The capital of Emilia Romagna, this beautiful city is well worth a visit. It is a gastronomic delight – walk past the markets and shops of the cobblestoned Quadrilatero quarter and admire the many cured meats, cheeses and other foodstuffs on display.
Many of these are Bolognese inventions – mortadella sausage, tortellini pasta, ragú sauce…Why not enjoy them also in a local trattoria? Enjoy a coffee in Piazza Maggiore whilst admiring the fountain of Neptune.
Then take a stroll around the city, where medieval towers lean precariously and picturesquely throughout the streets, and more than 20 miles of loggia-covered pavements go past art-packed palazzos and churches.
Bologna’s university is the oldest in Europe – founded in the 12th century and the alma mater of Petrarch and Thomas Becket. This city comes alive when the students are graduating and you will see them around with wreaths of laurel leaves adorning their heads.
It is easy to bypass this city in favour of some of the more well-known ones, but you will miss out on a real treat if you fail to spend some time in this delightful place!