Poogie

We will have 3 days at the end of our vacation in early October to be in Bologna or Siena. Which city/town should we spend our time at and what are the pros and cons?
We fly back out of Milan.
Thank you

buongiorno

The 2 places are completely different. Bologna is a large city on the flat plain of Emilia Romagna and Siena is a smaller city in the Tuscan hills. What do you like to do and what are your goals for your stay? Do you plan to stay in the town the whole time or take day trips? Will you have a car?

nessundorma

Bologna is most prized for its food and its university history, which gives it a couple of highly unusual museums. It is also an excellent jumping off point for a number of interesting daytrips, most especially Ravenna, with its incomparable mosaics, but many other towns as well. It is a medieval city but it was bombed in WWII and has thus has modern construction too. Like Milano, it is one of Italy's most important business centers and is a wealthy city. It can be very hard to get a hotel room during trade conferences.

Siena is a well-preserved medeival walled city, with a very famous sunken stone piazza that is unique. It is dense with museums filled with Sienese art and elaborate church architecture. It attracts thousands of tourists, many in tour groups, into its steep and narrow streets, although in October that is likely to be less of a problem. If you have any mobility problems, you could find Siena a rather tiring place to be.

Both cities, to my mind, are memorable for their almost oppessive lack of greenery within the city, although the views from the walls of Siena extend over the Tuscan countryside. If you like or need tourist infrastructure, Siena is more accommodating. If you prefer being among today's Italians in a non-touristy setting and eating royally, Bologna offers more, as well as Ravenna in easy reach.

toni_g_b

We went to both last year - glad we did, enjoyed what we saw, no overriding desire to return to either. So I guess my nod would go to Siena from which to explore the wonderful Tuscan coutryside and the charming hill towns - Montalcino, Monteriggioni, San Gimignano, et al. And do drive the Chianti Road, S222. Amazing vistas!

ira

Hi P,

Hard choice, but I think I would rent a car and go to Siena.

Scottstig

A tough question IMO I would spend time in Siena and surrounding areas. Although you will need transportation. WE spent a day 1/2 in Siena that was enough. Our opinion of Bologna was not so good. We had three nights planned for our stay and left after the first night! It could of been the time of year that we were there,but close to your dates. The place was a zoo with crungy college stundents. The food was over-rated from all that we read (reviews) luckily for us we had a car and were able to move on. Like I said this was our impression! We are in our thirties and we love city life, just not Bologna. Hope you make a good decision and have a great time Italy is a wonderful country!!!!