The Emilia-Romagna Region of Italy is a rich section of the country that stretches from the Apennine Mountains to the Adriatic Sea. Packed into this area is the most fabulous mosaics rivaled only by the Byzantine marvels of Turkey, headquarters of some of the most iconic power cars in the world, a tantalizing array of spectacular food stuffs and the world’s oldest university.
This region is famous for Parmigiana Reggiano cheese, prosciutto and balsamic vinegar. You can tour factories for each and, even if you can’t afford a Lamborghini, Ferrari, Ducati or Maserati, you can dream about them in their respective museums.
Emilia Romagna region, Italy
That’s a lot to cover, so you’ll need to stay tuned for a couple of blogs, but it is going to be so worth it!
You may want to book that vacation to the Emilia-Romagna region right now because you’re going to learn its a pretty awesome area for a grand and tasty adventure. Travel advisors at GetAway Travel are ready to help with your adventure itinerary.
Bologna: The region’s delicious capital
The capital city is lovingly nicknamed “La Grassa” (the Fat One) because of the world-class food that’s every where. And by every where, we mean all over the region. It’s a gastronomical extravaganza of marvelous food.
Bologna, Italy
By all means, book a cooking class in one of the local’s homes, tour the food factories (more on the factories later) and pack your stretchy pants.
Bologna has the oldest university in the world. The university adds old world charm to the city and the 85,000 students give it a youthful vibrancy.
Ancient University Library, Bologna
The university is the reason why the San Petronio Church has a marble bottom and an upper level of just brick. During construction which started in 1388, funds were moved to the university construction and the upper floor was completed in brick, not marble. The world’s oldest organ is inside and it still has a great sound. The world’s largest sundial is also here.
Arena del Sole Theatre, Bologna
San Petronio Church is on the Piazza Maggiore, one of the first town square areas built in Italy and right next to it is the Piazza del Nettuno. The Fountain of Neptune is here and even if you’re not into reading — go into the Sala Borsa Library because you can see ancient Roman ruins through the glass floor.
San Petronio Church, Bologna
The entrance to the Palazzo dell’Archiginnasio is near the church. This is the university’s oldest building, built between 1562 and 1563, it functions as the library now. The interior is amazing with 6,000 coats of arms of the families who sent children to the university.
Library of Archiginnasio Bologna
The first floor of the palazzo is the Anatomical Theatre. The medical school used to conduct public dissections at the marble table in the center of the tiered seating. That’s not something you can see now, but you can see Apollo (the God of Medicine) looking down through the panels in the ceiling. There are carved statues of famous physicians and some nifty wax statues of skinned humans.
Sanctuary of Madonna di San Luca, Bologna
The Basilica di Santo Stefano is actually a religious complex that used to be seven churches. Now, it is four churches bound together by interlocking architectural elements. The back church, the Church of the Santo Sepolcro is an architectural marvel where octagonal walls rise up to meet a starred dome. Modeled after Jerusalem’s Church of the Holy Sepulcher, there is a dramatic crucifix hanging over the altar.
Medieval brick interior of early church in Basilica di Santo Stefano
Bologna is a UNESCO World Heritage Site because it has the longest set of porticoes in the world. Porticoes? In the 12th century when the wealthy residents wanted to expand their living space they started building porticoes. Supported by buildings on one side and pillars on the other, the porticoes cover 23.6 miles of covered walking space.The 2.5-mile Portico di San Luca is the longest in the city and the longest in the world. It starts at the Porta Saragozza and goes uphill to the sanctuary of the Madonna di San Luca.
A section of the Portico di San Luca Bologna
The city is home to more than 50 museums including MamBo, the museum of modern art, the Museum of History of Bologna and the National Gallery of Bologna where you can view artwork from such masters as Raphael and Titian.
Get your motor running…
A number of the power luxury cars have factories, showrooms and museums in the Emilia-Romagna Region which is why it carries the nickname of “Motor Valley.”
You can feed your need for speed in Bologna, Modena and Parma. Check out the Lamborghini Museum in Bologna. There are historic super cars, prototypes and engines on display. The Ducati Museum highlights the company’s racing legacy, technological milestones and legendary motorcycles.
This is a taste of the region. We’ll cover more on cuisine, cars and culture in upcoming blogs. But if this whets your appetite for an adventure in the Emilia-Romagna Region, travel advisors from GetAway Travel are standing by to feed your need. We can be reached at: (262) 538-2140, e-mail: sue@getaway.travel or paul@getaway.travel
