Homes in Emilia-Romagna

If you’ve never heard of Emilia-Romagna, that’s only because this happy, prosperous place feels no need to advertise itself. You’ll surely have heard of the region’s cities and products, though. Emilia-Romagna is the home of radiant Bologna, jewel-like Ravenna, joyful beach-babylon Rimini, cosy Parma and dreamy Ferrara. It’s also the home of Parmesan cheese, Parma ham, balsamic vinegar, lasagne and a rather well-known pasta sauce called bolognese. Oh, and it’s the home of car manufacturers Ferrari, Maserati and Lamborghini. Hmmm, fine food and fast cars. Sounds like a place with a high quality of life, doesn’t it?

Emilia-Romagna has one of the highest standards of living of all Italy’s regions. Affluent and orderly, it has hardly any crime and a very low rate of unemployment. But it’s no hotbed of stressed, money driven workaholics either. Like most northern Italians, Emilia-Romagnans prefer to keep a healthy work-life balance. The region’s pace of life is comfortable and unhurried, with plenty of time made available for strolling round town, sitting in restaurants and going to the opera. At weekends and in the holidays, urban workers decamp to the beach or into the tranquil