Emilia Romagna · 8 nights · May 11 – May 19, 2027

Emilia Romagna with Locals: Food, Wine & Culture Tour

Immerse yourself in one of Italy’s most iconic food regions.
Emilia Romagna Multi-day tour at a glance
Duration
8 nights
Accommodation
Boutique/Historic
Bologna, Milano Marittima, Parma
Price from
€5,600
per person
Next departure
May 11, 2027
About this tour

Together with my friend, Giulia, we'll introduce you to the Emilia-Romagna she calls home.

From Bologna, Parma, and Modena to the lesser-known Romagna coast, this journey moves through the places, traditions, and people behind the foods that have come to define Italian cooking. As a licensed Italian tour leader and gastro-guide for the region, Giulia has spent years uncovering the artisans, family businesses, and traditions that make this corner of Italy so special.

Emilia Romagna with Locals
€5,600
per person
Shared Double Classic
€5,600
Shared Double Deluxe
€5,800
Solo Travelers
€6,100
Deposit
€1,500
Dates
May 11 – May 19, 2027
Airfare
Not included
A non refundable deposit of €1,500 secures your spot.
What you'll experience

Tour highlights

Eight days exploring both Emilia and Romagna—two distinct halves of one remarkable region. We’ll introduce you to the celebrated food capitals of Bologna, Parma, and Modena, then venture beyond them into artisan workshops, organic farms, vineyards, hidden museums, and the historic towns and coastal communities of Romagna, revealing a side of the region that many visitors never see.

  • Begin your journey over dinner with a food historian and author whose engaging stories reveal the surprising history behind some of Italy's most beloved dishes.
  • Explore Bologna, Ravenna, Modena, and Parma on guided walks that blend history, architecture, and regional food traditions.
  • Make traditional tagliatelle and tortelloni during a hands-on cooking class, then visit a museum dedicated to Modena's balsamic vinegar heritage.
  • Visit a mountain dairy preserving the rare White Modenese cow and witness Parmigiano Reggiano being made from start to finish.
  • Discover the wines of Romagna during a seafood pairing dinner led by a renowned local wine educator.
  • Learn to make Romagna's beloved piadina while tasting organic wines and Brisighella's celebrated extra virgin olive oil.
  • Discover the centuries-old art of Romagna textile printing and create your own hand-printed keepsake.
  • Celebrate your final evening with a tortellini-making contest and dinner at Tortellante, a remarkable social enterprise.
Reviews

In our guests’ words

When you travel with Via del Vino, arrive curious, hungry, and ready to slow down. We take care of every detail.
Our guests say it better than we ever could.

2027 Itinerary day by day

Eight days in Emilia Romagna

  • Tuesday, May 11, 2027Arrival in Bologna

    Your boutique hotel located in Piazza Maggiore is just steps from the city’s main attractions, shops, and markets. Spend the afternoon exploring at your own pace. In the evening you’ll meet your fellow travelers over a welcome drink followed by dinner with a food historian and prolific food author who grew up here on his grandmother’s tagliatelle and tortellini.

    Art Hotel OrologioWelcome Drink, Dinner
  • Wednesday, May 12, 2027Bologna and Cooking in the Countryside

    Bologna is often called Italy’s culinary capital, but there’s much more to discover beyond its famous cuisine. Join our licensed guide and sommelier for a walking tour that weaves together the city’s rich history, vibrant markets, and beloved food shops, revealing how centuries of culture, commerce, and tradition have shaped this city.

    Later today we’ll head to an acetaia (vinegar cellar) for a hands-on cooking class with a family that’s been making balsamic vinegar since the 1800s. We’ll visit the vinegar ageing area and their remarkable museum, where centuries-old tools, household objects, and historic balsamic vinegar vessels tell the story of rural traditions in the Modena countryside.

    Art Hotel OrologioBreakfast, Dinner
  • Thursday, May 13, 2027Ravenna and the Coast

    Today, we’ll journey east to Ravenna, where our guide brings his hometown’s extraordinary Byzantine mosaics and remarkable history to life. After lunch in Ravenna, we continue to the Adriatic coast and settle into an elegant five-star hotel, a contemporary interpretation of Romagna’s celebrated Grand Hotels and your home for the next three nights.

    Palace Hotel Milano MarittimaBreakfast, Lunch
  • Friday, May 14, 2027Romagna's Adriatic coast

    This morning we’ll have time to explore the charming fishing town of Cesenatico, where Leonardo da Vinci redesigned the historic canal that is still the heart of the community. Lined with colorful boats, cafés, and seafood restaurants, it’s an ideal place to experience the relaxed rhythm of Romagna’s Adriatic coast.

    This evening, our friend and a noted wine educator will join us for a seafood and wine pairing dinner in a beautifully restored 17th-century salt warehouse, where the history of Cervia’s famous “sweet salt” lives on through the region’s food, wine, and culinary traditions.

    Palace Hotel Milano MarittimaBreakfast, Dinner
  • Saturday, May 15, 2027Ancient Textile Printing in Sant’Arcangelo di Romagna

    Today we’ll explore the hill town of Santarcangelo di Romagna, one of the region’s most charming and culturally rich villages. With its cobbled lanes, lively piazzas, and thriving artisan traditions, it’s a place where craftsmanship and everyday life remain closely intertwined. Visit a historic textile workshop where generations of artisans continue Romagna’s centuries-old printing traditions using hand-carved wooden blocks and a remarkable 17th-century stone to prepare the fabric. Then create your own hand-printed keepsake to take home.

    Today’s lunch will be served at one of Romagna’s most distinctive osterias, created with poet Tonino Guerra, whose collaborations with Federico Fellini made him one of Italy’s most celebrated screenwriters. Set within an 18th-century palazzo filled with art, historical artifacts, and stories of Romagna, it’s as much a cultural experience as it is a meal.

    Palace Hotel Milano MarittimaBreakfast, Lunch
  • Sunday, May 16, 2027Brisighella Olive Oil, Piadina, and Wine

    Depart for Modena today, with a stop to explore the picturesque hill town of Brisighella, one of Italy’s most beautiful villages. Then head into the surrounding countryside for a hands-on piadina-making experience, a guided olive oil tasting, and lunch at an organic vineyard and olive estate, where you’ll discover why Brisighella is home to Italy’s first DOP extra virgin olive oil. After check-in at our 5-start historic hotel, you’ll have free time to wander with dinner on your own.

    Palazzo Dalla Rosa Prati, ParmaBreakfast, Lunch
  • Monday, May 17, 2027Modena and Parma

    Discover Modena this morning with our local guide as you stroll through its elegant historic center. Visit the lively Mercato Albinelli and enjoy tastings that showcase the city’s rich culinary traditions.

    After free time for lunch, we’ll head to Parma, a refined city celebrated for its art, music, and gastronomy. During an evening walk, admire highlights including the magnificent Romanesque cathedral and its remarkable baptistery before gathering for dinner at a local favorite trattoria.

    Palazzo Dalla Rosa Prati, ParmaBreakfast, Dinner
  • Tuesday, May 18, 2027Parmigiano Reggiano and tortellini

    Begin the day at a mountain dairy dedicated to preserving the rare White Modenese cow. You’ll see fresh milk transformed into Parmigiano Reggiano, following every step of the cheesemaking process from start to finish. Afterward, enjoy a guided tasting comparing different ages and styles of the dairy’s handcrafted cheeses.

    We’ll return to Modena for free time before celebrating your final evening with a friendly tortellini-making contest and dinner at a unique social enterprise where traditional pasta-making creates meaningful opportunities for young adults on the autism spectrum.

    Palazzo Dalla Rosa Prati, ParmaBreakfast, Dinner
  • Wednesday, May 19, 2027Departure
Is this trip right for you?

Who this tour is — and isn't — for

This journey is for you if…

You want to explore both sides of Emilia-Romagna. You’ll experience the celebrated food capitals of Bologna, Modena, and Parma, then continue into Romagna, where hill towns, artisans, vineyards, and coastal communities reveal a side of the region that many travelers miss.

This journey may not be the right fit if…

You want to see as many places as possible. We travel at a slower pace, allowing time to learn about the food, wine, traditions, and people that make Emilia-Romagna unique. Because many of the region’s most celebrated specialties are built around fresh pasta, bread, cured meats, and cheeses, the tour may also be less suitable for guests with highly restrictive diets.

Why it feels different?

Together with Giulia and our local contacts, we’ve created opportunities to spend time with the cheesemakers, artisans, historians, and local experts whose passion and generosity bring the region to life.

Please note
  1. Although every effort is made to adhere to the stated tour, our itinerary is subject to change at any time due to unforeseen circumstances beyond the control of Via del Vino, LLC and its travel providers. A non-refundable deposit is due at the time of booking to secure your spot.
  2. Our Umbria tour uses a boutique property with a mix of rooms that are all unique and may vary in size and amenities. Rooms are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis according to need (doubles vs twin beds vs single supplement). Single supplement rooms are limited. Please let us know if you need twin beds.
Physical requirements of this tour
  • Walking unassisted at a relaxed pace on uneven pavements, hills, and stone stairs, and standing for up to 1–2 hours during walking tours with only short breaks and limited seating available
  • Getting on and off the minibus unassisted
  • This tour is not suitable for guests with significant mobility issues
The details

What's included

Included

  • 8-nights accommodation
  • Transportation in air-conditioned minibus for all activities
  • Daily breakfast
  • 4 lunches, 5 dinners, 1 aperitivo all include wine
  • 2 cooking experiences
  • 1 winery/olive oil visit
  • Guided tours in Bologna, Ravenna, Modena, and Parma
  • Food tastings for Bologna and Modena tours
  • Entrance fees to all historical sites

Not included

  • Airfare
  • Airport transfers on arrival and departure (can be provided for an additional cost)
  • Cash tips for local guides, drivers, and hotel staff (optional)