Walking in Italy

Browse the guide by: | Worth a visit | Travel Ideas | How to get there |

Places worth a visit

The Emilia Romagna is one of the richest Italian regions. The capital is Bologna, known for its cuisine and traditions.

The main sights and cities to visit while travel in Emilia Romagna are:

Piacenza. It boasts a great number of historical palaces, often characterized by splendid gardens.

• Piazza Cavalli and the façade of Il Gotico, Piacenza.
• Church of Sant'Antonino, patron of Piacenza.
• The Renaissance church of San Sisto.
• Palazzo Comunale. It is one of the best preserved examples of Medieval civic building in northern Italy.
• Palazzo Farnese.
• Palazzo Landi, built in the Middle Ages.
• Palazzo Costa.
• Palazzo Somaglia.
• Palazzo Scotti, housing the Museum of Natural History.
• Palazzo dei Mercanti (17th century), the current Town Hall.

Salsomaggiore Terme, is located in the province of Parma. It's famous for the therapeutic properties of its sodium mineral waters. Salsomaggiore is also the place where every September the Miss Italy beauty pageant takes place. To see:

• The terme.
• The central square with its clothing shops
• The main centre of the town

Parco del Delta del Po (Po River national park). It is an unique territory. It joins together a terrestrial Park, a fluvial Park, and a coastal Park. There is an extraordinary biodiversity characterized by the presence of more than 280 bird species.

• Parco del Delta del Po Emilia - Romagna Via Cavour, 11 44022 Comacchio – FE
• Phone: 0533 314003 - fax 0533 318007
• www.parcodeltapo.it

Parma is a city famous for its architecture and the fine countryside around it. Main sights:

• Churches
• The Romanesque Cathedral
• The Baptistery
• Church of Saint John the Evangelist of Parma
• Sanctuary of Santa Maria della Steccata.
• The Benedictine Monastery of San Paolo
• The Gothic church of San Francesco del Prato
• Palaces
• The Palazzo della Pilotta
• The Ducal Palace
• The Palazzo del Comune
• The Palazzo del Governatore
• The Bishop's Palace
• Ospedale Vecchio ("Old Hospital")

In Reggio Emilia the main sights to visit are:

• Religious buildings
• The Cathedral
• The Basilica di San Prosperoe
• The Baroque Basilica della Ghiara
• The small Baroque Christ's Oratory
• The church of St. Augustine
• The church of St. Peter
• The church of St. Francis
• The church of St. Stephen
• The church of San Giovannino
• Palaces and other buildings
• Palazzo Ducale
• Palazzo del Capitano del Popolo
• Palazzo Comunale
• Palazzo Magnani
• The Neo-Classical Teatro Municipale

Modena is another big city of Emilia Romagna. Main sights to visit are:

• The Cathedral and the Ghirlandina, an UNESCO World Heritage Site.
• The Gothic campanile
• The Ducal Palace, that hosts the Accademia Militare di Modena, the Military Museum and a precious Library.
• Communal Palace is currently the Town Hall of Modena.
• The Palace Museum houses the main museums of Modena

Bologna is one of the best-preserved medieval cities in Europe. The historical center of Bologna is rich of important Medieval, Renaissance, and Baroque artistic monuments:

• The basilica of San Petronio
• San Pietro Cathedral
• Santo Stefano basilica
• San Domenico basilica
• San Francesco basilica
• Santa Maria dei Servi basilica
• San Giacomo Maggiore basilica
• Sanctuary of the Madonna di San Luca
• San Michele in Bosco
• San Paolo the Great, basilica

Ferrara is a town surrounded by more than 9 kilometres of ancient walls built in the 15th and 16th centuries

• The most prominent building is the square Castello Estense, in the centre of the town
• Near it is the hospital of Santa Anna
• The Palazzo del Municipio
• Among the finest palaces is Palazzo dei Diamanti, house of the National Picture Gallery
• The Cathedral
• The church of San Francesco
• The Renaissance church of San Cristoforo

The main sights of Ravenna are:

• Neonian Baptistery
• Mausoleum of Galla Placidia
• Arian Baptistry
• Archiepiscopal Chapel
• Basilica of Sant'Apollinare Nuovo
• Mausoleum of Theodoric
• Basilica of San Vitale
• Basilica of Sant' Apollinare in Classe
• The St. Francis basilica
• The National Museum.

Travel Ideas

Cycling holidays

From Parma to Venezia or Ravenna

A 3 to 9 days independent bicycle tour

• Saturday: arrival in Parma
• Sunday: Parma – Reggio Emilia 48 km
• Monday: Reggio Emilia – Carpi – Modena 65 km
• Tuesday: Modena – Vignola – Monteveglio km
• Wednesday: Monteveglio – Bologna 30 km – train to Ferrara
• Thursday: Ferrara – Comacchio 60 km OR Thursday: Ferrara – Taglio di Po 67 km
• Friday: Comacchio – Ravenna 55 km OR Friday: Taglio di Po – Chioggia 35 km
• Saturday: departure OR Saturday: Chioggia – Venezia 18 km Sunday: departure

Emilia Romagna in farm house

A 8 days cycling tour of km 333 available from 23/03 to 22/06 and from 07/09 to 26/10

• Sunday: arrival in Pontenure (PC) Individual arrival at the farmhouse in Pontenure (Piacenza).
• Monday: Pontenure (PC) – Colorno (PR) 69 km
• Tuesday: Colorno (PR) – Parma – Canali (RE) 55 km
• Wednesday: Canali (RE) – Reggio Emilia – Carpi (MO) 47 km
• Thursday: Carpi (MO) – Modena – Monteveglio (BO) 65km
• Friday: Monteveglio - Bologna 30 km – train to Ferrara - S. Egidio 12 km
• Saturday: S. Egidio (FE) – Ravenna 80 or 55 km
• Sunday: departure After breakfast, end of the tour.

Vandelli the Dukes road in Mountain bike (Also available for trekking)

A 7 days self guided bikig tour from April to October Total Km 146

• Day 1: Arrival in Sassuolo/Modena
• Day 2: Sassuolo – Pavullo 40 km +800
• Day 3: Pavullo – La Santona 25 km +700
• Day 4: La Santona - S.Pellegrino in Alpe 21 km +400
• Day 5: S.Pellegrino in Alpe – Vagli 33 km +330
• Day 6: Vagli – Marina di Massa 27 km + 1000
• Day 7: Marina di Massa and the Tyrrhenian Sea, departure

Hiking Holidays

Via Romea, the Pilgrim's way

An easy 8 days hiking tour from April to October

• Day 1: arrival in Bologna
• Day 2: Transfer to Tolè – Castel d’Aiano
• Day 3: Castel d’Aiano – Rocca Corneta
• Day 4: Rocca Corneta – Fanano
• Day 5: Fanano - Ospitale
• Day 6: Ospitale – S. Marcello Pistoiese
• Day 7: Transfer to Pistoia and Florence, visit of the city
• Day 8: Florence, departure

How to get there and move around

• There are international airports in Rimini, Bologna, Parma and Forlì.
• Trains and roads run the length of the Po river to the coast from Milan, linking the airports and the resorts.