One of the many great things about this northern gastronomic region, is that it can be enjoyed year-round. It is known for its impressive medieval cities, arguably some of the best food in the country and beautiful beaches along the Adriatic coastline which pack-out during the summer season. Unless you are visiting for a beach holiday, likelihood is that you’ve been drawn to Emilia-Romagna’s impressive food and wine scene, which means that come rain or shine, you’re going to have a wonderful time!
We recommend that you avoid visiting during Italian national holidays, as places get booked up, are more expensive and many restaurants/bars will be closed. Check on this website to make sure your travel dates don’t clash with any of their public holidays.
Likewise, if you can avoid the school holidays, this will mean more choice and better value for money. Also, visiting the cities during the peak summer months, can be a hot affair! But don’t worry, if you are restricted to the school holidays, we’ve got you covered… We work with some lovely hotels with swimmings pools for cooling off in, after a busy day exploring! Also, if you are visiting Bologna during the summer months, then there is a wonderful outdoor film festival which takes places in Piazza Maggiore, which is a pretty cool experience. However, particularly for foodies, it’s worth being aware that many of the fresh food markets and top restaurants are closed during July and August, plus there are fewer food festivals on at this time of year.
We are big fans of Emilia-Romagna during the spring; the gorgeous countryside is coming to life after the frosty, winter months. Also, the city’s gardens are well worth a visit too. This is a popular time of year to visit, if you’re interested in experiencing a food & wine festival. For example, the wild asparagus festival in May and the Lambrusco festival in June. One of the main festivals in Emilia Romagna, the Festa Artusiana, takes place during the last week of June and the first week of July and is held in Forlimpopoli. If you wish to attend this festival, we highly recommend making arrangements in advance to avoid disappointment.
We also love the autumn in this part of Italy – the landscape transforms and there is a pleasant crispness to the air! This is also the season for mushroom lovers, which star a leading-role in many of the food festivals at this time of year. Bologna is a good base from which to visit the foodie festivals taking place in nearby villages too. Also, the 4th October is Bologna’s Saint’s Day, which we recommend for those curious to witness these religious celebrations.
Meat-lovers flock to Parma in September, for the annual parma ham festival. Or for something a little more buzzy, how about the Eel Festival in Ferrara. November is a key time for food festivals and includes the November Porc in Parma. Also, the nearby town of Imola hosts Baccanale, which is a 16-day festival including exhibitions, markets, food, and wine.
Throughout the weekends in October and November, is one of the region’s biggest festivals in this region, known as the TartuFesta, located in the Bologna Hills. Similar to the Annual White Truffle Festival of Piedmont, this is another famous truffle festival, which attracts visitors from all over the world. A prime time to try this Italian delicacy and other local produce.
Please note, that as with Piedmont, the autumn is actually considered to be peak-season due to the quality of local produce available at this time of year, so we recommend planning in advance to secure the best rates – especially if you want to visit over a specific festival, when there may be limited availability.