Published 20 June 2026 · IMPT EcoHotels
Emilia-Romagna is one of the most activity-rich regions in Europe. Whether you are drawn to Byzantine art, supercar factories, UNESCO porticoes, cooking classes, beach holidays, medieval hill villages, or birdwatching in wetlands, this region delivers experiences that rival anywhere in Italy. Here are the 12+ essential things to do, each explored in depth.
1. Walk Bologna's UNESCO Porticoes
Bologna's porticoes — covered walkways supported by arches and columns — are one of the most distinctive architectural features of any European city. In 2021, a selection of Bologna's porticoes was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, recognising their outstanding universal value as a continuous architectural tradition spanning nearly a thousand years.
The city has over 40 kilometres of porticoes in its historic centre alone, and approximately 62 kilometres in total including the suburbs. They were originally built in the 11th and 12th centuries as a practical solution to the university city's housing crisis — extending upper floors over the streets to create additional living space while keeping the ground level open for commerce and pedestrians. Over the centuries, they evolved from simple wooden structures to the elaborate stone and brick arcades you see today.
The most spectacular portico is the Portico di San Luca — the longest in the world at 3.8 kilometres, with 666 arches stretching from Porta Saragozza in the city centre uphill to the Sanctuary of the Madonna di San Luca. The walk takes approximately 45–60 minutes and rewards you with panoramic views of the city, the Po Valley, and the Apennine foothills. Other notable porticoes include the medieval wooden porticoes on Via Marsala (among the oldest surviving examples), the grand Renaissance arcades of Via dell'Indipendenza, and the elegant portici of Piazza Santo Stefano. Walking under the porticoes in rain or blazing sunshine, you understand why Bolognesi consider them the city's greatest treasure — they make Bologna walkable and liveable in any weather.
2. Explore Ravenna's Byzantine Mosaics
Ravenna contains the finest collection of Byzantine mosaics in existence — eight early Christian monuments collectively inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. These are not merely historical curiosities but genuine masterpieces of world art, ranking alongside the Sistine Chapel, the Alhambra, and the temples of Angkor Wat in their artistic and cultural significance.
The Basilica of San Vitale, completed in 547 AD, is the jewel of the collection. Its octagonal interior is covered in golden mosaics depicting Old Testament scenes, the life of Christ, and the famous imperial panels showing Emperor Justinian and Empress Theodora with their retinues. The Mausoleum of Galla Placidia (circa 430 AD), a tiny cruciform building, hides one of the most breathtaking interiors in all of Western art — a ceiling of midnight blue studded with golden stars, with mosaics of saints, doves, and a luminous figure of Christ as the Good Shepherd. The Basilica of Sant'Apollinare Nuovo features two remarkable procession mosaics running the length of the nave, while the Arian Baptistery and Neonian Baptistery contain stunning dome mosaics of Christ's baptism. Allow at least half a day to visit the five main sites; a combined ticket covers all of them. Ravenna is also the final resting place of Dante Alighieri, whose tomb is a pilgrimage site for literary travellers.
3. Drive Motor Valley — Ferrari, Lamborghini & More
Motor Valley (Terra di Motori) is the stretch of the Via Emilia between Bologna and Modena where the world's most legendary automotive brands cluster. This is one of the greatest concentrations of automotive excellence on earth, and visiting the museums and factory showrooms is an unforgettable experience even for non-car enthusiasts.
The Museo Ferrari in Maranello (Via Dino Ferrari 43) is the essential visit — a modern museum showcasing the history of the Prancing Horse from Enzo Ferrari's earliest racing endeavours to the latest hybrid hypercars. Interactive displays, F1 racing simulators, and rotating exhibitions of championship-winning cars bring the legend to life. In Modena city centre, the Museo Enzo Ferrari (Via Paolo Ferrari 85) occupies the building where Enzo Ferrari was born, with a futuristic yellow aluminium exhibition hall attached. Combined tickets are available for both museums.
The Lamborghini Museum in Sant'Agata Bolognese (about 30 minutes north of Modena) traces the history of the raging bull brand from Ferruccio Lamborghini's first Miura to the latest Revuelto. Ducati's museum at the Borgo Panigale factory in Bologna showcases the history of the world's most famous motorcycle manufacturer. Pagani, the ultra-exclusive hypercar maker, has a small museum in San Cesario sul Panaro near Modena — visits are limited and must be booked well in advance. A complete Motor Valley circuit can be done in 2–3 days by car, starting and ending in Bologna.
4. Take a Food Tour in Parma
Parma holds the UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy title, and a food tour here is one of the defining experiences of Emilia-Romagna. The classic circuit begins early morning at a Parmigiano-Reggiano caseificio (dairy) in the countryside surrounding Parma, where you watch the master cheesemaker transform 550 litres of fresh milk into a single wheel of cheese using the same techniques perfected over nine centuries. After the dairy, head south into the hills around Langhirano to visit a Prosciutto di Parma curing house — vast temperature-controlled rooms where thousands of pork legs hang from the ceiling, perfumed by the sweet Apennine breezes that flow through the open windows. The final stop is back in Parma city centre for lunch at a traditional trattoria, where you taste the products you have just seen being made: freshly shaved Parmigiano with drops of aged balsamic vinegar, paper-thin slices of prosciutto, anolini in brodo, and tortelli d'erbetta (pasta filled with ricotta and chard). Organised tours run daily from Parma; alternatively, individual visits can be arranged directly with producers.
5. Cycle the Walls of Ferrara
Ferrara is Italy's cycling capital — a flat, compact city where bicycles outnumber cars and the historic centre is best explored on two wheels. The city's 9-kilometre circuit of Renaissance-era city walls has been converted into a tree-lined cycling and walking path that circles the entire old town, offering views over the Este castle, the cathedral, and the vast Addizione Erculea (the 15th-century urban expansion that made Ferrara the first planned modern city in Europe, now UNESCO-listed).
Bicycles can be rented from numerous shops in the city centre or through hotel bike-sharing schemes. Beyond the walls, cycle paths extend into the flat Po Valley countryside, where you can ride through fields, along canal towpaths, and out to the Po Delta wetlands. Ferrara's combination of world-class Renaissance art (the Palazzo dei Diamanti gallery, the frescoes of Palazzo Schifanoia) and cycling-friendly infrastructure makes it one of the most pleasant cities to explore in all of northern Italy. Visit on a Tuesday or Friday morning to catch the market in Piazza Trento e Trieste, which fills the square beside the cathedral with stalls selling fresh produce, local cheeses, and salumi.
6. Hit the Beach at Rimini
Rimini is the undisputed capital of the Italian Adriatic Riviera, offering 15 kilometres of sandy beach divided into hundreds of numbered bagni (beach clubs), each providing sun loungers, umbrellas, showers, bars, and restaurant service. The beach scene runs from May through September, reaching its zenith in July and August when the population of this city of 150,000 swells to over a million.
But Rimini is far more than sun and sand. The old town, often overlooked by beach-bound tourists, contains remarkable historical treasures. The Ponte di Tiberio, a five-arched Roman bridge completed in 21 AD, still carries pedestrian traffic across the Marecchia river after two millennia. The Tempio Malatestiano, a Gothic church redesigned by Leon Battista Alberti in the Renaissance, houses a crucifix by Giotto and frescoes by Piero della Francesca. The Arco d'Augusto, dating from 27 BC, is the oldest surviving Roman triumphal arch. And the Fellini Museum, opened in 2021, celebrates Rimini's most famous son — film director Federico Fellini, who immortalised the Grand Hotel Rimini and the town's seaside culture in his masterpiece Amarcord (1973). Rimini's nightlife is legendary, centred on the clubs and beach bars along the lungomare and in the nearby resort of Riccione.
7. Discover the Painted Village of Dozza
Dozza is a tiny medieval village perched on a hilltop roughly 30 kilometres southeast of Bologna, famous for a tradition that has transformed it into one of Italy's most photogenic small towns. Since 1960, the Biennale del Muro Dipinto has invited artists from around the world to paint directly on the exterior walls of the village's buildings. The result is an extraordinary open-air gallery of over 200 murals — abstract works, figurative scenes, political statements, and pure visual poetry covering everything from doorframes to entire facades. Walking through the narrow cobbled streets, every turn reveals a new surprise. The 15th-century Rocca Sforzesca (Sforza fortress) crowns the hilltop and houses the Enoteca Regionale dell'Emilia-Romagna, the official regional wine showcase where you can taste and purchase wines from every corner of the region. Dozza is easily visited as a half-day trip from Bologna by car or bus.
8. Explore Medieval Brisighella
Brisighella, in the Romagna Apennine foothills about 60 kilometres southeast of Bologna, is one of the most beautiful small towns in Italy (officially recognised as one of the Borghi più belli d'Italia). Three limestone pinnacles rise above the village, each crowned by a historic structure: the Rocca Manfrediana fortress (14th century), the Torre dell'Orologio clock tower, and the Santuario del Monticino church. The Via degli Asini (Donkeys' Street), an elevated covered passageway carved into the rock above the main street, was originally used by mule trains carrying gypsum from the nearby quarries and offers atmospheric views over the terracotta rooftops below.
Brisighella is also renowned for its exceptional extra virgin olive oil — the Brisighella DOP is one of the most northerly olive oil appellations in Italy, producing a delicate, slightly peppery oil from the nostrana di Brisighella cultivar. The town hosts an olive oil festival in late November, and the annual Sagra del Tartufo e della Polenta (November) celebrates the local truffle harvest with outdoor feasts of polenta, grilled meats, and fresh truffles. Combined with a visit to nearby Faenza (famous for its majolica ceramics — the word "faience" derives from the town's name), Brisighella makes an outstanding day trip into the heart of Romagna.
9. Take a Cooking Class
Learning to make fresh pasta by hand is one of the quintessential Emilia-Romagna experiences. Cooking classes are offered throughout the region, from professional culinary schools to home kitchens in countryside agriturismi. In Bologna, several schools specialise in teaching the art of sfoglia — rolling fresh egg pasta dough with a long wooden mattarello (rolling pin) until it achieves the proper thinness. Under the guidance of sfogline (professional pasta makers, traditionally women), you learn to make tortellini, tagliatelle, garganelli, and other shapes, then sit down to eat your creations with local wine. Classes typically last 3–4 hours and include a full meal. In Parma, classes focus on the regional specialities: tortelli d'erbetta, anolini in brodo, and herb-stuffed pasta parcels. For a deeper immersion, full-day classes at countryside cooking schools combine pasta-making with visits to local producers and market shopping. Many classes are taught in English, and booking at least a week in advance is recommended.
10. Attend Opera at Teatro Regio, Parma
The Teatro Regio in Parma is one of the most important opera houses in Italy, renowned for its exceptional acoustics, its passionate and discerning audience, and its association with the city's most famous son — Giuseppe Verdi, born in the nearby village of Roncole Verdi in 1813. The theatre was built in 1829 under the direction of Duchess Marie Louise of Austria and seats approximately 1,200 in an elegant neoclassical interior of white, gold, and pale blue.
The annual Festival Verdi (October–November) is the highlight of the cultural calendar, presenting performances of Verdi's operas in the Teatro Regio, the Teatro Farnese, and other historic venues. Parma's opera audiences are famously knowledgeable and demanding — singers who fail to meet their exacting standards risk being booed off the stage, while those who excel receive thunderous ovations. Beyond the Festival Verdi, the Teatro Regio hosts a regular season of opera, ballet, and classical concerts from October through spring. Tickets can be purchased through the theatre's website or box office. Combine your visit with a trip to Verdi's birthplace in Roncole and his country estate at Villa Sant'Agata (now a museum) in Villanova sull'Arda.
11. Wine Tasting in the Colli Piacentini
The Colli Piacentini — the hills south of Piacenza at the western end of the Via Emilia — are one of Emilia-Romagna's most rewarding and least-visited wine regions. The rolling landscape of vineyards, medieval castles, and stone villages feels untouched by mass tourism. The area produces distinctive wines including Gutturnio (a blend of Barbera and Bonarda that can be either still or frizzante), Ortrugo (a crisp, light white), and Malvasia di Candia Aromatica (an aromatic white that ranges from dry to sweet, still to sparkling).
Wine estates welcome visitors for tastings, often accompanied by the local salumi — coppa piacentina, pancetta piacentina, and salame piacentino, all of which hold DOP status. The Strada dei Vini e dei Sapori dei Colli Piacentini (Wine and Food Route) connects dozens of producers, restaurants, and agriturismi throughout the hills. Notable castles to visit along the route include the Castello di Rivalta, Castello di Gropparello (with a medieval adventure park for families), and Castello di Vigoleno — a perfectly preserved fortified village with a small theatre, church, and panoramic views across the valley.
12. Birdwatching in the Po Delta
The Parco Regionale del Delta del Po covers over 54,000 hectares of wetlands, lagoons, salt marshes, dune systems, and pine forests where the Po River — Italy's longest — meets the Adriatic Sea. This is one of the most important wetland habitats in Europe, hosting over 300 bird species and providing critical breeding and migration stopover sites for flamingos, avocets, spoonbills, glossy ibises, black-winged stilts, harriers, terns, and dozens of duck and wader species.
The best birdwatching periods are spring (April–May, when breeding activity peaks and migrants pass through) and autumn (September–October, for passage migrants and the first winter arrivals). The Valli di Comacchio — vast, shallow lagoons once famous for their eel fisheries — are the prime birdwatching location, accessible via guided boat tours and elevated hides. The Po Delta is flat terrain, ideal for cycling, and well-maintained cycle paths connect the main points of interest. Several guide services operate from Comacchio and the surrounding towns, offering half-day and full-day excursions by boat, bicycle, or on foot. The Delta is easily combined with a visit to Ravenna (30 minutes by car) or Ferrara (45 minutes).
Bonus: More Activities Worth Your Time
Visit the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari, Imola
The Imola circuit, located just 40 kilometres southeast of Bologna, hosts the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix as part of the Formula 1 calendar. On non-race days, the circuit can be visited and some experiences allow you to drive the track. The nearby town of Imola also boasts the impressive Rocca Sforzesca fortress.
Explore Comacchio — Little Venice
Comacchio, a small town on the edge of the Po Delta, is built on 13 islands connected by bridges. Known as "Little Venice," its pastel-coloured buildings reflect in the canal waters, and the iconic Trepponti (triple bridge) from 1634 is one of the most photographed structures in Emilia-Romagna. Comacchio is famous for its eel-based cuisine — anguilla marinata (marinated eel) is a centuries-old specialty.
Thermal Spas at Salsomaggiore & Tabiano
The thermal spa towns of Salsomaggiore Terme and Tabiano Terme in the province of Parma have been wellness destinations since the 19th century. Their mineral-rich waters, drawn from underground salt deposits, are used for therapeutic bathing, mud treatments, and inhalation therapies. The monumental Grand Hotel des Thermes in Salsomaggiore, decorated in Art Nouveau and Art Deco style by Galileo Chini, is worth visiting for its interiors alone.