Things to do in Emilia Romagna on a Rainy Day

Emilia Romagna, like the rest of Italy, enshrines inside its eleven cities of art and old villages a vast cultural and artistic heritage, the majority of which are indoor buildings and thus perfect for a visit on rainy days. UNESCO monuments, palaces and historic buildings, churches and cathedrals: you are spoilt for choice when it comes to visiting our region

Basilica of San Vitale (Ravenna) | Photo © Wwikiwalter, via Wiki Love Monuments

• Cities of art in 3 minutes
• Eleven UNESCO heritages in Emilia Romagna
• Churches and Cathedrals to visit in Emilia Romagna
• Guide to the most beautiful villages in Emilia Romagna

Emilia Romagna is an extraordinary region for art enthusiasts. There are so many internationally famous museums and historical buildings where you can take refuge on rainy days. Cultural heritages on our territory are of course something more than a mere time killer on a bad weather day. But nonetheless, why don’t you seize the occasion to do unexpected discoveries?

• Contemporary art in Emilia Romagna
• Archeology in Emilia and Archaeology in Romagna
• Museums for children in Emilia Romagna
• Curious museums in Emilia, in Romagna, in Bologna and surroundings

On greyish and dark days, a stop in one of the many pastry shops in the cities of Emilia Romagna would certainly help you cheer you up.

Our region boasts a rich and exquisite artisan food, and it is oftentimes connected to the tradition of gelato – it will seduce any palate.

Look around and find which you like most: any quarter will delight you with tasty breaks, and the warmth of an all-Italian caffé or of a good infusion will sugar your day.

And if it’s raining cats and dogs?! Well, then, the best choice might be to take care of yourself, maybe hiding in one of the many wellness centres of Emilia Romagna. There is a wide choice – of any kind and for any person. They offer you therapeutic and rehabilitative treatments or innovative health and wellness programs. You have nothing left but to choose and leave behind the greyishness of the sky jumping in the blue thermal waters of our region.

Terme Felsinee (Bologna, Casalecchio) | Photo © Terme Felsinee

If it’s raining and it’s cold, spending some time in a cinema might be a good option, besides – it’s a classic. There are many cinemas in any city of Emilia Romagna at different times and with different programmes. Two of them are very peculiar and deserve a better look, however.

On the one hand, the Lumière, the historical cinematographic room of the film library of Bologna. It’s a unique building in Italy that, thanks to projections, meetings and author festivals, it spreads the knowledge of filmmaking’s history in all its declinations. On the other hand, the Fulgor, right in the hear of Rimini’s city centre. It is bound to the memory of Federico Fellini and it has recently been restored to its original splendour.

Everyone loves castles, adults and even more children. And in case you have to choose how to spend your rainy and cold days, this is one of the best options. Emilia Romagna is starred by a widespread network of castles, fortresses, manors, towers and walls, with pleasant deviations across mountains and lands. Some examples? Bardi, Torrechiara, Brisighella, Longiano, San Leo: these are only some of the multitude of castles standing on our region – absolutely not to be missed!

• Eight Castles not to be missed in the lands of the Guidi and Malatesta families
• The Castles of the Duchy of Parma, Piacenza and Pontremoli
• The Conca Valley: the allure of Middle Ages in its Towers, castles and walls

Another classic on rainy days: to travel around the shelves of the boutiques of the city centres or to coop you up in one of the many shopping centres and stores, waiting for the worst to pass.

Emilia Romagna features several shopping centres with a wide offer – ranging from fashion to design up to the cultural and digital entertainment.
And what about the street markets or the outlets where you can find real deals for every wallet?
Where? You can start with the Outlet Village of Castel Guelfo or with the one of Fidenza, for the rest – google it, you will be surprised by the choice!

Some guided tours more than others, make you experience something that moves you, making you live a real sensory experience. In Emilia Romagna, there are unique itineraries you should absolutely try, even more so if it’s bad weather and you can’t stay outside.

If you love food, for instance, we suggest you spend your day at FICO – Eataly World Bologna, the biggest food park in the world. Here, you can discover and taste by yourself the Italian food and drink and food farming excellence, enhanced by educational and teaching workshops for young and old alike.

The ice cream enthusiasts – and good luck finding someone who isn’t – can take refuge inside the walls of Carpigiani, the historical company of Bologna that opened the first and only museum in the world dedicated to the history of ice cream in 2012: workshops, guided tours and special events dedicated to the real “gelato lovers”.

And then, there are the Museums of Food in the heart of the Italian Food Valley, which consists of a circuit of 6 exhibition spaces that offer a special itinerary at the taste, tradition and quality’s taste.

• 5 Experiences to do at FICO
• Taste museums in Emilia, in Bologna and in Romagna

Wanting to escape at full speed from the rain? Why don’t you go to one of the many museums of the Italian Motor Valley? Here, you can visit the manufacturing company of the most beautiful and innovative cars and motors in the world, with brands like Lamborgini, Maserati, Dallara, Ferrari, Ducati, Pagani and Tazzari.

Lamborghini Factory (Sant’Agata Bolognese)

• Guide To The Italian Motorvalley
• Supercars road trip in Italy’s Motorvalley
• Guided Tours in the Factories of The Italian Motorvalley