Bologna, Modena & Parma:
the Food Valley
Two nights in Bologna, three in Modena and its hills, two in a castle in the Parma countryside.
The Italy of Parmigiano, balsamic vinegar and fresh pasta
Emilia is where a large part of Italy's most famous food comes from: Parmigiano Reggiano, Prosciutto di Parma, Culatello, traditional balsamic vinegar, tortellini and tagliatelle. It is also a land of arcaded cities, Romanesque cathedrals and, around Modena, the legend of Ferrari.
- 1Bologna 2 nights
- 2Modena 3 nights
- 3Parma 2 nights
7 days, 3 homes
For every stop: what to see and where to go, the dishes to try and where to eat them. Below, two or three of our homes in the area, with live rates for your nights.
Bologna, the learned and the fat
Bologna has the oldest university in the Western world, almost forty kilometres of arcades and a food culture that the rest of Italy envies.
What to see & where to go
- Piazza Maggiore and the Basilica of San Petronio
- The Two Towers and the medieval centre
- The Archiginnasio and its anatomical theatre
- The Quadrilatero, the old market streets
- The arcade walk up to San Luca
- The Santo Stefano complex, the 'seven churches'
What to eat
- Tortellini in brodo
- Tagliatelle al ragù, the real 'bolognese'
- Mortadella di Bologna
- Lasagne verdi
Where to eat
- Trattoria Anna Maria, for tortellini in brodo
- Osteria dell'Orsa, for tagliatelle al ragù
- Mortadella and a glass of Pignoletto at Osteria del Sole, where you bring your own food
In the historic centre, walking distance from Piazza Maggiore.Why stay hereAn elegant four-star hotel in the heart of Bologna, walking distance from Piazza Maggiore.See the home
Modena and its hills
A quiet, elegant city with a Romanesque cathedral, surrounded by hills where families have aged balsamic vinegar in their attics for generations.
What to see & where to go
- The Cathedral, the Ghirlandina tower and Piazza Grande, a UNESCO site
- The Enzo Ferrari Museum
- An acetaia, to taste traditional balsamic vinegar
- The Ferrari Museum in Maranello
- A Parmigiano Reggiano dairy at dawn, when the cheese is made
- Castelvetro and the Lambrusco Grasparossa hills
What to eat
- Aceto balsamico tradizionale, aged at least twelve years
- Tigelle, small flatbreads with lardo and salumi
- Tortellini and zampone
- Lambrusco di Sorbara and Grasparossa
Where to eat
- Osteria Francescana, if you can get a table
- Hosteria Giusti, a few tables behind a historic deli
- Trattoria Aldina, near the market, at lunch
Historic building with a garden, near the Duomo.Why stay hereFive minutes on foot from Modena Cathedral, with a garden terrace and a restaurant.See the home
Rooms furnished with period antiques.Why stay hereA guest house in the centre of Modena, with rooms furnished with antique pieces.See the home
Farm estate with a balsamic cellar and pool.Why stay hereA hill estate in Castelvetro with its own balsamic vinegar cellar, a pool and a restaurant.See the home
Parma and the castles of the Po
Parma is a small capital of music and painting. Around it, the Po plain and the hills are the land of Prosciutto, Culatello and the castles of the Farnese and Pallavicino families.
What to see & where to go
- Parma's Cathedral and Baptistery, Correggio's dome
- The Teatro Farnese in the Palazzo della Pilotta
- The Rocca di Fontanellato and its frescoes by Parmigianino
- A Prosciutto di Parma producer in Langhirano
- The Labirinto della Masone, the largest bamboo maze in the world
- Busseto, Verdi's town
What to eat
- Culatello di Zibello
- Prosciutto di Parma and Parmigiano Reggiano
- Anolini in brodo
- Torta fritta with salumi
Where to eat
- Culatello at Antica Corte Pallavicina, where it is aged
- Trattoria del Tribunale in Parma, for anolini
- Torta fritta and salumi in any trattoria in the hills
14th-century castle on the Po, starred restaurant.Why stay hereA 14th-century castle on the Po where Culatello is aged, with a Michelin-starred restaurant.See the home
Medieval castle village with a spa.Why stay hereA medieval castle village above the valley, with spa and a restaurant using local produce.See the home
Castle village above the Trebbia valley.Why stay hereA castle village on the banks of the Trebbia, where time seems to have stopped.See the home
Ask our assistant
This itinerary is a starting point. Tell the assistant your dates and constraints and it re-plans the stops on our homes, then checks the rooms.
- We only have 7 days: which stop do we cut?
- Same route but with two children under 10: which homes work?
- Can you check the three homes for arrival on May 4?
