If you like Italian cuisine and the concept of “eating your way through” a place, then here is your next road trip or train journey abroad: Emilia-Romagna. This region begins just southeast of Milan and the Lombardy region and runs across the northern edge of Tuscany all the way to the Adriatic Sea. Along that east-west axis ran the ancient Roman-built Via Emilia, which today connects several destinations that many of us associate with a particular food or dish. And each city has a perfectly walkable historic center for burning off some calories.
The Emilia-Romagna region begins just southeast of Milan and the Lombardy region and runs across the northern edge of Tuscany, all the way to the Adriatic Sea. (infinetsoft/Shutterstock)
Emilia-Romagna claims 47 of Italy’s 300 protected food products, more than any other region. (Only Fabrizio/Shutterstock)
Italy contains more protected food products (designated by the protected geographical indication—known as PGI in English and IGP in Italian—or the protected designation of origin, known as PDO in English and DOP in Italian) than any other EU nation, surpassing 300 and growing—and Emilia-Romagna has the largest share of any region with 47. Parma ham? Modena’s balsamic vinegar? Bolognese sauce? We followed our stomachs and spent nearly two weeks riding the rails from city to city….