NEWS / LAST MINUTE

The unsung Italian city with amazing food and dramatic castles – but hardly any tourists

Surrounded by glorious countryside and full of culture, Reggio Emilia is one of those easy
to reach yet refreshingly undiscovered places

Central to the series of cities that dot Emilia Romagna's Food Valley like a string of pearls, Reggio Emilia is regularly squeezed out of visits to the area by its more celebrated neighbours: Parma to the west, Modena to the east, and Bologna just beyond. And while the name of such a prized product as Parmigiano Reggiano is regularly abbreviated, slicing the city out of the picture, and Modena takes all the credit for traditional balsamic vinegar, Reggio Emilia actually makes some of the best of both, along with a series of specialities that include the stuffed pasta and charcuterie that the region does so well.
Perfect partners for the local cuisine, the area's wines range from impressive contemporary Lambruscos to fresh dry whites and well-structured reds. The city of Reggio Emilia itself, cool and collected, displays all the dignity you might expect from the home of the Tricolore, Italy's national flag, with a poise and integrity reminiscent of its strong-minded and red-headed 11 -century ruler, Matilde di Canossa. Her legacy to the area includes a series of castles studding the dramatic landscapes of the
Apennines, just south of the city. Several of them are open to the public and linked by footpaths threading through the hills – the perfect addition to a long weekend in the city.