If you want to live out your dolce vita dreams minus the crowds of tourists, you might want to look beyond Italy's big cities and popular beach resorts to a destination that's a little more off the beaten track. Luckily, the country is full of hidden gems that offer all the culture, beautiful scenery, fabulous food and laid-back way of life of their more famous counterparts, plus an added layer of authenticity and traditional charm that can only be found in those places still considered 'undiscovered'.

One such destination is Emilia-Romagna, the picturesque northern Italian region dubbed 'the quieter alternative to Tuscany'. Sandwiched as it is between Florence and Milan, it's not hard to see how it might have been historically overshadowed by its big-name neighbours – and that's a large part of its appeal.