Rolling hills dotted with vineyards, Medieval cities filled with artistic treasures, a coastline with popular beaches, farms that produce prized cheeses and charcuterie, and convivial trattorias that serve fresh pasta and other local products—it may sound like Tuscany, but I’m actually describing Emilia Romagna.

Tuscany’s neighbor to the north, Emilia-Romagna produces some of Italy’s most famous foods—Parmigiano Reggiano, prosciutto di Parma, balsamic vinegar from Modena—yet it’s rarely among the first places in Italy that travelers visit.