Last reviewed: · Prices in Euro (€) are approximate and for orientation only.
Overview of Emilia-Romagna
Emilia-Romagna (Italian: Emilia-Romagna) is one of Italy's 20 administrative regions, with its regional capital at Bologna and 330 official municipalities (comuni). Key sights and travel highlights across the region include Bologna UNESCO Porticoes & Quadrilatero Market, Ravenna Byzantine Mosaics, Parma & Modena Food and Motor Valley, Ferrara Este Castle & Rimini Coast.
How to get to Emilia-Romagna
Bologna Centrale is Italy's main north–south high-speed rail crossroads (37 mins from Florence, 1h from Milan); frequent Trenitalia Regionale trains link Parma, Modena, Ferrara, Ravenna, and Rimini every 20–30 minutes. Use our Frecciarossa & Italo Fare Calculator and Trenitalia Pass Value Helper to compare rail tickets in Euro (€).
What Locals Actually Eat in Emilia-Romagna
Across the cities, hill towns, and villages of Emilia-Romagna, neighborhood trattorie, wood-fired forni (bakeries), and seasonal town sagre serve traditional regional cooking:
1. Primo — Handmade Pasta, Risotto & Polenta
Hand-rolled golden egg sheet pasta (sfoglia): tiny tortellini in rich capon/beef broth, tagliatelle al ragù, spinach-and-ricotta tortelloni with butter and sage, or lasagna verde layered with béchamel (€10–€15). In central Italy around Bologna (Bologna), seasonal menus balance hill-town olive oil, hand-rolled pasta, foraged mushrooms, and hearth-grilled meats.
2. Secondo & Trattoria Staples
Warm flaky piadina flatbread griddled to order and folded around squacquerone soft cheese and arugula (€5–€7), puffy fried dough pillows (gnocco fritto and crescentine) served with platters of cured meats, and slow-cooked cotechino or bollito misto (€11–€16).
3. Local Cheeses, Cured Meats, Breads & Wine
24-to-36-month aged Parmigiano cheese, silky sweet cured ham and culatello from the misty river plains, mortadella, traditional aged balsamic vinegar, tigelle rounds, and sparkling red Lambrusco or Sangiovese di Romagna.
4. How & When Locals Eat Here
Midday lunch is sacred here: neighborhood osterie fill at 12:30 PM with local artisans and office workers ordering handmade pasta and a glass of fizzy red Lambrusco, while village sagre celebrate everything from tortellini to autumn truffles. In Bologna (pop. 50,000), neighborhood bars, bakeries (forni), and trattorie across Bologna follow traditional regional dining hours—ask locally for the weekly market morning and patron-saint festival date.
Best time to visit Emilia-Romagna
Best time to visit Emilia-Romagna: Apr–Jun and Sep–Nov.
Featured Cities & Towns in Emilia-Romagna (40)
Start with the largest cities and major tourist towns in Emilia-Romagna, or scroll down to the complete A–Z directory of all 330 municipalities:
| City / Town | Status | Population | Province | Guide |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bologna (Province of Bologna) | Comune (Municipality) | 390,636 | Province of Bologna | Guide & food → · Flagship |
| Parma | Comune (Municipality) | 196,518 | Provincia di Parma | Guide & food → |
| Modena | Comune (Municipality) | 186,307 | Provincia di Modena | Guide & food → |
| Reggio nell'Emilia | Comune (Municipality) | 171,999 | Provincia di Reggio Emilia | Guide & food → |
| Ravenna | Comune (Municipality) | 157,663 | Provincia di Ravenna | Guide & food → |
| Rimini | Comune (Municipality) | 150,576 | Provincia di Rimini | Guide & food → |
| Ferrara | Comune (Municipality) | 132,052 | Provincia di Ferrara | Guide & food → |
| Forlì | Comune (Municipality) | 117,798 | Provincia di Forli-Cesena | Guide & food → |
| Piacenza | Comune (Municipality) | 103,942 | Provincia di Piacenza | Guide & food → |
| Cesena | Comune (Municipality) | 97,210 | Provincia di Forli-Cesena | Guide & food → |
| Carpi | Comune (Municipality) | 71,836 | Provincia di Modena | Guide & food → |
| Imola (Bologna) | Comune (Municipality) | 69,798 | Bologna | Guide & food → |
| Faenza | Comune (Municipality) | 58,755 | Provincia di Ravenna | Guide & food → |
| Sassuolo | Comune (Municipality) | 40,918 | Provincia di Modena | Guide & food → |
| Casalecchio di Reno (Bologna) | Comune (Municipality) | 36,512 | Bologna | Guide & food → |
| Cento | Comune (Municipality) | 35,474 | Provincia di Ferrara | Guide & food → |
| Riccione | Comune (Municipality) | 35,181 | Provincia di Rimini | Guide & food → |
| Formigine | Comune (Municipality) | 34,559 | Provincia di Modena | Guide & food → |
| Castelfranco Emilia | Comune (Municipality) | 33,059 | Provincia di Modena | Guide & food → |
| San Lazzaro di Savena (Bologna) | Comune (Municipality) | 32,518 | Bologna | Guide & food → |
| Lugo | Comune (Municipality) | 32,283 | Provincia di Ravenna | Guide & food → |
| Valsamoggia (Bologna) | Comune (Municipality) | 31,209 | Bologna | Guide & food → |
| Cervia | Comune (Municipality) | 28,819 | Provincia di Ravenna | Guide & food → |
| San Giovanni in Persiceto (Bologna) | Comune (Municipality) | 28,292 | Bologna | Guide & food → |
| Fidenza | Comune (Municipality) | 27,041 | Provincia di Parma | Guide & food → |
| Cesenatico | Comune (Municipality) | 25,933 | Provincia di Forli-Cesena | Guide & food → |
| Scandiano | Comune (Municipality) | 25,770 | Provincia di Reggio Emilia | Guide & food → |
| Vignola | Comune (Municipality) | 25,493 | Provincia di Modena | Guide & food → |
| Correggio | Comune (Municipality) | 25,485 | Provincia di Reggio Emilia | Guide & food → |
| Mirandola | Comune (Municipality) | 23,895 | Provincia di Modena | Guide & food → |
| Santarcangelo di Romagna | Comune (Municipality) | 22,295 | Provincia di Rimini | Guide & food → |
| Comacchio | Comune (Municipality) | 22,114 | Provincia di Ferrara | Guide & food → |
| Argenta | Comune (Municipality) | 21,429 | Provincia di Ferrara | Guide & food → |
| Castel San Pietro Terme (Bologna) | Comune (Municipality) | 20,984 | Bologna | Guide & food → |
| Salsomaggiore Terme | Comune (Municipality) | 19,746 | Provincia di Parma | Guide & food → |
| Bellaria-Igea Marina | Comune (Municipality) | 19,569 | Provincia di Rimini | Guide & food → |
| Zola Predosa (Bologna) | Comune (Municipality) | 19,015 | Bologna | Guide & food → |
| Casalgrande | Comune (Municipality) | 18,982 | Provincia di Reggio Emilia | Guide & food → |
| Budrio (Bologna) | Comune (Municipality) | 18,460 | Bologna | Guide & food → |
| Castel Maggiore (Bologna) | Comune (Municipality) | 18,424 | Bologna | Guide & food → |
All 330 Official Comuni in Emilia-Romagna (A–Z)
Every single municipality (comune) in Emilia-Romagna has its own travel and local food guide. Click any town below: