Italy in 10 Days: Food Route

Route overview

Day by day

1. Day 1

   Arrive in Bologna

   Fly into Bologna or Milan and take the train. Evening walk through the Quadrilatero, then a first plate of tortellini in brodo.

2. Day 2

   Bologna markets and a pasta class

   Mercato delle Erbe in the morning, then a three hour class making sfoglia by hand. You will roll pasta badly and eat it anyway, which is the correct outcome.

3. Day 3

   Parmigiano and prosciutto near Parma

   A dairy visit starts early, usually before 08:30, because that is when cheese is made. Afterwards a prosciutto cellar, then lunch in Parma itself.

4. Day 4

   Modena and traditional balsamic

   An acetaia visit explains why real tradizionale costs what it does. Lunch at a trattoria, then the Albinelli market in the afternoon for things to take home.

5. Day 5

   Bologna at a slower pace

   No producers today. Coffee, the Archiginnasio, a walk under the porticoes, and a late aperitivo with mortadella and gnocco fritto.

6. Day 6

   Train to Florence

   Thirty-five minutes by high speed train, which still surprises people. Afternoon at the Mercato Centrale and Sant'Ambrogio market, then a simple dinner in the Oltrarno.

7. Day 7

   Chianti wine and olive oil

   Day trip by train to Greve or by car deeper into Chianti. Two estates is the right number. Lunch at the second one, not in between.

8. Day 8

   Tuscan cooking and the bistecca question

   A morning market tour with a cook, then an afternoon making ribollita and a proper ragu. If you want bistecca alla fiorentina, tonight is the night, and it is sold by weight for two people.

9. Day 9

   Florence on foot

   Something other than food, honestly. The Brancacci Chapel or the Bargello, a gelato from a shop that does not display neon mountains of it, and a final dinner somewhere you found yourself.

10. Day 10

    Departure

    Train to Florence airport or on to Pisa or Bologna for the flight home. Leave luggage space for oil, vinegar and vacuum-packed cheese.

Accommodation approach

Five nights in Bologna as a single base for all of Emilia-Romagna, then four in Florence. Staying put means no packing on producer days, which matters when you are carrying cheese.

Getting around

Trains for all city legs. Producer visits outside Parma and Modena need either a small group tour or a rental car for the day, since the dairies are genuinely rural.

What to eat

• Tortellini in brodo and tagliatelle al ragu in Bologna
• Culatello and prosciutto in the Parma countryside
• Aceto balsamico tradizionale tasted straight, no salad involved
• Bistecca alla fiorentina, shared, once
• Gelato from artisanal shops with short flavour lists

Planning tips

• Dairy visits start very early. Book the day before a light evening, not after a big dinner.
• Ask restaurants for the regional pasta rather than the one you already know. In Emilia it changes every 30 km.
• Cheese and vacuum-packed meat travel fine in checked luggage within the EU. Check rules carefully for other destinations.
• Reserve Sunday and Monday meals in advance, closures are common and the good places fill quickly.