2 Days in Bologna
 

I'm finally finishing up my "travelogue" on our trip to Italy Fall 2015. We only spent two days in Bologna as an interlude between Florence and Venice. I wasn't expecting much but we LOVED it! I would absolutely return if I had the opportunity and I'm so glad we included it in our itinerary. (This is where using a travel agent helps - I wouldn't have thought to include it if our TA hadn't suggested it.)

One notable thing about Bologna is that it feels like a "real" city. Locals going to work, shopping, living their lives. All seemingly happy while doing so. Maybe because of the GREAT FOOD! We didn't have a bad meal in all of Italy but Bologna was truly outstanding. I've posted reviews and pix here of recommended restaurants: https://polloplayer.wordpress.com/20...es-in-bologna/

We had rain during our stay but so many of the old city streets are covered that you can walk around regardless of the weather. Charming in an authentic way.

We stayed at the Hotel Majestic Gia Baglioni where we were upgraded to a lovely junior suite, I think because of our travel agent's Virtuoso affiliation. I would absolutely stay there again if/when we return.

I wish we had had a little more time there to delve into the history of the city. Next time...

Thanks for this trip report. I am currently planning my trip to Bologna. I will certainly include these restaurants!

Thanks for sharing. I've thought about eating my way through the city. Salivating just thinking about it...

I believe it might be difficult to have a bad meal in Bologna. My wife and I recently visited in Sept. 15 and Jan. 16. The second time was to eat, drop a car and pick up a train to Milano.

Two additional restaurants I would highly recommend:

Da Nello (recommend reservation, we ate early.)

Trattoria Serghei ( ate there 3 nights in a row, small neighborhood trattoria, 9/10 tables, mom, 86 makes pasta) Reservation a must.

Spent 40 years in food and beverage biz. Sorry I waited so long to visit. Bologna is delightful and enjoyed it more on my second visit.

I'm delighted to find some new fans of Bologna. For years, I've considered the city one of the undiscovered gems of Italy. We never felt more like we were really in Italy than when we spent a sunny afternoon sitting in Piazza Maggiore!

@tripplanner and @italy2012 I look forward to reading YOUR trip reports when you return from Bologna!

@Huggy Da Nello was on my list. Ran out of time. Next visit!

Katy;

You will not be sorry. Be sure to reserve though.

The same for Serghei.

H

We had two days in Bologna between Venice and Florence as well. Great food-and so much walking that we burned off all the calories! Getting about is perfect in any weather due to all the covered walkways. Highly recommend walking the porticos to Santuario di San Luca.

Bookmarking this. Thanks for your report. We are leaning towards a day trip to Bologna from our Agritourismo outside of Florence. Lucca, Bologna, or both...?

I am so glad you enjoyed Bologna. We visited there last year and fell in love with it. Your pictures are amazing. I hope to return someday and will have to try out those wonderful looking restaurants!

@sundriedtopepo We didn't visit Lucca so I can't speak to that destination. We did a day trip to Siena. I think Lucca and Siena are both much closer to Florence than is Bologna. Not sure I would bother to go there for just a day trip unless you are willing to get on a train just to have an amazing lunch and then head back.

@KTtravel I hope we ALL get to return someday!

DH mentioned to me earlier that he wanted to visit Bologna, so your post got me into gear and I just booked us into a hotel for four nights. Thanks for the reminder!

@katydidnt I think the fast train can get to Bologna in 35 minutes which, if we get going early enough, would give us a decent day there. A few days would be preferable though, but we won't have that much time this trip.
My husband is a really big foodie so he would go for lunch...

@sundriedtopepo I admire your husband's spirit!

@WeisserTee have a wonderful time! Four nights sounds lovely!

Hello all you Bologna lovers, I was just about to start a new Bologna topic when I saw your recent reports and thought I'd tag along. My husband and son are planning to spend four days in Bologna in April. This is a special gift from me: a father/son outing. Both men are foodies so any suggestions for restaurants or places to visit are more than welcome. Grazie mille!

katydidnt, your photos had me drooling.

I almost got DH to Bologna once [it would be an easy trip as you can fly there direct from Bristol airport on Ryanair] but something else cropped up.

Sicily is next on the list [September] but after that I can see I must try harder.

@annhig Sicily is definitely on my list, too! I finally read The Leopard and really want to visit - but I have been hearing some negative things about safety there of late:-(

you've done better than me with the Leopard, katy. I managed the first 10 pages or so then gave up. Still that was further than i got with the italian - that dalmatian or whatever it is on the first page completely defeated me util I looked up what it was in the english version.

luckily we're not going to Palermo so I think I'll probably cope without having read it!

I've read some worrying things about safety too but we are not, as it turns out, going to be going to Catania to Palermo, and we will take more than the normal precautions with our belongings. A money belt is certainly going to be high on my packing list for Sicily.

@annhig The Leopard was definitely a slow starter. Glad I read it but I totally understand not getting through it.

Hope you will file a trip report here so I can read about Sicily!

well i might have another go, Katy, but definitely in english.

I will certainly try to do a TR - I have a bad track record with starting them but not finishing but I will do my best.