- I have enjoyed visiting Italy, and one of my favorite spots for avoiding tons of crowds is Bologna.
- The walkable city welcomes fewer crowds than its popular neighbors, such as Florence and Rome.
- Bologna also has world-renowned cuisine, rich history, and beautiful architecture.
While in Italy, I wanted to experience the country's finest food, art, and architecture while doing my best to avoid crowds. I was very successful at doing this in Bologna.
First of all, I appreciate that the city is far less visited than some of Italy's most popular destinations. Last year, Bologna welcomed millions fewer visitors than Florence and over 20 million fewer than Rome.
The walkable Northern Italian city also won me over with its beautiful rose- and rust-colored buildings that blend in with the hues of a sunset.
Although Bologna's relatively fewer tourists make it an appealing travel destination, that's just one of many reasons to plan a trip here.
It's a culinary haven
Bologna is affectionately nicknamed "La Grassa," which translates to "the fat" and reflects what the city is best known for: its amazing cuisine.
In fact, Bologna and the surrounding Emilia-Romagna region are the original home to many famous Italian foods such as Parmigiano Reggiano, tagliatelle al ragù, balsamic vinegar, tortellini, and mortadella.
One way to explore the famous local cuisine is by taking a food tour. However, it's not necessary. I took a spontaneous approach, dining at various restaurants ranging from big spots with the best reviews to smaller, lesser-known ones that I stumbled upon during my trip.
No matter where I ate in Bologna, I had a cozy, authentically-Italian-feeling experience. I didn't feel like I encountered dining tourist traps, which wasn't the case in Florence.
A culinary highlight of the trip was the fresh handmade pasta I ate at Sfoglia Rina, a cozy trattoria with a long tradition of producing and serving handmade pasta since its inception in 1963.
Lastly, I highly suggest taking a stroll in the medieval streets of Quadrilatero, Bologna's ancient market. It's the perfect place for a culinary adventure with its fresh produce and street food.
Bologna is also a must-visit destination for art and architecture lovers
If you appreciate beautiful architecture and are an aesthete, Bologna should be a must-visit city. It's also pedestrian-friendly, so pack your comfiest walking shoes and get ready to explore.
Start at the Piazza Maggiore, the city's central square, and check out one of its most important buildings, the Basilica di San Petronio. Then, stop by and marvel at the famous Neptune Fountain in Piazza del Nettuno, just a short distance away.
Enjoy walking below Bologna's famous porticoes, which have been recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. They're said to be a symbol of Bologna's hospitality and sociability, offering visitors shelter in all seasons.
The Archiginnasio, which dates back to the 16th century, is another must-visit place in Bologna. It houses a centuries-old municipal library and a theater hall that was once used for anatomical displays and lectures.
Many will also appreciate its proximity to other popular spots in Italy
You could easily spend a few days here, leisurely taking in its old-world charms. While in the area, you can check out other nearby towns in the Emilia-Romagna region, like Modena or Parma.
This year, Bologna may be an especially attractive city to include in your Italian itinerary if you want to dodge the millions of pilgrims expected to congregate in Rome for the Jubilee.
Once you feel you are ready to brave more hordes of tourists, though, take advantage of the city's location and the fact that it is one of the main railway hubs in Italy.
By train, Bologna is less than an hour from Florence, about two hours from Rome, and an hour and a half from Venice.
