Secret Ravenna & Its Beautiful Hidden Treasures

Arrival in Ravenna at your 4* hotel & check in. Ravenna is famous all around the world for its beautiful Byzantine mosaics and amazing architecture. Shops & boutiques alternate with bars & historic restaurants along the central streets and piazzas of the city centre, making it a great pleasure to walk around at a very pleasant slow pace. What better way to begin our “Secret Ravenna trip”, than to start with an ancient cooking tradition. At 4pm meet with Chiara and together we will immerse ourselves in a fantastic traditional Romagna Cuisine cooking experience. We will learn how to make two different kinds of pasta and enjoy an aperitivo before eating the pasta we have made accompanied by a glass of local wine.
 

Breakfast; at 9.15am meet with our expert guide in the hotel foyer. The guide will accompany us to visit the stunning mosaics of Ravenna and its beautiful churches, temples and palaces. Here you will come to understand why Ravenna is considered one of the most beautiful cities in the world. After the tour there will be time at your disposal to enjoy visiting the incredible and renowned mosaic workshops, or just stroll along the city centre. In the afternoon at 5pm we will uncover the secrets of the “Wine Under the Sea” and visit the “Tenuta del Paguro” headquarters in the centre of Ravenna. We will meet the founder Gianluca Grilli who will tell us all about this project born in 2008 and after which we will taste the wines that age cuddled under the sea below “Paguro”, its namesake. “Paguro” is the name of one of the first two mobile platforms for methane & gas extraction built off the coast of Ravenna. “Paguro Platform” sank in 1965, and over the years the wreck has become a submarine oasis. In 1995 it was acknowledged as a site of “community importance” and in 2010 Gianluca & Raffaele started, with great determination, enthusiasm and over two years of experimentation, a process of research and oenological innovation. In collaboration with the Paguro Skin Divers Association they sank the first crates containing wines from the “Tenuta del Paguro” vineyards at a depth of 25mt into the artificial reef. After the ageing had elapsed the metal crates containing the bottles were brought back to the surface… (NOTE: For health & safety reasons it is not possible to visit the “Paguro Platform”). After the interesting story of how they are aged we will taste these wonderful organic wines accompanied by a traditional selection of local cheeses, charcuterie and other typical products. After the tasting the rest of the evening will be free for you to enjoy at your own leisure.

Breakfast; at 9am departure towards the enchanting medieval hamlet of Dozza Imolese, where we will meet with our expert guide and together walk along the narrow-cobbled streets of this picturesque historic town, which since 1960 has become an open-air street art museum. In fact, every two years an “international street art competition” is held here, attracting some of the most famous artists from all over Italy and the rest of the world. The biennial artistic event of the “muro dipinto” (painted wall) in Dozza has now grown into a highly recognised event, where important artists create unique works of art using as their canvases the walls of the houses in the historic centre of Dozza.  We will also visit the 13th century Sforza Fortress, a great example of medieval architecture that was elegantly renovated by Princess Caterina Sforza in the 16th century. Last but certainly not least, we will visit the dungeons which is now the site of the Enoteca Regionale dell'milia -Romagna. Here some of the best regional wines are kept, with more than 1000 labels from over 200 different producers. We are confident that this will represent the ultimate “wine connoisseurs” dream of heaven, and you will be able to choose 3 wines from a choice of 16 to taste. These wines are chosen and periodically alternated by an expert panel of judges. Here you will also find a fantastic selection of some of the best typical products that represent the regions excellency such as cheeses, charcuterie, compotes, honey and much more. After the visit and tasting time free to wander around the historic centre of Dozza, find a nice local bar/restaurant where you can enjoy a light bite and about 3pm return to Ravenna and rest of the day at your leisure.

Today we highly recommend you join us on a short trip (not included) to visit the stunning medieval city of Ferrara. After breakfast, a short walk to the train station in time to catch the 8.43am train to Ferrara, a city that you will definitely want to visit again. After approx. 1h train journey we will arrive at Ferrara station, which is a 20-minute walk or 5 minutes by taxi (shared) to the historic city centre. Here you can visit the amazing 12th century Ferrara Saint Goerge’s Cathedral, the majestic 13th century Estense Castle, Palazzo dei Diamanti where a Marc Chagall exhibition is scheduled, or the 13th century Palazzo “Schifanoia” with amazing frescoes that decorate some of its formal rooms. As you can see there is plenty to see and to enjoy. Some of the sites are open to visitors with 10am to 6pm opening times and if you are interested, we can book the tickets in advance for you. You will have time at your disposal to visit exhibitions or just simply walk around this truly amazing city. We can meet at 1.15 near the castle at a bar to share a drink or alternately meet at the train station for our return journey to Ravenna at 14.35pm arriving at approx. 15.48. Return train tickets from €15 per person. Rest of the afternoon free and at 7.30 we will meet at the hotel foyer and walk to the restaurant for our good bye dinner.

Breakfast, check out and departure to your home destination.