15 Oct Explore the Hidden Gems of Emilia-Romagna with a Day Trip from Bologna to Romagna

Italy is a popular travel destination and the most popular cities, such as Florence, Venice, and Rome, will be filled with tourists. If you are a traveler who likes to head off the beaten path, then Emilia-Romagna in northern Italy is the place to be. A far less touristy region than its neighbors Lombardy and Veneto to the north and the Marche and Tuscany to the south, Emilia-Romagna offers elegant medieval cities, sun-soaked Adriatic beaches, and some of the best cuisine in Italy. Known as the gastronomic capital of Italy, it is home to the world’s finest balsamic vinegar from Modena, prosciutto and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese from Parma, and pasta and meat sauces from Bologna. And to wash down all the delicious cuisine, Emilia-Romagna also produces wine.

Before Italy became a country, Emilia and Romagna were separate with different histories. Emilia was mainly formed by a series of independent duchies; Romagna was under the Papal State. Emilia is more industrial and landlocked and has a Roman and medieval history centered around food and manufacturing. Romagna, which originates from the Latin name Romania, which was a generic name for “land inhabited by Romans”, is the eastern part of the region and extends to the Adriatic coast. Romagna has a strong Byzantine influence, especially in Ravenna, which was once the capital of the Western Roman Empire. Romagna has a tourism economy because of the coastal cities like Rimini. And, while the two regions are one today, Romagna has its own distinct cultural identity, even a separate dialect, and produces different wines.

I took a trip to Romagna where I stayed in the small city of Faenza and explored the wines of Ronchi di Castelluccio and Poggia Della Dogna, both owned by brothers Aldo and Paolo Rametta, where they produce Sangiovese di Romagna DOC which I wrote about for WineTraveler.com.

If you want to head off the beaten path and explore the gems of Emilia-Romagna, read the complete story in WineTraveler.com