Prestige & Passion of Italy: Celebrating 350 Years of Italian Racing Tradition

Bologna is a city of historical majesty and culinary artistry. The medieval arcades contrast the youthful energy emanating from the 11th-century University of Bologna, the oldest university in the world. Cafes set out tables and chairs along the cobbled lanes, offering patrons views of the passersby and the boutique shops nestled into elegant, historic quarters. Your flight lands at Florence Airport. Your private transfer greets you upon arrival and escorts you north to the vibrant city of Bologna, the capital of the Emilia-Romagna region. The scent of espresso fades beneath the drifting aroma of sizzling sausages.

The Neptune Fountain splashes in a brilliant display of grace and power, embodying the beauty of the 16th-century artistry. Shops along Via dell’Indipendenza offer marvelous window displays promoting fashion and design, turning the window into a work of art. You take the time to settle into your luxurious hotel near the beating heart of the city at Piazza Maggiore and the adjoining Fountain of Neptune. Your private transfer greets you in the lobby and leads you to a shop famous for making perfect hand-made pasta for generations, crafting regional favorites, such as lasagne and tagliatelle.

Your pasta instructor welcomes you with open arms and a large smile. The scent of flour fills the gallery. You learn how to make pasta from “Le Sfogline,” traditional pasta makers who introduce you to the art of crafting tortellini. The legend states that the tortellini was shaped after the belly button of Venus, inspired by the goddess in Botticelli’s painting, The Birth of Venus. You watch as your instructor quickly makes the dough by whisking eggs inside a volcano of flour, then kneading the dough by hand until it is no longer sticky. You help roll out the dough, eventually imitating your teacher in the way she pinches, twists, and folds the dough to craft a perfect tortellini.