Day 1

05:00 pm: Arrival at a family-run production of both Lambrusco wine and PDO Traditional Balsamic Vinegar existing since the 1800s: the owners themselves will welcome you at their farming estate with a passionate storytelling about their ancestral bond to the earth, the land all around there and the local traditions. It will then be time to go visit the room where the King of Vinegars is put to rest until the perfect moment comes and the magic loft upstairs where it ages for at least 12 years before becoming the “Black Gold” we all lustfully long for!

06:00 pm: At the end of the guided visit, with the golden hour starting to spread over the plain, your experience will end up with an unforgettable country-style picnic among the vineyards or under the portico bejeweled with precious drops from the 3 different ageings of Balsamico: vegetable pies, cured meats, parmigiano, samples of dry pastry and – needless to say – a glass of thirst-quenching Lambrusco.

If you have 10 minutes left, ask the owners to give a look at the family’s cosy Museum of the old Farmer’s Life, brimming with the most bizarre but essential tools used until the mid-1900s to deal with the challenging clayish soil of the area!

07:00 pm: Head on to the B&B.

07:30 pm: Check-in at a country-style B&B in the hills around the fabulous castle of Torrechiara, possibly in the same little medieval village nestled at its feet.

Overnight        Overnight at the B&B.

Day 2

Breakfast: Enjoy your country-style breakfast at the B&B.

10:00 am: Meet your expert hiking tour guide at the hill foot of the Torrechiara Castle and hear about its ancient foundations along this strategic trade route, its historical importance as a symbol of the switch from Middle Ages to Renaissance and the romantic love story which took place in its frescoed rooms 6 centuries ago.

Walking peacefully through the vineyards, you will then follow a nice path scattered with open-air installations dedicated to Art&Food, a word-pairing that can be considered halfway between a magic formula and the common denominator here!

11:30 am: Landing at a family-run producer of Vini dei Colli di Parma PDO. After a guided visit to the cellars, where you’ll learn about the local grape varieties and the related wine making method, you will sit down at their cosy restaurant and enjoy a more than deserved full lunch in typical Parma style: Prosciutto di Parma PDO, tortelli, homemade cakes, one glass of sparkling white Malvasia and one glass of sparking red Rosso dei Colli (the guide stays at disposal until lunch included).

01:00 pm: End of activities and walk back to the meeting point (20 min, on own).