ITALY: EMILIA-ROMAGNA

The new extensively updated second edition of Bradt s Emilia Romagna is the most thorough and in depth guidebook available to this entire north Italian region not just Bologna and the main cities This region blends the best of Italy a gastronomic hub elegant cities with vibrant cultural offerings and a coastline favoured by the Italians themselves Emilia Romagna combines the rich farmlands of the Po plain with dazzling cities strung like pearls along the straight as a die Via Emilia The regional capital Bologna is home to the world s oldest university while the smaller cities are strikingly different year round destinations Parma the town of Correggio has opera at its heart and prosciutto to delight the palate Modena with its stupendous medieval cathedral and world famous balsamic vinegar once home to Pavarotti and still to Ferrari Ferrara boasts the House of Este s spectacular Renaissance architecture Ravenna glitters with Byzantine mosaics and Rimini immortalised by Fellini in Amarcord offers the hedonistic attractions of the coast Then there are the Apennines along the Tuscan border where you can venture beyond the flatlands of the Po to go trekking cycling and skiing Here lie some of the region s prettiest villages and towns includ