Regions
Emilia-Romagna
Italy's culinary heartland: the home of Parmigiano, prosciutto, balsamic and fresh pasta, plus fast cars and mosaics.
Main cities
Bologna · Parma · Modena · Ravenna · Rimini
Famous for & things to do
Parmigiano-Reggiano, prosciutto di Parma and traditional balsamic vinegar, fresh egg pasta, Bologna's markets and porticoes, Ferrari and Lamborghini, and the Byzantine mosaics of Ravenna.
Emilia-Romagna is where Italy goes to eat. Its cities — Bologna, Parma, Modena — form a corridor of extraordinary food culture, from Parmigiano-Reggiano and prosciutto to tortellini, tagliatelle and traditional balsamic vinegar aged for decades.
It is also the land of the motor: Ferrari, Lamborghini and Ducati are all made here. On the Adriatic side, Ravenna holds some of the finest Byzantine mosaics in the world, a reminder that this was once the capital of the Western Roman Empire.
What to see and do
- Visit Parmigiano and prosciutto producers at dawn
- Learn to make fresh pasta with a local sfoglina
- Taste traditional balsamic from the attic barrels of Modena
- Tour the Ferrari museum and factory town of Maranello
- See the Byzantine mosaics of Ravenna
When to go
Spring and autumn are ideal for food-focused travel. Bologna is a year-round city; the Adriatic coast is busiest in summer.