Creating a travel bucket list isn’t like planning a vacation. After you figure out how to get there, where to stay (Amati Design Hotel is a nice place), and how to get home, you have to plan your experience. The sites, the sounds, the tastes, and the memories will last a lifetime. Zola Predosa is a municipality in the Province of Bologna. The commune is located in the Italian region of Emilia-Romagna, located seven miles west of the center of Bologna.
Taste
It would be easy to talk about the food here, but no. If you truly want to taste this part of Italy, you have to experience the wine of the region. Zola Predosa is the City of Wine. The oldest winery is the Manaresi Vineyard. This ancient, family-owned winery was renovated into a modern facility. The art on the label pays tribute to the winery’s namesake. A tour of the vineyard includes the history of the label and tasting sessions. Take home a bottle of their award-winning Merlot or impress your friends back home with a bottle of their Pignoletto Frizzante.
Photo by Jacob Koepke via Trover.com
Feel
This is where we get to the food. This region of Italy is known as the Food Capital of the World. Zola Predosa is a municipality of Bologna, the birthplace of bologna and tortellini pasta. You can learn how to cook the famous pasta at Cucina Di Luciana or tour the many factories that create the famous sausage. If you can plan your trip in September, join in on the parties during the Mortadella, Please Festival.
Photo by Fascias via Trover.com
Sights
Now that you are stuffed and happy, it’s time to see some sights. Zola Perdosa and the surrounding countryside has a lot to experience. When you think of Italy, you don’t typically think of palaces. One of the grandest in Europe is located in Zola Predosa: Palazzo Albergati. Constructed in 1540, the simple and elegant exterior is a direct contrast to the Baroque-style, ornate spatial effect of its interior. It is a sight to be seen, Italian opulence at its finest. You can walk the grounds and fantasize about what your life would have been like in the sixteenth century.
Sounds
After all the opulence, exquisiteness, and indulgence, it might be time for some quiet reflection. Zola Perdosa is home to several museums. The Cultural Center and Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art Ca ‘la Ghironda is the most unique. As you walk through the 24-acre grounds, discover over 200 statues and sculptures in various materials. After your walk, relax in the Petite and the Grande Promenade or stroll through the botanical gardens with flora indigenous to this region of Italy. That will fulfill your smell sense as well.
While most trips to Italy focus on the big cities like Rome or the sexy cities like Tuscany, the Bologna region offers a unique experience with a good mix of ancient and modern Italy. Planning a trip to Zola Predosa, Italy will fullfill all your senses and more. It’s a bucket-list-worthy trip for the senses.
Sydney Aaliyah Michelle 