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Art treasures, mouthwatering food, stylish shopping... all that is Emilia Romagna the geographic and gastronomic belly of Italy. Thanks to its key location, Emilia Romagna is a perfect start point for exploring the Heart of Italy. A tailor-made itinerary off the beaten tracks takes you to original Italian towns and landscapes.
Set in the heart of Emilia Romagna, Bologna is an entrancing medieval city renowned as a great gastronomic center and Europe's oldest university town. The region’s culinary gifts to the world include some of the country’s most famous staple delights – Parmesan cheese and Parma ham – plus signature favorites including delicious meat-filled tortellini, “ragù” Bolognese and classic mortadella. The city's sweeping porticoes and brick buildings are a striking architectural characteristic that along with the university have been a defining feature of Bologna for more than a thousand years. Lack of room for housing the university’s large number of students brought about the construction of the city’s signature porticoed buildings, extending the structures vertically to create additional accommodations. Today Bologna is still noticeably a student town, lively and entertaining. It's main attractions are found around the town's central squares, Piazza Maggiore and the adjacent Piazza Nettuno. The city’s most impressive church, Basilica di San Petronio, was originally intended to be larger than St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City, but was scaled down when funds were diverted to the nearby Palace. From the Torre Asinelli, one of Bologna’s Torri Pendenti or leaning towers, you’ll revel in the city’s breathtaking views. One of central Italy’s most important collections of paintings adorn the Pinacoteca Nazionale Gallery, which features works by local artists and famed masters, including Raphael, Giotto, Titian and Perugino. A trip to Bologna promises Italian culinary, historic and artistic masterpieces for all to enjoy. On top of them, a brand new Museum of Modern Art – MAMbo, i.e. Museo di Arte Moderna Bologna has recently been inaugurated.
Bologna embodies a lively and friendly town, yet highly productive, and preserves the stress-free atmosphere of a high-quality lifestyle. Visitors are welcomed and pampered by its warm colors and its creative beauty. Take time to taste the genuine Bologna at your own pace, on foot primarily, discover its hidden treasures, the anatomical theater in the Archiginnassio, the Morandi Museum, the opera performances staged at Teatro Comunale. You’ll surely love its beautiful earthy buildings, its busting picturesque medieval city centre and its rich cuisine.
Bologna is the heart of Emilia Romagna Art Cities network – made up by 10 towns situated rightly at regular distances of 15 miles one from each other. Let’s start a trip around Emilia Romagna Art Cities to taste tourist free Italy at its best!
Modena exhibits its major square, its cathedral and clock tower – declared UNESCO World’ s Heritage site, together with The Estense Gallery, full of masterpieces. It is the hometown of Ferrari, Pavarotti and the traditional balsamic vinegar specialty. Let’s say the “Art de vivre” at its best!
Ferrara - hometown of the noble Estense family - arouses everyday the feeling of its refined renaissance history by surprising the visitors with its elegant palaces and superb mansions. Ferrara is the well-known site for the most interesting international art exhibitions combined with a flourishing concert schedule. The historical city center and the Po Delta Natural Park are recognized UNESCO World’ s Heritage sites.
The magical allure of Parma is par excellence linked to bel canto and the great music of the world-known father of the Italian Opera - Giuseppe Verdi - who is celebrated every year in September with a prestigious festival. Parma is also the birthplace of the illustrious orchestra conductor Arturo Toscanini, to whom a specific museum is dedicated. Parma shows its medieval heritage in the pink shaded marble baptistery and the cathedral, together with the masterpieces created by painters Correggio and Parmingianino. As top capital of culinary tradition, the most famous Italian food jewels stem undoubtedly from Parma, e.g. Parmigiano Reggiano, Prosciutto di Parma, Culatello di Zibello.
Ravenna strikes with the stunning gold mosaics of its Byzantine history, which are to be found in the churches, basilicas and royal graves. As late capital of the Western Catholic Roman empire and stronghold of the Mediterranean culture against the Barbarians, Ravenna proudly features eight historical buildings recognized UNESCO World’ s Heritage. Ravenna’s legacy is today reflected in the great variety of events organized every year, which reached its greatest accomplishment with the Ravenna Festival, hold in June and July.
Further Art Cities worth a visit are Piacenza, Reggio Emilia, Forlì, Cesena, Faenza and Rimini. Located on the Po River and once capital – together with Parma – of the former Dukedom, Piacenza is a land of castles and wineyards widespread on its gentle-sloped territory, which surround and welcome the visitors. On the other end, Reggio Emilia is the hometown of Parmigiano Reggiano, artistic and cultural center with a wide range of theatres and festivals to choose from. Finally in the art towns scattered all over Romagna - Forlì, Cesena, Faenza and Rimini- the Roman monuments are merged with renaissance masterpieces and finest artcrafts such as the notable ceramics from Faenza. Faenza’s ceramics greatness of value is displayed at the International Museum of Ceramics, one of the best in the world. Rimini is the the home town of the world-famous and Oscar-winner director Federico Fellini and seat of the Fondazione Fellini, a foundation entitled to the Maestro, where his original drawings are cherished and displayed.
Emilia Romagna features a unique and spectacular range of “themed” itineraries such as “Motor Valley” (Land of Motors) – which displays the legend of world motor industry and motor racing. We talk about Ferrari, Lamborghini, Ducati, Maserati, museums and private collections, events and rallies. Second to none is “Food valley” granting a fabulous deep dive into the most genuine Italian culinary tradition. Think about the most appreciated Italian gourmet food and wine specialties and you discover that they are all from Emilia Romagna! Just to name a few: Tortellini, Lasagna, Parmigiano Reggiano, traditional balsamic vinegar, Prosciutto di Parma, Bolognese meat sauce... Many delightful routes are waiting to be explored! Emilia Romagna is home of Pellegrino Artusi – the father founder of the Italian gastronomy recipes. The best-kept culinary traditions are preserved today in the green heart of Emilia Romagna, in its small medieval villages, in the castles, along the pilgrims’ paths, where the finest and genuine food and wine secrets are cherished and resulted in 15 DOP products (i.e. definition of traditional protected product) and 11 IGP products (i.e. Indication of product typical origin). Some of these rare and precious specialties, like culatello from Zibello (the king of hams) or the olive oil from Brisighella, can exclusively be tasted in Emilia Romagna!
Emilia Romagna is the right place for fashionistas. It is motherland to some renowned designer labels such as La Perla, Max Mara, Marina Rinaldi, Alberta Ferretti, Iceberg, Bluemarine, Anna Molinari, Bluegirl, Les Copains, Liu Jo, Bruno Magli, Sergio Rossi, Mandarina Duck, Furla, ecc. Shopping in Emilia Romagna is very exciting – there are many outlet stores as well as hundreds of boutiques selling goods from all over Europe. The best time to shop is during the sales season – from January to February and from July to August – when you can bargain 50% discounts.
Not to be missed is a stop in one of the 24 Spas of Emilia Romagna, where wellness and “remise en forme” treatments can guarantee a fully anti-stress and relaxing vacation. But If you’re looking for something more exciting head to the Adriatic Coast of Emilia Romagna - the Italian leisure district for excellence - sun, beaches, amusements parks, shopping, seafood specialties, trendy clubs and more...
Diverse Emilia Romagna certainly has something for all tastes and budgets.
