Buongiorno from Bologna! The birthplace of... bologna?

No, really - it's kinda true! The 'inspiration' for this popular US mystery meat is Bologna's very own Mortadella sausage.

Look at us delivering charcuterie facts straight to your inbox! We're getting you ready to be the most interesting person at your next happy hour. #charcuteriefacts

We arrived to Bologna yesterday, and this will be home for the next 5 nights. Our journey through Italy has been moving pretty quick this past week, and if we're being real with you guys, we are pretty tired. Thankfully the coffee in Italy is cheap and strong. So even if our eyelids are telling us to rest, our caffeine-elevated heart rates say bring it on Italia!

But by now you know the drill, this newsletter isn't about Bologna. This newsletter is about the week that was.

Genoa, a city of contrasts

We spent 5 days in Genoa - known locally as, Genova.

This is a port city that most first-time (or second-time) Italy visitors would almost certainly skip. But there are enough reasons to visit this often overlooked town. Here's what Genoa is most known for:

• Birthplace of Christopher Columbus.
• Once one of the wealthiest cities in the world (16th century).
• Streets of old mega-mansions owned by the wealthy traders back in the day.
• Home of Pesto Genovese. Hell yea!

My initial feeling of Genoa was very positive. I liked how chaotic it felt, and it was not nearly as polished as the other places we've visited so far. In a good way! And these rosy first impressions continued when we had the most epic Pesto Genovese EVER!

Pesto Genovese is so highly regarded in this country that there is a literal consortium that defines the exclusive ingredients and proper cooking techniques required to make it. It's also a DOP product, meaning 'Protected Designation of Origin.' It MUST use basil from the region, among other things.

I don't think it needs to be said, but that stuff we buy at the supermarket isn't the real Pesto Genovese.... it's Pesto Alla Genovese (meaning Genovese style) - and if you make homemade pesto in a blender... it also doesn't qualify.

Sorry!

The real deal is mixed using exclusively a marble mortar and wooden pestle. Turns out we have to step our Pesto game up 😅

In the end, we liked our time exploring Genoa. Between the local food specialties and interesting contrast between grand avenues and gritty alleyways, it has a unique energy that differs from the other places we've visited in Northern Italy. And guess what? Everyone was speaking Italian! It was beautiful ;)

Genoa is also much different from it's posh neighbor that we visited on a day trip...

Portofino - more like Portofinito... 🤔

Okay, so this heading is admittedly a huge stretch. But our budget was totally finito after our visit to this notorious little Italian Riviera town.

PS: finito means finished in Italian... now do you get it?

From Genoa, it's possible to reach Portofino in 1 hour using public transportation. We honestly had no clue we were anywhere near this iconic town until 24 hours before we visited. And we figured, what the heck, let's go see what this fancy little town is all about.

So what did we think about Portofino?

It is definitely a gorgeous spot. The colorful buildings surrounding the marina are super photogenic. And there are some short walks to do in the area to and old castle and lighthouse, which gives you some options for things to do during your visit.

However, it does feel like one of those places that also reflects the worst of high-end destination that attract cruise passengers and day trippers like us.

To begin with, it seemed EXTREMELY overpriced. 16 Euro for an Aperol Spritz that costs 5 Euro at a high-quality place in any city (and it includes amazing bites to munch on). And to build on that, many restaurants around the square get like 2-star Google reviews. So not only you are overpaying, but you're not even overpaying for something good!

Aimara in her infinite wisdom explains these places as not living up to the vibe that is conveyed in pictures. If you judge Portofino by the photos you see on social media, you would think it's the pinnacle of Italian dolce vita. But being on the ground is a very different story.

So even though we had a nice day and made the most of it, it's unlikely that we'll find ourselves in Portofino again.

Cozumel, the Portofino of Mexico...

Made you look 😂

We didn't publish a video this week 🤷🏻‍♂️ But based on reports of coughs and colds from our crew in the US, I'm sure a lot of you are dreaming of warm beaches in Mexico right now! So here's an old video from Cozumel, Mexico for some inspiration from south of the border.

Also, here's where to find a bazillion blog posts about Mexico in case you are visiting before (or after) the holidays: https://www.waysoftheworldblog.com/category/mexico/​

Remember you can always reply to this email if you have any burning travel questions :)

Getting a PHD in deliciousness in Parma

Parmigiano Reggiano and Prosciutto di Parma hail from the region of Parma, Italy. Being the ever-curious globetrotters that we are, we just had to learn more about these iconic Italian delicatessens.

So we did just that.

We spent separate mornings going on factory tours learning everything there was to know about these foods. Did you even know that Prosciutto di Parma must be aged at an altitude of 200 and 900 meters? And that a wheel of aged Parmigiano Reggiano can cost over $1,000!? #charcuteriefacts

Getting the chance to peak behind the curtain to see how these delicious foods are made was so much fun. There is so much tradition and passion in their production, and it gave us a newfound appreciation for the craftsmanship that goes into every single slice of prosciutto and piece of parmigiano.

We can totally recommend these places for factory tours if you are visiting the area:

• ​Salumificio Conti for Prosciutto di Parma (Parma ham).
• ​Giansanti di Muzio for Parmigiano Regiano (Parmassan cheese). Bonus points for their very generous cheese tray 🙌

Travel tip: we rented a car to visit the prosciutto factory outside the city and took the city bus from Parma to the cheese factory. Having a car is ideal because taxis in this country are super pricey. Alternatively, if you happen to be visiting the Parma area, you can book this guided tour and visit two factories in the same day with transportation included :)​

What's next for us?

Bologna is considered by many to be the food capital of Italy. Needless to say, we will continue eating for the foreseeable future.

For some reason I've built Bologna up as my favorite city in Italy, even though we've never been here. Sometimes I do strange things. Regardless, I'm curious to find out if it will live up to the self-created and baseless hype.

Stay tuned!

Oh, and next week's newsletter will come from Florence!

Thanks for reading!

Aimara & Gordon

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