Romagna Easy Culinary Hike
Hidden Italy

This morning we travel into the Po Delta Park, where the land still breathes with salt and freshwater. We explore the Boscoforte Peninsula, home to flamingos, herons, and semi-wild horses. After a relaxed seaside lunch, we return to Ravenna for an afternoon gelato-making class. You will have a very hands-on experience as you learn how to transform fresh milk, fruit, and patience into Italy’s most loved dessert. The hike: 5 km. 3mi. Elevation gain and loss. Flat/negligible. Overnight: Palazzo Bezzi, 4-star hotel in Ravenna. Included: Hotel, breakfast, lunch, and dinner

We head inland to Brisighella, a gem of a medieval village nestled between three hills in the Vena del Gesso Romagnola Park, a UNESCO-listed ridge of glittering gypsum that once lay under the sea. Our walk winds past dolines, the natural sinkholes that have shaped the dramatic, otherworldly terrain that you’ll walk through. Lunch awaits inside a cozy cave restaurant carved straight into the rock. Afterward, we continue to Borgo Condé Wine Resort, our home for two nights, surrounded by rolling vines and olive trees, where we’ll enjoy a refined dinner at the estate restaurant. The hike: 5.3 km/5 mi Elevation gain and loss 343 m/1,100ft. Moving time. 1.5 hrs. Overnight: Borgo Condè  Wine Estate near Predappio. Included: Hotel, breakfast, lunch, and dinner

After breakfast, we take a leisurely walk through the estate, following vineyard paths scented with herbs and wildflowers. A picnic among the vines features local cheese, salumi, and homemade bread. The afternoon is free to enjoy the pool or spa. Later, we visit the Condé cellar to taste Romagna’s classic wines — Sangiovese and Albana. After the tasting, we roll up our sleeves, tie on an apron, and pick up a rolling pin for a relaxed piadina-making workshop, learning the simple, traditional technique behind Romagna’s signature flatbread.The hike: 5 km/3 mi. Elevation gain and loss 100 m/320 ft. Moving time 1.5 hrs. Overnight: Borgo Condé wine estate. Included: Hotel, breakfast, lunch, and dinner

We start the day with a visit to a boutique chocolatier who crafts pralines infused with local flavors such as Sangiovese, Albana, Fossa cheese, and Cervia sea salt. Then we set out on a scenic walk through the Romagna countryside, following quiet farm tracks that wind among vineyards, orchards, and gentle hills dotted with cypress trees. Our walk ends at a farm, where we enjoy a field-to-table lunch made from their own seasonal produce. Afterward, we climb aboard a tractor-drawn wagon. We meander through vineyards and country lanes, stopping at three wineries to meet the winemakers and taste one or two of their signature wines. By late afternoon, we reach the restored Grand Hotel Castrocaro, an elegant 1938 Art Deco landmark. Relax in the spa, explore the town’s historic center, or enjoy dinner on your own tonight — either in one of the village trattoria or in the hotel’s refined dining room. The choice is yours. The hike: 8.8 km. Elevation gain and loss 370 m/1,200 ft. Overnight: Grand Hotel Castrocaro Terme. Included: Hotel, breakfast, and lunch. Dinner not included. 

This morning’s loop hike traces a ridge between vineyards and calanchi, beautiful clay gullies that once lay beneath the ancient Po Sea. The trail crosses a patchwork of olive groves and vines before reaching the striking Spungone outcrop, a honey-colored limestone rich in fossils. Once an ancient reef, it’s now a favorite training wall for local climbers. After our hike, we enjoy a relaxed seasonal lunch: in spring, among lavender fields with a short scent workshop; in autumn, at a hilltop winery overlooking the calanchi and vineyards. In the evening, a young local chef hosts a show-cooking lesson, turning Romagna’s humble ingredients into refined dishes for our farewell dinner. The Hike: 5,2 km/3,2 mls, elevation gain and loss 195.6 m/641ft, Overnight: Grand Hotel Castrocaro Terme. Included: Hotel, breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

After breakfast, private transfer to Forlì train station in time for the 10:42 fast train to Bologna Centrale. Breakfast and transfer included.

Please note: Some itinerary details may change depending on your tour departure date. Whenever we run a tour, we make discoveries. Sometimes they are good discoveries, like a wonderful new trattoria, and sometimes bad, like a trail has been washed away. Therefore, we sometimes change our itinerary to improve it, adding wonderful new elements or removing elements that no longer work. Rest assured, we always aim to provide you with the best possible experience. We will advise you of any changes to the original itinerary before departure.

From Bologna Airport, the simplest route to Ravenna is the Marconi Express shuttle to Bologna Centrale (7 minutes), then a regional train to Ravenna (about 1 hour 10 minutes, €8, no reservation needed). On Sundays, direct trains run hourly from 08:05 to 14:05, which gets you to Ravenna well in time for our meeting. Tickets can be bought online or at the station. A taxi from the airport to Ravenna is also possible; expect roughly one hour and €130–160. Palazzo Bezzi is a short walk or quick taxi ride from the train station. We’re happy to help if you need more details.

The tour ends after breakfast at in Castrocaro on day 7. We offer you a private transfer to Forlì train station in time for the 10:42 fast train to Bologna Centrale. If you prefer to leave later (or have to leave earlier),  you can easily take a taxi from the hotel to Forlì station. The ride takes about 15 minutes and would be at your own expense. From Forlì to Bologna, Frecciarossa (fast) trains take approximately 25 minutes, while regional trains take around 35–40 minutes. If you prefer to travel directly to Bologna Airport or Bologna Centrale, a taxi from Castrocaro typically takes about 1 hour.