More than 120 years ago, when automobile travel was in its infancy, a French company that manufactured tires for motorcars began publishing a guide to help motorists find pleasant lodgings when they were on the road. Over the years, the Michelin Guide evolved from rating accommodations to reviewing restaurants. Today it is world renowned as the ultimate reference for fine dining.
Earning a Michelin star has been described as “a gift from God.” To get one, a restaurant has to be more than great, it must be superb. A two-star restaurant is described by Michelin as “worth a detour.” The maximum number is three, and this literally stellar designation is reserved for only a few of the very finest restaurants in all the world.
Why do I mention this? Because one of our up-coming tours includes a meal at a Two-Star Michelin restaurant.
Kathleen McGowan is very fussy when it comes to planning an itinerary. One of the reasons why so many of her travelers are “alumni” who keep returning again and again is the high quality of each of the experiences she selects. This goes beyond the sites and attractions visited. It also includes the meals. Whenever possible, she selects restaurants that reflect the culture of the area her group is exploring.
Kathleen McGowan’s Sacred Italy Tour
The Emilia-Romagna region in the North of Italy is famous for an amazing number of things. Bologna boasts the oldest university in the world, established in AD 1088. Automobiles named Ferrari, Maserati, Lamborghini, De Tomaso and Ducati are made there. You’ll find 11 UNESCO World Heritage Sites. In 2018, Lonely Planet Guide named Emilia-Romagna the best place to see in Europe. Kathleen picked it as the focal point for her “Sacred Italy” tour because of Matilda of Canossa.
Also known as la Gran Contessa (the Great Countess) Matilda was born in AD 1046, and was one of the most powerful people of her time. Katheen says “she changed the face of Europe as a warrior for women’s rights and spiritual freedom.” In 1630, 515 years after her death, her body was transferred to Rome, where she became the first woman ever to be buried in Saint Peter’s Basilica.
If you join Kathleen’s group this October, you will visit the ruins of the castle where Matilda set up a famous meeting between Pope Gregory VII and Emperor Henry IV. You’ll explore the grand Ducal Palace where she reigned. And you’ll even dine on food that she inspired at a Michelin Two-Star rated restaurant, Ambasciata.
Chefs and other food lovers from around the world come to Ambasciata to experience the outstanding cuisine and unparalleled service, overseen by one of the greatest living Italian chefs, Romano Tamani. His menus feature specialties that date back to Matilda and the Gonzaga family, so the private lunch that will be prepared exclusively for you, Kathleen, and the rest of your group is sure to be a meal that will never be forgotten.
You can see all the details of Kathleen’s “Matilda, Magdalene and the Medicis” tour at THIS LINK.
Photo credit: 1900 Renault by Thesupermat, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
