ExperiencePlus! Bicycle Tours, renowned for crafting extraordinary cycling adventures throughout Europe and Latin America, continues to celebrate the launch of its new self-guided tours in Italy with two itineraries that combine the beautiful scenery and rich gastronomic heritage of the renowned Emilia-Romagna region.
Often hailed as the “culinary capital of Italy,” Emilia-Romagna offers an unparalleled landscape of medieval cities, rich gastronomy, and seaside delights, and through two of the new self-guided tours – Bicycle Romagna – Heartland of Italy’s Homemade Pasta and Taste of Italy – Cycling Emilia-Romagna, which can be enjoyed separately or combined for a wonderful extended tour through the region – ExperiencePlus! guests have the opportunity to delve deep into this gastronomic haven at their own pace, combining the joy, freedom, and immersive experiences available when one explores by bike, with the added bonus of indulging in authentic Italian cuisine.
What’s more, thanks to its deep network of local connections in Italy, ExperiencePlus! also offers customization options that further highlight the region’s many culinary traditions and specialties – think balsamic vinegar, parmesan cheese, cured prosciutto, and of course, amazing wine. From restaurant recommendations that are provided via the tour’s Ride With GPS Experience app, to immersive in-person cooking classes/food experiences through Le Cesarine, where guests join a local person in their home to prepare a meal, ExperiencePlus! works to enrich every itinerary through various optional add-ons.
“Emilia-Romagna is a dream destination for foodies and wine lovers, and we are delighted to provide itineraries that help independent travelers really experience all this region has to offer to its fullest,” says Maria Elena Price, co-owner of ExperiencePlus! Bicycle Tours. “These are self-guided getaways that feed both the body and soul.”
Below are just a few of the many highlights that await on each tour.
Bicycle Romagna – Heartland of Italy’s Homemade Pasta
This seven-day self-guided tour starts in Ravenna and travels though the Romagna region all the way to the lively, historic capital of Bologna. Along the way, travelers explore the famous ceramics town of Faenza (restaurant reco: Bisinì dla Sghisa) and medieval villages such as Dozza and Terra del Sol. The route takes guests past countless farms, where one can stop and pick up supplies for a picnic, and tours through Brisighella where riders can take part in an olive oil tasting experience at a mill that dates back to Roman times.
When in the wine village of Dozza, cyclists may explore the 13th century castle that is home to the Emilia-Romagna Regional Enoteca (the wine museum). Regional specialities include the red Sangiovese (father grape of Chianti), which is gaining more and more recognition as an important wine in and of itself; the light and fizzy Lambrusco from the hills of Modena and Bologna (which pairs beautifully with some local prosciutto and salame); and, the sweet Albana di Romagna.
Bologna’s Le Cesarine experience – one of many available in the region – includes a film & food pairing entitled ‘Cinema at the table: the Italy of Pietro Germi.’ The experience aims to recreate the atmosphere of the 1950s and 60s, when Italian cinema reached its peak, and pasta – such as egg spaghetti with tomato sauce and meatballs – became the main food on Italian tables.
As this trip ends in Bologna, where the Taste of Italy self-guided tour begins (see below), travelers are invited to combine the two itineraries to maximize their experience in Emilia-Romagna.
Taste of Italy, Cycling Emilia-Romagna
Between picturesque medieval towns, elegant cities, and UNESCO World Heritage Sites, with a landscape that reminds of nearby Tuscany (but without the crowds), exploring Italy’s premier foodie region on two wheels is easily the best way to do it.
As previously mentioned, this itinerary starts in Bologna and explores all that the Reggio Emilia countryside has to offer, with stops in Modena, Parma, and more. Along the way, ExperiencePlus! can coordinate behind-the-scenes visits to the lovely Acetaia Cavalli estate, a historic balsamic vinegar mill and cellar that has been in operation for more than 100 years, as well as a tour of a family-run parmesan cheese producer, and other amazing food-focused experiences. And this is in addition to providing restaurant and bistro recommendations via the app, including Trattoria Nonna Gigia in Bologna, Al Grottino Ristorante in Modena, and Osteria dei mascalzoni in Parma, among many others.
When it comes to the Le Cesarine experiences available here, there are many. For example, in Parma, guests can take a hands-on cooking class with cesarine (host), Mauro, who welcomes visitors to his cozy countryside villa for a lesson that features local specialities.
For more information on these tours and ExperiencePlus! Bicycle Tours’ full line-up of immersive self-guided tours in Italy, please visit ExperiencePlus.com.
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