A week to discover a territory through its traditions and its people
Day 1 – ARRIVAL and ACCOMMODATION in HOTEL
Arrival of the group in Bologna, meeting at the airport with guide and private coach. Transfer to hotel/holiday farm in the foothills between Modena and Bologna and accommodation. Dinner and overnight stay.
Day 2 – TRADITIONAL BALSAMIC VINEGAR of MODENA and the DELIGHTS of VIGNOLA
Breakfast at the hotel. Visit to a vinegar cellar that has been producing Traditional Balsamic Vinegar of Modena for generations. The process that leads to the creation of this renowned dressing will be described in detail, you will visit the rooms in which the series of barrels are kept, where the vinegar ages for years and various types of dressing will be tasted. Lunch based on the local specialities ‘Borlenghi (a very thin bread) and Tigelle (thin, 10cm round breads from the Apennines) ‘. In the afternoon, a guided tour of the Castle of Vignola and tasting of the renowned and inimitable ‘Barozzi Cake (Torta Barozzi)’.
Return to the hotel for dinner and overnight stay.
Day 3 – TRADITIONS and FLAVOURS of VALSAMOGGIA
Early wake up and breakfast, to then visit a cheese factory to discover the secrets of the king of cheeses, the PARMIGIANO REGGIANO CHEESE, in time to witness the most important stages of its preparation. Following: YOU COOK! Course on how to roll pasta dough into sheets, to learn how to make some of the typical local dishes. Lunch based on what you will have prepared. The afternoon will instead be dedicated to a guided tour, with wine tasting, of one of the most important wineries in the area. Return to the hotel for dinner and overnight stay.
Day 4 – ROCCAMALATINA and a MILL from the 1700s still in operation
Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer for a walk in the Roccamalatina Regional Park, to admire astonishing rock formations, which host the nests of birds of prey, such as the Peregrine falcon. Lunch in a local trattoria and visit to a 1700 mill still in operation: the owners will show us how it is possible to obtain truly special flours and products thanks to the means and wisdom of the past. Return to the hotel for dinner.
Day 5 – BOLOGNESE APENNINES and ROCCHETTA MATTEI
Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to the area of the municipality of Alto Reno Terme to learn the importance of the BREAD TREE, i.e. the CHESTNUT. You will discover all the uses of the chestnut that have allowed the populations of the Apennines to survive the difficult mountain conditions in the past, including the BEER that you will be able to taste. Lunch in a local trattoria and transfer to one of the most amazing and peculiar places of the Bolognese Apennines, the Rocchetta Mattei (Fortress Mattei). Guided tour and return to the hotel for dinner.
Day 6 – BOLOGNA
Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to Bologna to visit this surprising and lively university city. Guided tour to discover the main cultural attractions of the city. Lunch in the central market area (the so-called Quadrilatero). Free afternoon, available for visits to attractions not scheduled in the morning. Return to the hotel for dinner.
Day 7 – MODENA
Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to Modena to discover the wonders of Romanesque art, celebrated by UNESCO through their proclamation as a World Heritage Site. Lunch in a typical trattoria. Free afternoon, available for visits to attractions not scheduled in the morning. Return to the hotel for dinner.
Day 8 – RETURN TRIP
Transfer to the airport/train station for the return journey.
The fee includes: coaches/shuttles available for the entire duration of the tour (VAT and tolls included); accommodation in a 3-star hotel in the foothills between Bologna and Modena with half board; all the scheduled visits with a licensed guide (plus a single tour leader for the entire duration of the tour); Entrance tickets to:
Cheese factory with tasting; Vinegar cellar with tasting, Brewery with tasting, Water mill with tasting, tour of the Castle of Vignola, Winery with tasting, Course on how to roll pasta dough into sheets.
The fee does not include: entrance fees not mentioned, anything not expressly indicated under “the fee includes” section.
OPTIONAL: MEDICAL, LUGGAGE AND CANCELLATION POLICY
The order of the visits could be changed for organisational needs, but this will have no impact on the contents of the visits
