After the Reggio Emilia Marathon: Parma, Modena and Bologna

The Route: Reggio Emilia → Parma (1 night) → Modena (1 night) → Bologna (1 night) → home Logistics: One straight line of railway, the Via Emilia, links all four cities, with a regional train every hour or so. Check timetables, and note that Sunday and holiday services are thinner. Hotels often hold luggage after check-out. Marathon Month: December Duration: 3 nights

Reggio Emilia ──> Parma (night 1) ──> Modena (night 2) ──> Bologna (night 3)
     │                  │                     │                    │
 start here    ham, cheese, Pilotta   vinegar, cathedral    porticoes, pasta

The Via Emilia is a Roman road, laid out in 187 BC, and it still runs ruler-straight across the plain from Rimini to Piacenza. The railway follows it, and each town on the line has kept its Roman grid and added a food that the others cannot quite match. Parma has prosciutto, Modena has vinegar, and Bologna has fresh egg pasta.

The route makes a good three-day plan for legs that have just run a marathon. Every day has one short train, one or two sights and one long meal. The moving is done sitting down.

December on the Via Emilia: the plain is foggy and flat, the days are short, and the arcaded streets are lit for Christmas. Many places close on Mondays. Pack a warm coat, and shoes with some grip for wet stone.

Night one: Parma

Take a regional train from Reggio Emilia to Parma, about 20 to 30 minutes. Visit the cathedral and the Baptistery on Piazza Duomo, and the Palazzo della Pilotta. Eat prosciutto, Parmigiano and anolini in brodo. See the Parma and Reggio itinerary for more.

Night two: Modena

A train of about half an hour leads to Modena. The cathedral, the tower and the Piazza Grande are the heart of the visit. The Albinelli market is good for lunch. Book a balsamic vinegar tasting in advance, as most producers need an appointment in winter. Dinner: tortellini in brodo and a glass of Lambrusco.

Night three: Bologna

From Modena to Bologna takes about half an hour by regional train. Spend the day in Piazza Maggiore, San Petronio and the arcaded streets of the old centre. Climb nothing. Eat tagliatelle al ragù and mortadella, and spend a long evening in a trattoria.

Where to stay

Choose a hotel near the centre in each city, with a lift and breakfast times that suit a mid-morning train. Check winter rates and avoid trade-fair dates in Bologna and Parma.

Pacing the days

Plan no more than two main things per day. A long lunch, a museum and a dinner is plenty. After a marathon, legs can stiffen on the second day, and a train seat or a restaurant chair is the best remedy. Leave one afternoon empty.

Getting back

Bologna Centrale is on the high-speed network, with direct trains to Milan, Florence and Rome, and an airport shuttle. For Reggio Emilia, go back by regional train along the Via Emilia. Check your onward connections the evening before.