A NEW ‘ reimagined theme park’ has opened in Europe – but has no rides.
Grand Tour Italia was created by founder Oscar Farinetti, behind the now-closed FICO Eataly World attraction.
Dubbed the “only theme park in the world dedicated to Italian food and which brings food and wine culture,” it closed earlier this year despite only opening in 2017.
The Grand Tour Italia, which opened at the same site in Bologna earlier this month, will see visitors explore 50,000sqm venue, that celebrate “the cultural and gastronomic biodiversity of Italy‘s 20 regions”.
While called a theme park, there are no rides or rollercoasters but instead different zones and experiences.
This includes 20 ‘osterias’ that serve regional dishes from a rotating menu, as well 20 ‘landscape areas’ to promote tourism to different regions.
Another 20 sales areas will sell food, drink and crafts from each area while 20 teaching areas will let guests learn about the history and culture of the regions, as well as cuisine.
Some of the upcoming free courses include food workshops for kids between the ages of 5-10.
Paid workshops include wine tastings, pizza and pasta classes as well as being a “pastry chef for the day” by learning to make classics such as puff pastry
The attraction is offering free entry until September 15 to celebrate it’s opening.
It hopes to welcome as many as 1.5million tourists in the first year.
The park is open all year round from Thursday to Sunday, with opening times from 11am to 11pm.
Tourists can reach the attraction with a shuttle from the centre of Bologna.
And Brits can fly to Bologna for just £14.99 with Ryanair, with flights taking around two hours.
It’s not the only food attraction in Europe to add to your bucket list.
The 98-year-old Corvin Palace in Budapest has been transformed into a new Time Out Market.
Originally a department store, the new food attraction is the latest to open following success of Time Out Markets in New York, Lisbon and Dubai.
Barcelona and Prague also in line to get Time Out Markets in the future.
Plans for a Time Out Market in the UK, with locations such as Spitalfields and Waterloo being discussed, were scrapped last year.
Or you can head to Portugal where you will find a ‘wine theme park’ .
The Sun’s Deputy Digital TV Editor Jill Robinson travelled to Bologna – here’s how to do a weekend there.
“Called ‘The crossroads of Italy’, Bologna is steeped in history, with a stunning opera house and leaning towers — one leans more than its more famous counterpart in Pisa.
“It’s also a great destination to pair with Florence or Venice.
“Its historic centre is home to 25 miles of porticoes and 600 archways, something so unique it has been nominated as a Unesco World Heritage Site.
“And while you may think spaghetti bolognese is from the area, the The city’s mayor has called this ‘fake news’.
“This is because t’s actually tagliatelle ragu that’s eaten regularly in the city, as the thicker ribbons of pasta absorb the meaty sauce better than spaghetti.”
The World of Wine, in Porto, has seven museums and 12 restaurants and bars, with guests even getting free rose wine.
If you don’t want to leave the UK, the Sun’s Assistant Travel Editor Sophie Swietochowski went on a secret food tour of London – here’s her verdict.
