PARMA & RAVENNA • Return flights
• Four nights, in a centrally-located four-star hotel with breakfast
• Sightseeing tour of historic Bologna, Italy’s gastronomic capital, exploring its stunning medieval centre and unique portico lined streets
• See Ravenna’s unmissable 6th century mosaics, the pinnacle of Byzantine art
• Guided tour of Parma, seeing its Cathedral with Correggio’s fine fresco
• Experience how deliciously sweet Prosciutto (Parma Ham) is cured by a family producer
• Discover how a true artisan makes Modena’s famed balsamic vinegar
• Escorted by our experienced Tour Manager
‘La Dotta, La Rossa, La Grassa’, the learned – home of Europe’s oldest university; the red after its medieval bricks and terracotta townscapes and the fat – the capital of Italy’s revered culinary heritage!
DAY 1 - ARRIVAL IN BOLOGNA OR VENICE Fly to Bologna or Venice on arrival you will transfer to the excellent quality four-star Hotel Internazionale, for four nights with breakfast.
DAY 2 - BOLOGNA This morning we have a sightseeing tour of Bologna where you will come to admire this wonderful city. Beautifully maintained over the centuries, its original Roman street plan is still discernible. Twelve medieval gates encircled the historic centre and at Bologna’s heart is the majestic main square - the Piazza Maggiore. Surrounded by splendid Renaissance “palaces” and home to the enormous San Petronio, the world’s fifth largest Basilica. Adjacent is another beautiful square, Piazza del Nettuno, with a splendid statue and fountain dedicated to Neptune and surrounded by grandiose medieval civic buildings. Of course one of Bologna’s ‘must-sees’ is Europe’s oldest University. Perched on a hilltop with splendid views across the city and the surrounding region, Sanctuary of the Madonna di San Luca is renowned for its extraordinary claim to fame, the world’s longest portico leading to the edge of the historic city itself! This afternoon is yours to explore the delights of Bologna at your own pace.
DAY 3 - PARMA After breakfast we visit another of Emilia-Romagna’s underrated and enticing cities: Parma, a name synonymous with wonderful prosciutto hams and parmigiano reggiano (parmesan) cheese, yet a city almost untouched by tourism. We enjoy a guided tour after which you can truly appreciate Parma’s historic buildings plus its culinary heritage. This afternoon we take the short drive into the
Apennine foothills where the ancient art of preparing the finest prosciutto (Parma ham) is practised. Our destination is Langhirano, “capital of prosciutto”, visiting the Lanfranchi family who have been meticulously and lovingly preparing and maturing their hams for three generations. Another treat awaits, just outside Modena at the
Acetaia Villa San Donnino, where the art of producing traditional balsamic vinegar, a craft as scientific as winemaking and noted across the globe, is still undertaken by local artisans.
DAY 4 - RAVENNA Today we take the short drive, almost to the Adriatic coast, exploring little-visited yet amazingly historic
DAYS
FROM ONLY £619
5
Ravenna – city of mosaics. An important Roman settlement, Julius Caesar gathered his forces here before famously “crossing the Rubicon” and in 402AD, after Rome’s fall it became the last capital of the Western Roman Empire then capital of Ostrogothic and Byzantine Italy. To understand what makes Ravenna so special, we have a guided walking tour bringing these amazing buildings, their stunning mosaics and stories to life. The earliest UNESCO sight is the huge octagonal
brick-built Baptistry of Neon, which staggeringly dates from 500 AD, its shape symbolizing the seven days of the week plus the day of resurrection and eternal life. Dating from more “recent times” the 17th century Museo Arcivescovile (Archbishop’s museum) is endowed with a real treasure trove of artefacts including two world famous pieces from the 6th century: the silver cross of Bishop Agnellus and the spectacular Byzantine throne of Archbishop Maximian carved from ivory. After immersing yourself in the glories of Ravenna’s historic past, we return to Bologna.
DAY 5 - RETURN FLIGHT Today, at the appropriate time, you will be transferred to the airport for your return flight.
BOLOGNA,
27
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116 |
Page 117 |
Page 118 |
Page 119 |
Page 120 |
Page 121 |
Page 122 |
Page 123 |
Page 124 |
Page 125 |
Page 126 |
Page 127 |
Page 128 |
Page 129 |
Page 130 |
Page 131 |
Page 132 |
Page 133 |
Page 134 |
Page 135 |
Page 136 |
Page 137 |
Page 138 |
Page 139 |
Page 140 |
Page 141 |
Page 142 |
Page 143 |
Page 144 |
Page 145 |
Page 146 |
Page 147 |
Page 148