Museum of Traditional Balsamic Vinegar - Ferrari Museum - Castle of Torrechiara - Modena

Route: Bologna - Museum of Traditional Balsamic Vinegar - Ferrari Museum - Castle of Torrechiara - Modena - Bologna
Duration: 10 h
Firstly we will visit to Museum of Traditional Balsamic Vinegar. The Balsamic Vinegar is made in the ancient "Domini Estensi" area using cooked grape must, matured with a slow vinegarisation. Dark brown in colour, it has a characteristic smell and a traditional, inimitable and well-balanced sweet and sour flavour.  The Museum is located on the ground floor of Villa Fabriani, which already hosts both the Acetaia Comunale and the Consorteria dell'Aceto Balsamico. You will explore each phase of the balsamic vinegar making process from vine selection to constructing the barrels, as well as harvesting, pressing, cooking the must and the acetaia. Also you will tast some kinds of the vinegar whith local food. Next we will visit to the Ferrari Museum in Maranello, is a Ferrari Company Museum  dedicated to the Ferrari Sports car marque. The Museum doesn’t collect only the most famous Ferrari cars, but it also exhibits prizes, trophies, photographs and other historical objects related to the history of the great Italian car brand. Among the most attractive display rooms is that boasting approximately 40 prestigious models on rotation, deriving from museums and private collectors; the models show off the evolution of Ferrari style and design. Then, a hall dedicated to Formula One and Cavallino, the Victory Hall, celebrates the victories of the Scuderia, displaying World Championship cars from 1999 to 2008, 110 trophies, and the original helmets from nine World Champion Drivers: like Villeneuve, Berger, Mansell and Prost .  Also visible are numerous other items belonging to the drivers,  including gloves, suits and shoes. Next we will visit to Torrechiara Castle which is one of the best preserved fortifications in whole the region. It was built between 1448 and 1460 by Pier Maria Rossi, who had it girded with a triple wall and four corner towers linked by battlemented parapets. Two loggias on the east side were added later. Inside, a fine square bailey abut on arcades and windows trimmed with elaborate Lombard style terracotta moldings. In the San Nicomede Oratory, at the base of the southeast tower and in the ensuing rooms are several 16th century frescoes attributed to Cesare Baglione and his circle. In the northeast tower, beautiful frescoed halls include an ancient kitchen while in the northern block the Salone degli stemmi was decorated by Baglione, who also executed the fresco cycle in the Salone degli Acrobati (Acrobats Room) in the style of mannerism. The most striking among the decorated rooms is the Camera d’oro (Golden Room), named after the pure gold that once trimmed the terracotta medallions set into the wall, whose fresco cycle dating to 1462 and attributed to Benedetto Bembo depicts a tale of courtly love and chivalry, recounting the story of Pier Maria Rossi’s passion for Bianca Pellegrini. It also carries two entwined hearts and the initials of Bianca and Pier Maria joined by a ribbon bearing the motto Nunc et semper. Next we will visit to Modena which is a friendly city, with an interesting history and plenty of modern creations. The historical centre recalls the greatness of the House of Este, thanks to whom Modena became State Capital from the end of the sixteenth-century to 1859. The emblem of all this magnificence is Palazzo Ducale, designed by the architect Avanzini on which other architects also worked, including Vigarani and Soli. Since the Unification of Italy, this building has been home to the prestigious Military Academy. The centre of Modena is based around the Via Emilia, as in the past the Roman city developed along the consular road, whose construction in 187 BC preceded foundation of the Modena. Our walking tour of Modena will allow you to be exploring the most popular sights and attractions all throughout the town, as well as discovering its peculiar, lively Italian lifestyle. From majestic Romanesque Cathedral, UNESCO-declared World Heritage Site and nearby Main Square, tour will be leading you all across the narrow alleys of the city up until reaching the imposing, glorious-looking Baroque Ducal Palace, one of the largest buildings of all Europe, no less. This served as seat of Este Dukes court for almost three hundred years, back at the time when Modena was capital of its own state. We will stop at the most popular sights all across the city: the Duomo, Ghirlandina bell tower, Main Square area, City Hall, Albinelli Food Market, ancient Jewish Ghetto, Ducal Palace, Comunale Theatre. After free time we return to Bologna.
Price: per person