Emilia-Romagna's food valley lies south-east of Milan, which is about 329 km and 3 h 50 by road from Geneva Airport, so Parma is a long day's drive away and Bologna a little further down the ancient Via Emilia. Five or six days let you taste Parmigiano Reggiano at the dairy, balsamic vinegar in an attic cellar and tagliatelle in Bologna. AirportsTransfers.ch can drive from GVA to Parma and on along the route, so no one has to skip a glass of Lambrusco.
- Route: via the Mont Blanc tunnel or the Simplon to Milan, then south-east along the Via Emilia
- Reference distance: Milan about 329 km, 3 h 50 from GVA
- Border crossing: the route crosses the border into Italy
- Ideal length: five to six days, with bases in Parma and Bologna
- Highlights: Parmigiano dairies, Parma ham, traditional balsamic vinegar, Modena cathedral, Bologna's porticoes
The Via Emilia: a road built for food
The Via Emilia is a Roman road that runs in an almost straight line across the plain from Piacenza to Rimini, and the region it crosses took its name from it. Along it lie Parma, Reggio Emilia, Modena and Bologna, each only a short drive from the next, each with its own speciality protected by strict production rules. The richness of the plain, with its dairy herds, pig farms and wheat fields, explains why this stretch of Italy produces so many of the country's best-known foods. A chauffeur turns the route into a sequence of tastings, with time to visit producers who are often on farms outside town.
Parma: cheese, ham and opera
Parma is an elegant, prosperous city with a Romanesque cathedral whose dome is painted with a swirling fresco by Correggio, and a pink marble octagonal baptistery beside it. The city has strong musical traditions, and Verdi was born in the countryside nearby. Its fame, though, rests on two products. Parmigiano Reggiano is made in dairies across the provinces of Parma, Reggio Emilia, Modena and beyond; early morning visits let you watch the curd being lifted from copper vats and see the vast maturing rooms lined with wheels. Prosciutto di Parma is cured in the hills south of the city around Langhirano, where the dry air from the Apennines plays a part in the process. Culatello, a rarer cured meat from the lowlands along the Po, is another local treasure.
Modena: balsamic vinegar and engines
Modena's cathedral, with its bell tower known as the Ghirlandina and the Piazza Grande, forms a UNESCO World Heritage site and is one of the finest Romanesque ensembles in Europe. Traditional balsamic vinegar of Modena is aged for many years in series of wooden barrels of decreasing size, usually kept in attics where summer heat and winter cold help concentrate it; family producers often welcome visitors to taste from the barrels. The area is also the heart of Italy's motor valley: Ferrari's museum in Maranello and the Enzo Ferrari museum in Modena attract car enthusiasts, and other famous marques have their roots nearby. Lambrusco, the sparkling red, is the natural partner for the rich local food.
Bologna: porticoes, towers and tagliatelle
Bologna is the regional capital and home to one of the oldest universities in the world, which gives it a lively student atmosphere. Its porticoes, covered walkways that line street after street, are a UNESCO World Heritage site; the longest climbs uphill to the Sanctuary of San Luca. Piazza Maggiore, the Basilica of San Petronio and the Neptune fountain form the centre, and the two medieval leaning towers are the city's symbol. In the market streets of the Quadrilatero, stalls sell mortadella, cheeses and fresh pasta. Tagliatelle al ragù, the original of what the world calls bolognese, tortellini in broth and lasagne verdi are the dishes to try.
- Dairy visits usually take place early in the morning, when the cheese is being made; book in advance.
- Many producers close on Sundays and in August; plan around these.
- Leave space in the luggage for vacuum-packed cheese and bottles of vinegar.
Book your food-valley chauffeur
With AirportsTransfers.ch you choose your vehicle online and see the fixed price for the whole vehicle before paying by card, Apple Pay or Google Pay. The chauffeur meets you at Geneva Airport arrivals with a name sign, tracks your flight and waits if you are delayed. The Mercedes S-Class is comfortable for the long drive south, while the V-Class van takes up to seven passengers and plenty of food shopping. Child seats on request, return transfers and company invoices are all available. For a multi-day plan, call or WhatsApp +41 78 346 56 77.
