EATALY WORLD, THE LARGEST AGRI-FOOD PARK, OPENS IN BOLOGNA
“From Field to Fork: The world’s largest agri-food park.” Food-obsessed travelers can now find nirvana in a theme park unlike any other. FICO Eataly World was inaugurated by Italian prime minister Paolo Gentiloni on November 15 just outside Bologna.
100,000 square meters (approx 24 football pitches), of which 20,000 square metres are fields and stables (housing 200 animals and 2000 plant cultivars) and 80,000 commercial areas that boast 45 dining venues, six classrooms, a cinema, a theatre and a thousand-seat congress centre. The “Disneyland of Food”, as it has already been dubbed, opened to the public on 15 November, located near Bologna in northern Italy.
The Eataly concept—a food hall with gourmet delights from all over Italy—has made a splash in locations around the world: from Trieste to New York, Dubai to São Paulo and Seoul. A public-private partnership, FICO Eataly World hopes to capitalize on that success. As reported by The Guardian, “The project took four years to complete, at a cost of €120 million, works with over 150 Italian companies, from relatively small to very large, and has created over 3,000 jobs. If all goes to plan, FICO predicts it will attract six million visitors a year, a substantial boost in tourism for the whole area.”
Highlights include outlets of three Michelin-starred restaurants, Terra del Tartufo (Truffle Land) where truffles are grown (and hunted by dogs), and—as shared by Conde Nast Traveler—“500 adult-sized tricycles with shopping baskets, designed by Italian bike makers Bianchi.” Admission is free.
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