Bergamo, Alba and Parma: Unesco Creative Cities - TRIP CODE: BGALPA
7 days 6 nights
Day 1: Bergamo
Arrival at Bergamo and hotel check-in.
Lunch of your choice. Possibility of organizing lunch with a picnic basket in the gardens of a historical estate.
Guided tour of Bergamo Alta on Tuk Tuk. During the city tour you can enjoy the Piazza Vecchia square with Palazzo della Ragione, Torre Civica, known as “the big bell tower”, and the old town hall now housing the library. You will then continue on the discovery of the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore with its frescos, stuccos, tapestries and wooden inlays realized on drawings by the very famous artist Lorenzo Lotto. Bergamo is also the cradle of gelato flavour Stracciatella, born in one of the gelato shops of the old city. A delicious must taste!
Dinner at a local restaurant to enjoy a menu of typical dishes and overnight stay.
Day 2: Valle Brembana with Art and Tradition
Breakfast and transfer on your own to San Pellegrino Terme.
Free time to visit San Pellegrino Terme on your own or possibility of organising a guided tour. The town is known for its Liberty style palaces, where the vintage interiors of its Casino and Grand Hotel meet the minimal design of the brand-new spa building. Upon request, you can also visit the world-famous San Pellegrino water and soda bottling factory.
Transfer on your own to Oneta di San Giovanni Bianco, little town surrounded by the woods of the Valle Brembana that can be reached only on foot for a guided visit of Casa Museo di Arlecchino, the museum dedicated to one of the main characters of the Italian Commedia dell’Arte theatre. The Museum shows a selection of masks of the characters of the Commedia dell’arte and since 2015 is also home to a resident theatre of puppets with the Compagnia del Riccio.
We suggest a visit on your own of Camerata Cornello and Cornello dei Tasso: you can discover the roots and history of the national post service in one of Italy’s most amazing towns. The museum of this small town cherishes a Penny Black, one of the first stamps ever printed in the world. From Camerata Cornello you can reach Cornello dei Tasso along the old Via Mercatorurm, one of the oldest Medieval routes of the Bergamo area.
Lunch at a restaurant with typical local dishes.
In the afternoon, transfer on your own to an agriturismo for a truly original experience. You will have the chance of milking cows, then tasting cheese and visiting wineries. Bergamo holds the title of European Capital of Cheese and Valle Brembana is the land of origin of some of the 9 PDOs (Designations of Protected Origin) of the province of Bergamo, such as Taleggio and Formai de mut. Dinner of your choice. Return to hotel for the overnight stay.
Day 3: The refined Moscato di Scanzo and the Langhe area
Breakfast and check-out. Transfer on your own to the production area of Moscato di Scanzo. Guided visit of the Piano Nobile of a Villa, rich of eighteenth-century frescos, furniture and paintings, followed by a tasting of wines paired with local cheese and deli meats. Lunch of your choice.
To enrich the day, we suggest to visit Bergamo Bassa, walking through the Centro Piacentiano or visiting one of its museums. Departure for the Piedmont region.
Arrival in the Langhe area on your own in the afternoon and check-in at the charming accommodation chosen for and with you. Dinner at a typical Osteria and overnight stay.
Day 4: The Langa area of Barolo and Alba
After breakfast, enjoyed in the calm of your lodging, the day will be dedicated to the discovery of the hills of Barolo: we suggest an evocative and charming itinerary through harmonious landscapes, small villages perched on the hills, refined wineries and small wine shops. Visit of the prestigious castle of Grinzane Cavour, the symbol of Langhe and Unesco site, sanctuary of history and art, and then of a famous Barolo producer, where you can learn about the history, tradition and passion behind Italy’s most valuable wines. Lunch at the winery before carrying on the exploration between the vineyard rows and castles, to later reach Alba - Unesco Creative City of Gastronomy and capital of the Langhe area. Free time to stroll enjoying Medieval towers, Romanesque churches, Liberty style palaces and elegant boutiques, as well as to sip a good aperitif outdoors. Dinner at an elegant high-end gourmet restaurant and overnight stay.
Day 5: The white truffle from Alba and the land of Giuseppe Verdi
After breakfast, take your time for the check-out, then leave for the most thrilling experience for truffle lovers or for those curious to find out more about this excellent product: truffle hunting in the woods. A truffle hunter with his loyal dog will take you hunting for the precious underground mushroom, guided only by the dog’s smell and by his intuition refined over years of experience. Comfortable clothes and spare shoes are recommended. At the end of the walk through the magic silence of nature, possibility of enjoying a tasting or lunch based on truffle.
Departure to the province of Parma, with stop in the Bassa Parmense area, i.e. the land of Giuseppe Verdi. Depending on the time of arrival, you can visit the Maestro’s birthplace, stop in Busseto and visit Teatro Verdi and Museo Barezzi or you can go to Villa Verdi in Sant’Agata. Arrival on the banks of the river Po to visit the old and charming maturation rooms of Culatello di Zibello in the historical building of the farm that was on the land owned by Giuseppe Verdi. You will discover the most refined of Italian deli meats: its taste and aroma have made many foodies and celebrities fall in love with this product. Tasting in the maturation rooms with visit of the Culatello Museum. Tasting-dinner to follow.
Accommodation in a hotel or agriturismo and/or relais de charme. Overnight stay.
Day 6: Typical products and Parma castles
Breakfast at the hotel. Meeting with your guide. Transfer and visit to a Dairy producing Parmigiano Reggiano PDO on the hills of Parma with your private guide specialised in food and wine. Meeting with the cheese makers, tasting of the different degrees of maturation of the cheese, visit of the amazing maturation rooms, discovery of the secrets of cheese making. Transfer to a family-owned ham factory to learn about the production steps and the secrets to recognise the quality of Prosciutto di Parma PDO. Tasting in a big room with a panoramic view or on an outdoors terrace: it will be a celebration of unique flavours! On the way back, photo stop at the Castle of Torrechiara, perched on the hill overlooking the valley, surrounded by vineyards as far as the eye can see or visit on your own of the Castle of Torrechiara. Afternoon: Visit of a winery producing Vini dei Colli di Parma. The owners will explain what is behind some of Parma’s most famous wines. Tasting of three wines paired with local products. Gourmet dinner in the city centre of Parma. Return and overnight stay in a hotel or agriturismo and/or relais de charme.
Day 7: Parma, the heart of the Food Valley
Breakfast in the hotel and check-out.
Visit of Parma, Unesco Creative City of Gastronomy and Italian Capital of Culture 2020-21. Walk to the marvellous pristine Piazza Duomo with its Romanesque Cathedral and the Baptistery in pink marble, a masterpiece by Benedetto Antelami. Visit of the Monumental Complex of Pilotta that houses the unique and magnificent Teatro Farnese and the important National Gallery with masterpieces by Leonardo, Correggio and Parmigianino together with other famous artists. Lunch of your choice.
Departure.
Prices start from €1.299,00 per person – minimum 4 persons
The fee includes:
Bergamo
- 2 nights in a 4* hotel, breakfast included
- 1 dinner in typical Osteria, tasting menu with 4 courses
- 1 lunch in typical restaurant, tasting menu with 4 courses
- Guided tour of Bergamo Alta on Tuk Tuk
- Guided visit of Casa Museo di Arlecchino
- Visit of a Villa with tasting of wine paired with local cheese and deli meats
- Cheese tasting paired with two glasses of natural wine
Langhe
- 2 nights in a charme relais on the Unesco Hills of Langhe Monferrato Roero, breakfast with local typical products included
- 1 dinner in typical Osteria, tasting menu with 4 courses
- 1 dinner in elegant gourmet restaurant, tasting menu with 4 courses
- Entrance ticket to the prestigious Grinzane Cavour Castle, Unesco site
- Guided visit of a prestigious local winery with wine tasting and light lunch in the countryside with typical products
- Truffle hunting experience with local truffle hunter and his loyal dog
- Useful tips for panoramic itineraries on the Unesco hills
Parma
- 2 nights in a 3 star superior charming hotel or 4 star hotel in the centre of Parma or agriturismo and/or relais de charme, breakfast included
- Private guide specialised in food and wine following the programme above
- Visit to Culatello di Zibello maturation rooms
- Tasting dinner with Culatello di Zibello
- Visit to a Parmigiano Reggiano dairy with tasting
- Visit to a ham factory with tasting
- Visit to a wine cellar with tasting of 3 wines
- Dinner in a gourmet restaurant of the city centre of Parma
The fee does not include:
city tax, transfers, drinks, insurance, extras and everything not expressly specified above.
