FALL FESTAS IN THE HEART OF ITALY
ITINERARY
Day 1 – Friday – travel to Bologna overnight.
Travel to Bologna check into our centrally situated 3-4 star hotel for overnight and breakfast.
Day 2 – Saturday – Visit to painted city of Dozza & winetasting at top vineyard & travel to Longiano for accommodation.
After breakfast there will be time to explore Bologna before we leave mid-morning to take the via Emilia to Dozza. We’ll take a walk in the atmospheric and historic hilltop art town of Dozza with its dominating fortress, built for Katarina Sforza - now the regional wine center. The town has a biannual exhibition of wall-murals – the houses are painted by famous (and not-so famous) artists and the results left to give visitors a joyful and fascinating experience.
ITINERARY
Day 1 – Friday – travel to Bologna overnight.
Travel to Bologna check into our centrally situated 3-4 star hotel for overnight and breakfast.
Day 2 – Saturday – Visit to painted city of Dozza & winetasting at top vineyard & travel to Longiano for accommodation.
After breakfast there will be time to explore Bologna before we leave mid-morning to take the via Emilia to Dozza. We’ll take a walk in the atmospheric and historic hilltop art town of Dozza with its dominating fortress, built for Katarina Sforza - now the regional wine center. The town has a biannual exhibition of wall-murals – the houses are painted by famous (and not-so famous) artists and the results left to give visitors a joyful and fascinating experience.
Then on to the wine-growing area of Imola where we will visit the superb Zuffa vineyard. This family vineyard produces 100% organic wines including some of the very best in Italy – chosen to represent the area at the world Expo 2015. Our lunch will include typical products of the area including the Squacquerone cheese, local prosciuttos and salamis, as part of our vineyard lunchtime, we’ll take a tour of the vines, see the process and taste up to six wines with our meal – including the superb Aleaugust Cru – IGP Sangiovese and the Elisa late harvest Albana DOCG Passito.
We’ll then travel to Longiano to check in to our Italian country house hotel such as the Aloggio San Girolamo (website: http://www.alloggiosangirolamo.it/) the Casa dei Grilli (http://www.casadeigrilli.it/eng/index.asp) a lovely Art Deco country house, the Locanda de la Luna
After arrival in Longiano and check into our accommodation there will be short walk for a welcome dinner including drinks (wine or soft drinks) at Dei Cantoni restaurant by Longiano’s castle.
Overnight in Longiano
We’ll then travel to Longiano to check in to our Italian country house hotel such as the Aloggio San Girolamo (website: http://www.alloggiosangirolamo.it/) the Casa dei Grilli (http://www.casadeigrilli.it/eng/index.asp) a lovely Art Deco country house, the Locanda de la Luna
After arrival in Longiano and check into our accommodation there will be short walk for a welcome dinner including drinks (wine or soft drinks) at Dei Cantoni restaurant by Longiano’s castle.
Overnight in Longiano
Day 3 – Sunday - Tasting Day & Festa Day Sunday – tour of Longiano & olive farm olive oil tasting & fab vineyard wine tasting & afternoon/evening festa visit.
After a relaxed home-cooked breakfast, we'll take a short tour of lovely Longiano, first visiting the delightful jewel-box theatre Petrella and the museum of masks of the Commedia dell’Arte. Then we’ll see the fabulous medieval castle with its extraordinary views and great modern art collection. After, we'll visit the 500-year-old Olive Grove at Locanda della Luna and enjoy a taste of olives and olive oil presented by the 17th generation of the owning Turchi family.
After, we’ll cross the valleys to the stunning Villa Venti where we'll take a wine tasting and taste the unique Mora Romagnola prosciuttos and salamis, plus the sensational cheeses of Renato Brancaleoni. With these delicacies we'll savour the superb organic wines Mauro Giardini and his family create in this wonderful vineyard.
Straight after our light lunch we’re off to the festa for the whole afternoon and evening of fun!
After a relaxed home-cooked breakfast, we'll take a short tour of lovely Longiano, first visiting the delightful jewel-box theatre Petrella and the museum of masks of the Commedia dell’Arte. Then we’ll see the fabulous medieval castle with its extraordinary views and great modern art collection. After, we'll visit the 500-year-old Olive Grove at Locanda della Luna and enjoy a taste of olives and olive oil presented by the 17th generation of the owning Turchi family.
After, we’ll cross the valleys to the stunning Villa Venti where we'll take a wine tasting and taste the unique Mora Romagnola prosciuttos and salamis, plus the sensational cheeses of Renato Brancaleoni. With these delicacies we'll savour the superb organic wines Mauro Giardini and his family create in this wonderful vineyard.
Straight after our light lunch we’re off to the festa for the whole afternoon and evening of fun!
Day 4 Monday – Seaside and Mosaics Day – visit to Cesenatico followed by visit with tour at sensational mosaic-filled Ravenna.
After breakfast we'll visit Venetian Cesenatico for a stroll in its delightful Venetian-style port, designed by Leonardo da Vinci for his patron Cesare Borgia.
We will then travel on to Ravenna for a guided visit (including entrances) to this glorious city with our Ravenna specialist Cinzia. This world heritage city, three times capital (of the Western Roman Empire, of Theodoric King of the Goths, and of the Byzantine Empire) is full of marvelous mosaics and stunning 1500 year old basilicas.
Return to Longiano for another glorious dinner with included drinks at Dei Cantoni and overnight at our accommodation.
After breakfast we'll visit Venetian Cesenatico for a stroll in its delightful Venetian-style port, designed by Leonardo da Vinci for his patron Cesare Borgia.
We will then travel on to Ravenna for a guided visit (including entrances) to this glorious city with our Ravenna specialist Cinzia. This world heritage city, three times capital (of the Western Roman Empire, of Theodoric King of the Goths, and of the Byzantine Empire) is full of marvelous mosaics and stunning 1500 year old basilicas.
Return to Longiano for another glorious dinner with included drinks at Dei Cantoni and overnight at our accommodation.
Day 5 – Tuesday - Cooking Class & wine tasting at beautiful historic vineyard
Depart after breakfast for a really special event!
Ever wanted to learn to cook REAL Italian? Casa Artusi http://www.casartusi.it/en/ "The Best Cookery School in Italy" is the place. In this foundation created to honor Pellegrino Artusi, the father of Italian Cookery - you will learn to make at least seven different sorts of pasta (including local specialties). In the fully-equipped cookery school, each participant will have the services of an assistant and their own work-station. After this life-enhancing experience we will enjoy a superb lunch of local specialties – plus the pasta that we have created. At the end of the session, we’ll have presented to us, our hand-made Casa Artusi apron together with our certificate for concluding the cookery course.
We’ll then travel up to the lovely wine-village of Bertinoro and visit the historic vineyard of Fattoria Paradiso. Here we’ll tour the fabulous hillside estate, the medieval merchant’s house and the vineyard, after we’ll enjoy some local cheese, local olive oils and bread, plus of course we’ll taste over six of Fattoria Paradiso’s superb wines including those created for various Popes and presidents.
Without any doubt, this will be the highlight of your trip! Return to Longiano for dinner and overnight.
Day 6 Wednesday Return or stay for more adventures day...
| | And if you stay for 2 days full of fun? Day 6 and day 7 Will be fun and adventure days with either deli picnic with wine and soft drinks or dinners Think hatha yoga, meditation, dream interpretation, fish buying and cooking, hillside castle-town, spiritual woods and mountain and valley rambling with deli picnics, mountain biking, olive picking, wine harvesting, alchemy, horse riding, thermal spa treatments, baking. And that's not all! Day 8 Friday – Sadly ... return to Bologna Prices include: All 6 day autumn experiences include: 1 night's B&B in a central Bologna 3/4 star hotel, transfers from Bologna hotel to one of our country house hotels in the Romagna countryside for 5 nights B&B in the Italian country house, great local dinners each night with wine and waters, visit to colourful food-wine-music-packed festa, 3 wine tastings in stunning vineyards, cookery class and food experience in "Italy's best cookery school", visit to Ravenna to see amazing mosaics and Cesenatico to see Da Vinci's port. And more from $950/€900/£750 Add on an extra adventure: Take 2 extra days of unforgettably exciting adventure in italy's unspoiled playground for just $450/€425/£350 Adventure prices include: 2 nights B&B accommodation in Italian country house, local dinners with wine and waters (or local deli picnics) transfers, entrance/tuition costs if applicable. |
