Eataly’s Massive Food Theme Park Opens This November

The countdown to the opening of Eataly’s massive food theme park begins. Fico Eataly World, which promises to be the “world’s largest agri-food park,” according to a press release, will open on November 15 in Bologna, Italy.

Like the Eataly markets in New York, Dubai, and Boston, the Bologna complex will include Italian restaurants and Italian products. But, Fico Eataly World will go beyond simply selling Italy’s wares to cover the entire breadth of the country’s culinary landscape, “from the field to the fork.” Essentially, it’s the Disney World of Italian food.

The park will be enormous, encompassing more than 20 acres in Bologna. These acres of fields and farmland will include 40 farming factories where visitors can see how farmers process meat, cheese, pasta, and other Italian goods; 40 restaurants and refreshment stations; and, to further Disney World comparisons, six “educational rides.” The park will also host daily classes and events and Eataly expects it to become a destination for conferences.

As Eater reported last year, more than 2,000 companies are participating in the $106 million project, which will create 3,000 jobs. And when news of the park broke in 2014, Eataly CEO Oscar Farinatti said he hoped Fico Eataly World would attract an ambitious 10 million visitors per year.

Entrance will be free of charge. When visitors do show up this November, they’ll have the option of traversing the canvas via bicycle or with the aid of Fico biodiversity ambassadors.

For a sneak peek at all Fico will have on offer, watch this video:

And get a load of these renderings:

Grid View

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