Things to do in Emilia-Romagna

Emilia-Romagna follows one road. The Via Emilia runs from Piacenza to Rimini, and it strings together some of Italy's best-fed towns. The coast, reached from Ravenna and Rimini, is a separate story — flat, sandy, built for a beach week.

Along the Via Emilia

Four cities anchor the road, each with its own kitchen.

• Parma. Parmigiano-Reggiano and cured ham, both aged for months before they leave the province.
• Modena. Balsamic vinegar, matured in wooden barrels that pass down through families.
• Bologna. Ragù, tortellini and mortadella, plus the region's oldest university and its arcaded streets.
• Ravenna and Rimini. Byzantine mosaics inland, sand and seaside towns on the coast.

Motor Valley

The same road builds cars too. Ferrari sits in Maranello, Lamborghini in Sant'Agata Bolognese, Maserati and Ducati in Modena and Bologna. Combo tickets covering two or three museums are common.

Practical

• Getting around. Regional trains link every town on the Via Emilia in under an hour or two.
• Weather. Summer on the plain pushes past 30C with heavy humidity; winter brings fog and nights near freezing. The coast runs a few degrees cooler in summer, milder in winter.
• Food budget. A cheese or vinegar tasting costs about what a nice dinner does elsewhere.
• Coast rules. Beach clubs charge for loungers; free public stretches exist but take some finding.
• Museum days. Car museums keep normal weekday hours; book ahead for factory or track tours.
• Driving. A car (or a driver) pays off fastest between the Motor Valley museums.