Traveling year after year to the culinary capital of the world, Bologna holds a special place in my heart. For the past 10 years, I've grown to love the city and surrounding region more and more. Bologna is a cultured university city (the first in Europe) with a welcoming and lively spirit, filled with students, political activity, an array of art, culinary adventures and exploration.
I’ve created a three-day itinerary for exploring Bologna and its nearby cities, with plenty of time to dine, truffle hunt and visit the aging rooms of prosciutto and traditional balsamic vinegar producers. I highly recommend working with Marcello and Raffaella at Bluone - Food and Wine Tours in Italy for tours. I’ve been working with them for years, and they’re wonderful.
Day 1: Explore the beauty and hidden gems of Bologna
My first stop is always Phi Hotel Bologna Al Cappello Rosso, where I drop off my suitcases before heading to Tamburini for mortadella, gnocco fritto and a bottle of locally produced Lambrusco. This wonderful gastronomia has been open since 1932.
Visit one of the language schools. I love L’academya di Lingua and have taken many classes there. Bologna is also home to the University of Bologna, the oldest university in the world.
Visit La Taverna da Roberto for lunch
This is my favorite restaurant in the region! It serves a very traditional meal in the heart of the city, yet for some reason, it rarely gets written about. I have been going there forever. If I am in Bologna for a week, I will eat there at least three times.
Dine at Via Con Me for dinner
Another one of my favorite restaurants, Via Con Me, is run by women. The team puts a modern spin on traditional Bolognese dishes that haven't changed in forever. Via Con Me works closely with farmers to source its high-quality ingredients. I always love bringing family and friends here when I travel.
Insider tip: Right across the street there is Ahimè, a restaurant that makes its own extraordinary bread. It is adjacent to Mercato d’Erbe, which translates to "herb market" and also serves as a hangout spot for young people drinking spritzes.
Day 2: One-day escape to Parma
Parma embraces the natural wine movement and there are two amazing natural wine bars: Enoteca Tabarro, which serves really great Parmigiano, prosciutto, and wine, and La Piricucca, which offers an amazing wine list and antipasti.
Grab lunch at Ristorante La Greppia Parma
Set on one of the most ancient streets in Parma, the restaurant has been around for decades and offers amazing food, with some of the region's best produce.
Visit Fratelli Pavesi for dinner
Fratelli Pavesi serves traditional western Emilia-Romagna dishes like deep-fried lamb brains and various pastas. Many local wine makers frequent the restaurant, as it has an extensive and impressive wine list leaning toward natural wines.
Day 3: My Bologna tour — a day of food and culture
Truffle hunt in Bologna
Walk through the forest in search of truffles alongside a trifulau named Ombretta and a trained truffle-hunting dog.
Visit the aging rooms
Stop by the aging rooms of prosciutto, Parmigiano-Reggiano producers, as well an artisan producer of traditional balsamic vinegar from Modena, where time-honored methods continue much as they have for generations.
Stop by Hosteria Giusti for lunch
Hosteria Giusti has been famous for decades. It has only four tables and is one of the best places for lunch. It is difficult to get into, but it is worth the effort. The carefully prepared dishes feature the best ham, Parmigiano and the region's well-known balsamic vinegar. They’re extraordinary! Think of a specialty shop with meats and cheeses.
Pro tip: You have to plan months ahead to get in. If you call and say you really want to dine for lunch, they may be able to add you to a wait list.
Take a pasta class
Learn pasta making from a sfoglina at Fattoria Quercia. Sfoglina are women who make sfoglia, a type of Italian fresh pasta, made with only flour and eggs. These women keep Emilia-Romagna’s handmade pasta traditions alive—rolling and stretching the dough in the old way—with patience, precision, and care.
Closing dinner
The tour concludes at two-Michelin-starred San Domenico in Imola, one of Italy’s most celebrated dining rooms, where hospitality and refinement meet over a closing dinner rooted in the region’s culinary legacy. This is Emilia-Romagna at its most essential: rooted in season, guided by place, and always centered around the table. Don’t miss the famous raviolo with a whole egg yolk, ricotta, spinach and garnished with white truffle.
Editor's Note: Six-time James Beard Foundation Award finalist, cookbook author and Nostrana chef-owner Cathy Whims will lead a culinary tour of Bologna this fall. The trip will introduce travelers to some of her favorite restaurants, producers and food traditions, with experiences centered on pasta, truffles and regional wines. Learn more about Cathy Whims’ fall culinary tour.
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