and visit the restaurants that created favorites like pasta Bolognese and Tortellini.Zoom In IconBologna's food markets often tumble into the streets. Produce, cheese and wine from local farmers can be bought around the city.Or, take a day trip to the Emilia-Romagna region, where Italian gastronomy was born.
"Bologna has great access to Modena and Parma, both with famous products [like Modena prosciutto and Parmigiano-Reggiano] named after them," says David Hawkraven, owner ofHawkraven often sends travelers to local farms, where they can taste Modena prosciutto — which is rarely found in the U.S. — or learn about the delicate process behind authentic balsamic vinegar.
She also suggests visiting the unfinished San Petronio Basilica and touring the Roman ruins that run under Bologna's library .Bologna is "entirely walkable," according to Marchant, which will save you the cost of a car rental. If you want public transit options, there is a city bus with tickets starting at just 1.30€.
Marchant says locals are friendly, and the city is generally safe, making it a comfortable vacation spot. And the average hotel room costsLocated in Northern Italy, it is convenient to travel from Bologna to other Italian hot spots. It's only about 70 miles from Florence, 95 miles from Venice and 135 miles from Milan.