Emilia-RomagnaEat Your World Team2024-09-26T07:12:08-04:00

Emilia-Romagna

Bologna's medieval towers, Garisenda and Asinelli

Emilia-Romagna Food + Travel Guide

This northern region of Italy, easily accessible from Milan, Venice, and Florence, is arguably that country’s gastronomic capital. Why? Many of Italy’s finest, most famous, centuries-old foodstuffs hail from these fertile flat plains, from egg pastas like tagliatelle and tortellini to balsamic vinegar and that king of cheeses, Parmigiano-Reggiano. Sure, its elegant Renaissance cities—Modena, Ferrara, Parma—are on the quiet side, and its lively, history-rich capital, Bologna, lacks the big bells and whistles of certain other Italian cities, but the comparatively subdued, under-the-radar vibe translates to fewer tourists, extra-welcoming locals, and a glimpse of regular old low-key life in Italy. But it’s the cuisine—with its deep and obvious respect for the region’s culinary roots, and unapologetic affinity for decadence via butter, meat, cheese, and the like—that really makes Emilia-Romagna a must for any Italian food fan.

Essential Dishes

What to Eat in Emilia-Romagna

Map View

Aceto balsamico

Affectionately known as Italy’s “black gold,” traditional balsamic vinegar, or aceto balsamico tradizionale, will challenge your very notion of “vinegar.”
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Gramigna con salsiccia

What: One of Bologna’s many famed egg pastas, gramigna (“little weeds”) is short, curly, and most often paired with a
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A bottle and glass of Lambrusco wine, from Emilia-Romagna, Italy

Lambrusco, local wine

What: Fertile Emilia-Romagna is home to many wine regions and varietals, but its most famous is Lambrusco, from the local
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Maccheroni al pettine

What: One of the area’s many hand-rolled egg pastas, maccheroni al pettine takes its name from the comb-like board (pettine)
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Mortadella

What: Minced pork meat is mixed with high-quality pig fat and seasoned with a blend of spices, then stuffed into
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Parmigiano-Reggiano

It’s not called the king of cheeses for nothing, people. Authentic, artisanal, aged Parmigiano-Reggiano—easily identified by the markings of origin
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Piadina

Piadina (a.k.a. piada), a flaky, chewy flatbread made from flour, salt, water, and olive oil, is found all over Emilia-Romagna,
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Prosciutto di Parma

What: This melt-in-your-mouth world-famous prosciutto comes from the rear haunches of specially raised pigs, who in turn come from a
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Tagliatelle con ragú alla Bolognese

What: Ah, Bolognese sauce. How simple and delicious it is, and yet how misrepresented it can be outside of Italy—too
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Tortellini en brodo

What: This popular Bolognese primo, or first course, is simply handmade tortellini—a soft little ring-shaped egg pasta, usually stuffed with
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Tortelloni

What: Tortelloni—a large ring-shaped pasta commonly stuffed with cheese and greens, and often served with butter and sage—is the big
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Activity Tips

How to Burn It Off in Emilia-Romagna

CLIMB

In Bologna, climb the nearly 500 steps of the medieval Torre degli Asinelli (Asinelli Tower; €3) in the center of town—if you dare, as no one can really explain why the leaning 334-foot (102m) tower, constructed in the 12th century, continues to fight gravity and win. It and its shorter neighbor, Torre degli Garisenda, are two of a handful of survivors from the 100-plus medieval skyscrapers that once composed Bologna’s cityscape. The views from the top—where you can spy a few other towers interspersed among the city’s red roofs and narrow passageways—are worth the minor, ahem, risk.

In Modena, visitors can climb the graceful Ghirlandina bell tower, built between the 12th and 14th centuries and recently restored, on weekends between the months of April and October (check this site for exact opening days). Overlooking Piazza Grande, the tower rises from the rear of the city’s gorgeous Romanesque cathedral, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is expected to be open Sundays from 9:30am-12.30pm and from 3pm-7pm (€1).

Accommodations

Where to Stay in Emilia-Romagna

PARMA

Given the fertile land, agriturismos make a wonderful accommodation option in Emilia-Romagna (and, indeed, all of Italy). Choices are near limitless if you have a car, though you can sometimes find them close enough to a city to get the best of both worlds. We found one in Parma: the homey Agriturismo Leoni (€77 for double, including breakfast; Via Roma 75, Vicofertile, map), a B&B on a working dairy farm in the countryside just 2 km (1.2 miles) from Parma’s city center. Meet the cows who provide milk for the area’s Parmigiano-Reggiano production (no, you can’t take one home with you); if you stay at least two nights, you’ll have time to arrange tours of a nearby cheese house and prosciutto di Parma factory (book ahead with hostesses Lola and Cinzia). Without a car, you can arrive by bus or taxi; more important, there is an excellent restaurant, Trattoria Vigolante, within walking distance (see Parmigiano-Reggiano entry).