Is Bologna worth visiting? If you are a foodie, it sure is! Bologna is known as the food capital of Italy- go!
We arrived in Bologna via train from Florence. I debated just heading to Bologna as a day trip from Florence but in the end, decided that Bologna deserved its own stop.
After leaving the train station for the 15-minute walk to our hotel, we immediately discovered the first glorious thing about Bologna- the porticos (recently added to UNESCO’s world heritage list). Porticos are arched, covered walkways that emerged in the 12th and 13th centuries. They extended the building over the sidewalks to add more space for the growing population. We loved them for their beauty and because they kept us dry on the rainy December afternoon when we arrived.
I booked our stay at Royal Hotel Carlton in Bologna – Book a luxury hotel in the center of Bologna, near the train station (royalhotelcarltonbologna.com) using Expedia. Because of my gold status with them, we were given a room upgrade (which brought us to a suite!), a complimentary breakfast buffet (perhaps one of the most extensive I’ve seen), and 20€ food and beverage credit. To say that this hotel was elegant is an understatement. The architecture, décor, and professionalism of the staff were impeccable, and our room was gorgeous!
In Italy, dinner does not typically start until 7:30 pm, but we didn’t run into any problems eating earlier when in large cities like Venice, Florence, and Milan. In Bologna, it was a problem. From 5:00-7:30 pm it is aperitivo time and the kitchens are not open for food service. I’m not a spritz girl, so we ducked into one of the many wine bars and enjoyed a glass of wine. We were given complimentary snacks (customary in most bars throughout many parts of Italy) that helped to curb our hungry bellies. While we were there, we went online to find a restaurant that could fit us in for dinner. I tend to be an over-planner, so in my quest to be spontaneous, I didn’t make advanced dinner reservations. This was not the time to fly by the seat of our pants. In Bologna advanced dinner reservations are necessary. We found a small ristorante that could fit us in and enjoyed a lovely meal but learn from me, do your research before you go, and make dinner plans ahead of time.
After dinner, we walked through the piazzas and Christmas markets before returning to our hotel. Once back at the hotel, our 20€ food and beverage credit were burning a hole in our pockets so we went to the lobby bar. We ordered a round of drinks and were blown away by the huge selection of complimentary snacks that were delivered with our drinks. That could have been dinner! We went to bed truly feeling like Bologna was living up to its reputation as the food capital of Italy!
The next day, we had a very early start for what may have been the highlight of my entire trip to Italy. I am infatuated with knowing where my food is from and how it is made so we went on Bologna Food and Wine Factory Tour #1 – the only and original! – Italian Days – Food Tours In Bologna, Venice, Florence, etc. tour. We explored the Parmigiano Reggiano factory, balsamic vinegar house tour, and prosciutto factory. Please read my review of this tour and know that this was money very well spent!
I hope that you go to Bologna as it is less busy than many other big Italian cities, it is quite safe, it is easily walkable, the architecture is glorious, and the food is magnificent. At the very least, you can even take a day trip from Venice or Florence because I know there is never enough time to eat all the food and see all the things.
Ciao Bologna, until next time.
