Exploring the Cuisine & Culture of Liguria and Emilia-Romagna Tour

Genoa retains a glimmer of its maritime grandeur from the 10th century to the 17th century as marble palaces line a wide and graceful boulevard. Steep streets and narrow lanes meander along the Old Harbor as the city stretches around the Mediterranean waters and upwards along the foothills of the Apennine Mountains. Your flight will land at Cristoforo Colombo Airport where you will meet your private transfer. The wealth and power of the city’s past is illustrated by the Porta Soprana that frames the Piazza dei Ferrari. The 11th-century gateway contains two dramatic preserved towers that are connected to the old city walls and the renowned explorer Christopher Columbus grew up in the stone house beside the cloister of Sant’Andrea near the gateway.

The 17th-century street of Via Balbi showcases the palatial splendor included with the city’s everyday life as the Palazzo dell’Universita features a remarkable courtyard and lavish gardens. You will easily settle into the luxuries of Genoa with your private introductory tour, and it will inspire you in the same way that the city inspired Wagner, Flaubert, and Joseph Conrad. You venture next to the Old Harbor and make your way down a small alley to find the centuries old restaurant that embodies the old and new of Genoa. A chalkboard lists the menu items in Ligurian dialect as the food sings in its simplicity as it celebrates every ingredient.

The magnificent Cathedral of San Lorenzo frames the Piazza Matteotti and glints with layers of intricate marble in the morning light. The 12th-century Romanesque Basilica contains elements of Gothic style from the 13th century adorned with a Renaissance dome, which embodies the elaborate history of the former Republic. The scent of fresh espresso drifts out of the cafes near the old harbor and blends with the lingering scent of the Mediterranean Sea as your private transfer will meet you at the hotel and escort you south to the seaside town of Levanto.

For the adventurous, a trail leads along the mountain ridges from Levanto to Monterosso, the most northerly town connected to Cinque Terre. However, an easy, quick, and scenic train ride takes you through the Maritime Alps with a stop at the Monterosso train station. A representative from your hotel will meet you at the station and escort you to your seaside villa that overlooks the water. Above the hotel, the terraced mountains shine with marvelous emerald hues that rise from the vineyards and the coastal forest.

The sapphire Mediterranean Sea splashes at the edges of the narrow pebbled beach as umbrellas shade the beachgoers who relax atop comfortable lounge chairs. The medieval castle referred to as the Dawn Tower watches over Old Town and the sea above the pastel colored homes. You can get a glimpse of the statue of Neptune carved into the cliff, supporting a bridge to the roof of Villa Pastine. For dinner, you will venture to a celebrated restaurant and sit at one of the few outdoor tables to enjoy the Mediterranean breeze. The menu is true Ligurian with a friendly atmosphere, welcoming smiles, and a herbaceous pesto testaroli, a type of Italian pancake.

The morning in Monterosso brings the quiet rustling of the leaves around your villa-style hotel. The mountain ridges keep the waves from breaking hard on Monterosso’s beach as the aroma of freshly baked brioche lingers in the streets of Old Town as the bakeries fill their display cases with cakes and cookies. You will meet your guide at the small marina that edges town and board your private boat. Your small boat will pull away from the dock and offer you a panorama of Monterosso’s colorful homes as they contrast with the verdant foliage that carpets the mountain ridges.

The water is calm, and your boat stops first in the town of Vernazza, a jewel amongst the treasured towns of Cinque Terre. The pastel homes encircle the natural harbor and ascend the cliffs and promontories. Cafes and restaurants line the cobblestone streets as narrow lanes in meander away from the main street in traditional Genoese style. The buildings open up to offer sporadic views of the water, and you will continue your travels to visit each of the towns until you dock at Riomaggiore, the southerly most town of Cinque Terre.

After touring the cobblestone streets that take you along the narrow ridges of the Maritime Alps, your guide will lead you to the steps of the Via dell’Amore, the trail that connects Riomaggiore to Manarola. A restaurant overlooks the water, and steep cliffs provide the perfect setting to experience the flavors of Cinque Terre, in both wine and cuisine. Your guide will pair five wines with five different types of traditional Ligurian dishes, and each will complement the briny, floral, fruity, and savory tastes and aromas of your surroundings.

In the morning, the beauty of Monterosso and Cinque Terre look surreal as the sapphire water turns indigo in the secluded coves nestled into the mountains. Locals harvest grapes in the vines that stretch across the terraces as trails meander through olive groves and maritime forest.  After breakfast, the beauty of the Italian Riviera is once again yours to experience at your preferred pace, this time taking you out of Cinque Terra and onto the Gulf of Poets, named for its allure and inspiration for the likes of Percy Shelley, Lord Byron, and Petrarch.

The scent of focaccia and onions lingers in the streets of Monterosso, overtaking the sweet, creamy scent that fills the gelaterias. You will meet your private transfer in Levanto and find the charming villages that overlook the glassy water of the Mediterranean, each decorating the coastline with color in spite of the steep cliffs. The town of Tellaro is one of the best-kept secrets of the Italian Riviera, and the charm derives from the antique buildings, narrow cobbled lanes, and welcoming locals who maintain a connection to tradition and culture. Red-tile roofs glint in the sunlight against the indigo hues of the water as the houses practically spill down the hills near the shore.

Rocks border the coastline and frame the colorful building facades. The main square looks out to the islands of Tino and Tinetto. Your stroll along the streets allows you to engage in the everyday life of locals through the aromas of farinata, a chickpea tart, emanating from the cafes, and the stunning colors of the produce on display in the markets. Before returning to Monterosso, you will meet a private chef eager to teach you the art of simple, yet delicious cooking for which Italy is known. In a perfectly stocked kitchen with a view of the coastline, the scent of cream and garlic will begin to overtake the briny aroma of the mussels as they rest in the sink.

Today you will leave behind the beauty of the coastline and the elegant cuisine to embrace both the mountainous terrain and the ingredients found in the depths of the sea. A hotel representative will escort you to the train station where you will board your train to Levanto to meet your private transfer. The Maritime Alps will disappear behind the peaks and hills forged by the Apennine Mountains as cypress and fern trees grow along the landscape between the cities and towns. Golden hills roll into the emerald forests until they reach the shores of the Adriatic Sea. You will stop in the city of Parma where the blend of beauty and history becomes even more apparent.

Although not much remains from the days of the Roman settlement, the grandeur of the Farnese dukes remain. The Romanesque Basilica overtakes an entire side of the Piazza del Duomo, and the 12th-century structure accentuates the more than 205-foot tall bell tower. The power and wealth of the past come to life inside the Cathedral as the thick pillars line the nave to create flanking arcades beneath a vaulted ceiling. The riot of color in the dome derives from the fresco of the Assumption of the Virgin, which was painted by Correggio in the 16th century.

After exploring Parma, your guide will lead you to a small factory that producing Parmesan cheese. The master cheesemaker will introduce himself with a wide smile, happy to show you the work that goes in to producing one of the most popular types of cheese of Italy as an apprentice churns milk in a copper heated vat as the liquid curdles. Wander through the warehouse to find giant wheels of cheese aging to perfection before your guide opens a new wheel to offer you the first taste of a newly minted Parmesan cheese.

Bologna is home to Europe’s oldest university, which was founded in the 11th century. The city is also known for its medieval streets and inspiring cuisine. After breakfast, your guide will lead you on a half-day tour of the marvelous city streets beginning with the massive Basilica of St. Petronius in Piazza Maggiore. The church was erected in the late 14th century, designed to be larger than St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. Part of what makes the church unique is that it remains unfinished. The façade feature rosy and pearled marble that leads upward into an undecorated arched window. The interior embodies Italian Gothic architecture with chapels designed to look like small churches.

The museum offers visitors a chance to see the original plans for the church, along with designated décor designed by Andrea Palladio. After your tour of the city, your guide will lead you through the streets to indulge in the pleasures of the cuisine often praised as the best in the country. You will return to Piazza Maggiore for a sampling of the famous tagliatelle al ragu, thick noodles in a savory meat sauce. At the second stop, your guide will offer you a sample of tangy and tart lemon sorbet mixed with creamy white chocolate. The combination of citrus and light bitterness has a captivating effect.

At breakfast, you will sip your frothy cappuccino and enjoy the lingering bittersweet flavor of the roasted coffee beans. After your meal, your guide will lead you outside of Bologna to discover the charms of Emilia-Romagna. The city of Ravenna was once the capital of the Western Roman Empire, trading extensively with Constantinople and the Byzantines. The wealth and power of the former imperial city remain emblazoned in the churches that date back to the 4th century, embellished with precious stones and gold. The riot of color impressed nobility and poets, including Dante Alighieri who lived in Ravenna at the end of his life.

The church of San Vitale contains a remarkable octagonal shape that will capture your attention. The structure was erected in the 6th century and decorated with Byzantine mosaics, which now represents one of the finest examples of early Christian art and architecture. The stones in the choir apse come together to portray Justinian and his wife, Theodora. Down the stairs, you will have a view into the sunken mosaics beneath what now resembles a well. Gold fish swim above as the flickering light casts off settled coins. The wonders of Ravenna lead you to the historical harbors of Rimini before you reach the marvelous ancient grounds of San Marino, one of the smallest and oldest republics in the world. Three towers crown the microstate, the oldest of which dates back to the 13th century over the remains of a Roman fortress.

The medieval center of Bologna embodies the beauty of the city in both the history and the cuisine, expressing the culture of locals through tradition and experimentation. In the morning, pop by a favorite café that offers Bologna the country’s favorite drink, espresso, but offers interesting combinations in case people feel adventurous, including chocolate and chili pepper. The café fills with the aroma of brewed coffee beans and sweet pastries. Every coffee served has a special quality, whether connecting you to the simple pleasures of an Italian tradition or taking you on a unique journey through taste alone. After breakfast, your private transfer will meet you at your hotel and escort you G. Marconi International Airport for your flight home.