My wife and I are planning to spend three nights in the Emilia Romagna region in May and we're having trouble deciding where to base ourselves. We're not really having trouble deciding on a particular hotel so much as which town will be most convenient from which to experience the area. My preference is not to switch hotels, but just to stay in one place for all three nights. We'll have a car, so we can take day trips throughout the region. We've looked at booking the Corona D'oro hotel in Bologna or the Hotel Posta in Reggio Emilia, and both look very nice. We're open to other hotels in other cities if that makes more sense. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Emilia-Romagna is a large region. Which towns/cities do you want to visit? In three days, you can reasonably hope to "see" three, although most would warrant more thn one day. With the help of a guidebook, decide on those three and look for a hotel in the town that is most central.

Personally, I would choose between Bologna, Modena, Ferrara and Ravenna; Bologna would be the most central for those. Reggio Emilia would not enter the equation.

We were hoping to see Bologna, Ravenna, Parma, Modena and Emilia Romagna, but the last one caught our eye only because we heard that the Hotel Posta was a good place to stay.

With 3 nights, you're likely only spending about 2.5 days in the area to take day trips and see the town you're staying in. I think your plan to see all those places is too ambitious given their size.

I appreciate the advice. We actually will arrive in the region by noon on day one, have the next two full days and then on the 4th day leave the region by around 3pm.
Given our time constraints, I am certainly looking for advice as to what we should see in the available time and where we should base ourselves in order to be most efficient.

bump

Gerald, It's a bit difficult to suggest anything if you don't give any indication of what interests you. When you say you want to "experience the area", what, precisely, do you want to experience? Art, architecture, history, food ("creative" or regional)?

The Hotel Posta in Reggio Emilia looks very nice, but Reggio Emilia is not really the first place that occurs to me with respect to any of the interests mentioned above.

No expert, only spent about one week in the area this past January; for the places you are interested, I think staying on Bologna will be more convenient, as being more centrally located.

My only concern is not sure (I traveled around by public transports) how easy it would be to drive in and out of town centre of Bologna every day, it seemed to be quite busy.

We've spent one night in both Parma and Bologna, and I much prefer Parma. If for no other reason than the traffic is much easier to deal with especially, like another poster suggested, if you will be coming and going on day trips. We were there in August so that may account for some of the diminished traffic but when it was apparent that we were having trouble finding the hotel another driver pulled up beside us and offered assistance. That alone will hold the city near to my heart. It's not as if there's tons of things to do in Parma, but if you're in the region because of the food that won't disappoint. And it's lovely to walk around in at night - perfectly flat and safe. And there was a gelateria that was so good that it warranted by husband going back out for just one more scoop before bedtime!

Also, while in the region you might want to consider a trip to Mantova and Montagana on S10. The latter at
http://tinyurl.com/ytevve
Mantova at
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mantua

Gerald,

I take it that it's either train or car. If train, check out Trenitalia; if car, check out Via Michelin.

I was in Modena on business last year. A pleasant, not memorable town for tourist activities, but great restaurants. It's also centrally located. The 'old' town is a pedestrian only area, actually there are two of them.

The E-M is considered the culinary capital of Italy (by Italians).

If you like sports cars, Maserati is built there and the Ferrari Museum is about 18 km away. No tours of the Ferrari factory, in fact, you are not allowed on the grounds unless driving a Ferrari.

Local wine is mediocre, but the wine lists at restaurants take care of that 'problem'.

Hi! I'm from Bologna! Incredible, but nobody told to you these things about Bologna:

1)Two (and more) Medieval towers, one of them is the highest in Italy (98 metres), and you may climb up (who knows that Pisa's tower is fake, g.e.)?

2)Michelangelo, Raphael, Giotto, Guido Reni, etc. etc.

3)Our old centre is the 2nd through Europe concerning the wide; we've 35 kms of ancient portici (arcades); UNESCO is making works to preserve them;

4) Nobody knows "Tagliatelle al ragù"?

5) Etc. etc. etc. etc.

But....did them really go in Bologna?
I'm not sure about it....

SORRY FOR MY POOR ENGLISH, AND YOU'RE WELCOME IN MY CITY!!!!!!

I wish my poor Italian was as good as your poor English!

I'll also 2nd Bologna as a good base. I don't think I can get enough real Bolognese sauce. We went there last year primarily for me to visit and tour the Ducati factory and museum.

Dear Terry:

I enjoyed my brief stay in Bologna very much last year.
You might enjoy reading my report which includes lots of food talk; although I enjoyed the tortellini en brodo, I did not try tagliatelle al ragu (although we did enjoy ragu on a other long pastas) so I will have to return. I would love to hear a few of your recommended restaurants in Bologna!


http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34743272

Terry, You are the owner of a B&B? I thought you were a student doing a degree thesis in tourism!

Terry: what's the name of your B&B? You sound like a charming host!