The greats of Italian opera – Giuseppe Verdi, Arturo Toscanini and Luciano Pavarotti – were born in Emilia Romagna. The area has a special atmosphere, inspiring not only music lovers, but gourmands. This tour is designed to please those with refined tastes. It includes a private performance by students of the Pavarotti Foundation, tours of the musicians' homes and visits to local producers for tastings.

ITINERARY

Day 1 : Arrival

Day 2: Tour in the footsteps of Verdi, complete with a parmesan and Culatello ham tasting (about 90 km)
Follow in the footsteps of Giuseppe Verdi. Visit the home where he was born in Roncole Verdi, the Teatro Verdi theatre and the residence of his promoter and future father-in-law, Casa Barezzi, in Busseto. Continue on to visit Villa Verdi in Sant’Agata, which was acquired by Giuseppe Verdi in 1848. The tour concludes with a tasting of some local specialities in Zibello: “Culatello“ ham, parmesan cheese and a glass of wine.

Day 3: Parma, the Italian Capital of Culture for 2020 and do a visit and wine tasting at the Contignaco Castle (about 90 km)
Visit the Italian Capital of Culture for 2020, Parma. The little gem of a city has an array of lovely, historic buildings, streets and mouth-watering scents. The guided city tour will show you the most important sights, including the famous squares, monuments, birthplace of Maestro Toscanini and the Teatro Regio theatre. Then visit the medival castle of Contignaco and its thirty meter tall tower, which dates back to 1030. Enjoy a wine tasting at the castle before returning to the hotel.

Day 4: At leisure
Enjoy a free day or choose to do an additional excursion (see additional services in DATES & PRICES)

Day 5: Tour in the footsteps of Pavarotti in/around Modena, including a visit and tasting at a balsamic vinegar producer (about 200 km)
See the birthplace of Luciano Pavarotti and the city of Modena. Modena is rich in history and features many monuments that have now been recognized as UNESCO sites, including its Piazza Grande square, the Duomo, the Ghilandia bell tower and the Town Hall. Do a city tour (entrance tickets can be organized, at an additional cost) before continuing on to a balsamic vinegar producer. Afterwards visit the Casa Museum Pavarotti, where the singer spent his final years and which has now been converted into a museum. The day concludes with a private concert performed by the students of the Pavarotti Foundation. The concert will feature twenty minutes of some of the most famous arias. The event will be unforgettably beautiful.

Day 6: Departure