Discover Parmigiano, Egg Pasta From Scratch And More In Bologna

Sunday – Get settled, enjoy a welcome dinner and introduction to regional Italian cuisine
We’ll meet you at the Bologna airport or train station and provide private transfer to your hotel that is ideally situated in the heart of Bologna.
In the afternoon, we’ll visit the Bologna city center with an English-speaking guide for an introduction of Bologna and the Emilia Romagna region.
In the evening, we will drive to the charming medieval hilltop town of Dozza. We’ll enjoy a dinner of regional dishes at a picturesque restaurant frequented by local families.

Monday – Herb garden tour and chef-taught cooking class
We’ll begin the day with a drive to the hills of Romagna that border Tuscany. We will visit a privately owned aromatic herb garden with more than 40 different herb varieties. The owner will teach us how her herbs are used in cooking and she will prepare a delicious garden lunch for us with her home-grown products. You’ll also have a chance to sample her exquisite jams, herbs, and aperitifs as well.
After lunch, we’ll enjoy superb gelato and then drive to a nearby winery to taste some of their regional wines like Sangiovese, Trebbiano, Albana, and others.
In the evening, we’ll attend a cooking class demonstration at a restaurant taught by chef and owner Nicola. He will prepare a special dinner for us featuring local herbs and teach you many secrets you can take home to your own kitchen! We’ll enjoy aperitif in the beautiful restaurant garden prior to dinner that will consist of what Nicola has prepared in front of us in the kitchen.

Tuesday – Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, prosciutto di Parma, traditional balsamic vinegar of Modena and gourmet lunch
On Tuesday morning, we will visit a family-owned Parmigiano Reggiano cheese factory where you willwatch all stages of production and finish the tour with a delicious cheese tasting. We’ll then proceed to the Parma area where you will get to see all the steps of preparation and aging at a prosciutto producer.
For lunch, we will drive back to the Modena area to enjoy an aperitif in the kitchen with restaurant chef Luigi. You will watch Luigi prepare lunch in the kitchen with dishes featuring Parmigiano, prosciutto, and balsamic vinegar. Along with his delectable dishes, we’ll sip Lambrusco, the red sparkling wine of the Modena region that is a perfect accompaniment to Parmigiano.
The last visit of the day will be to a producer of traditional balsamic vinegar of Modena, where you will see firsthand how it is made and aged. We will taste it at various stages of the process and learn how and when to use it in cooking. We will then return to Bologna in the late afternoon where you will enjoy dinner on your own.

Wednesday – Explore Ravenna and a Bolognese sauce cooking class
Wednesday will begin with a visit to Ravenna, known as “The City of Mosaics,” with eight different UNESCO World Heritage sites. We’ll take a guided tour of several monuments and their spectacular mosaics, followed by lunch in the city center at a traditional Italian osteria.
Following lunch, we will drive to Brisighella for a tasting of the best extra virgin olive oil in the region.
From there, we will visit the hills of Romagna for a three-hour, hands-on cooking class at an agriturismo.
A traditional Italian mama will teach us how to make Bolognese sauce and other regional specialties with the freshest ingredients. We’ll enjoy this dinner at her 150-year-old farmhouse with the ambiance of vineyards and olive trees nearby.

Thursday – Bologna market and family-taught cooking class
In the morning, we’ll visit the central market to buy ingredients for your afternoon cooking lesson. We’ll shop amongst ancient streets lined with colorful shops and irresistible food.
Lunch will be held in Santo Stefano square at a pretty osteria where we will taste local salumi and cheeses with a glass of wine.
In the afternoon, we will learn the art of pasta making with an Italian family cook at a private home. We will make egg pasta from scratch along with other traditional dishes of the region. You’ll enjoy a farewell dinner of your own homemade dishes and receive a recipe book to take home.

Friday – Departure day
Departure to Bologna airport or train station after breakfast at the hotel.

2016 Dates:
10-15 July
24-29 July
31 July-05 August
21-26 August
18-23 September

This tour is also available upon request in other dates from April to September. Contact us if these dates do not fit in your schedule.

Price per person
Euros 2380 (5 night) – Single Supplement Euros 230

Included in the price:
• 5 nights in lovely four star central hotel, breakfast included
• 3 Italian cooking lessons with English assistance
• 3 dinners after the cooking lesson with selected regional wines included
• 4 meals with selected regional wines, mineral water and coffee
• 1 light lunch with salumi tasting and a glass of wine
• Herb garden visit
• Guided visit in Bologna
• Guided visit in Ravenna
• Entrance fee in Ravenna
• Visit to Parmigiano Reggiano factory and tasting
• Visit to balsamic vinegar of Modena producer and tasting
• Bologna guided food market visit in English
• Winery visit and wine tasting
• Olive oil tasting
• Gelato tasting
• Our recipe book in English
• Traditional Italian hand printed apron
• Private transfers and assistance on your arrival and at departure (from and to Bologna train station or airport)
• Private car (or minivan) with driver for all the excursions listed in the program
• Local tour director English speaking throughout (Marcello or Raffaella)

Not included:
• Flight ticket
• Personal expenses
• Everything not written in the program
• Cancellation insurance
• Local taxes (city taxes)