Emilia Romagna Culinary, Artistic and Musical Experience Tour

Emilia Romagna is one of Italy’s most important regions, yet largely goes un-noticed in the UK. It is often referred to as the foodie capital of Italy, which is a considerable honour in a country obsessed by its exceptional produce and regional cuisine. It is a region with a rich musical and artistic heritage, too, so our new tour takes a broad approach and offers an enticing concoction of all three. From the artistic and architectural delights of lakeside Mantova and the university city of Bologna to the musical city of Cremona, where Stradivarius made his (now priceless) violins to the wonderful art at the Magnani Rocca Foundation and the culinary centres of Parma and Modena, this tour offers a wonderful collection of sights to stimulate all the senses.

ITINERARY

Day 1: Fly to Bologna and transfer to Parma
Fly from London Heathrow to Bologna. On arrival, transfer to Parma for check-in to hotel for seven-night stay on bed and breakfast basis. Evening welcome drink at the hotel with the rest of the evening at leisure.

Day 2: Full day Parma and afternoon cheese tasting
A morning guided walking tour will show you some of the sights of one of Italy’s most famous cities thanks to two products renowned throughout the world that can only come from this area – Parmesan cheese and Parma ham. But whilst the city is rightly proud of these, it is a wonderful Renaissance city in its own with a wealth of sights, including the 17^th century Teatro Farnese, built entirely of wood, the sumptuous Madonna della Steccata with its frescoes, Galleria Nazionale art museum dating from 1752 and the Camera di San Paolo, one of the city’s most remarkable sights with its delightful, frescoed refectory dating from 1514 and the magnificent Duomo and Baptistry. This afternoon we will visit a Parmesan producer for a tour to see how this remarkable cheese is made and, of course, taste the finished product. Evening at leisure.

Day 3: Full day Cremona and winetasting
Our tour takes a musical turn this morning as we head to the beautiful town of Cremona for a guided walking tour, famed for centuries for the exquisite violins produced by Nicolo Amati and his pupil, Antonio Stradivarius in the 17^th century. Today, the Stradivari method of violin making has set a standard for modern times. Out of the almost thousand instruments Stradivari made in his lifetime, only about 650 survived; some of which are still in use to this day and have carried on his legacy for centuries. His instruments have topped prices at auctions, some commanding prices of upwards of $15m and have been owned and played by the greatest musicians of the world. Despite the vast amount of knowledge that has been discovered about Stradivari’s violins, what makes them special is yet to be found. It has long been thought that the secret of Stradivari’s violins lies in his varnish, of which the formula has not been found. Whilst here, we will visit the fascinating Violin Museum which tells the story of the instrument and this lovely city’s centuries-old relationship with it. En route back to hotel, a culinary twist as we enjoy a tour and wine tasting at Monte delle Vigne Vineyards, which produces delicious white, red and rose wines including the famous “Callas” white wine, dedicated to the great opera singer, who performed at Parma’s Teatro Regio on many occasions. Evening at leisure.

Day 4: Parma Ham and Magnani Rocca Foundation
Visit a Parma ham producer to see the preparation and tasting of this world famous ham, that can only be called “Parma Ham” if it made in this area. Often imitated, it is one of the world’s finest delicacies, with an international following. From here, we stay in the countryside for a 3-course tasting menu lunch with wine at the Bistro at the Magnani Rocca Foundation, followed by a visit of the extraordinary collection. Founded in 1977 at the behest of Luigi Magnani with his art collection featuring works by Lippi, Durer, Titian, Rubens, Van Dyck, Goya, Monet, Renoir and Cezanne. The collection also includes 50 delightful still lifes by Giorgio Morandi, Bologna’s most beloved artist of the 20^th century, who was born, studied, lived, worked and died in the city. Evening at leisure.

Day 5: Full day free in Parma
Full day at leisure in Parma to further explore its myriad of sights or perhaps a leisurely lunch (an Italian passion) in one of the city’s many excellent restaurants.

Day 6: Full day tour to Modena
This morning we head to Modena for a guided walking tour with local guide including the wonderful Modena Market. Modena may not be widely known but is famous for three world-renowned names: Balsamic Vinegar di Modena, Ferrari and Pavarotti.  We’ll enjoy a balsamic vinegar tasting and lunch before visiting the Casa Museum of Pavarotti, housed in the singer’s home, which he built to entertain friends, teach young singers and enjoy family life and which contains a wonderful private collection of memorabilia, costumes and awards gathered throughout his long career. Herbert Von Karajan said that “When he was born, God kissed his vocal cords” and he remains a national treasure in Italy to this day. Evening at leisure.

Day 7: Full day tour to Mantua
This morning, our last day takes us to the architectural and artistic gems, contained within the lakeside city of Mantova, described by Aldous Huxley as “the most romantic city in the world.”  We will have a guided walking tour of the city where sights here include the beautiful Palazzo Ducale, home to the Gonzaga dynasty, dating back to the 14^th century, Palazzo Te and a host of beautiful churches. This afternoon you will have free time in the city for further exploration. Evening at leisure.  

Day 8: Bologna and return flight to Heathrow
Alas, our time in this alluring province comes to an end, but not without a visit to its beautiful capital city, Bologna, that has given its name to an eponymous pasta sauce in the UK that cannot be found in the city! It is a beautiful Renaissance university city with a host of sights including the extraordinary Anatomical Theatre, lovely Piazza Maggiore, a host of magnificent churches and much more.  A guided walking tour with local guide will show you the main sights. Free time for lunch at own expense before transferring to the airport for the return flight to the UK.

NB: Exact order of excursions may vary according to local conditions and tour manager's discretion.

Please note the maximum group size on this tour is 30 passengers.

INCLUDED

• Return flights from London Heathrow to Bologna
• Seven nights’ bed and breakfast at the four-star Starhotel du Parc, Parma, based on shared occupancy of a twin/double room
• Two lunches
• Transfers, tours, various tastings and entrance fees as detailed in the itinerary
• Tour manager throughout

NOT INCLUDED

• Single supplement or double for sole use supplement 
• Holiday insurance 
• Meals other than those stated 
• Items of a personal nature such as drinks, laundry, telephone calls etc 
• Porterage and gratuities

HOTEL

Starhotel du Parc, Parma
Elegant four-star hotel with Art Nouveau interiors, located in the centre of Parma next to the Parco Ducale, a pleasant 15-minute walk through the park and across the river to the historic centre. Facilities include stylish wood-panelled “Canova” restaurant, bar and very comfortable bedrooms with all modern amenities including comfortable bedrooms with en-suite bathroom, TV, telephone, wifi, safe and minibar.

Hotel Website