Emilia Romagna region deserves to be seen and enjoyed by everyone, because this place is full of subtle, persuasive, enticing and vaguely Epicurean treats, as well as strong and vibrant civic passions, diligent social commitment and hard craft. This is the psychological portrait of a region that has al­ways been at the cutting-edge, generous and tolerant, where the quality of life is something real that can actually be felt and not just a stereotype serving rhetorical/literary purpos­es.

This is a pleasure-loving and rather hedo­nistic land with a high standard of living and sense of belonging. Being extrovert and anti-conformist is part of life here; although these characteristics are toned down by a deep sense of tradition firmly entrenched in deeper moral values. Emilia Romagna can boast a thousand attractions and thousands of glowing "contra­dictions". It is a colorful mosaic of feelings constructed around changing almost con­trasting landscapes, endless horizons along the vast plain formed by the paternal River Po and a pattern of carefully cut-out fields exuding diligent labor and prosperity. But also com- posed of hilly vineyards. Steep and lush Apennine cliffs, a lengthy coastline stretching over 120 km, the longest and best-equipped in Eu­rope, fully equipped with carefully arranged, brightly enticing, velvety beaches, nautical fa­cilities, tourist harbors and fishing villages, and even theme parks.

And nowhere else can offer the endless charms of the region's art cities, authentic cap­itals in their own right, unique in the history of human culture: from Ravenna's mosaics to the porticoes, towers and senatorial palaces of Bologna, the dual medieval and Renaissance feel of Ferrara, where the ancient Palio di S. Giorgio horse race is held, to the Roman and Renaissance monuments of Rimini and Cesena. Then there are the Romanesque and Baroque splendors of Modena and Parma, the ancient capitals of wealthy Duchies, the trea­sures of the great masters of painting in Bologna, Ferrara, Rimini, Parma, and Ro-magna, and the pomp and splendor of ma­jestic Baroque churches and palaces. It is also worth mentioning the wonderful castles and strongholds towering in the mountains and in the valleys, the spacious villas out on the plains and in the hills, majestic abbeys and lonely her­mitages, and picturesque little old towns and villages embellishing the mountains and plains. Nor must we forget the spas, true havens of well-being thanks to the healthy waters flow­ing down the slopes of the Apennines and a-long the coasts, the special mountain resorts and all the seaside resorts along the Adriatic Riviera, including such well-known spots as Rimini, Riccione, Cattolica, Cesenatico, Cervia, Milano Marittima...

There are also the wide expanses of the Valli di Comacchio, the huge natural parks along the delta of the Riv­er Po, the old salt fields of Cervia inhabited by pink flamingos and rare bird life, as well as the Casentinesi forests, beauty farms, and cozy farmsteads along the delicious wine routes... But that is not all. Emilia Romagna is also a "land of geniuses" in every field and through the ages: from the great artists, literary figures and scientists of the past to more recent names (Guglieimo Marconi was from Bologna) to major figures in the film industry, above all Federico Fellini, and a host of actors, com­posers and famous singers from the world of opera and light music (e.g. Verdi, Pavarotti, Dalla, and Morandi, not to mention Parma's great love of music).

This is also the home of creative and deter­mined businessmen with a love of engines (this is also the home of Perrari) and tech­nological innovation, and of leading figures from the world of politics, economics and so­cial and intellectual life. It is a region with cul­ture in its DNA, boasting in Bologna the old­est university in Europe and hosting a wide range of virtually unrivalled celebrations, art exhibitions, shows, festivals and other events right through the year. There is also an entic­ing range of sports facilities in every imagin­able domain: golf, cycling, horse-riding, free-climbing, canoeing along the Apennine streams, skiing in the mountain peaks, trekking... All made more enjoyable by the region's mouth-watering range of culinary delights, the most varied and renowned in the whole of Italy.