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Emilia-Romagna: The Less Traveled Italian Road

The Emilia-Romagna region of central Italy is blessed with changing seasons. The winter's cold and the summer's warmth spread out over the region, creating the country's most fertile agricultural region. The Via Emilia (one of many roads in Italy created by the Romans) links the areas towns, stretching between the Adriatic Sea and the Apennine Mountains. Farmers in the region sell a great percentage of the nation's crops, and the ham and cheese from the small town of Parma are world favorites. Tourists usually flock to other regions of Italy, making a vacation in Emilia-Romagna a less traveled exploration of the historical, culinary, and artistic delights of this magnificent region.

Bologna, the capital of Emilia-Romagna, is famous for its university, its cuisine, and beautifully preserved historic center. The main area of Bologna evolves around two squares, Piazza Maggiore and Piazza del Nettuno. The streets around the squares are lined with Gothic buildings and multi-faceted museums. The Museo Civico Archeologico has impressive collections of Egyptian and Roman artifacts, and one of Italy's best Etruscan displays, highlighted by two burial chambers unearthed near the city. The Basilica di San Petionio, named after the city's patron saint, is Bologna's largest house of worship. The church was intended to be larger than St. Peter's Basilica in Rome, but was truncated by the papacy, which decreed the structure could not rival that of St. Peters. It is a wonderful example of Gothic architecture. The central doorway is adorned by Jacopo della Quercia's Madonna and Child. The Bologna University is one of the oldest in Europe. Copernicus studied here. So did Petrarch. The university built a reputation for the study of Roman law. Although most of the facilities of the university are spread throughout the city, the official seat is the 16th-century Palazzo Poggi.

There is no better place on earth to taste famous Parmesan cheese than in Parma, where it is made. Parma ham and parmesan cheese are two of the area's most famous products, and are known throughout the world. Local restaurants flaunt the cheese as they serve it as a side dish in antipastos, or pair it with olive oil spread over bread, or as a unique addition to fruit like apples and pears. Parma also has wonderful sights for visitors to enjoy. The Duomo is full of frescoes by Corregio, the most famous of which is the astonishing Assumption. The adjoining Baptistry was built in red Verona marble by Benedetto Antelami.

Located in the Parma region, Salsomaggiore is surrounded by lush green hills and is a thriving tourist destination full of gardens, parks, and other natural attractions. Salsomaggiore is also known in Italy as a premier spa destination. People flock to this small town to be pampered and eat the typically fabulous local cuisine. Like a great portion of Italy, top sight-seeing opportunities revolve around the churches and monasteries. The main church in town is the Cathedral di San Vitale, which is remarkable for its octagonal dome that is 30 meters high and 19 meters in diameter. The Church of Bargone is dedicated to Our Lady of the Assumption, and preserves typical elements of the 7th-century. Inside the church there is a wooden statue representing "Beato Orlando", paintings of the Baroque period, and an important painting of the sixteenth century representing the Virigin Mary. The church is part of the complex that contains the Bargone Castle.

A vacation in the Emilia-Romagna region can be filled with the sights, sounds, and tastes of the real Italy. Emilia-Romagna is best discovered rather than planned. Pick a location, rent a car, and go exploring. Your efforts will yield untold wonders. Even if you get a bit lost along the way, you may find that time spent lost in Emilia-Romagna is as spectacular as time found elsewhere. So, bring your camera and your appetite and come to central Italy!