BOLOGNA, Aug 31 ― A massive theme park widely described as the Disney World of Italian food will open to the public in November in Bologna, as the largest “agro-food park in the world.”
After months of hype and fanfare, FICO Eataly World announced plans to open their doors November 15, in a sprawling space that will span the length of a kilometer and the area of 100,000 square meters.
For comparison, that’s bigger than Buckingham Palace, which occupies a space of 77,000 square meters.
Like its sister Eataly markets around the world, FICO (which stands for Fabbrica Italiana Contadina, which, roughly translated, means Italian Farming Factory) Eataly World will be a gastronomic mecca, with 40 restaurants and food stalls serving authentic Italian fare.
Think pizzerias, fresh pasta and truffles.
But the US$106 million (RM452.6 million) food park in Bologna will also be much more than a dining space, with workshops, live animals, seminars and farmer’s markets set up to help visitors better understand the food they eat.
The indoor farm, for instance, will house 200 live animals including cows, goats, rabbits, donkeys, sheep and pigs.
Visitors will learn about Italian agriculture and farming traditions and how their food goes from field to fork.
At the dedicated ”Factories” space, visitors will be able to watch how their cheese, pasta, prosciutto, and olive oil are made.
The park will also lay claim to the world’s biggest Italian farmer’s market, with 9,000 square meters of stalls selling locally grown, Italian produce.
And cooking classes, demonstrations, educational seminars and multimedia exhibits will also be regular events at the park.
Eataly is currently present across Italy and the US, in cities like New York, Chicago and Boston. Other locations include Seoul, Tokyo, Sao Paulo, and Istanbul.
Admission to FICO Eataly World is free. ― AFP-Relaxnews
