From the Via Emilia to the Adriatic Riviera, departing from Bologna, Modena and Rimini
Campervan hire in Emilia-Romagna promises a trip where a few hours take you from the porticoes of Bologna to the Byzantine mosaics of Ravenna, from Parmesan dairies to the beaches of the Adriatic Riviera. Our rental partners welcome you in Bologna, Modena and Rimini, and in Calderara di Reno on the edge of Bologna, from two-berth camper vans to motorhomes sleeping six.
The region stretches along the Via Emilia, the old Roman road that links its main cities in an almost straight line at the foot of the Apennines. You travel it stage by stage without ever driving for long, alternating art cities, renowned tables, the Romagna hills and the coast. All that is left is to pick the season and the departure city to match your plans: food, heritage, mountains or seaside.
Choose your departure city: the map shows where rental companies hand over their vehicles.
Head west along the old Roman road: in Modena, the Romanesque cathedral and the Ghirlandina tower, then the makers of traditional balsamic vinegar; in Reggio Emilia and Parma, the Parmigiano Reggiano dairies and the ham-curing houses of the hills. Piacenza, on the edge of Lombardy, marks the end of the road before heading back to Bologna.
Dairies and "acetaie" can usually be visited by appointment, and some offer an overnight stop: ask when you book. Motor enthusiasts will add Maranello and the Ferrari museum, just south of Modena.
North-east of Bologna, Ferrara unfurls its Renaissance walls, best explored by bike. The road then reaches Comacchio and its canals, the lagoons of the Po Delta park with their pink flamingos, and Ravenna with its Byzantine mosaics listed as World Heritage. The coast finally leads to the salt pans of Cervia and on to Rimini.
The delta is explored on small embankment roads, sometimes narrow: a van or compact motorhome copes better there. If your rental company accepts a return at another depot, the trip ends in Rimini; otherwise, the A14 motorway takes you back to Bologna.
From Rimini, the road climbs to San Marino, an independent republic perched on Monte Titano, then to the fortress of San Leo in the Marecchia valley. The way back down to the plain passes through Santarcangelo, Bertinoro and its vineyards, Brisighella and its three hills, then Dozza, a village of painted walls next to Imola.
Hairpin roads and narrow lanes call for a modest-sized vehicle: leave it in the car parks below the villages. In San Marino, a cable car links Borgo Maggiore to the historic centre.
When the plain swelters in summer, the Apennines offer cool air: from Modena, the road climbs via Maranello and Pavullo to Sestola and Monte Cimone, the highest peak of the northern Apennines, then crosses beech and chestnut woods to the spa town of Porretta and the astonishing Rocchetta Mattei, before dropping back down to Bologna.
Some mountain roads are narrow and winding: between November and April, check snow conditions and the winter equipment required.
The ideal seasons to combine art cities and countryside: the Romagna hills turn green in spring, the grape harvest and truffles liven up the autumn, and the Riviera stays quiet outside summer. May is often the wettest month inland, with over 100 mm of rain in both Bologna and Modena.
The Romagna Riviera is in full swing: equipped beaches, lively nights and coastal campsites fully booked around 15 August. On the plain, Bologna and Modena often top 30 °C in the afternoon: favour the coast, the Apennines and early-morning sightseeing.
Winter is the season for crowd-free cities: museums, Christmas markets and the restaurants of Bologna or Parma. Fog often blankets the Po plain in the morning, snow can close Apennine roads and November is the rainiest month in Rimini. Many coastal campsites close during this period.
Bologna and Calderara di Reno for Ferrara and the delta, Modena for the Food Valley and the Apennines, Rimini for the Riviera, San Marino and the Romagna hinterland. The three cities are less than two hours apart by motorway.
Beyond the rate, look at insurance and the excess, crockery and bedding, the bike rack, pick-up times and any one-way fees: these details make the difference between two similar offers.
Book visits to dairies, balsamic vinegar cellars or the Ferrari museum in advance, and find a parking area near a bus stop into the centre for each city.
Driving licence, ID and a credit card held by the main driver: check what the rental company requires and the time of your appointment. With Blurent, the exact pick-up location is given in the booking documentation.
Bologna, Modena, Parma, Ferrara and Ravenna protect their historic centres with limited traffic zones, signposted at the entrance and monitored by cameras. Driving in without authorisation triggers a fine sent to the rental company, which may pass it on with an admin fee. Park outside and continue on foot or by bus.
The "aree di sosta" and "camper service" points let you fill up with water and empty your tanks along the Via Emilia as well as on the coast. Some are free, others charge or use token machines: locate them with a dedicated app before each stage.
The A1, A13 and A14 motorways serving the region are toll roads: you take a ticket on entry and pay on exit. Avoid the yellow lanes reserved for Telepass if the vehicle has no transponder, and ask your rental company whether it supplies one.
The plain is ideal for cycling, from Ferrara to the Po Delta. If a loaded bike rack or luggage sticks out at the rear, Italy requires a square reflective panel with red and white stripes: check that the rental company supplies it with the bike rack.
Our rental partners are based in Bologna (Anywhere Campers, Blurent, McRent), in Calderara di Reno on the edge of Bologna (Blurent), in Modena (Anywhere Campers, McRent, Rent Easy) and in Rimini (McRent, Motorhomes Italy). Some depots are on the outskirts or even in a neighbouring town: the exact address is in your confirmation.
A two-berth camper van slips along the hill roads and is easier to park near town centres. For families, low-profile motorhomes such as the Adria Matrix M670SL or the Carado T-447 sleep four to five, and the Sunlight A70 over-cab model sleeps six, though its size makes it less comfortable in the hilltop villages.
Yes: the Republic of San Marino, an independent landlocked state, is only 18 km from Rimini as the crow flies and there are no border checks. The historic centre is closed to traffic: park below, in Borgo Maggiore or in the signposted car parks, then walk up or take the cable car. Check that the rental company's insurance covers this territory.
Yes, the region lends itself to it: Florence is only about a hundred kilometres from Bologna on the A1 motorway across the Apennines, and Ancona, also served by our rental companies, lies 91 km from Rimini as the crow flies. Venice and Lake Garda can also be reached in about two hours from Bologna or Modena.
A week is enough for the Via Emilia and its art cities, or for Ravenna, the delta and the coast. With ten days to two weeks, you can combine the Food Valley, Ferrara, Ravenna, San Marino and the Romagna hills, keeping a few days for the Riviera beaches or a detour into Tuscany.
Good and quick communication, easy to book and easy to follow all the instructions.
Cooldrive was very attentive and very responsive in all situations. We received valuable assistance in the steps to be taken. I highly recommend it.
The person answered my questions before I confirmed the booking. The van matched my order well with extras. During my trip, I had a little issue that had nothing to do with Cooldrive. I appreciated that the person took the time to call me back. No bad surprises, only good ones. Highly recommended.
Rental motorhomes up to 3.5 tonnes can be driven with a category B licence. If your licence was issued outside the European Union, find out before you leave: an International Driving Permit or an official translation may be required in addition to your national licence. For minimum age and years of driving experience, see each rental company's own conditions.
Campsites are concentrated on the Riviera, around Ravenna, Rimini and the delta; near the art cities, motorhome parking areas take over, sometimes a stone's throw from the centre. Overnight parking outside these areas depends on each town's bylaws: ask locally before settling in for the night.
Traffic drives on the right and dipped headlights are compulsory during the day outside built-up areas. Speed limits vary with vehicle weight: above 3.5 tonnes they are lower on motorways and main roads, so check your vehicle's category. In Bologna, the speed limit is 30 km/h on most streets.
It depends on the rental company: McRent, present both around Bologna and in Rimini, is best placed to offer it, depending on the dates. Enter a different return city in the search engine: only compatible offers are shown, with any one-way fees already included in the amount displayed.
All the offers we found departing from Bologna include unlimited mileage, but about a quarter of those in Modena limit it. For a regional tour of a few hundred kilometres the difference matters little; for a longer loop towards Tuscany or Venice, check this point in the offer's conditions.
For July and August, several months before departure, when Italians and foreign visitors flock to the Riviera, and also for spring holidays such as Easter or 25 April. From October to March, outside Christmas and New Year, a few weeks is generally enough, including for a long foodie weekend in Bologna or Parma.
Emilia-Romagna packs a rare density of art cities into a small area: Bologna and its porticoes, Modena, Parma, Ferrara, and Ravenna with its mosaics, all less than two hours' drive from one another. A motorhome lets you link them without worrying about timetables, stop off at a Parmesan or balsamic vinegar producer along the way, then spend the night in the hills rather than in town.
With departures from Bologna, Modena and Rimini, everyone can shape their own trip: the food of the Via Emilia, the Po Delta and its birds, the hilltop villages of Romagna and San Marino, or summer on the Adriatic beaches. A region to explore in every season, whether for a long weekend or for a full two weeks.
