Suggestions for a Town to stay in around Bologna
 

Planning a trip to Italy for the Fall. We will be coming via Milan by train to a town for three/four nights. Originally thought we's stay again in Bologna. But now thinking maybe stay someplace where we have not been. We will go from wherever we stay to Florence (again by train). We have been to Milan, Verona, Venice, Padua, Vicenzo, Mantua, Bologna and Ravenna. What about staying in Modena? Parma? others? I know there are so many charming small towns to visit. We love art and wandering around small towns and oh, we love good Italian food. Your thoughts are appreciated!

If you have been to all those places and plan to do day trips I would stay in the place that has the best train links...

I haven't been to Modena, but I enjoyed my brief visit to Parma. It's very vibrant town with a walkable town center. I enjoyed it a bit more than Bologna for some reason. Food was outstanding in both towns.

There aren't a lot of hotels in the center of town. I stayed at the Button, which seemed a bit overpriced for what it is, but the location is almost perfect.

Faenza is a nice little town, with an excellent ceramics museum. Might be a little too small for 3/4 days, but definitely good for 1, or at least a day trip.

Ferrara is a lovely town, with a beautiful ducal palace. It's not far from Bologna, where you can transfer to trains for almost anywhere.

Ferrara has a bigger centre than Faenza but both are very pleasant to stay in and both have good train links to Bologna.

Faenza's museum is world standard but its old centre is a little disappointing.

Ferrara has a unique bicycle based culture (almost more bicycles than pedestrians) I'd stay here. Hotel Carlton is cheap and pleasant

You may check Parma, Cremona, Ferrara, Faenza, as suggested above, but IMHO all these places are too small for a 3 days stay. Bologna has the advantage to be a railway hub. Faenza is linked with Florence by a scenic secondary railway line.

Ferrara - I loved that place, just did a day trip but plan to return. Here are some photos of it http://www.pbase.com/annforcier/image/145707117

My vote is for Ferrara. We spent three months there last winter in an apartment in the ghetto. Wonderful food, easy access on the trains to most of the places you said you have been too, museums to visit and the ability to take bike trips to the river Po and surrounding small villages all made our trip special. Also the people we met were wonderful and the Ferrence love their culture and celebrations. Check out when balloon festival is.

Thanks for your suggestions. I will check them out.