Bologna sits on the Via Emilia and at the junction of Italy’s main railway lines, which makes it one of the best bases in the country for day trips. Within an hour or so you can be in a city of Roman and Byzantine mosaics, a village where Ferrari builds its cars or a dairy where Parmigiano Reggiano is made. Here are the trips that repay the effort, with notes on how to do each one.
Modena: balsamic, Lambrusco and a famous tenor
The short regional train from Bologna Centrale reaches Modena in roughly half an hour, with frequent departures through the day. The cathedral and its leaning bell tower are a UNESCO World Heritage Site, but most visitors come for the food. A visit to a family acetaia shows the slow barrel ageing of traditional balsamic vinegar and ends with a tasting. Nearby, the Cleto Chiarli estate offers a cellar tour and a tasting of Lambrusco, and the Casa Museo Luciano Pavarotti on the edge of town keeps the singer’s costumes, letters and awards. The two Modena trips combine well in a day if you are happy to use a taxi between them.
The Motor Valley: Ferrari, Lamborghini and Ducati
This corner of Emilia is the home of some of the world’s most famous engines. The Enzo Ferrari Museum in Modena sits in a striking modern building next to the founder’s restored workshop, while the Ferrari Museum in Maranello is close to the factory where the cars are built. Lamborghini has its museum at Sant’Agata Bolognese, a short drive from the city, and the Ducati museum is inside the factory complex at Borgo Panigale on the western edge of Bologna. Public transport to the factories is patchy, so for Maranello and Sant’Agata a guided tour or a taxi saves time. Check opening days in advance, because motor museums often close on Mondays and entry can be timed.
Parma: ham, cheese and music
A fast train from Bologna reaches Parma in well under an hour, and a regional train takes a little longer. Parma is a graceful, bicycle-friendly city with a pink-and-white baptistery, a cathedral and a theatre, but the trip is above all about two products. A small-group tour from Parma visits a Parmigiano Reggiano dairy and a prosciutto factory in the Langhirano hills, with tastings of both. If you would rather stay closer to Bologna, a separate dairy tour near Noceto does the cheese alone. Either way, you will understand why the real thing costs what it does.
Ravenna: mosaics from the sixth century
Ravenna is the trip for art lovers. The city was a capital of the late Roman Empire and then a Byzantine outpost, and its churches and tomb are lined with dazzling gold and blue mosaics that are now UNESCO World Heritage Sites. A combination ticket covers San Vitale, Sant’Apollinare Nuovo and others, and a separate visit takes in Classe, the old port museum and the basilica of Sant’Apollinare in Classe with its green apse. The train takes a little over an hour and sometimes needs a change, so check the timetable the night before. Leave at least four hours for the monuments and stay for a seafood lunch if you can.
Other easy options
Ferrara, with its Renaissance walls that you can cycle around, is about half an hour away by train. Florence is a fast train away and doable in a long day, although it deserves more time than that. Both are better as part of a longer stay than a rushed outing.
How to choose
If you have a single day, choose according to your appetite. Food lovers should go to Modena or Parma. Car and motorbike fans should set aside a day for the Motor Valley. Art and history lovers should head for Ravenna. Families with younger children often prefer the Ducati or Ferrari museums, which are short and visual, or a dairy visit, which is hands-on.
Practical tips
Regional trains are cheap and frequent, but paper tickets must be validated in the machines on the platform before boarding, or you risk a fine. Tickets for fast trains are tied to a specific departure and seat. Book guided food tours and factory visits a few days ahead, since groups are small. Carry a light bag for bottles of vinegar and wine, and leave room in your suitcase. Return trains run until late in the evening on most lines, but check the last departure before you commit to a long lunch.
