A Gastronomic Exploration of Tuscany & Emilia Romagna with Quatrefoil Restaurant

Day 1 - Sunday, September 29: Flight

Optional overnight flight from Toronto to Florence (connections via Frankfurt or Brussels). Alternatively, flights can be booked through Milan or Rome with an approximate 3-hour land transfer to Florence from each. 

Day 2 - Monday, September 30: Florence

Coach transportation from Florence airport to our hotel (30km), the ideally situated 5* St.Regis Florence on the banks of the Arno River with views to the Ponte Vecchio. Perfectly placed in the city’s historical center, the hotel offers an unrivaled immersion into the cradle of the Renaissance where we will spend the next three nights. Florence, a romantic, enchanting and utterly irresistible city, is a great place to feast on world class art and gourmet Tuscan cuisine. After check-in to the hotel, guests will have time to rest and relax or explore the city center before this evening’s welcome dinner at a specially chosen trattoria. 

Day 3 - Tuesday, October 01: Chianti

Breakfast in the hotel at your leisure. Morning departure into the hills of the Chianti Classico wine region, featuring cypress-lined roads and medieval hilltop villages. We will visit a quintessential town in this region where we will enjoy a VIP premium wine estate visit and tasting, followed by a leisurely group lunch at a local gastronomic farm-style restaurant. The recipes from this region have taken their secrets from the country traditions and the dishes are made exclusively with ingredients that are in season. Late afternoon return to the hotel and free evening to explore Florence. Optional dining recommendations will be available. 

Day 4 - Wednesday, October 02: Florence

Breakfast in the hotel at your leisure. Morning guided pedestrian tour of central Florence, the capital of Tuscany and home to Micheangelo, the Medici, and some of the most beautiful architecture in the world. Our in-depth guided tour will showcase both historic landmarks as well as the city’s vibrant gastronomy scene including the Mercato Centrale di Firenze – Florence’s historic food market. In its beautiful two-storey structure you will be impressed by the rich selection of fresh traditional products with flavors linked to the rich and genuine local cuisine. Free time for lunch and open afternoon to explore the city, with optional guided tour of the Uffizi Gallery, one of the world’s finest and oldest art galleries, or perhaps a local cooking class for those interested. Group dining experience this evening at a specially selected gourmet Florentine restaurant. 

Day 5 - Thursday, October 03: Modena

Breakfast at your leisure in the hotel. Morning departure for the Emilia Romagna region, exploring the countryside of this scenic area en route, with free time in a charming village for lunch. Our base for the next two days is hotel Casa Maria Luigia, an intimate guest house in the countryside near the town of Modena. The world famous chef Massimo Bottura and his wife Lara decided to convert this beautiful property into an exclusive and intimate “albergo” where they could showcase their elaborate art and provide their guests with an even more immersive gastronomic experience than their nearby restaurant Osteria Francescana – which has regularly been voted the No. 1 Restaurant in the World! – could offer. This evening at Chef Bottura's agriturismo we will have a nine course meal with wine pairing, showcasing Chef Bottura’s most famous Michelin starred courses in what will undoubtedly be a once in a lifetime gastronomic experience. 

A word about Casa Maria Liugia

Day 6 - Friday, October 04: Parma

Morning breakfast in the hotel. Morning departure (10 a.m.- tbd ) towards the town of Parma where the famous, DOC protected Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese is produced, which earns its official name only after the local ‘Consorzio’ has inspected and officially stamped each and every wheel. Our destination is Antica Corte Pallavicina where we will tour the “Museo Del Culatello e Del Masalen” in order to learn about the rich history of the local salami and cheese in this region. We will also tour the “Cellars of the Corte” built in 1320 by the Marquesses of Pallavicini where the famous salumi’s are cured and wheels of Parmigiano Reggiano are aged.

Situated in a fairytale setting, this property resembles a castle although it was in fact built as a customs house on the Po River in the 14C. It is now renowned for its “culatello”, one of the region’s famous hams. Here we will enjoy a leisurely lunch including the famous Culatello ham and Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and other Italian specialties with accompanied wines at Antica Corte Pallavicina’s Hosteria del Maiale in the Glass Room.

We will return to the hotel later afternoon. Free evening with optional dinner at Al Gatto Verde, a casual bistro on the property at our hotel Casa Maria Luigia, or nearby in the town of Modena. Business casual, dressy jeans acceptable.

Day 7 - Saturday, October 05: Bologna

Breakfast in the hotel, morning check out (approx. 9:30 a.m.) and departure for the city of Bologna where we will spend the next two evenings.

Upon arrival to Bologna, we will immediately enjoy a historical guided tour of the “Central Storico” and learn about the rich history of the art, culture and food of the city. Bologna is often overlooked by tourists who tend to flock to the more famous attractions of Florence and Venice. As we will discover, Bologna is one of the most beautiful and well-preserved cities in Europe, home to its oldest university (founded in 1088), rich in art and culture, and last but not least, the gastronomic capital of Italy.

After our guided tour you will have free time lunch in one of Bologna’s most celebrated trattorias. Mid-afternoon we will check into the 5* Grand Hotel Majestic where we will spend the next two nights. https://grandhotelmajestic.duetorrihotels.com

Day 8 - Sunday, October 06: Bologna

Breakfast in the hotel with a 10:00 a.m. departure into the “Land of Truffles” in the hills of the Bologna near the town of San Giovanni in Persiceto, where we will enjoy a guided tour from 10:30 am to 12 pm to learn all about Italian truffles. This region is famous for these delicacies and our expert guide and his truffle sniffing dog will take us on a short walking journey and teach us about the different varieties growing in the region while we hunt for the elusive truffle.

After our leisurely hike and truffle hunt we will enjoy a farewell lunch at Antica Osteria Del Mirasole a well-known family run restaurant with top quality cuisine that has strong roots in the gastronomic traditions of this region. Dress business casual – dressy jeans permitted.

Late afternoon return to Bologna.

This final evening is at your leisure, with the option to meet as a group to enjoy a farewell cocktail at the hotel.

Day 9 - Monday, October 07: Flight home

Breakfast in the hotel. Check-out with morning departures to Bologna Airport (Air Canada Flight via Frankfurt 11:00 a.m. or 10:40 a.m. via Zurich) or to Florence Airport. Alternatively, guests may continue to travel on to other regions.