Parma to Florence: Italy's Culinary Highlights

Sample the best of Italian cuisine on this mouth-watering adventure

So much more than pizza, pasta and gelato, Italy’s foodie credentials are hard to beat. This delectable adventure delves into the most celebrated gastronomy region in the country, Emilia-Romagna, where we discover the origins of culatello ham, Parmesan cheese and balsamic vinegar, among other delights. We hit Bologna (named the World Capital of Food by Condé Nast Traveller in 2022) and head to lesser-known spots including the picturesque hilltop town of Brisighella. A train ride through rolling hills takes us to Florence, the beating heart of Tuscany, where our adventure culminates.

People, Places & Planet

We work hard to create trips that have a positive impact on the people and places we visit and look after the planet we explore. Learn more about our sustainable travel ethos and practice here and find out about the work of the Exodus Travels Foundation here.

Some sustainable travel highlights of this trip include:

People

How this trip helps improve life for local communities.

• Local guides keep you well informed about local traditions and cultural-social sensitivities.
• This trip brings income and opportunity to the destination community through the inclusion of locally owned hotels, restaurants, and other enterprises, and by championing locally produced food wherever possible. Two hotels typically used on this trip are family-owned: Agriturismo La Razza and Hotel Silla in Florence.
• We visit several small producers of local food and wine on this tour, which supports the local economies. Visits include Antica Corte Pallavicina and Leone Conti.
• Read more about our other initiatives here.

Places

How this trip helps protect and conserve local landscapes and nature.

• By travelling in a small group, we ‘tread lightly’ to minimise our impact on local resources and the environment.
• We work with our partners on the ground to proactively reduce waste; this includes eliminating all single-use plastic water bottles by providing refills for reusable bottles.
• We visit locations off the usual tourist trail such as Faenza and Brisighella, helping to spread the economic support to places that don’t usually benefit.
• With our partners, Rewilding Apennines, we rewild 100 square meters (1,075 sqft) of land per passenger who travels with us.
• Read about our commitment to nature protection and restoration here, including our rewilding commitment for every customer who travels with us.

Planet

How we seek to keep the carbon footprint of this trip low.

• Accommodation and restaurants in the itinerary use locally sourced food which has not been transported long distances.
• Read about our climate action here, including our carbon reduction and compensation commitments.

Tips for sustainable travel on this trip

• Leave no trace: We do all we can to ensure we leave no rubbish in the wild and beautiful places we visit; we ask that you do the same. If there are no recycling facilities in-country, consider bringing recyclable materials home with you.
• Plastic waste reduction: Please bring a reusable water bottle on this trip, also consider avoiding single-use hotel toiletries, which generate a large amount of plastic waste.

Is this trip for you?

This trip is graded Activity Level 1 (Leisurely), meaning it is suitable for everyone in good health and fitness. For more on our trip gradings, visit our Activity Level Guidelines page.

This trip is designed for you to sample the best of Italian gastronomy and hospitality in a relatively short space of time, so there is a fair amount of moving from place to place. It is a relatively relaxing week with the most walking required during the guided walking tours of Parma, Modena, Bologna and Florence. The walking isn’t too strenuous and can be done at a leisurely pace. The walking tours last one to two hours.

All transfers are by private air-conditioned vehicle and there are two train journeys (from Bologna to Faenza and from Brisighella to Florence). The longest drive is the arrival transfer (approximately two hours), and no transfers during the trip exceed one hour. Please note, due to traffic restrictions in some of the historic centres visited, you may have to carry your suitcase over cobbled pavements, although the bus will leave you as close to your hotel as possible. When this is not possible, a porterage service will be provided, which has been included in the cost of the trip. Please be aware that some hotels don’t have a lift (elevator).

Following a review of all our trips we have categorised this trip as not suitable for full wheelchair users, but it may be suitable for other persons of reduced mobility. Please contact customer services to discuss the trip and your personal condition.

Vaccinations and Health

Italy

There are no required vaccinations. However, you may want to consider vaccinations for tetanus, rabies and tick-borne encephalitis. Please confirm with your doctor or travel clinic.

Visa

Italy

Travellers from the UK, US and EU normally do not need a visa to enter Italy. Please note, visa requirements often change and it is your responsibility to obtain any required visas for this trip. Therefore, we recommend that you check with the nearest embassy or consulate of your chosen destination(s), including any countries you may be transiting or transferring through.

Some local governments provide guidance on what visas their citizens need. To help, we’ve gathered a selection of useful links below.

• Australia: www.smartraveller.gov.au/destinations/europe/italy
• Canada: www.travel.gc.ca/destinations/italy
• United Kingdom: www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/italy/entry-requirements
• USA:  www.travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Italy.html

Please note: it is compulsory to carry ID with you at all times in Italy.

Food & Drink

All breakfasts, four lunches (including one cooking class), three dinners and one wine tasting are included.

A selection of food inherent to the region includes:

• Many types of ham, in particular prosciutto, culatello and mortadella
• Parmigiano Reggiano cheese (also known as Parmesan)
• Balsamic vinegar of Modena
• Olives and olive oil
• Tagliatelle al ragù bolognese
• Excellent wines

Emilia-Romagna and Tuscany are the perfect locations for gastronomy aficionados. On this trip, there will be many opportunities to taste local specialties, in particular during the produce and wine tastings, cooking class and the traditional lunches and dinners included in the itinerary.

Vegetarians and vegans may find the majority of cuisine in these regions is not created with dietary restrictions in mind; however, there is still plenty to enjoy, including lasagne verdi al forno (a lasagne dish typically created with spinach-infused pasta sheets) in Emilia-Romagna and panzanella (a delicious bread and tomato salad) in Tuscany.

Weather

Emilia-Romagna has a hot, dry climate during the summer (particularly from June to August), with this becoming more notable as we head south into Tuscany where temperatures can reach the high 30Cs (around 100F). You should feel comfortable in the heat. The presence of mosquitoes increases in summer, so we recommend you take mosquito repellent with you.

On departures in April-June and September-October, expect fairly warm days; rain is possible, but it rarely lasts long. Nights may still be rather cool. We strongly recommend a fleece-lined jacket or warm sweater in these months.