6 Best Places to Visit in Emilia Romagna

1. Bologna

Best for those that prefer bigger cities with ample restaurants, bars, and things to do.

Bologna is unlike other cities in Italy. It's grungy, mainly brick, and covered in graffiti. But somehow also elegant, with impressive portici covering your head from the wind and sun.

It's known as the liberal capital of Italy and boasts the oldest university in the western world. But more important to us, the food scene hits hard. Bologna's signature dishes include the heavy hitters: lasagna, Bolognese (called ragù here), tortellini, and mortadella, to name a few. Raf and I both agreed that the gelato tastes better here, too.

This city isn't for someone dreaming of the scenic side of Italy. It's located right in the center of the country, without the impressive views or charm that other places offer.

What drew us in was the lack of that. The fact that this city isn't like the rest is where it shines. Although one of the biggest cities of the country, it doesn't face nearly the same level of tourism as Rome, Milan, or Florence, giving you a chance to explore without the hordes surrounding you. That said, those other cities I listed are facing overtourism issues, Bologna is far from a hidden gem.

Just note that the area around the train station is best avoided. While I always recommend train travel in Italy, I wouldn't suggest staying right here or spending your time in Bologna hanging around here. Head south from the station into the heart of the old town for much better vibes. Don't be too quick to judge upon arrival!

Where to Stay in Bologna

Although you could squeeze your trip to Bologna into a day trip, I'd recommend at least staying one night. There's simply too many delicious dishes to try to cram it all into a few hours!

This guide will set you up for a great 3-days in Bologna. Plus, a lot of the other destinations on this list could all work as day trips from Bologna, making this a good base when you visit Emilia Romagna.

📍A few of my top recommendations for places to stay in Bologna are:

• Budget Option: Casa Petronio Apartments: They offer a variety of apartments with 2-bedrooms, 1-bedrooms, or a studio to choose from. A bike rental and coffee shop is conveniently located in the same building.
• Mid-Tier Option: Central City Rooms m09: This is where we stayed in Bologna and we really enjoyed it. Although I don't recommend this area necessarily, it did work for us since we stayed about a week and aligned with our plans. It's pet-friendly so we could bring our pets with us and it's really close to the train station which made coming and going easy.
• Luxury Option: Grand Hotel Majestic gia' Baglioni: For a taste of luxury and to be just steps from Piazza Maggiore, you'll love your stay at this high-end hotel where you'll feel as if you became a queen in the 1800s.

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2. Modena

Best for those that like city amenities but on a smaller scale.

This past year we spent a week in Modena. While most people simply know it for its balsamic vinegar, we highly recommend you give it a bit more consideration than just that. While learning more about the liquid gold and embarking on a little trip to the countryside is always a good idea, there's more to Modena than meets the eye (and more delicious food to try).

To me, Modena is a fancy brother to Bologna. Where Bologna wears its political posters proudly, Modena prefers to be painted in endless shades of red. It's classier and smaller but still offers a lot of the same great food Bologna is known for, just with a few varieties to try.

Full disclosure, our meals in Bologna were better but we enjoyed the overall vibe of Modena a bit more. I'm not a big city person though, which might have skewed my perception.

If you have some time to spend in the region, I'd choose either Bologna or Modena as your home base since they're both so centrally located and make some day trips from there.

Although the city center in Modena is nice, personally my favorite piece of town is Via Dei Gallucci. This is their bar and restaurant street that's a lot of fun for a drink or two.

Where to Stay in Modena

If you choose to base yourself in Modena, I compiled our week into this 3-day guide. For those than plan on staying at least one night, consider:

• Budget Stay: Elegant & Beautiful: If you plan to make a few day trips, the location near the train station (yet still in the city center) will be super convenient.
• Mid-Tier Stay: Dei Gallucci Apartment B&B: This is where we stayed in Modena. We brought our dog and cat along for the trip so a comfy pet-friendly spot was mandatory. The balcony gave them extra space and it was located on a quiet alleyway just one block from the busy bar street I'll talk about later. I'd highly recommend this one.
• Luxury Stay: Sant'Eufemia 30: If you're a fan of boutique hotels, especially ones that are a piece of living history, you'll be hard-pressed to find a better hotel than this one for your trip.

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3. Reggio Emilia

Best for those seeking charm and to get off the beaten path in a popular area.

Reggio Emilia sits on the trainline exactly in between Modena and Parma. In my mind, this location should make it a popular destination for travelers but it somehow gets skipped over.

When preparing for our trip to Modena, I spoke with some locals and asked what they recommended of Reggio Emilia. Not one could give me an answer and most suggested I don't bother.

It's clear now that they haven't been.

I absolutely adored Reggio Emilia and am so glad I had them time to make a day trip over here. It's a small city, smaller than both its more famous neighbors, but absolutely oozing with charm. The train station sits a little bit away from town so be sure to wait until you're in the old town before you start judging it. Just like Bologna, I don't think the first impression is the right impression here.

One of the best things to do in any Italian city is to simply be. Walk, wander, stroll down random streets, and let yourself go without a strict schedule to adhere to. This is the perfect itinerary for Reggio Emilia. I promise you'll find a number of alleyways bursting with bars, restaurants, and great local shops. On the Friday I visited, every piazza was overflowing with local markets, which made it feel even more lively.

Where to Stay in Reggio Emilia

Although I only took a day trip to Reggio Emilia, I certainly could have stayed overnight. Although I didn't feel like I had too much left to see, I walked a lot that day and could have split it in half. I also could have enjoyed slowing down a bit.

If you want to stay longer, check out:

• Budget Stay: Student's Hostel Della Ghiara: There's a really nice shared area and garden, perfect if you're traveling with kids that need some extra space to run and play.
• Mid-Tier Stay: Hotel Posta: This hotel is right in the center of town, just steps from Piazza Prampolini in a historic building. You can choose from a variety of room types.
• Luxury Stay: Loft of Love: Also located right in the center, this one-bedroom apartment is unlike any you've stayed in before. The ceiling is a work of art and really unique.

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4. Ravenna

Best for those that love art and culture, although even for art novices like me, the mosaics here are truly incredible.

I had hear passing remarks about Ravenna but didn't actually have it on our list until I realized we'd be nearby for a couple of days. Realizing it was just a 20 minute train ride away, we decided to head over for a few hours.

To be cleared, we could have used the entire day trip, but our schedule was limited and we weren't quite sure when we'd have the chance to come back, so we went for it. And I'm so glad we did.

Neither of us are religious and while we both enjoy making art, we're not huge in the art scene. We don't often visit museums or plan our trips around that world. Ravenna was a clear exception.

Ravenna is famous because of its ancient yet well-preserved mosaics. I'm talking like 5th and 6th century old, which is a number that's honestly hard for me to wrap my head around. All 8 are currently UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Yes, 8.

Honestly just one of these places would be great to visit but when you can see 8, it's mindblowing. We opted for a ticket that gave us access to the 4 in the city center:

• Mausoleum of Galla Placidia
• Basilica of San Vitale
• Basilica of Sant'apollinare Nuovo
• The Arian Baptistry

This was enough for us but if we had the full day, I wouldn't have minded seeing the others. We bought our ticket directly from the Ravenna tourism website but that was for self-guided tickets only. 

Outside of this, Ravenna is small and cute but not quite as attractive and lively as other cities and towns on this list. I personally think if you're making the trip here, you have to see at least a few of the mosaics to make it count. 

If you only want to see a few, I'd make it San Vitale and the mausoleum. These are both in the same complex and were the most jawdropping in my eyes.

Where to Stay in Ravenna

If you'd prefer more time in the area, stay a night or two. You'll be close enough to the Adriatic Coast that you can make a day trip for some swimming from here.

📍In Ravenna, I suggest a stay at:

• Budget Stay: Casetta Sogno: This apartment rental is just outside of the center of Ravenna but offers more space, a small yard, and is pet-friendly.
• Mid-Tier Stay: Chez Papa: This historic home was converted into a cozy bed and breakfast, ideal for those looking for a unique stay.
• Luxury Stay: Gironda: Another bed and breakfast yet this one has more of a touch of luxury, with frescoes on the walls, a fitness center, and bike rentals.

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5. Ferrara

Best for those that are looking for a historic city that's somehow so well-maintained.

Ferrara isn't like anywhere we've visited before and as you can tell, we've checked out a lot of the surrounding area.

Ferrara was one of the most important cities during the Italian Renaissance and was even renowned throughout the continent. This fantastic history is so well-preserved that the entire city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Although we're now used to wandering around incredibly old towns now that we live in Italy, Ferrara really did feel like a step into the past. The walls, roads, and entire vibe of the place feels like a walk through history, which truly is a lot of fun.

We only had a short stop in Ferrara, to walk around the old town and marvel at the castle, during a road trip. I'd like more time here to explore via bike (this entire region is ideal to explore on 2-wheels!) and to walk or ride along the city walls.

I feel like we just got a peek into the city but it definitely left me wanting more.

Where to Stay in Ferrara

Ferrara is well-located on the way to Bologna from Venice. It's a good stopover for any time between the center and east side of Northern Italy. Although, if you want to really explore it, you'll need a bit more time than just a few hours.

Consider staying overnight at:

• Budget Stay: Camere in Centro: As the name suggests, you'll get a simple room right in the center of Ferrara when you book your stay here. No frills but ideal for those that don't plan to spend much time in their room.
• Mid-Tier Stay: Il Bagattino: This cozy hotel is perfectly located, just about a 5-minute walk to all the biggest attractions in Ferrara.
• Luxury Stay: Borgoleoni 18: Choose between a variety of rooms to fit your budget, all set within a renovated 16th-century building.

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6. Cesena

Best for those looking for a quirky town near the coast but away from tourists.

Last but certainly not least of my favorite places to visit in Emilia Romagna is Cesena. Cesena is just inland from Rimini but like Reggio Emilia, really doesn't get any attention when compared to its neighbors.

This small town was full of surprises for us. We originally went to Cesena for a concert (in the summer, they regularly host concerts inside the ancient fortress, cool right?) but ended up enjoying our stay more than expected. For such a small town, there are a lot of interesting things to do.

After doing a small amount of research, we imagined somewhere small, quiet, and not too entertaining after the concert was over. We were wrong.

We arrived around midnight on a Tuesday and the bars were still packed with people old and young still out laughing and drinking with their friends. The next day, a local market took over the main piazza, and that evening the restaurants were buzzing.

The people who lived here were covered in tattoos, wore trendy clothes, and had colorfully dyed hair. The food they served were all the regional specialties but with a unique spin (which really isn't the norm in Italy). It wasn't just one corner or one restaurant but the vibe of the entire town that reflected this.

We loved it.

It's a town full of surprises but great for those that want to really get off-the-beaten-path and don't need too many "things to do." Just know that they take their rest time seriously and between 2-6 you can expect most places to be closed.

Where to Stay in Cesena

Per usual, I recommend staying anywhere in the city center. Note that the train station is about a 20-minute walk from the old town but unless you plan on taking a lot of day trips, I'd opt for the old town instead of the area around the station.

Consider booking your stay at:

• Budget Stay: Terra Cielo alloggio di Porta Santi: There are a few affordable rooms to choose from at this property. Ideal for those that just need the basics covered.
• Mid-Tier Stay: Scalino 66 Suite del Teatro: This is where we stayed in Cesena and really loved it. You're centrally located and your entrance is right next to a delicious gelato spot (need you more motivation?). It was perfect for us since we needed to work while we were here.
• Luxury Stay: Casa ISEI: For those searching for more space and a bright space, this one-bedroom apartment is a great place to stay.

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Other Places in Emilia Romagna

Raf and I agree that these are our favorite spots in the region but those aren't the only places we've visited. I didn't skip out on adding the ones listed below because we didn't like them, just that we felt we wanted to be specific in highlighting our favorites.

These are the other towns in the region that we've been to and why we didn't include them as the "best":

• Parma: Yes, eating prosciutto di parma (parma ham) and parmigiano reggiano (parmesan cheese) in Parma is a lot of fun but for me it stops there. If needing to decide between the other towns nearby, I'd suggest Modena and Reggio Emilia instead.
• Carpi: If you're searching for a small town, you'll likely love it. It was a surprising find on our end and the piazza is super impressive but compared to the other places on the list, this has the least to offer.
• Rimini: For those that are looking for more of a party-like environment, ignore me and go to Rimini. It's a bigger coastal city that is full of beach bars, clubs, and ways to stay entertained but just isn't quite the vibe we look for.
• Milano Marittima: This is another beach town, smaller than Rimini but on the same coastline. It's really lively in the summer, with plenty of concerts, shops, and restaurants, but again not quite our vibe. An Italian friend told us locals consider it their Miami, if that helps you decide (just don't expect nearly the same amount of high rises).

I also feel like it's worth mentioning that we haven't seen the other side of the region: Motor Valley. We're not too driven (hehe) by this and haven't yet decided to spend one of our vacation days on visiting a factory or test driving a car.

You might disagree and will instead want to visit the Ferrari factory/Ferrari museum, the Maserati factory, Lamborghini factory, and/or Ducati factory. All of these and even more are in the region and open to visitors.

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Where Will You Visit in Emilia Romagna?

There's loads to see and do in this region and compared to surrounding Veneto and Tuscany, not nearly as many people choose this spot. This means better prices, less crowds, and an overall more local feel to the places than the typical tourist hot spot.

No matter where you choose to visit, I highly recommend adding a food tour to your itinerary. This region is home to some of the best food in Italy so it's in your best interest to try as much of it as possible!

Other than great food, enjoy the rolling hills of the wine vineyards (Lambrusco is a great one to try), the Adriatic Sea, and the bountiful farmland in between.

We didn't really plan to spend as much time in the Emilia Romagna region as we have but honestly, I wouldn't change it for anything!