Day 1: Bologna/Verona – Reggio Emilia
Arrival at the Airport in Bologna or Verona and transfer to the hotel in Reggio Emilia.
Check-in at the hotel, dinner and overnight.

Day 2: Reggio Emilia, Cavazzone and Torrechiara
Specialties of the day: ham and pork 
After breakfast we will visit Reggio Emilia with our English-speaking guide. This town has one of the highest standards of living in Italy. Late morning we will visit the chalet-style Villa that Baron Francetti had built for his beloved wife, Sara Luisa de Rothschild.
We will then continue to Cavazzone for lunch at a local restaurant. After lunch we will visit the Castle of Torrechiara, probably Italy’s most beautiful Renaissance-style castle. Powerful walls and high towers surround the courtyard; the building itself will remind you of a fairytale knights' castle. If time permits, a visit to the Benedictine Monastery of S. Maria della Neve will also be made.
Dinner at a local restaurant where you will enjoy local specialties such as ham and pork.
Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Day 3: Villanova sull’Arda – Roncole – Busseto – Fontanellato – Soragna
Specialties of the day: tortelli, ham and salami
Buffet breakfast at the hotel.
We will drive to Villanova sull’Arda and visit Villa S. Agata, the house where the composer Giuseppe Verdi and his wife, the soprano Giuseppina Strepponi, lived. In Roncole, the birthplace of Verdi, we will visit the church where he was baptized and then his parents' house. Our next stop will be just a few miles away in Busseto where we will visit the famous Verdi Theater. Lunch will be at a farmhouse near Fontanellato where we will taste regional specialities such as tortelli, ham and salami.
In the afternoon we will visit  the Castles of Soragna of Fontanellato. Meli Lupi (Castle of Soragna) was built in 1385 by the noble family of the same name. It is still inhabited but is open to visitors in the summer.
The beautiful moated castle of Fontanellato seems unapproachable from the outside but is full of surprises on the inside. The Wedding Room, the outstanding “Saletta di Diana e Atteone” and the Optical Room are amongst the highlights of the castle. The Optical Room has an impressive system of mirrors which allow you to follow what happens in the piazza in front of the castle.
Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Day 4: Reggio Emilia – Parma
Specialties of the day: prosciutto and cheese
After breakfast you will visit Parma, the birthplace of the famous composer Toscanini. On a guided tour you will see the most important sights of this city, such as Palazzo della Pilotta, the Farnese Theater,  Palatina Library, and the Cathedral with its Baptistery.
The afternoon will dedicated to two important delicacies of this region:  Parma ham and Parma cheese. During our visit to a prosciutto and cheese factory, we will discover many secrets of the preparation of these specialities, and then sample them. Afterwards we will continue to the Marche Region.
Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Day 5: Acqualagna and Urbino
Specialty of the day: the most important culinary treasure of this region: truffles
Buffet breakfast at the hotel.
For those with a fine palate it would be a sin to visit the Marche region and not stop at Acqualagna. This town is particularly famous for its truffles. Since 1966 the National Truffle Trade-show takes place here each year towards the end of October/beginning of November. The area around the River Furlo boasts many gourmet restaurants and traditional taverns that guarantee year-long culinary delights.
We will have lunch at a local farmhouse where we will enjoy delicacies prepared with local truffles. In the afternoon we will discover Urbino. This city is completely surrounded by medieval walls and has remained much the same since Prince Fedrico di Montefeltro had it built in the 15th century. The lively University houses many important works of Italian architecture and art.
Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Day 6: Pesaro – Jesi
Specialties of the day: wine from the Verdicchio region and seafood
Buffet breakfast at the hotel.
Today we will visit the seaside resort of Pesaro which is famous for being the birthplace of the composer Rossini. The history of the town dates back however to Roman times. After an extensive walking tour through the old-town we will continue inland to the town of Jesi where Emperor Frederich II was born. Jesi is set on a mountain-crest and is completely surrounded by medieval walls. We will then drive on to Cupramontana, in the region of the Verdicchio wine, an will stop there for lunch and wine-tasting at a local winery. Tonight you will enjoy a seafood dinner with Verdicchio wine - a perfect combination. You will easily understand why this wine is ideal to accompany seafood dishes.
Overnight at the hotel.

Day 7: Modena
Specialties of the day: balsamic vinegar
Buffet breakfast at the hotel.
Today’s excursion will take us to Modena, the birthplace of the famous tenor Luciano Pavarotti. On Piazza Grande you will be greeted by the 288-foot tall Ghirlandina Bell Tower and the impressive Cathedral. Our tour will end with a visit to a balsamic vinegar cellar where we will be able to sample this tasty condiment.
Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Day 8: Transfer to Bologna/Parma Airport  and departure 
After breakfast, transfer to the Airport and departure. End of services.