A food lover's guide to Bologna and Emilia-Romagna

Why Emilia-Romagna is regarded as Italy's food capital

The case rests on concentration. Emilia-Romagna has more food products with EU protected status than any other Italian region: 44 in total, 19 PDO and 25 PGI, according to the regional government. Most lie along the Via Emilia, the Roman road that links Piacenza, Parma, Reggio Emilia, Modena and Bologna, and each town guards its own specialities. Parmigiano Reggiano is the clearest example. It may only be made in the provinces of Parma, Reggio Emilia and Modena, in Bologna west of the River Reno and in Mantua south of the Po; each wheel takes around 550 litres of milk, weighs about 40 kg, and must age for at least 12 months before an inspector tests it with a hammer. The same rigour applies to traditional balsamic vinegar, Prosciutto di Parma and a long list of lesser-known cheeses, salumi and breads. What distinguishes the region is not a single dish but the density of producers, markets and trattorias within an hour of each other.

What eating in Bologna is actually like

Bologna is known in Italy as La Grassa, the fat one, and its cooking is built on fresh egg pasta rolled by hand. The city takes this seriously. In 1972 the Accademia Italiana della Cucina deposited a specification for tagliatelle with the Chamber of Commerce, setting the cooked width at 8 mm, defined as one 12,270th of the height of the Asinelli tower. The academy's registered ragù, first lodged in 1982 and revised in 2023, uses beef, pancetta, a soffritto of onion, carrot and celery, a little tomato, wine and milk, and no garlic. It is served with tagliatelle, never spaghetti. Tortellini in brodo, lasagne and mortadella complete the canon. The pleasure of eating here lies in its informality: lunch in a family trattoria beneath the arcaded porticoes, which are a UNESCO World Heritage Site, a glass of local Pignoletto, and a morning among the stalls of the Mercato delle Erbe, where residents do their own shopping.

Explore: Luxury holidays to Bologna

Has Bologna become too touristy?

In parts, yes, and it is better to know in advance. Low-cost flights, short-term lets and social media have brought far more visitors than a decade ago, and they converge on the Quadrilatero, the medieval market streets beside Piazza Maggiore. Queues of up to an hour form for viral mortadella sandwiches, and some shops styled as old salumerie have opened only recently. In 2024 a Bologna-born journalist described her city as overwhelmed in the New York Times, and the mayor wrote to the paper in protest. Both have a point. The crowds are concentrated in a handful of streets at predictable hours; a few minutes away, and almost everywhere in Modena and Parma, the region still eats for itself. Shop at the Mercato delle Erbe rather than the Quadrilatero, visit the long-established salumerie early in the day, book trattorias ahead, and avoid the weeks of Bologna's major trade fairs, when central hotels fill.

Explore a stay at the Grand Hotel Majestic Gia Baglioni in Bologna

Modena and Parma: where the great products are made

The most rewarding experiences lie outside Bologna, at the places of production. In Modena, traditional balsamic vinegar (Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Modena DOP) is made only from cooked grape must and aged in a series of wooden barrels for at least 12 years, or 25 for extravecchio. It bears little relation to the everyday Aceto Balsamico di Modena IGP, which blends must with wine vinegar and may be matured for as little as 60 days. Many acetaie occupy family attics, and a tasting there explains the price. Parmigiano Reggiano dairies work in the early morning, so visits start around breakfast. Near Parma, Prosciutto di Parma is cured in the hills around Langhirano, while culatello, a rarer and richer cut, ages in the foggy lowlands of the Po around Zibello. Modena is also home to Massimo Bottura's Osteria Francescana, which holds three Michelin stars and was twice ranked the world's best restaurant; tables are released months ahead. The fastest trains link Bologna and Modena in around 20 minutes.

Explore stays with Expressions in Modena and Parma.

How to do it well, and how most people do it

Most visitors treat Emilia-Romagna as a day trip from Florence or Venice: a walk through the Quadrilatero, a sandwich, a bottle of balsamic from a gift shop and the train back. It is a pleasant day but a poor sample. A well-planned food holiday allows five to seven nights and uses two bases: three nights in Bologna, then two or three in Parma or Modena. Producers sit in the countryside between the towns, so a hire car or private driver is worth having for the rural days, while trains serve perfectly well between the cities. Book a dairy visit for an early start and an acetaia for the afternoon, and plan one serious meal a day rather than two; this is rich food. Check opening days carefully, since many family restaurants close one day a week and some for part of August. A knowledgeable local guide, or a lesson with a sfoglina, one of the women who roll pasta by hand, adds a great deal to the experience.

Try this three centre touring holiday of northern Italy including Bologna

How Expressions Holidays organises a food holiday in Emilia-Romagna

Our Three majestic art cities holiday is a natural starting point: nine nights by air and rail, with three in Bologna at the Grand Hotel Majestic già Baglioni, whose frescoed I Carracci restaurant is among the city's best, three in Ravenna and three in Padua, including flights, rail travel, private transfers and key entrance tickets. For a food-focused holiday, we would usually replace Padua with Parma, staying at the Palace Maria Luigia, or with Modena, at the Rechigi Park Hotel, and add a hire car or driver for the countryside days. We can suggest dairies, acetaie and prosciutto houses to visit, recommend restaurants from simple trattorias to the celebrated, and advise on how far ahead to book. Those with an interest in cars can combine Modena's food with its motoring heritage on our For the love of the automobile holiday. Every holiday is tailor-made, handled by one consultant, and includes our handcrafted regional notes and ATOL protection.

Planning a food holiday in Bologna and Emilia-Romagna with Expressions Holidays
Expressions Holidays has been organising luxury, tailor-made holidays since 1989, and holidays to Italy's cities for over 35 years. We design each itinerary around your interests, pace and preferred style of accommodation, and talk the quotation through with you day by day before you decide. If you are considering a food holiday in Emilia-Romagna, on its own or combined with Venice, Florence or the Italian Lakes, we would be pleased to help you plan it.
Call us on 01392 441245
Monday to Friday 9.00am to 5.30pm; Saturday 10.00am to 2.00pm
Email info@expressionsholidays.co.uk