Italy has never been so stuffed-not just with pizza and pasta, but with hidden treasures like Bologna, a city that keeps flying under the radar.
Why is it that when we talk about Italian vacations, we fixate on the iconic sights of Venice and the bustling streets of Rome yet overlook Bologna?? Well, it's time to spill the spaghetti sauce and share why Bologna is truly the world's most underrated city to visit.
A Food Lover's Dream
Bologna has also been named "La Grassa," that is to say, "The Fat," due to its richness and excellence in food. This city would have been heaven for an individual who loves a lot of good, tasty food. The local variety of delicious dishes runs far beyond the famous Bolognese pasta, including tortellini in brodo and slices of mortadella.
Explore the small restaurants, hidden away in corners, from which you can taste genuine Italian food. Also, do not forget to get real, exclusive experiences at FICO Eataly World - the biggest food theme park, where all the Italian food arts are shown and tasted in person.
Easy to Explore
One of the best things about visiting Bologna is how easily it can be explored on foot. You can quite easily get a flavor of the whole city center in just a couple of hours. The streets are lined with magnificent medieval and Renaissance buildings, so it's enchanting and educational just walking around them.
The extensive network of porticoes in the city offers shelter from the weather and the uniqueness of its architecture. Furthermore, if you are not into walking, the city also has a very cheap bus system that can take you to various attractions for as low as 1.30 euros.
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Rich in History and Culture
Not only does Bologna brag about its food, but it's also full of cultural and historical riches. Its center has the UNESCO heritage label and the nickname "City of Porticoes," referring to extensive, beautiful arcades.
Here, the oldest university in the world is the University of Bologna, whose establishment dates from 1088 and is still a center of intellectual life. Many museums and art galleries begin with the National Art Gallery or the Museum of the History of Bologna, some of which provide insights into very different epochs of Italian or European art and history.
Burst With Social Life
Though historic, Bologna is anything but sleepy. It has a vivid, lively atmosphere of bars and cafés catering to all tastes at any time during the day. You may start with a rich cup of Italian coffee and end with a craft signature cocktail in one of its many animate bars.
Travel Off Path comments that Bologna offers a bustling social scene in which locals and visitors can mix it up-from what seems like before time, the oldest working coffee houses to the trendiest and brashest of nightclubs tucked under the ancient streets of Italy.
A Base for More Extensive Adventures
While Bologna is, in and of itself, a place of fascination, it is also suitable as a base to give the rest of Italy a closer look. Major centers like Florence, Venice, and Milan are mere train rides away; you can experience the broader Italian landscape.
Apart from that, Bologna is an escape from crowded tourist destinations to have a more relaxed but equally enriching Italian experience.
Whether you're spending your days discovering Bologna or using the city just as a starting point to explore other places in Italy, the town definitely will open its arms to you in a friendly manner and provide you with joyful experiences.
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
