prscotta

Hello everyone...looking for some ideas for a trip to Italy. I am thinking Emilia-Romagna. Does anyone have any ideas for itineraries, cities to visit, cities to stay in? Thanks in advance for the help!

PalenQ

Bologna to me is one of Europe's most underrated cities - great base but a large city. I liked Parma a lot too. Modena was neat.

You could fly into Milan and spend a day there
and take train or drive to say Bologna - base there and do day trips maybe to Modena, Rimini, Parma, etc.

End up in Florence and Rome if you have not visited those two fine cities.

Trains are great everywhere - regional trains are dirt cheap and fast trains can be cheap too if you book really early- Acquista il biglietto con le nostre offerte - Trenitalia or www.italotreno.com for high-speed routes - two separate rail companies running same routes with similar trains, etc. for lots on trains check www.seat61.com (great info booking own trains); www.ricksteves.com and BETS-European Rail Experts.

WorminRome

We just did an abbreviated trip to this region. For the first half of our week we stayed in Bologna. This is an incredible city. There is plenty to do there and it's also a great hub to visit the region. It's also a manageable train ride to Venice.

We then hen took the high speed line to Florence for the second half of the week. Obviously there is an incredible amount to do here, but it's also a great hub for the region. Using the high speed line you can also take a manageable train ride to Rome.

I wiild recommend flying in through Milan. You can take the high speed line from there to Bologna. Then the same line to Florence. Then again, the same line to Rome and possibly fly out of Rome.

If you are looking for some things to do in Florence and Bologna, please let me know.

Oh, wow, I should have read the previous message. Haha!

bilboburgler

Bologna, Ferrara, Maybe up to Padua, then all the cities along the edge of the hills (look at a map). Use Bologna as a train hub. You might also like Mantua, Ravena and Chioggia

Now the important things,
When are you going?
What do you like to do?
Roughly, in euro, how much do you like to spend on rooms?

PalenQ

https://www.google.com/search?q=cert...h=759&dpr=1.25

The Certosa di Pavis to me was awesome - can go by train or bus from Pavia - a nice city too.

neckervd

You can go to the Certosa from Milan too, but it's not in Emilia-Romagna

PalenQ

I assume OP does not intend to stick to things inside Emilia-Romagna but anything nearby.

PalenQ

Bologna is sweet but a large city which I prefer but many may like a smaller town or even farm stay in countryside. How are you traveling -if by train Bologna has trains going everywhere.

prscotta

Appreciate the info!

prscotta

Thanks!

prscotta

Thanks for the reply! It will be middle/end of June. We like to walk around cities, take in the sites, culture, food wine. We like going at our own pace and not being tied down to tour groups and itineraries. I would say no more than 150/200 euro on hotel rooms. I will have hotel rooms pre-booked for a period of time b/c i am planning on going through Orbitz or one of the travel sites that combine hotels/airfare.

StCirq

" i am planning on going through Orbitz or one of the travel sites that combine hotels/airfare."

I would advise against that, though others may disagree. I have rarely seen what I would call a good deal on a site like that. I book my own airfares after doing extensive research and then book hotels separately, mostly using booking.com. I like to know I have a direct connection with an airline and hotel, not some third party that may try to shunt the responsibility onto someone else if things go south.

janisj

I agree with StCirq. No need to book a package like that -- Once in a while I DO book a hotel through the airline. But the vast majority I book flights through the airline, and hotels through the hotel's own website or booking.com

bvlenci

I often price these packages and then price air and hotel separately. I've always found something better pricing them separately, except on one trip (to Mexico) about ten years ago. I often use Expedia or Skyscanner for the flights, and then Booking.com for the hotels. You may find a lower package price for a particular combination of flights and hotels, but you get a far wider choice of both when booking separately. They never include all possibile flights in these packages, and the hotels tend to be large hotels that are past their prime or otherwise hard to fill.

Norwegian Airlines has very inexpensive direct flights from some American cities to some Italian cities. For instance, from New York, they have daily flights to Rome and twice-weekly flights to Milan.

If you like good food, Bologna is a great choice, but the food in all of Emilia Romagna is excellent. I agree that Ferrara is a great destination, an easy train ride from Bologna. Modena is also an interesting city, with great food. If you're willing to rent a car, there are many other possibilities. However, I wouldn't get a car to drive to Bologna, or to use while staying in Bologna. Nearly the whole center city is a limited traffic zone, and parking is both expensive and very scarse. If you want to get into the countryside, rent a car when you're ready to leave Bologna.

In Bologna hotel prices double or triple when there's a trade show on. However, I think June isn't a prime month for trade shows. Anyway, I would advise checking the week before and the week after your planned trip to see if there's a big price difference. If there is, you might find a better price by shifting your time in Bologna by a few days.

Jennifer_Travels

I traveled to Bologna last year & enjoyed it so much I am planning a return visit next year. We stayed in an apartment belonging to a woman who runs a small b&b in the same building. It is in your price range as it's about 130 euros/night. It's very well located, extremely clean, has a washer/dryer. It's popular, so it's worth booking ahead. She's also happy to let you know if there are any trade shows during the time you are thinking of traveling.

Bologna nel cuore B&B. Bed & Breakfast, rooms and apartments in the city center

prscotta

I appreciate all the input thus far. Some really good pointers. I agree with you on some "issues" people have had that have popped up using Orbitz or the like. I did have a great experience using them on my trip last year. As a matter of fact, it saved me close to $8,000 US. It was for a special occasion, so I booked business class, and along with the hotel for a part of the time, it was well worth it.

bvlenci

Orbitz will save you money over the cost of the same flight and the same hotel booked separately. But if you book separately, you'll find a wider choice of both flights and hotels, and I almost always find a better deal. The same is true of package deals on Expedia, and probably others.

WorminRome

In Bologna we stayed at The Hotel Metropolitan. https://www.hotelmetropolitan.com/en

It was about $180 a night and was centrally located.

If you go to Modena, I highly recommend booking yours at 4 Madonne Caseificio for Parmigiana Reggiano tasting.
http://www.caseificio4madonne.it/en/
Acetaia di Giorgio for Traditionally Balsamic Vinegar of Modena
http://www.acetaiadigiorgio.it/en/
Trattoria Aldina for lunch, and for shopping, La Vacachetta Grassa, http://www.lavacchettagrassamodena.it/

I will add some great stops in Bologna a little later.

prscotta

Thanks for the input thus far! Looking forward to seeing your notes on Bologna!