Bologna? Like the sandwich meat?

Well, yes and no. The spelling of Bologna is the same, but I can assure you that you’ll enjoy Bologna (the city) much more than Bologna (processed lunch meat).

This mid-sized city is located in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy. Known as the food capital of Italy, this city boasts a great gastronomy scene, beautiful architecture, and a ton of history.

I came upon this city while looking at a map of cities near Florence. Bologna caught my eye because on the map, it looked like a large city. In my head, I was thinking “how did I miss this?”.

With my interest locked in, it was finally time to go there. I was able to visit this city for a daytrip, and it ended up being my favourite day in Italy. 

I didn’t even necessarily do a ton. Much of the day was quite free with no major plans.

If I had to put it simply, the vibes I got from this city were amazing. I visited on a Saturday and the air was crisp, people were out in the town – it was truly a sight to behold.

However, there are actual reasons I enjoyed this city besides the vibes. Here are 5 reasons why Bologna is the perfect city for an Italian daytrip.

Accessibility

Bologna’s location is perfect for a daytrip. You can reach it in less than an hour by train from Florence and Milan. If you’re coming from Venice, the train takes around 1.5 hours.

The train station itself is a 15-20 minute walk from the Piazza Maggiore, which is the city’s main square.

If you look for tours within the Emilia-Romagna region, the starting city is typically Bologna. From there, you can quickly access other cities such as Modena and Parma.

Italy’s rail system is solid in general, but Bologna does a really good job of being an easily accessible city..

Food

Oh the food! Bologna is considered to be the “Food capital of Italy” and in a country that is most famous for its cuisine, a statement like this can be controversial. 

However, after eating the food here, it’s hard to disagree with the statement.

The entire Emilia-Romagna region is a food-lovers paradise, so visiting any city here is presumably a good choice when it comes to food.

I was only able to visit Bologna so I can only speak for this city, and these are the words that are going to come out of my mouth: IF YOU LIKE TO EAT, GO TO BOLOGNA.

The food quality in this city was spectacular. I had a Tortellini dish and it may have been the best pasta I’ve ever had. 

Fun fact: Tortellini was invented in Bologna, but neither Bolognese nor Bologna are not. Therefore, you get the authentic experience by eating Tortellini in Bologna. Who would’ve thought?

I could’ve sworn that each restaurant I walked past was calling my name. I wanted to try everything but the human body could only handle so much.

One place I do recommend checking out is Mercato di Mezzo. This market is located close to Piazza Maggiore and features a ton of food stalls including seafood, pizzas, and desserts.

Walkable Central Area

Whenever I travel, I like to visit cities that have walkable areas. This becomes much more important when it comes to day trips because of the limited time I have.

Walkability was the main reason I chose to visit Bologna. The city centre looked like it was bustling, yet it was only a short walk from the train station into the centre.

For the city centre, my reference point is Piazza Maggiore. During my visit, this is where I saw the most action and I always made my way back to this plaza after exploring the side streets.

The plaza itself is pretty sizable, but there are a ton of surrounding side streets you can walk through and explore.

My favourite part of the walkability aspect is the city’s commitment to it. During weekends and holidays, Bologna has T Days. On these days, the central area of the city becomes restricted to pedestrians and bicycles only. This creates a beautiful and safe walking environment.

Unique

I honestly didn’t think that this could have been a point.

In a country that boasts Rome’s history, Milan’s fashion, and Venice’s canals, how can Bologna even compete in this regard?

While Bologna has features amazing aspects to the city, there is nothing more famous than the city’s Porticos. These are arches that are very prevalent in the city. If you visit, these arches will definitely be the first thing you’ll notice and they are very beautiful!

Other cities may have beautiful arches as well, but the sheer amount and prevalence of them in this city is unmatched.

Furthermore, the burnt orange buildings that you’ll see all over the city are mystifying and beautiful.

In a country that exudes beautiful cities, uniqueness, and culture, Bologna is able to make its own space and not get drowned out in this regard.

Vibes

The four points above are things that you can see.

Usually, you judge your travels by the things you do. 

When I was in Bologna, I was able to experience everything else, but the feelings I felt was the cherry on top. 

I’ll explain the moment here: I was standing in Piazza Maggiore in the early evening. The sun was settling, but there was daylight outside. A busker was singing popular mid 2010s songs and there was so much going on around me – kids playing, couples walking, tourists chatting.

There was so much going on yet I felt so at peace. I was everywhere and nowhere at the same time. This is what I mean when I say the vibes were immaculate.

Conclusion

If you’re vacationing in Northern Italy and have an extra day in your itinerary, I would recommend a daytrip to Bologna.

Its close location to popular Italian tourist cities like Milan and Florence gives it a good degree of accessibility.

It is also a unique city that offers the traveler a different experience in their itinerary.

If you visit, you’re bound to get your steps in, eat amazing food from one of the best cuisines in the world, and immerse yourself into a culturally rich city.

I’ve written about how this city is good for a day trip but it is also a great base for an Italian vacation! You can reach major cities in less than an hour, have that amazing food outside your doorstep, and be in a more quiet city as opposed to the bustle of Milan. Happy travelling!

Follow me on Instagram and/or TikTok for more travel content @drotravels 🙂