The long Easter weekend invites us as always to organize a trip out of town and this year our proposal is to visit Emilia-Romagna. If the region with its Romagna Riviera is among the favorite destinations for Italian and foreign tourists for the summer holidays, even in spring its charm attracts travelers who are welcomed by the beauty of the area, the typical hospitality and the good local cuisine .
In Emilia-Romagna there is a very wide variety of interesting tourist offers with numerous places to visit among villages, beaches, mountains and cities of art. Little by little we hope to be able to tell them all, but today we focus on some activities to do in three of the main cities, on Easter culinary traditions and finally on the events scheduled for the next few days.
Foto: Santuario Madonna di San Luca - pixabay.com
Bologna: museums, food and hills
Let's start from the regional capital, the city of Bologna. From a walk along the Bolognese hills, to a visit to the city center or to FICO Eataly World, in the city defined as "La Dotta, la Grassa, la Rossa, la Turrita", you certainly won't get bored.
During the Easter weekend you can take advantage of the special openings of the city museums to retrace the culture of Bologna, between archaeological and medieval history, science and art. A nice idea is also to walk along the most suggestive sections of the UNESCO Porticos, until you reach the Sanctuary of the Madonna, from which you can admire a beautiful panorama.
For those looking for a food experience, FICO is the right place! It is a theme park dedicated to the agri-food sector and gastronomy, with numerous attractions, activities and shows.
Those who dream of an Easter surrounded by nature can organize a walk on the Bolognese hills. The viewpoint of San Michele in Bosco is one of the most panoramic points of the hills from which you can enjoy a splendid view of the historic center of the city.
Foto: portici a Bologna - pixabay.com
Rimini: art, cinema and beach
Rimini is the tourist resort that attracts art, food, cinema and sea lovers every year from all over Italy and the world. Strengthened by its artistic and cultural heritage, the City of Rimini has launched its candidacy for Italian Capital of Culture for 2026. Rimini also focuses on cultural tourism at Easter, offering numerous unique and tailor-made travel experiences. An absolute novelty for tourists visiting the city is the ART CARD, a pass that allows you to visit 4 museums in Rimini, real jewels of the national artistic heritage: the Fellini Museum, the “L. Tonini”, the Surgeon's Domus and the PART | Palaces of Art Rimini.
Contemporary art lovers will stop at the latter, the PART - Palazzi Arte Rimini: two historic buildings recently restored to their architectural splendor, home to a new and different museum. Another stop for contemporary art enthusiasts is the New Wing of the City Museum which houses the semi-permanent collection "emERgenze contempoRaNee" with 45 works of contemporary art by 36 artists, awarded in 2021 as part of a call promoted by the Emilia Region -Romagna. Archeology lovers, on the other hand, cannot miss a visit to the Surgeon's House, a Roman house from the second half of the 2nd century, discovered in 1989 in Rimini in Piazza Luigi Ferrari. The Fellini Museum in 2022 was crowned as the best new museum in the world and offers over five hours of film extracts composed in an immersive and interactive setting, an audiovisual repertoire proposed as a journey through the creative flow of Fellini's work.
If the weather permits, a long walk by the sea will relax even the most tense minds. The international frisbee festival Paganello takes place on the Easter weekend and for those who want to watch the competition, the appointment is in Lungomare Murri - beach 40.... read more»
Foto: Rimini, Ponte di Tiberio - pixabay.com
Modena: flavors, engines and culture
In Modena during the Easter weekend you can visit the UNESCO World Heritage sites such as the Modena Cathedral, the Civic Tower and Piazza Grande.
The city is famous all over the world for its Balsamic Vinegar and is the ideal destination for those who want to try taste experiences. Visiting a vinegar factory is an excellent way to discover the secrets of the two types of vinegar that are produced in the area: Traditional Balsamic Vinegar of Modena DOP and Balsamic Vinegar of Modena IGP. In Spilamberto (MO) there is the Museum of Traditional Balsamic Vinegar of Modena, open on an extraordinary basis on Easter and Easter Monday. Inside the Museum you can learn about the technical characteristics and objects related to the production of Traditional Vinegar, all immersed in the characteristic scents.
Modena is the birthplace of Enzo Ferrari, as well as the heart of the "Motor Valley". For enthusiasts, a visit to the Enzo Ferrari Museum in Modena and the Ferrari Museum in Maranello is therefore a must.
Foto: aceto balsamico di Modena - pixabay.com
Tradition at the table
Emilia-Romagna is among the favorite destinations for gourmets, a land rich in typical products and dishes such as Mortadella, Parmigiano Reggiano, tortellini, lasagne alla bolognese and typical wines including Romagna Albana DOCG, Colli Bolognesi Pignoletto DOCG , Lambrusco DOC, Romagna Sangiovese DOC. In short, there is only the embarrassment of choice for those who want to focus their travel on food and wine experiences. But during the Easter period, in addition to the classic typical dishes, we don't want to miss the opportunity to taste the local tradition made up of specialties prepared just for the occasion.
Among the oldest Easter traditions we find that of the Romagna loaf, a sort of soft and fragrant brioche that is used to be eaten on Easter morning for breakfast, together with blessed eggs, salami and Sangiovese wine.
At lunch, a typical spring dish cannot be missing from the table, the Scarpazzone, also called Erbazzone, a savory pie with peasant origins made up of spinach, chard, bacon, spring onions and Parmesan cheese.
Between Wednesday and Holy Thursday, the tables of the people of Modena are dominated by a typical dessert of the mountain Easter tradition, the Colomba di Pavullo. The delicious cake of peasant origin is made up of several layers of leavened dough filled with Savòr, a compote of cooked grape must and fruit (usually quinces and pears), pine nuts and raisins.
Foto: Pasqua - pexels.com
Unmissable events
One of the most characteristic events of Easter in Emilia-Romagna is the Palio dell'Uovo in Tredozio (FC), a small town in the Tuscan-Romagnolo Apennines. The most awaited moments of the event are the allegorical parade and the Challenge of the Palio dell'Uovo, in which the members of the four districts of the town parade in masks with their floats and then compete in the classic Palio races.
In Vignola (MO) the Festa dei Ciliegi in Fiore takes place with a series of collateral events all linked to the flowering of the cherry trees. There will be a market fair, an exhibition of flowers and plants, a parade of floats and there will be the opportunity to taste typical regional gastronomic products.
In Carpi (MO) there is the possibility of spending a weekend in Scottish style with Regions of Europe which places its stalls in Piazza Martiri, the third largest square in Italy.
In Bologna the European Market takes place in Parco della Montagnola, for three days tastes, flavors and traditions of exhibitors from all over the world.
In Cattolica (RN) the annual appointment on the occasion of Easter with the International Festival of Taste returns with the 5th edition. Four days of conviviality, the best national and international cuisine and excellent music.
Chiara C.
