Secret Romagna FAM trip opens doors to US travel agents

FAMs find fab food and glorious experiences

Over the past couple of months Best of Romagna has opened the door for a number of excited US travel agents to a glorious part of Italy that has hitherto been undiscovered by English-speaking visitors.

It’s strange that Romagna has been missed out in many itineraries as, it is so close to both Venice and Florence, is set beautifully on the Adriatic, has a wealth of art cities and a cuisine that is famous throughout Italy. The agents were to find out that it also had a lot more!

First taste of the Best of Romagna was at boutique country art hotel –Villa Roncuzzi – where the agents were entertained to a great dinner including gorgeous local specialities. Naturally all washed down with delicious local wines.

The next day started with a walk in the Venetian-style seaport of Cesenatico which was designed by Leonardo da Vinci (who was then working for Cesare Borgia!). Now the harbour houses one of the Adriatic’s biggest fishing fleets plus a floating museum.

Naturally local specialities were again on the menu for lunch – a fabulous bustling agriturismo – La Casina served a mountain of appetizers including prosciutto made from rare breed local pig, fresh local cheeses and local flatbreads, followed by three different sorts of freshly-made pastas.

A walking tour followed in the afternoon. Guided by Cinzia Fabbri , the group had many insights into the glorious world heritage art city of Ravenna, and its mosaics housed in the 1500-year old basilicas and mausoleums.

A restful and scented night was spent in the lovely Allogio San Giroloamo  with its sensational views over Longiano’s "Valley of Cherries".

The next morning group activity was making pasta – from scratch in "Italy’s Best Cookery School" – Casa Artusi  . Naturally it was followed by a sensational lunch of pasta and delicious local specialities.

The afternoon in the wine-village of Bertinoro with a guided visit (and naturally a tasting of 6 wines) at historic vineyard – Fattoria Paradiso!

Dinner was taken at Michelin-listed Dei Cantoni – including a range of starters, hams and cheeses and a taste of three different local pastas.

After a morning tour of Longiano with visit to the famous chocolate box Theatre Petrella, the mask museum, the castle art collection it was off for a wine and cheese tasting at Villa Venti, with Renato Brancaleoni’s cheese. The FAM guests ran out of olive oil – so the next stop was at the Locanda della Luna with a tasting of a sixteen-generation tradition (Turchi)! After a relaxing afternoon at Fratta Terme, a very special 4 course local fish dinner followed at the Green Tourism Anastasi Hotel  and overnight at the 4**** Derby Exclusive hotel.

On the last full day, the inspected local Green Tourism rated hotels including the Hip Hotel Luxor and the fashionable Anastasi before making a visit to Santarcangelo di Romagna for a fabulous local lunch and wine tasting at Vineria Valloni.

Finally, the agents experienced some really avante garde art at Mutonia.

Their comments?

"A dream trip… accommodations great… enormous variety of food… wonderful welcomes…  it’s my dream of Italy… I’ve visited Italy for 40 years and this is the part I missed out… we were totally intrigued by castles wine and food…I’m going to bring people back as soon as I can… breathtaking mosaics, great fun… everything we’ve tried and tasted has been exceptional… you want be a part of it!"

Like to beo n an autumn Romagna FAM trip details HERE

SEE 2min FAM video no 1 HERE

No 2 HERE

No 3 HERE

Valere Tjolle

@ValereTjolle [email protected]