Emilia Romagna a.ka. the Region of Food

Bologna was one of my top places to visit within Italy and the top reason for that was the food. Bologna, among other things, is known for its cuisine. As I learned in my Italian cuisine class this semester, there is no such thing as Italian cuisine because each region has its own specific culinary traditions. Emilia Romagna is known for its parmigiano, proscuitto, tortellini, bolognese, and balsamic vinegar. Being the food lover I am, I could not live in Italy for a semester without visiting and tasting the capital city of such a region.

We arrived in the late evening exhausted. We asked our hotel for dinner suggestions and the restaurant they suggested turned out to be one specializing in Tuscan food. The food was great, but considering we came mostly for the Bolognese food...

There are many less sights to see in Bologna than Florence for example, but that just meant a more relaxed day in a nice town. We climbed the scaffolding of the Basilica (and went inside the church) for a panoramic view. You can also climb one of the famous towers, but we were two exhausted to be bothered. We visited the old Jewish ghetto and the Jewish museum because that was the only one open on a Monday. (To my great disappointment the Gelato museum right outside the city was not open.) We did some shopping and hunted down a very popular gelato shop. It was nice having a much more low-key day. It reminded me of the pace I would go in Torino.

Riso & Cannella e Pera

For dinner we went to a typical Bologna restaurant and I had the tortellone in a butter and sage sauce. Perfection. And that was why I came to Bologna.

Now the second top reason, I wanted to drive through Emilia Romagna was to visit the city of Ravenna. Yet another place I learned about in Art History, Ravenna is known for its amazing mosaics. If you are interested in art or churches in the slightest I would suggest taking a trip here. My Dad was not really excited about making a stop here, but it turned out to be one of his favorite parts of the trip.

I think Emilia Romagna would have been a great region to spend a week, traveling around the country side, tasting the food, and exploring the culture. Just another place I have to go back to.