Bologna Road Trip: the Hungry Traveller’s Gourmet Itinerary

If your idea of heaven includes slipping into a blissful, pasta-induced food coma, we’ve got the ideal Bologna road trip for you. 

Northern Italy’s Emilia-Romagna region is renowned for its fresh ingredients and restaurants that would make your nonna say, “How about another helping?” While there’s a high concentration of Michelin-starred chefs in the region, it’s the charming, hole-in-the-wall, family-owned establishments that get our motors running. Literally. 

The Via Emilia, once an ancient Roman road, is now a proper motorway connecting some of Italy’s most delicious destinations.

Spend a few days in Bologna to start. The city is a hidden gem, bursting with friendly locals, street musicians, interesting architecture, and of course, its namesake ragù. 

Hop on the Via Emilia and head northwest past Modena, ignoring (for now) the intoxicating scent of balsamic vinegar wafting through your windows. It’s cheese and ham that beckons you toward Parma, and it does not disappoint.