5 good reasons to visit Grand Tour Italia
Updated on 18 February 2025 From Grand Tour Italia
Grand Tour Italia is offering a unique experience to celebrate the cultural and food and wine biodiversity of Italy's 20 regions across 50,000 square metres. Located in Bologna, Grand Tour Italia promises an extraordinary journey through food, art, traditions and entertainment, blending education, recreation and sustainability.
Each region has its own dedicated space including a landscape and tourism promotion area, a typical osteria, a market with regional products and an educational area. Important partners such as the Holden School, Coldiretti and Slow Food have been entrusted with the narration of history, culture, agriculture and food and wine biodiversity.
Admission to the park and parking are free of charge. Grand Tour Italia, open Thursday to Sunday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., offers entertainment of all kinds, with music, shows and events for adults and children. A free shuttle service is also available at weekends (Saturday and Sunday) subject to availability.
The daily schedule, full of activities, cooking and food education classes, workshops and events, is designed to ensure an exciting journey through the traditions and excellence of Italy.
The centrepiece of the experience is the extraordinary gastronomic variety of the Italian regions. Each area of the park is dedicated to a region, with typical taverns and markets where you can taste and buy local products. From the robust flavours of Sicilian cuisine to the refined dishes of Trentino, Grand Tour Italia is offering you the chance to taste Italy in one go.
If you'd love to get your hands on pasta, Grand Tour Italia is the right place for you. Join the cooking classes and workshops organised by Slow Food, to learn the secrets of homemade pasta, Neapolitan pizza and the Italian wine tradition thanks to the Italian Sommelier Association. Each experience is designed to bring visitors closer to the richness of Italian cuisine, both interactively and entertainingly.
Free courses for seniors and workshops for children and teens promote food education and conscious shopping, with sessions dedicated to the over-65s every Thursday and Friday at 11.30 am and 5 pm, and to the younger visitors (5-13 years old) on Thursdays and Fridays at 6.30 pm.
Every Thursday at 7 p.m. Grand Tour Italia is hosting the Giovedì Letterari (Literary Thursdays), a special (and free) opportunity to meet renowned authors and writers over an aperitif. Between a glass of wine and a bite of typical products, you will be able engage in conversations on literature, philosophy and current affairs.
Thursday 22 May: Lorenzo Prattico will present his first book ‘QUESTA FAME CHE NON SMETTE MAI - Viaggi, ricette e qualche trauma ’ (Mondadori publishing house).
The book is about a young man, scarred by the loss of a father he never really knew, who decides to face his pain through what he loves most: cooking. He sets off on a journey that takes him to every corner of the world. An intense and moving story that shows how food can be memory, discovery and cure.
Lorenzo Prattico is a food blogger, with around 400,000 followers on Instagram, who every day takes his readers and viewers to places in Italy and around the world where people eat. His stories are not just about food because cooking is culture, it speaks of places, travels, but above all it speaks of people
Thursday 29 May: Niccolò Agliardi will present his new book “Prima di essere principi” - Niccolò Agliardi dialogues with Roberto Vecchioni (Salani Le Stanze publishing house). ">Niccolò Agliardi will be on stage together with guitarist Max Elli, written words and sung words alternate, intertwine, and respond.
The book is about a father, a son and Roberto Vecchioni: three generations compared in an intense and sincere dialogue.
Niccolò Agliardi (Milan, 1974) has alternated his career as a singer-songwriter with a dazzling career as an author, collaborating with some of the most important Italian and international artists. With Laura Pausini and Diane Warren he is the author of Io sì (Seen). He has released four records and the soundtrack to the successful TV series Braccialetti rossi.
Max Elli (Milan, 1975) is a guitarist, singer, producer and songwriter for many of the biggest names on the Italian music scene, including: Nek, Cremonini, Jovanotti, Gue Pequeno, Chiara Galiazzo, Mahmood, Tommaso Paradiso, Jack Jaselli and many others.
Thursday 5 June: Carla Tomasini, Italy's most-watched paediatrician, will present her books ‘Ti racconto di te e di Noi - Imparare, scoprire e narrare insieme il corpo: educazione sessuale e affettiva per bambine e bambini’ (DeAgostini Libri publishing house) and "La famiglia si fa a tavola. Un viaggio nel comportamento alimentare dei bambini" (Sonda editore).
‘Ti racconto di te e di Noi’ is a double book that guides parents in the affective and sexual education of their little ones, with the advice of obstetrician Marianna Lombardi, while in ‘La Famiglia si fa a tavola’, paediatrician Carla offers practical tools to accompany parents in child nutrition and encourage nutritional autonomy.
Carla Tomasini, paediatrician and director of the Salus Familiae Centre, combines physical and emotional family health and popularises science in magazines, books and Instagram, where she has over 500,000 followers.
Thursday 12 June: Elisa Giusti, Perinatal Educator and expert in Gentle Discipline, will present her book 'False myths and truths about gentle discipline. Understanding what it is and how to apply it' (Red publishing house).
A meeting for parents, educators and teachers dedicated to clarifying false myths about gentle discipline, rediscovering it as an educational approach based on firmness and kindness, with clear boundaries, mutual respect and practical tools for managing conflicts without rewards or punishments.
Elisa Giusti, an educator specialising in perinatal and gentle discipline, founded “A piedi liberi”, an educational service in nature for children 0-6, and with her Instagram page (150,000 followers) helps parents on a daily basis.
Prior booking is recommended at the following link
Grand Tour Italia is something special for young and old alike. From the adventure offered by the Urban Tree Experience Adventure Park, with its suspended courses and ziplines, to the fun-filled Luna Farm, a children's playground with rides and attractions, the Park will provide fun for the whole family. Whether you want to challenge yourself on the track with the electric go-karts or relax in one of the many green areas, every corner of the Park is designed to give you unforgettable moments
Not to mention the ‘Capolavori’ bookshop, with a selection of the 1200 most important books in history, available for free consultation or purchase as second-hand. A large assortment of books for children and young readers is also available.
Grand Tour Italia is not just a showplace, but a project that promotes sustainability and food awareness. Biodiversity is the focus of every activity, from the EARTH Foundation's art exhibitions exploring the link between food and visual culture, to educational workshops promoting the value of a sustainable food supply chain. This commitment makes a visit to the park not only fun, but also highly educational, encouraging everyone to think about a greener, health-conscious future.
Grand Tour Italia takes you on a journey into the heart of Italian traditions, a place where culture, food and fun come together. Whether you are a food enthusiast, a culture lover, or just looking for a fun day out with family and friends, Grand Tour Italia won't disappoint you. Don't miss the chance to come and enjoy a unique experience!
For all information and details on individual experiences, workshops and events visit the website