Night 1: Bologna
Palace Bologna
Day 1
We drive (20 mins) from Bologna airport to Bologna and enjoy a tour of the inner city, before dinner in this renowned centre of gastronomy.
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Night 1: Bologna
Palace Bologna
We drive (20 mins) from Bologna airport to Bologna and enjoy a tour of the inner city, before dinner in this renowned centre of gastronomy.
Night 2: San Lazzaro di Savena
Relais Villa Valfiore
We enter the Regional Park dei Gessi Bolognesi e Calanchi dell'Abbadessa … to walk on paths glittering with gypsum crystals and across the karst site of the ‘Dolina della Spipola’ to reach San Lazzaro di Savena (11.5 miles, 7 hours).
Night 3: Varignana
Palazzo di Varignana Hotel & Spa
We walk past Castel de' Britti, an ancient village built on the top of gypsum rocks, and cross the impressively eroded ‘Calanchi della Luna’ to reach the village of Settefonti, renowned for its impressive grey ravines and romantic legend ... from where we traverse ravines, enjoying fine views of the inner Apennines before walking up to reach Varignana (12 miles, 7 hours).
Night 4: Casola Valsenio
Relais Mevigo
4 We cross the notional border between Emilia and Romagna, walking through ravines, woods, orchards and pastures to Borgo Tossignano, at the Western end of the Vena del Gesso Romagnola (Romagna Gypsum Vein) from where a short drive brings us to Casola Valsenio where we spend the night (14.5 miles, 8.5 hours).
Night 5: Casola Valsenio
Relais Mevigo
After returning by road to Tossignano, we walk to cross into the Vena del Gesso Romagnola, a small mountain chain made entirely of gypsum minerals, where the karst formations create a unique landscape. We follow a ridge, the Rive di San Biagio, enjoying extensive views of the Apennines and exploring the woods where a famous robber ‘Il Passatore’ once roamed, and arrive back at Casola Valsenio to spend the night (5 miles, 4 hours).
Night 6: Brisighella
Albergo La Rocca
We walk from the hotel down to Casola Valsenio and up into the eastern part of the Vena del Gesso Romagnola, where we find evidence of ancient gypsum workings, traces of the World War II Gothic Line on the slopes of Monte Mauro, before continuing to Brisighella, famous for its three towers and its excellent olive oil (13 miles, 8 hours).
Night 7: Ravenna
Palazzo Galletti Abbiosi
We drive (1 hour) to Ravenna, where we spend the day visiting the city centre and its UNESCO World Heritage monuments, preserving the outstanding byzantine mosaics dating to 5th and 6th century. Free afternoon to enjoy the lively city centre.
Return to Bologna airport (1 hour).
Farm tracks, mule paths, dirt roads, stony tracks, some tarmac on approach to towns, muddy terrain after rainfall.
From handmade pasta to cured meats and local DOP and IGP products, Emilia-Romagna is a hub for exquisite Italian produce. the exceptional local wines, such as Pignoletto DOCG, Sangiovese di Romagna DOCG, Albana di Romagna DOCG, Trebbiano, and Cagnina, add a delightful dimension to the gastronomic journey.
Answer: Meteorological records for the area, taken over a period of more than 10 years, are represented in the Weather Chart provided with each itinerary.
You don’t have to! You can either get a lift with the Tour Manager to the lunch location or the next hotel, or we can suggest options
to allow you to walk for part of the day. If the itinerary does not involve a hotel change on a given day, you can simply stay in the town and explore, and join (or not join) the group for lunch. The Tour Leader will discuss the next day’s options with the group every
evening.
The destination airport for this walking holiday is Bologna. There will be a set meeting time at Bologna airport for the transfer to the first hotel and a set time for the return transfer to the airport at the end of the trip. Please check with the Reservations Team before making independent arrangements.
If you would like a transfer to the first hotel, please ensure that you inform us of this and advise us of your arrival time and flight number as soon as possible. Please also ensure that your flight arrives at the destination airport at least 1 hour before the meeting time, to allow sufficient time to pass through customs and collect your luggage.
If you are meeting the group at the airport our Tour Leader and Tour Manager will be waiting to meet you for the minibus transfer to the first hotel, which will depart shortly thereafter. They will be wearing green polo shirts bearing the ATG logo.
If you are delayed please ring the ATG office :+44 1865 315 678; or outside office hours please call the emergency number which is +44 1865 315 600.
Meeting at the first hotel
You are of course welcome to meet the group at the first hotel:
Palace Bologna
Via Monte Grappa, 9/2, 40121 Bologna BO, Italy
Tel. +39 051 237442
If you are meeting the group at the first hotel, our Tour Consultants will contact you upon their arrival.
Please indicate your intention during the booking procedure.
Breakfast
Most of the hotels we use offer a buffet-style breakfast with a wide range of both hot and cold choices. 4- and 5-star hotels almost always offer ‘cooked’ breakfast. Occasionally, in more remote areas, or in some 2 or 3-star hotels, breakfast can be a decidedly more ‘contenental’ affair – e.g bread, croissant, juice, coffee. If a breakfast requires ‘topping up’ to meet the needs of those with a full morning of walking ahead, the Tour Manager will ensure this happens.
Celebrated ATG picnic lunches
ATG picnic lunches in Europe are renowned! ‘Happening upon’ an ATG picnic in an idyllic location punctuates each day’s walk. Picnics are colourful, varied and nutritious. Buffet-style, there is a choice of meats, cheeses, salads, breads, fruits - and pudding. Many salads are ‘exclusive’ to ATG and some of these original recipes are in the ATG ‘Table of Moveable Feasts’.
After being greeted with mineral water, followed by wine and an abundant lunch of local organic produce and specialities, there’s usually time for a siesta! Where there is a particularly spectacular or remote picnic spot we may occasionally carry packed lunches. Outside Europe the location of lunches may vary, from picnics
to meals in restaurants or private houses.
Dinner
Dinner is usually at about 8.00pm (later in Spain). We tend to eat in the best and most interesting restaurants available, which serve traditional local dishes as well as regional classics and excellent regional wines. To ensure that we enjoy the best that the area has tooffer, the Tour Manager, with his/her specialist knowledge and
experience, will have worked closely with the chef in advance, selecting the most interesting and characteristic menu possible.This not only ensures that we eat far better than people who ‘come in off
the street’, but enables us to enjoy a very wide range of local specialities during the trip, and also to cater imaginatively for those
with special dietary needs. At the start of dinner each evening, it is ATG ‘style’ to tell you about the menus and wines for that evening.
If there’s anything different that you would prefer, you have only to ask.
Walking to eat
One of the greatest pleasures of travelling is enjoying
a range of different regional cuisines. Part of the ATG experience is discovering the diversity of local ingredients and culinary traditions of the particular methods of cooking, and styles of restaurant. ATG
trips include a wide range of different restaurants, with some of the finest and most famous in the world. Each has been carefully selected. Others are more traditional, providing excellent local
cuisine, using recipes that have often become established
‘classics’ of regional cooking. Which is better? It is thrilling to eat at great restaurants – each course a revelation of sensation, aroma,
texture, taste, colour and decorative design, with a superb selection of wines to match. It is also a delight to find a small restaurant specialising in authentic local cuisine using fresh, organically
grown local produce, and accompanied by the best regional wines.
At ATG, whose founder/MD ‘travels to eat’ – food matters!
When you book, let us know about any restrictions. This will give the Tour Manager the opportunity to shop and prepare menus
accordingly prior to your trip. At the start of the trip the Tour Manager will meet with you to discuss in more detail your requirements.
Bring whatever clothes and footwear you find most comfortable for everyday wear, and a change or two for the evenings – smart/casual.
Most trips tend to include some quite distinguished hotels and restaurants, for which you may wish to ‘dress up’. For walking we recommend lightweight walking boots with firm ankle support (make sure you wear them in before the trip!), a small daypack for your
lightweight waterproof clothing, camera, fleece etc. An increasing number of people bring telescopic walking poles. For a comprehensive packing list click here:what to bring
On escorted trips everything is included (per the published itinerary) apart from travel to/from the destination airport, items of a personal nature, snacks and drinks outside of the set meals.
Follow this link, which will open a new window: Visas Italy
For FAQs relating to the Company and general trip questions, click here
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ATG trained Tour Leader and Tour Manager
The best available accommodation
All meals and wines at the best available restaurants
Celebrated ATG picnics
Transfers
Specified excursions and visits
Mercedes minibus (es) to transport your luggage and facilitate walk pick-ups
Close WindowThe destination airport for this walking holiday in Emilia Romagna is Bologna. There will be a set meeting time at Bologna airport for the transfer to the first hotel; a set time for the return transfer to the airport at the end of the trip. If you wish to take the group transfers please check the transfer times with the Reservations Team before making travel arrangements. You are of course welcome to meet the group at the first hotel. Please indicate your intention during the booking procedure.
Close WindowEach of our trips is graded according to terrain and length of walking/cycling routes, providing an indication of which grade of trip might suit you.
Gentle terrain, walking/cycling along good paths, tracks and quiet lanes, with a few short, usually gentle, ascents and/or descents.
Walking/cycling along well-established paths and tracks. Occasional loose (gravel) surfaces, and open meadows. Ascents and/or descents up to 1 hour.
Walking/cycling along a variety of paths, some stony in places, with ascents and/or descents of 1-2 hours.
Walking/cycling along a variety of paths and surfaces, occasionally challenging, with ascents and/or descents of 2-3 hours.
Challenging walking/cycling with a variety of terrain, some long days, and/or long ascents and/or descents.
Each of our trips is graded according to terrain and length of walking/cycling routes, providing an indication of which grade of trip might suit you.
Gentle terrain, walking/cycling along good paths, tracks and quiet lanes, with a few short, usually gentle, ascents and/or descents.
Walking/cycling along well-established paths and tracks. Occasional loose (gravel) surfaces, and open meadows. Ascents and/or descents up to 1 hour.
Walking/cycling along a variety of paths, some stony in places, with ascents and/or descents of 1-2 hours.
Walking/cycling along a variety of paths and surfaces, occasionally challenging, with ascents and/or descents of 2-3 hours.
Challenging walking/cycling with a variety of terrain, some long days, and/or long ascents and/or descents.
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