If you've been to Italy and you haven't been to Reggio Emilia, that's probably because nobody told you about it. Reggio is the city that designed the Italian flag (in 1797 — the original tricolore is still in the Sala del Tricolore, in the town hall, and it's free to visit). It's the city that invented Parmigiano Reggiano, which is to say it gave the world the cheese on top of the cheese on top. It's the city that invented the Reggio Emilia Approach to early-childhood education, which is now copied in Tokyo, Auckland and Stockholm.
It's also the city that, in 2022, opened the largest open-air concert venue in Europe — and is now, in 2026, the home of the loudest summer on the continent.
How to get here
From Milan: 50 minutes on Frecciarossa to Reggio Emilia AV. From Bologna: 21 minutes. From Florence: 1h 20m. From Venice: 2h. From Rome: 2h 50m. Reggio AV is on the Milan–Naples high-speed line and is one of three Italian stations designed by Santiago Calatrava. The other two are airports. This one is just a train station, in the middle of the Po valley, with a 950-meter glass roof. Worth a look on its own.
From the AV station to the arena: 6 minutes' walk, or one shuttle stop. From the AV station to Reggio centre: 10 minutes by regional train, 15 by bus, 20 on foot. We recommend doing all three at different points of your stay.
What to eat
Emilia-Romagna has more DOP and IGP food labels than any other region in the world. Reggio is the cheese-pasta-vinegar triangle of that region. The four things you should eat, in priority order:
- Tortelli verdi — handkerchief pasta with ricotta and chard, butter and sage. The local Sunday lunch since the 1500s. Try at Caffè Arti e Mestieri or Trattoria della Ghiara.
- Erbazzone — a flat savoury pie with chard, parmesan and lard, sold by weight at every bakery in the city. Eat warm, with a glass of Lambrusco. Best in town: Bar Primavera, Via Roma.
- Cappelletti in brodo — meat-stuffed pasta in capon broth. Heart-shaped because Reggio is medieval. Almost any trattoria does this well, especially in winter; in July, get it cold at Pizzeria Da Bruna.
- Aceto balsamico tradizionale di Reggio Emilia — not the supermarket stuff. The DOP version is aged 12, 18 or 25 years in a relay of small wood barrels. A few drops on a slice of Parmigiano Reggiano 36 months. The end of every meal in this town.
What to drink
Lambrusco. We know what you've been told about Lambrusco. Forget it. The DOC Reggiano version, served chilled at 8°C, dry, slightly sparkling, paired with prosciutto: it's one of the great food wines on the planet. Get it at Cantine Riunite Civ during the festival or at Hostaria Venturi in town.
What to do (besides the festival)
- Palazzo Magnani — main contemporary art venue, July 2026 has a major Lee Ufan retrospective.
- Sala del Tricolore — the original Italian flag, in the town hall. Free. Closed Mondays.
- Reggio Children — the Loris Malaguzzi International Centre. Even if you don't have kids, the design is worth an hour.
- Parco del Crostolo — the river-walk through the city, 4 km from the centre to the Mauriziano (Ariosto's house).
- Villa di Rivalta — Bourbon-era summer palace in ruins, 20 minutes by bike. Free, beautiful, photogenic.
- Cocò Beach Club — the local swim spot in summer. 15 minutes by bus, sunbeds €15/day.
Where to stay
Reggio sells out fast for festival weekends. We recommend booking outside the city for the best mix of value and access. Modena (15 minutes by train, the home of Pavarotti and Massimo Bottura) is our top pick. Parma (20 minutes, the home of Verdi and prosciutto) is second. Bologna (21 minutes, capital of food, the bigger night out) for groups who want a full-on city base.
If you book in Reggio centre: the Astoria, the Hotel Posta (in a 14th-century palazzo on the main square), and the Albergo Morandi are our local favourites. The Albergo Notarie is the boutique pick.
One last note. Italians stay up late. Don't book the early-train back. See you in town.