Preparing for the Trip

A customized trip like this requires months of planning.  It is a lot of work and not to everyone's liking.  However, to me it is enjoyable, similar to completing a giant jigsaw puzzle.  The Internet is key here.  I made all airline, hotel, train, car rental and restaurant reservations using this wondrous, and at times frustrating, instrument.

Where do you start? The focus of the trip was the City of Bologna, considered the gastronomic capitol of Italy.  Here, in the Emilia-Romagna region, originated the majority of food products that we associate with the country of Italy, Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, Balsamic vinegar, Prociutto di Parma ham, Mortadella, lasagna, totellini, Bolognese ragu, to name the most well known. All were invented here and perfected over centuries. Three days were set aside for Bologna.

I use Microsoft Outlook to lay out the trip, sketching it in on the month calendar, and then, as I accumulate the reservations etc., lay out each day hour by hour.  I've found this method best utilizes precious time, because you know exactly where you are supposed to be at any given time.  Here is an example: