Food Lover's Guide to Bologna

The Emilia-Romagna region is Italy’s gastronomic heartland and its capital, Bologna, is the perfect place to discover the country’s rich culinary heritage and overindulge on delicious Italian cuisine. Here are our favorite Bologna food tours and experiences.

Must-Try Dishes

Many of Italy’s most famous delicacies hail from the Emilia-Romagna region— Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (Parmesan cheese), Parma ham (prosciutto crudo di Parma), mortadella sausage (the origin of the processed stuff we’ve come to know as bologna), culatello (cured meat), piadina (flatbread), and balsamic vinegar.

Affectionately known as La Grassa (“the Fat One”) among Italians, Bologna is also renowned for its hearty and delicious cuisine. Signature dishes include tortellini, tagliatelle alla Bolognese (pasta with meat-and-tomato sauce), and lasagna, which you can pair with a glass of Lambrusco, then cap it all off with a scrumptious dessert like zuppa inglese (a trifle-like custard and sponge cake) or sweet ravioli pastries.

Must-Do Experiences

• Visit a Parmigiano-Reggiano factory, a traditional balsamic vinegar producer in Modena, and a prosciutto factory on a full-day tour of Bologna’s legendary food valley.

• Sample delicacies including ragù, mortadella, and gelato on a walking tour of Bologna’s local markets and foodie hot spots.

• Learn to make fresh pasta and tortellini from scratch with a home-cooking class at a country farmhouse.

• Hunt for wild truffles in the forest, then dine on Michelin-starred cuisine at a traditional trattoria on a Bologna truffle tour.