On a recent summer evening in the charming town of Forlimpopoli, Esperienza founder Anna Bonavita was presented with the Marietta Ad Honorem award by the distinguished Casa Artusi Foundation, on behalf of Esperienza.

The award recognizes Esperienza’s promotion of small Italian villages among Americans, through our immersion tours dedicated to the appreciation of Italian cuisine and its rural roots.

The audience at the award presentation had a chance to learn about the Esperienza model: a positive, hyper-local alternative to mass tourism. Not only do we visit small towns and villages in intimate settings, we offer opportunities for personal discovery and even transformation for both travelers and locals alike because we focus above all on human connection.

Honorary Marietta Award Presentation

“The city of Forlimpopoli, upon recommendation of the Casa Artusi Scientific Committee, presents the Award to Anna Bonavita for her significant commitment to promoting slow and authentic tourism, which fosters awareness of the small villages of Romagna and the experience of Italian and Artusi cuisine abroad.

Anna Bonavita, a former scientist living in Minneapolis, loves and understands Italian cuisine and culture. She founded Esperienza Italia, a non-profit organization through which she accompanies small groups of Americans to discover Italy and the region's cultural and food and wine excellences, including Casa Artusi.”

This award recognizes our great commitment to slow and authentic tourism, which promotes genuine knowledge of rural Emilia-Romagna and its people, and ultimately supports what we love about this region – the human spirit, warmth and generosity which makes up the true meaning, the precious gift to our journey.

As the Italian author Claudio Magris confirms, “The destination of the journey is people.” The spark between you and another becomes the beginning of yet more to come on this journey we are creating together.