Emilia Romagna Itinerary – How to spend a week in Emilia Romagna [2024]

By Gemma Tedaldi | Published: 9th June 2018 | Updated: 3rd January 2024

When people say they’re spending a week in Emilia Romagna what first comes into your head? Rolling Italian hills, pizza, crisp fresh wine… Well, the region in northern Italy may be known for its gastronomy and beautiful landscapes but there is much more than meets the eye.

Matt and I recently spent a week in the region and here’s what we got up to and where you should visit should you have a spare week in northern Italy.

📍 Emilia Romagna Itinerary Day 1: Bologna

📍 Emilia Romagna Itinerary Day 2: Riccione

📍 Emilia Romagna Itinerary Day 3: Riccione

📍 Emilia Romagna Itinerary Day 4: San Marino

📍 Emilia Romagna Itinerary Day 5: Rimini

📍 Emilia Romagna Itinerary Day 6: Rimini

📍 Emilia Romagna Itinerary Day 7: Cesenatico

Planning Your Trip? Use our favourite travel resources below:

Accommodation: We recommend Booking.com

Rental Car: We recommend Rentalcars.com

Flights: We recommend Kiwi.com

Tours: We recommend Get Your Guide

Emilia Romagna Itinerary – How to spend a week in Emilia Romagna

Day 1 Bologna

Bologna to Riccione 1.5 hours via train

The historic capital of the Emilia-Romagna region, Bologna, is full of Renaissance architecture, medieval towers, and artisanal markets. The town oozes youthful energy from the university there and the delicious smell of food wafts through the air. Explore the Piazza Maggiore and the Basilica di Santo Stefano, stop by the Finestrella on route to Parco Della Montagnola, find the remains of the 13th-century city walls, and stop by one or two of the main Chiesa or churches that dot the city.

Another thing you must do in Bologna, other than purely wander and enjoy the architecture, is climb Le Due Torri, or the two 12th century towers of Asinelli and Garisenda. Unfortunately, we didn’t get to climb Le Due Torri as there was an issue with train delays and our tickets ran out, but we will be back to absorb Bologna from above!

Day 2 & 3 Riccione

Riccione is a quaint little town that you can easily cycle around in half an hour. We took to cycling everywhere as not only was it cheap, as we had bikes available at the hotel we stayed at – Hotel Love Boat, where we based ourselves for the entire week in Emilia Romagna itinerary), but it meant we could see areas we might not have gotten to on foot. Plus, this area is well known for its cycling as people flock here over the summer as part of coastal cycling holidays down through Italy.

Full of restaurants, bars, and gelato shops and lapped by miles and miles of beach leading to the Adriatic Sea, it is a wonderful town that is surprisingly quiet in the late summer months into autumn, yet still just as beautiful. The town itself may be small but it has a boutique-lined promenade, Viale Ceccarini, and the beautiful park of Papa Giovanni Paolo II, perfect to walk/cycle along. It also has a little quay where all the locals moor up for the night, which leads out to a great little viewing area right on the edge of the beach.

On a side note: You must try Bananino in Riccione. As is traditional in some restaurants, you are often given a shot of alcohol after your meal, and one place we visited gave us Bananino instead of the normal Amaretto. Put it this way, if you like the foam banana sweets you will love Bananino!

Planning your own trip to Emilia-Romagna? Make sure you check out our Travelling Tedaldi Amazon Store Travel Guides for all your guidebooks and maps. (We’ve done the hard work for you and linked all the things we used to plan our trip!)

Day 4 San Marino

30 minutes by bus from Rimini or Riccione train station

Today is a little different compared to the other days of this week in Emilia Romagna. Today we leave Italy for the tiny landlocked nation of San Marino. High in the hills of Emilia Romagna, lies the world’s 5th smallest country at only 61km2. Not only is this mountainous microstate one of the world’s oldest republics but being located where it is, also means it makes a great day trip whilst in Emilia Romagna.

With historic town walls and towers to discover throughout the country, expansive views over Italy from every direction, and some rather lovely markets, San Marino is a dream to discover.
There is no train station or airport that serves San Marino and once inside the country you are very limited to where you can park or even drive, so the best bet is taking the bus from nearby Rimini or Riccione, and once reaching San Marino, exploring on foot until your heart is content.

With cobbled alleyways, hidden gardens, and restaurants with unimaginable views, San Marino is a real joy to wander around. It doesn’t necessarily feel like you are in another country, with many Italian influences clearly creeping in, (like the wine and pizzas!), but it is most definitely worth visiting at least once if you are ever in Emilia Romagna.

For even more ideas of what you can get up to in San Marino, check out our post here.

Day 5 & 6 Rimini

20 minutes by train from Riccione, 40 minutes by bus, or 45 minutes cycle.

Being based in Riccione it wasn’t hard to get down the coast to the city of Rimini via train, bus, or bike. Known for its beaches, lively nightlife, and great market piazzas, we ventured there on more than one occasion just to walk around as much of it as we could. Near the main train station/bus terminal is a shopping district full of lovely cafes serving delicious pastries and, on one of the days we arrived, full of street markets as far as the eye could see. The smell of leather and Italian herbs and spices filled the air!

One of the most beautiful places to visit in Rimini is the Piazza Tre Martiri, with its 18th century Torre dell’Orologio. At the heart of the old city, this piazza is a joy to get to, exploring the historical landmarks such as Porta Montanara, Arco di Augusto or the Tempio Malatestiano depending on which direction you arrive from. You will also be spoilt for choice in terms of food as there are numerous well-priced restaurants throughout this area, as well as closer to the coast.

To the north of the city centre, you reach waterways of the port where lots of local fishing vessels moor up below the Rimini Lighthouse, Il faro di Rimini. There is also a large park nearby Park Federico Fellini, dedicated to the Italian filmmaker with the famous Fountain of the Four Horses and Machina Fotografica Gigante, perfect to wander through with a gelato in hand. To the south of the city centre, you can also follow footpaths through a series of landscaped parks and gardens from Parco Giovanni Paolo II, through Parco Poderi Della Ghiranddetta, Fabbri, Olga Bondi, Alcide Cervi, and Maria Callas before reaching Parco Madre Elizabetta Renzi and Parco del Mare and the sea.

Day 7 – Cesenatico

1 hour by train from Rimini or 2 hour cycle along the coast

By far the favourite town we visited during our week in Emilia-Romagna, Cesenatico is a delight for the eyes. With towering historic boat sails billowing in the wind and waterfront restaurants and cafes everywhere you turn, what’s not to love about this little town! The walk from the train station to the canals is only short but goes through some of the prettiest neighbourhoods with tree-lined avenues and decorative tiled pavements leading the way out to the Fosso Venarella and the ports that line it.

The Porto Canale Leonardesco, is one of the most picturesque places in Cesenatico, with colourful houses, plenty of cafes, and historic sailing boats all situated along the canal designed by Leonardo da Vinci as part of plans for Cesena. From close to the train station this canal flows out past museums and through the Porto canale di Cesenatico to the sea, overlooked by colourful buildings and beautiful enough to rival Venice.

With old fishing huts and giant nets floating past along the water’s edge, you can also loop through the more shaded parts of the town alongside the canals to find gelato shops and sculptures hidden within the local maritime collections. Piazza Ciceruacchio is a wonderful place to stop, overlooked by the Biblioteca Comunale, Porto Canale, and the monument to Anita and Giuseppe Garibaldi.

The tale of Giuseppe Garibaldi goes back to August 1849, when along with his wife Anita and their troops, he arrived in Cesenatico looking for boats to reach Venice and fight the Austrian army. He was given the help and although did not make it to Venice, Cesenatico has commemorated the Garibaldis we a re-enactment year after year, ending in spectacular fireworks.

If that isn’t enough of a reason to spend a week in Emilia Romagna we don’t know what is!

Where to stay for this Emilia Romagna itinerary

We based ourselves in Riccione for our week in Emilia Romagna, and it was a wonderful place to be. Close to numerous restaurants and bars, within easy access of the public transport links for trains and buses, and also along some of the loveliest cycle paths that follow along the coast. As we visited in September it was also relatively quiet as it isn’t often visited by tourists, as it is more of an Italian summer holiday destination.

Emilia Romagna Itinerary – How to spend a week in Emilia Romagna FAQs

Where is Emilia Romagna in Italy?

Emilia Romagna is located in central-northern Italy, reaching from the coast in the east into the vineyard-covered hills in the west. Tuscany lies directly to the south, whilst Lombardy and Veneto lie to the north.

Often referred to as the heart of Italy thanks to its fertile land, incredible food, extensive wine region, and coastal areas that the Italians flock to for the summer, Emilia Romagna is a wonderful place to visit in Italy. It is also a great first time to Italy location to go as its much more relaxed and easier going compared to some of the larger more touristy cities like Milan, Rome, and Venice.

How to get to Emilia Romagna

Emilia Romagna is an easy location to get to within Italy with an international airport at Bologna and numerous rail connections to both Bologna, out to Tuscany, (Pisa International Airport), and further south and north.

How to get around Emilia Romagna

Emilia Romagna is really easy to get around, especially if you stay somewhere that has bicycles that you can hire, as the area is very bicycle-friendly. If cycling isn’t your thing then there are plenty of public transport connections throughout the area including via bus and train. We even took the bus to the nearby micro country of San Marino which is surrounded by the Emilia Romagna countryside.

What is Emilia Romagna known for?

Medieval cities, Adriatic beaches, and some of the nicest food Italy has to offer! Bologna in particular is famed for its pasta and meat sauces, think tortellini, ravioli, or fresh pasta topped with ragu. If the food isn’t enough to draw you in, then the numerous historic buildings, heritage landscapes, and the option to go to one of the smallest countries in Europe, which is hidden in the hills, most definitely will.

What is Emilia Romagna famous for? What is the most famous food in Emilia Romagna?

Emilia Romagna is famous for its historical and medieval towns and cities, beautiful coastline, and of course, its incredible cuisine, including meat sauces and pastas from Bologna, Balsamic vinegar from Modena, cured ham and Parmagiano Reggiano cheese from Parma and Lambrusco, (sparkling red wine).

What is the best time to visit Emilia Romagna?

The best time to visit Emilia Romagna is in the shoulder seasons of spring or autumn. We visited at the end of September and not only was the weather perfect, but there were fewer tourists than in the summer months. Summer is often one of the busiest times of year to visit Emilia Romagna not only due to the school summer holidays but due to it being one of the regions that the Italians holiday as well.

How many days do you need in Emilia Romagna?

You want at least 7 days in Emilia Romagna, but ideally more if you can. Each region in Italy is unique and well worth spending a decent amount of time in to really get a feel for it.

Do you need a car in Emilia Romagna?

You don’t need to have a car to visit Emilia Romagna unless you plan to get out and about away from the main towns which will be more tricky to get to with public transport.

Is Emilia Romagna worth visiting?

Emilia Romagna is 100% worth visiting, not only for the beautiful towns and villages that you can visit but also because of the incredible food that is on offer. During the time of year that we visited, as it was considered a shoulder season, it was very quiet and that meant we were often some of the only people eating in restaurants which comes with its benefits i.e. free after-dinner drinks of local liquors! (If you get the chance to try local grappa, amaretto or bananino take it!).

Is Emilia Romagna expensive?

Emilia Romagna is not a particularly expensive region to visit in Italy, especially in comparison to places such as Rome, Venice, or Cinque Terre, however, the capital of the region, Bologna, can be a little more expensive than elsewhere.

Conclusion: Emilia Romagna Itinerary – How to spend a week in Emilia Romagna

Emilia Romagna is a stunning region to visit in Italy, and even just a week in Emilia Romagna following our above Emilia Romagna itinerary really lets you get a feel for the area. From historic towns and cities to the incredible food and wines on offer we having been planning a trip back since we left!

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Gemma (i.e The Travelling Tedaldi)

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Gemma Tedaldi

Gemma is the owner and author of The Travelling Tedaldi, a travel blog helping travellers to discover the best road trips and travel itineraries throughout the UK and Europe. When she isn’t writing about her favourite travel destinations, she can often be found out exploring local hikes or planning future trips.