“The people of Emilia-Romagna eat more, care more and talk more about food than anyone else in Italy,” says food writer Claudia Roden. And in my experience, she’s right!
Emilia-Romagna stretches almost right across central-northern Italy, from the Adriatic coast just south of Venice in the east, stopping a mere 30km from the Mediterranean near Genoa, blocked only by the narrow crescent of Liguria. It contains two very different territories brought together in 1848 by Italian unification. Emilia in the west – home to the foodie cities of Parma, Modena and Bologna – has a long history of both industry and affluence. While in the east, relatively undiscovered Romagna has a more rural history and its own regional specialties including fabulous Adriatic seafood. The entire region is full of wonderful food, wine, history and nature as this list of highlights shows.
Stay Palazzo dalla Rosa Prati (Parma)
My favourite hotel in all of Emilia-Romagna is this beautiful sienna-coloured, 13th century palazzo on cobbled Piazza Duomo. It’s steeped in history and home to the Marquis dalla Rosa Prati whose private residence is on the first floor. Right outside the door is the sparkling cream and pink Veronese marble of the rare 12th century baptistery (pictured), and the cathedral next door has a stunning cupola painted by Correggio.
Eat Franceschetta 58 (Modena)
No Modena food tour is complete without experiencing the genius of Massimo Bottura. My food and wine tour guests love the ‘Tradition in Evolution’ menu at Franceschetta58, little sister to his more formal Osteria Francescana. It provides a different view of Modena’s traditional cuisine and a chance to taste some very rare wines, including one aged in beehives especially for the restaurant.
Drink Casa di Noelia & Pandolfa (Forli-Cesena)
A tour and tasting at this beautiful hilltop winery, between the Apennine mountains and the Adriatic Sea, is a highlight of any tour of Emilia-Romagna. Visit the vineyards by tractor-drawn cart, then walk through the ancient tunnel from the production cellar to the grand 18th-century villa for a guided tasting of their excellent wines. I love the quirky labels that are reworkings of Renaissance portraits.
History Mosaics (Ravenna)
It’s impossible to visit Romagna without stopping by Ravenna to see its splendid, UNESCO-listed Byzantine mosaics. Instead of the more commonly painted frescoes, the domes and walls of its basilicas sparkle with vivid images composed of millions of tiny tiles. Lunch at enoteca-restaurant Ca de’Ven, in a wonderfully restored palazzo, completes the visit.
Nature Po Delta (Ferrara)
Comacchio on the Po Delta in north-eastern Romagna is built on canals like a mini-Venice, and dishes based on eel from the lagoon are a specialty of local restaurants like La Comacina. It’s an ideal base from which to explore these unique waterways dotted with colourful fishermen’s huts and home to many birds, including flamingos.
