Why go to Emilia-Romagna? The 10 good reasons to go Emilia-Romagna

Museums and some monuments are generally closed on Mondays. They are usually open from 9am to 6pm, but some take a break between 1pm and 3pm. Those that offer a few nights during the week are more and more numerous, in particular the modern art museums.

The rhythm of life in the north of Italy generally corresponds to the rhythm of northern Europe: at the office at 9am, break at 1pm and dinner at 8pm.

It is not necessary to book your visit to museums and monuments. On the other hand, for a guided tour with tasting at a Parmesan cheese, Parma ham or balsamic vinegar producer, reservation is compulsory. Tourist offices can arrange this for you, but it is advisable to do so in advance. Finally, a visit to a car manufacturer's production plant can also be booked.

The average price for an adult entrance varies between 6 and 8 €. Discounts are generally given to minors under 16 years old. Combined tickets are available for several buildings, such as in Ravenna, where one ticket allows access to five Unesco listed sites. Several cities and regions also offer passes that give access to several museums and tourist attractions, and discounts in conventioned establishments. They are available at the tourist office or online. A guided tour followed by a wine tasting often costs around €10. Finally, in the Motor Valley, the prices are a bit crazy for a visit to a factory (50 to 75 €) or an F1 simulator experience (20 € for 10 minutes of thrills!).

Bologna is a very dynamic city, there is always a festival, a fair, an exhibition in progress: jazz festival, comic book fair, children's book fair, chocolate... Musical events take place all over the region: Verdi festival in Parma and Busseto, Ferrara sotto le Stelle in Ferrara in July, with concerts all over the city, jazz in Bologna and Piacenza, rock concerts in Bologna and at the Imola circuit... In another register, in almost every town there are gastronomic festivities called sagre (sagra of chestnuts, sagra of mushrooms...), during which the speciality of the area is given pride of place. Finally, some towns revive their history by organizing the Palio, a joust between the different districts of the town, whose tradition sometimes dates back to the Middle Ages. The Palio is usually preceded by a parade in period costume. The one in Ferrara is the oldest in Italy.

From the traditional city tour to the visit of a museum, from a boat trip in the Po Delta to a bus tour to discover the producers of Parmesan cheese and Parma ham, the offer is varied. Tourist offices, especially those in the big cities, can direct you to the visit that suits you best. Also ask for the contact details of a private guide in French for a personalised approach and an individual visit.

In Italy, it is forbidden to smoke in public places. Smoking is still allowed on terraces and outside. Beware of cigarette butts: throwing your cigarette butt on the ground can get you a fine (even if all Italians do). Cigarettes can be bought in tobacconists, Tabacchi (a sign with a large T). Most cigarette vending machines only work with an Italian identity card or a tessera sanitaria, an Italian health card, i.e. not for foreigners. Electronic cigarette shops are quite rare and tend to charge a different price for locals and tourists.