From the point of view of food and wine, following the trail of the Via degli Dei also means journeying between two exceptional cuisines, both of which are rightfully famous throughout Italy and the world for their exquisite taste and opulence.

Bolognese cuisine is famous for products and dishes that can be enjoyed in various trattorias and hostelries along the trail. These include fresh pasta dishes, such as tagliatelle, tortelloni and lasagne served with rich meat sauces; tasty broths enhanced by tortellini, passatelli and zuppa imperiale, and a vast range of superb cheeses and cured meats, including Bologna sausage and salami, as well as a host of other local products that characterise these highlands at the gates of Tuscany.

Compared to Emilia, Tuscan cuisine is better known for its grilled meat dishes, especially its celebrated Fiorentina (T-bone), fillet and “tagliata” steaks served with the sole addition of a trickle of fine local extra-virgin olive oil, a speciality the whole region is justly proud of.

The villages that nestle along the border of these two regions are famous for their combinations of these two distinctive cuisines and most restaurants will be happy to tempt visitors with menus offering the best of both worlds and a selection of exquisite variants too.