Italian Gourmet Delights

Oct 1, 10 $2199 from Los Angeles
REDUCED!!

Itinerary

Shaped like a wedge of its Parmesan Cheese, the region of Emilia-Romagna is a food lover’s paradise. Rich in every sense – historical, cultural, economic and gastronomic - the area is bounded on one side by the Apennines and on the other by the immensely fertile plains of the Po valley. These contrasting geographical features combine to produce a glorious array of food – the finest artisanal hams, salami and cured meats; the most fragrant fruits; succulent beef and pork; cheeses made by traditional methods.

We explore some of the masterpieces of Italian gastronomy: Prosciutto di Parma and Parmiginano – Reggiano, the king of cheeses. Here within their strictly defined ares of origins, we will have the rare opportunity to see the production of these protected foods and to taste them in the company of the producers themselves. We will also visit a family-run acetaia to discover the art of brewing traditional balsamic vinegar, the rich, complex sweet-sour condiment that must be aged 12 years before it can earn the accolade of aceto balsamico tradizionale di Modena.

The trade mark of Bologna, is its hand-made egg pasta, artisanal mortadella and salami, breads and cakes explains why it is known as la grassa (the fat one). A special cooking class will be arranged for us to discover the secrets of Bologna’s traditional recipes. And to counterbalance the richness of food, there are the refreshingly individualistic wines of the region: Lambrusco, Sangiovese, Albana, Pignoletto, Trebbiano, etc. Wine tasting will be offered.

“Emilia – Romagna: Land of motor”s is not just a catch phrase. An entrepreneurial spirit, a passion for mechanics and the allure of speed are the basic factors underlying the extraordinary love affair of Emilia Romagna for everything having to do with motors. This passion translates into a great concentration of automobile and motorcycle manufacturers all located along the Via Emilia. We will visit the Ducati Motors Museum and Ferrari Gallery.

The Emilia - Romagna region is replete with fascinating cities and great works of art, yet still undeservedly neglected by cultural travellers. Enjoy a Renaissance square, a court or a sixteenth century church or a medieval castle or a museum that is not found anywhere else in Europe, each city of art in region emanates a particular poem: Bologna, Ravenna and Parma. With probably not one hundredth of visitors which Florence and Venice receive and many fewer than Verona or Siena, in Emilia- Romagna we will view great architecture and world-class art works without the dispiriting intrusions of a large-scale tourist industry.

ITINERARY

Friday, October 1 2010, Day 1: Departure: Depart Los Angeles for your flight to Italy; enjoy Dinner and Breakfast and in-flight movies.

Saturday, October 2 2010, Day 2: Arrival: Arrival at Bologna Guglielmo Marconi Airport and transfer by private motor coach to your hotel: Hotel Alla Rocca, where you will be staying for the next 7-nights. Hotel Alla Rocca is located in Bazzano, on the border between the provinces of Bologna and Modena. The landmark of Bazzano's town center is the Renaissance stronghold of the Bentivoglio, which stands on a hill and hosts several cultural events and venues, like the music center and the archaeological museum Museo Civico Archeologico A. Crespellani. Enjoy welcome cocktails and a delicious three course dinner at the hotel. Welcome to Italy!!

Sunday, October 3 2010, Day 3: Bologna Gourmet: After breakfast at the hotel we will visit the city of Bologna. Bologna is the capital of this prosperous region of Italy: Emilia Romagna. Not yet contaminated by mass tourism, the city is the ideal choice for cultural interludes as well as leisure activities and relaxation. Bologna has a number of nicknames: la dotta (the learned) for its ancient university, la rossa (the red) for the warm colour of its roofs and houses, and la grassa (the fat) for the wonderful food. We will have an orientation tour of the town to see the highlights: Piazza Maggiore, St. Petronius Basilica, St. Stephens’ square, towers and the tower houses, focusing on food aspects. During the tour we will stop in some ancient food shops and to taste the local specialties, learning their legends, stories and jokes. Walking though the medieval market we will taste mortadella - the Bologna!, ciccioli, salsiccia passita, choccolate, pastries, etc. At the end of the tour enjoy some free time for lunch on own and shopping. This afternoon we will visit a local wine producer located on the hills near Bologna. The estate extends over 230 hectares, 35 of them specialized for vineyards. Thanks to the excellent terroir vineyards have been grown here since 1500. A wine tasting will be offered. ~ Breakfast & Dinner at your hotel in Bazzano

Monday, October 4 2010, Day 4: A real Cooking Class: After breakfast today we will get to San Chierlo a hamlet on Bologna Hills where we will meet a Bolognese “sfogliana” and start our cooking class. The activity will be organized in four different moments: Welcome and introduction – We will be welcomed by our expert cook who will give you an introduction on the history of the handmade pasta and the region traditional recipes. A welcome coffee will be served. Pasta making demonstration - With skill and patience and a magic touch the “sfoglina” will teach us the secrets of making and rolling out the pasta. As a kind of magic tortellini, tagliatelle and lasagne will appear! This is your turn! - We will be provided with a pasta board, a rolling pin and fresh ingredients and will try yourself what you’ve been shown! Mamma mia che fame! And finally it’s time to have lunch! Lunch will be served after the cookery class. Before lunch we will have the opportunity to visit the winery of the estate and enjoy a wine tasting in the property cellars. ~ Breakfast & Dinner at your hotel in Bazzano

Tuesday, October 5 2010, Day 5: Parma: the food valley: Early wakeup call this morning to assist to the Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese production. Parmigiano-Reggiano is strictly bound to its place of origin. The secret of such goodness originates in the place of origin, in the natural feed, and in the high quality milk with no additives. The verb “to make” is absolutely correct in this case because Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese is not just manufactured, but “it is made” today as it was made eight centuries ago. The visit to the diary will be followed by a tasting. After this first visit we will get to Langhirano to visit a Prosciutto di Parma Producer. One of the earliest references to ham production in Parma appeared about 100 BC in the writings of Cato, who described the practice of burying pork legs in barrels filled with salt. The meat was then dried and smoked. As the process of making air-cured Parma Ham was refined, the smoking step was discontinued. During classical times, hams from Parma were one of the delicacies featured on banquet tables. Our visit at the producer’s will conclude with a delicious lunch based on Prosciutto!!! In the afternoon we will discover the historical center of Parma: the Pilotta Palace, the Royal Theatre, the Cathedral and its Baptistery. ~ Breakfast & Dinner at your hotel in Bazzano

Wednesday, October 6 2010, Day 6: Ravenna, the capital of mosaics: Legend has it that the Byzantines were a fabulous and mysterious people, qualities that certainly also apply to one of their main cities – Ravenna, the former capital of the Western Empire. Ravenna is a European "superstar" city which attracts visitors from the four corners of the world thanks to its unparalleled Byzantine mosaics with complex allegorical meanings. With our expert step guide we will visit the Mausoleum of Galla Placida which has the earliest mosaic scheme in Ravenna (mid-5th century, with 4th-century interiors), San Vitale’s Basilica, the the Neonian Baptistery with superlative early Christian mosaics, and St. Apollinare Nuovo. There will be free time for lunch on own and shopping. ~ Breakfast & Dinner at your hotel in Bazzano

Thursday, October 7 2010, Day 7: Mantua: Princely art of the Renaissance Capital of the domains of the Countess Matilde di Canossa a thousand years ago, and going back still further in time to the Etruscans, Romans, Lombards and Carolingias, Mantua will offer us a wonderful experience of both art and beauty. From the Romanesque churches to the magnificence of the Gonzaga court, the “city encircled by water” glitters with monuments and personages of the highest calibre. We will have a special visit to the Te Palce, designed by Giulio Romano the best pupil of Raphael. He started to work at the Palazzo Te in 1526 but work, particularly the decoration, continued until 1535. He was charged with restructuring the Gonzaga Stables making them in the shape of a great palace. The reference may have been the great rural estates of the Po plain. The building was originally on an island and was separated from the town by the waters of the Fossa Magistrale, and there boat-races and parties on water were organized. It is composed of a large square with the courtyard and gardens, fountains, statues, avenues and buildings, ... a little town on the Te island. The garden is bordered on the right by the long building of the Fruttiere, now used for exhibitions Since the great sack of 1630 it was occupied by Spanish, French, Austrian, Piemontese and used as a barracks. Gardens, fountains and the other little buildings were destroyed and the ground was levelled down to make room for the camps of the troops (officers were using the palace). Miraculously the main building survived and it was recently restored and restoration still goes on, so that the modern visitors can admire the splendor of the creativity of Giulio Romano. Eight main rooms, an yard of honor, a splendid loggia, a row of little rooms, the Fruttiere, now used for exhibitions and a "secret corner": the grotto. The Palace belongs to the Town. ~ Breakfast & Dinner at your hotel in Bazzano

Friday, October 8 2010, Day 8: The Land of Motors: Emilia Romagna land of motors is not a catchphrase!!! The giants of manufacturing have made Italy mechanical history are all concentrated along the Via Emilia. This once-in-a-lifetime opportunity takes you to motor sports’ sacred ground. You will learn about the producers, the car and motorcycle museums and visit the world's most beautiful and precious collections of veteran cars and motorcycles. Our first stop will be the Ducati Museum. Located at the Ducati factory head quarters, the 1,000 sq/mt Ducati Museum highlights 50 years of race track heritage. Adjacent to the factory and the celebrated Fiorano test track, the Ferrari Gallary traces the history and heritage of arguably the world’s premier marque. The museum features multimedia displays, exhibits, trophies – and, of course, Ferraris. The cars range from the single-seater in which Froilan Gonzalez won Ferrari’s first world championship in 1951 to the latest all-conquering F1 car used by Michael Schumacher. At the end of the visit we will drive around the Ferrari Plant, to see the Wind Tunnel and the Fiorano test track. This afternoon we will discover another typical product of the region: the traditional balsamic vinegar which is produced only in the counties of Modena and Reggio Emilia. The families of the area have always been very proud of their production of Balsamic Vinegar, and have a set of barrels in the attic as a seal of ancient family traditions, if not a confirmation of noble family roots. Born centuries ago as a medicinal of exclusive use of kings and emperors, it has found its place in the kitchen as a product of excellence, it heightens the flavors and enriches every dish on the Emilian table, from the most simple to ones such as salads and row vegetables, to the most refined dishes such as filled pastas or meats. ~ Breakfast & Dinner at your hotel in Bazzano

Saturday, October 9 2010, Day 9: Departure: Breakfast at the hotel and transfer to Bologna airport for the flight home. * All Sightseeing subject to changes*

Italian Gourmet Delights Departures:

October-01-2010

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$2,199.00