collection in the world. Also visit Piazza Malpighi where stands the apse of the Gothic church of St. Francis next to the graves of Glossatori, the first professors at the University of Bologna.

Independent lunch: we have suggestions for many wine bars and restaurants in the neighborhoods.

In the afternoon you will leave Emilia Romagna to Le Marche, going southern, you will stop on the way in Ravenna, where you will be taken back by the breathtaking 6th and 7th century mosaics, all with your own private art guide. These are some of the most gorgeous mosaics in the world. Located close to the Adriatic Coast, Ravenna is a town with a whole lot of history! The Roman Emperor Octavian Augustus built a port here, denoting the strategic importance of Ravenna and later the city was one of the main hubs of Byzantine culture in Italy. You will learn all about the town’s history and visit some major highlights such as the mosaics of 5th century Galla Placidia (daughter of Emperor Theodosius), St. Francis Basilica with Dante’s Tomb, the Basilica of San Vitale (with some of the best early Christian art in Italy) and more.

In the early evening arrive your luxury relais in the Marche, after checking in, you will have a tasty dinner at the relais’ restaurant, known for using only “Km0” products, mostly home-grown. Overnight.

DAY 5: Urbino (B,D)

Today after breakfast we will explore the land once ruled by the lords of Montefeltro. The day is dedicated to visiting Urbino, one of Italy’s most fascinating towns of the Renaissance, seat of an ancient university and perfect destination for art history lovers. It is also a site of the UNESCO world heritage site and the birthplace of Raphael. 

Have a guided tour of the magnificent Palazzo Ducale, one of the most interesting architectural and artistic examples of the Italian Renaissance; it is a wonderful and mysterious place, which houses the Galleria Nazionale delle Marche with its precious paintings by Piero della Francesca, Tiziano, Paolo Uccello and Raphael. Among the many rooms of the building there is a private one where the Duke Federico used to spend his time: the study room. It preserves valuable stuccos on the vaulted ceiling and a lower section paneled with engraved wood. 

Lunch will be independent, and your local expert tour manager will be happy to give you some advices to choose the best spots. 

After this local experience, you will head back to Pesaro, and have a guided walking tour of this beautiful town, birthplace of the famous musician, Gioachino Rossini. There’s so much to see and do in Pesaro: from the ancient Roman remains dating from when it was called Pisaurum, to the Museum of Ceramics and Art Gallery; from the fascinating mosaics in the Duomo to the Gothic church facades; from Villa Ruggeri in the Liberty style to the Sforza Fortress and the Palazzo Ducale. Pesaro boasts parks, beaches, art, history, and music.

Properly talking about music, you cannot miss a visit to Rossini’s house, the theater and the Conservatory that conserve Rossini’s operas and memorabilia.

 Back to the relais, dinner and overnight

DAY 6: Gradara – Fano (B,D)

Breakfast at the relais.  A trip to Le Marche should include a visit to one of the most beautiful and famous castles in Italy. Then, you need to schedule a day exploring the historical beauties of Gradara.

You will see this lovely town even before getting there, as the beautiful medieval castle stands out among the woods and hills. Just a few steps and you will be immersed in an atmosphere of old times that recalls a 13th century tranquility. The Castle of Gradara was the first military fortress on a border land which was turned into a majestic noble residence by powerful families. Tradition in this medieval village certainly contributed to making this fortress famous as the background of the unfortunate love between Paolo and Francesca, narrated in Dante’s Divina Commedia. Anyways, what really makes the Castle of Gradara unforgettable is the architectural beauty of an extraordinarily well-preserved complex, that has retained the appearance and atmosphere of an ancient medieval settlement. 

Independent lunch and in the afternoon, you will move southern towards Fano, known as the city of fortune, because of the Tempio della Fortuna around which the entire city has developed. The historic walls of Fano stretch for over half a kilometer, interspersed with cylindrical towers offering a wonderful example of Roman architecture that dates back to the period of the Emperor Augustus. You will have a walking tour of the city center, including a visit to the mysterious underground Fano, a fascinating itinerary through tunnels and galleries, taking you to really unique places. Enjoy a walk by the seaside before dinner; you can feel the long seafaring tradition of this city in the characteristic fishermen’s houses, along its beaches and in the many excellent restaurants. Your local expert tour manager will show you the Walk of Lisippo, on a fixed dock protected by the rocks, overlooking the sea.  

After all these beautiful walks to discover Fano that will never cease to amaze you, it is finally time to sit at the table and try the two local specialties: Brodetto and Moretta.

The Brodetto of Fano (fish soup) is a typical dish of the Adriatic Sea cooking tradition, while Moretta is a hot drink mixed with a liquor born among sailors and fishermen in the port of Fano to get warm before going out to sea.

Return to the relais for overnight.

DAY 7: Ancona – Riviera del Conero – Loreto – Roma (B,L,D)

After a breakfast, you will board your minivan and, in the morning, you will have an excursion to Ancona and Riviera del Conero. Overlooking the sea, with one of the largest ports in Italy, Ancona is a city full of monuments and beautiful landscapes; it is also known as “City Dorica”, a name which refers to its Greek origins.

The Cathedral which dominates the city from above and from which you can enjoy a special view, the picturesque arch of Trajan and Mole Vanvitelliana on the side of the harbor, the War Memorial overlooking the sea in one of the most unique areas of the coast. Do not stop at the most famous monuments! Walking through the alleys and historical streets, you can discover hidden spots and panoramic views.

After lunch at a local winery tasting Rosso Conero, one of the best red wines of the region, you will have a panoramic tour of the Riviera del Conero: the stretch of coast on the slopes of Monte Conero, rich of beaches, bays and coves of exceptional beauty.

Last stop of the day but not the least as per importance, will be in Loreto, a beautiful hill town second only to Assisi and Rome as a place of religious pilgrimage. The town is a showcase of some of Italy’s greatest artists and architects. People come here from all over the world to visit the Basilica della Santa Casa, known for enshrining the house in which the Blessed Virgin Mary is believed by some to have lived. Pious devotees believe that the same house was flown over by Angelic beings from Jerusalem to Tersatto (Trsat in Croatia) then to Recanati before arriving at the current site.

In the early evening proceed onto Rome, where you will spend the last night of the tour. Check in at the hotel, dinner and overnight.

DAY 8: Arrivederci Italia (B)
Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to Rome international airport to take your flight back home. End of our services.