Stretched between River Po to the north and the Apennine mountains to the south, Emilia Romagna is one of the most fertile and productive regions of Italy, thanks to the effect of the sea which mitigates the weather on the coast. This contrast between the mountains and the sea allows Emilia Romagna to offer its visitors some breathtaking views, wonders for the eyes and for the spirit in a mixture of colors and scents of the earth, of happiness and of the sea, music, cinema and art, just in one region.
Those who love the sea, the sun and entertainment, choose the Riviera of Romagna, the longest beach in Europe, to enjoy its well-equipped facilities for sports and leisure activities. Towns like Rimini, Riccione and Cattolica give tourists a warm welcome, relax and lots of entertainment. The Apennine, on the other hand, shows its beauties while you visit the area between Parma and Piacenza, riding a horse or on foot, visiting splendid parks and wonderful nature reserves.
The hinterland has several spas like Salsomaggiore and Bagno di Romagna, offering a wide range of proposals, thanks to the many types of waters springing in this region and the modern equipments, technologies and professionalism of the facilities, which enhance traditional thermal baths. Both culinary and artistic culture found fertile soil in this land and put down its deep roots in it.
This is witnessed by the Verdi’s novels and Pascoli’s poetry, as well as Fellini’s unmistakable cinema, a director who became a myth with his many masterpieces and whose scripts came to life in this region. In Emilia Romagna, you can enjoy amazing views anywhere; you just have to choose from an endless list of places.
The provinces of the region are: Bologna (regional capital), Ferrara, Forli-Cesena, Modena, Parma, Piacenza, Ravenna, Reggio Emilia, Rimini. Emilia Romagna borders the third smallest European Country, the Republic of San Marino.
Art, history and architecture are some other aspects of the wide range of proposals offered by Emilia Romagna.
Bologna, a city of tradeshows and commerce, is an example of fusion between these aspects and the Basilica of San Petronio, one of the most beautiful churches in Italy with a half marble and half raw façade. If you want to reach Asinelli Tower, you must climb 498 steps, but the view you can admire from up there repays for the hard work.
Ferrara, recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage site, is the result of a perfect preservation of the old Renaissance splendor, which you can see in the roads, the facades of the buildings and in the artistic treasures of the town while you walk along the ancient “capital of culture”.
You should definitely call by the Este family Castle before heading to Modena to visit the Romanic cathedral and the Ghirlandina Church Tower. In the province of Modena, in Maranello, speed lovers can visit the Ferrari Gallery and admire the most prestigious cars produced by this famous car manufacturer, its trophies and the pictures that made it famous around the world.
Another place with no less than 8 buildings awarded by Unesco as World Heritage sites is Ravenna, the town of mosaics. The masterpieces of this town witness the wealth of the seventeenth century, when the town was a capital. Among these buildings, we highlight the Baroque Basilica of S. Apollinare Nuovo, the Gothic Mausoleum of Theoderic and the Basilica of S. Apollinare in Classe with its wonderful mosaics.
Faenza, rich in monuments and with a remarkable historical and cultural heritage, boasts international fame for its old ceramics industry, which developed in the eighteenth century.
It is finally possible to visit Italy staying in only one place. In the heart of the Adriatic Riviera, we can go from one side of Italy to another in a few seconds, thanks to Italy in miniature, a park with 273 small-scale reproductions of the main Italian and European monuments, where teenagers can have fun seeing the beauties of this Country following several teaching programs.
Emilia Romagna offers a varied series of itineraries, almost customized to visitors’ demands. For nature lovers, 2 national parks, 14 regional parks and 11 regional reserves offer leisure and relax to those who want to plunge into the green with the typical flora and fauna of the area and with the possibility of trekking, kayaking and biking in total freedom.
Horse lovers can take the routes of the Via Francigena, in the area of Piacenza and Parma, and reach the parks and the paths in the bridle-ways scattered almost all over the region.
Another route to take is that of health care, thanks to the several spas offering pleasantness and relax through their therapeutic and regenerating treatments. Salsomaggiore, Tabiano, Bagno di Romagna, Castrocaro, Porretta are only some of the places that are well-known for their spas, an integral part of Emilia Romagna.
Speaking about routes, the roads of wine and flavors on the Hills of Rimini are a good way to discover the historical and cultural identity of the territory, with its typical products and unforgettable flavors. The route towards the hinterland starts from Rimini and goes across farms, small old villages, holdings and oil mills, in the pursuit of genuineness and nature.
Finally, we cannot forget the fairs and festivals of the whole territory for most part of the year: you can take your pick!
The journey to discover the roots of this Region lead to many directions and one of these is the art of taste. The region is full of strong and refined flavors, from those of the country of Emilia to those of the sea in Romagna, passing by the lagoon of Comacchio Valleys, with its famous eels.
Discovering a region means tasting the result of its tradition with the typical Erbazzone, a quiche with spinach, or the pisarei e faso, small dumplings with beans made in the area of Piacenza, not to mention tortelloni, agnolotti and all types of home-made pasta enhanced by their delicious stuffing, herbs and flavors.
We can stop in Bologna to taste some mortadella and eat it with the famous piadina bread. The unquestioned king of Parma food, yet well-known and enjoyed all over the world, is Parma ham, a mainstay for Italian food-and-wine tradition. Parma Ham, together with the wonderful Grana cheese and legendary Parmesan cheese, really make the region proud before all gourmets.
Another pride of the region is wine. From Gutturnio, produced on the Hills of Piacenza, to Trebbiano, Lambrusco, Barbera, Sauvignon and Sangiovese. Simplicity and taste is the winning combination that makes the food of this region so special.
