RESERVED AREA FOR TRAVEL AGENTS:

The city of Parma will be our starting point and our hotel will be in te centre of town. Parma was a Roman colony on the Via Emilia founded by the consul Marcus Emilius Lepidus in 183 BC. In became a rich comune in the Middle Ages and over the centuries it was ruled by the Viscontis, the Sforzas, the French and the Pope. Finally, it was made into a duchy by Pope Paul III in 1545 and given to his son Pier Luigi Farnese. The Farnese family reigned in Parma for almost two hundred years, where they left traces of their grandeur. The town was inherited by the Bourbons in the early 18th century, who gave its court and social life a typically French flavor. After the Napoleonic rule, which lasted from 1802 to 1814, it was decided at the Congress of Vienna that Parma should go to Napoleon's wife, Marie Louise, daughter of Emperor Francis I of Austria. When she died in 1874, the duchy returned to the Bourbons until 1860 when it became part of the Italian Kingdom by plebiscite.

Day 1
Arrival to Bologna airport or to Milan airport here your tour leader will meet. Transfer to Parma to check in our hotel.

If arrival is to Milan on the way to Parma we suggest a very interesting stop in Cremona.The city was probably built during etruscan period, but it's real history starts from the roman time. Today the economy of city, lying on the river Po, is based on agricoltur and building of violins wich is an important traition for this city infact some of the most famous producers come from here Nicolò Amati, Antonio Stradivari and Guiseppe Guarneri.
After te visit we drive to Parma where we have a welcome dinner.

Day 2

We start early today to visit producers of two of the most famous food products, parmesan cheese not far from the centre, than we move on to the production area of "Prosciutto di Parma": Parma Ham, the most famous ham in the world here we visit a producer.
Back in Parma after lunch on your own a local guide meet us for a walking tour, we see the baptiserium, Palazzo della Pilotta with Teatro Farnese.
Dinner together in Parma.

Day 3
Today we follow the history of Giuseppe Verdi. After breakfast we drive to the tiny village Le Roncole. The house where Verdis was born and church where Verdi started playing the organ as a boy. We continue to Busseto and visit the father-in-law Barezzis, house. Here there is also a small theater kalled after Verdi, even though he nevere visited it. We have lunch together at a nice restaurant named from one of the operas of Verdi.
A known tenor has been managing it for several years. We end the day eith a visit to the farm Sant Agata, here Verdi rested his mind doing farming work and many of his operas come to borth in this place.

Day 4
Today we drive to Salsomaggiore Terme to a renowed Botanical Garden for a Natural Cooking School, including the use of aromatic and officinal plants. The natural cooking course foresee an interesting programme both theoric and practical. Upon arriival we are welcome by the owner that will introduce with a theretical presentation of the different activities and the recipes. After this we go to the Botanical Garden to choose the Aromatic Herbs to be used for cooking.
With our ingredients at hand we start our cooking by the stoves and will end tasting the prepared food.

Day 5
Excursion to Bologna that lies on the foot of the apennins mountain chain, known for it's buildings, universities and the good food. A local guide meet us for a sightseeing around the main square seeing the church San Petronio with the unfinished fasade, the statue of Neptune of Giambolognas and the symbols of the city two middel age towers, Torre Garisenda and Torre Asinelli.
We have a typical lunch together in the city, time on your own to stroll around before we return to Parma

Day 6
Excursion to Modena sightseeing with local guide, we walk in the cute and small historical centre. Modena is home to the twelfth-century Romanesque Cathedral declared by Unesco to be among the five hundred masterpieces of the world; the impressive rooms of the municipal palace; the imposing Palazzo Ducale; the collective beauty of numerous churches. The city's artistic and historic treasures coexist in harmony with bookstores, boutiques where artists and artisans sell their goods, traditional markets, bars where you can sit and drink an aperitif, as well as Modena's renowned restaurants and the less formal trattorias. Modena is known all over the world for its car industry, Ferrari, which has got its seat in the near Maranello village. It is also known as the birth place of Luciano Pavarotti and for the production of the delicious Balsam vinegar. During te day we visit a family that produce Balsam Vinega. Dinner together in Parma..

Day 7
Departure by bus to airport.