I'm asking for any suggestions for our November visit to Bologna and Reggio Emilia. We fly into Bologna (it's the closest large terminal near Reggio Emilia), then travel to Reggio Emilia. We have 48 hours to get from Bologna, visit Reggio Emilia, and then get to Venice to start the Rick Steves Venice/Florence/Rome tour. Any advice as to a must-see/do in Bologna? Or should we should bugout and head to Reggio Emilia. Our purpose in visiting Reggio Emilia is to see the bridges and train station designed by Santiago Calatrava.
Posted by
San Francisco Bay Area
5697 posts
Mosaics in Ravenna!! That had been on my list for many, many years (since Art Appreciation in college) and it was worth the wait and the train trip from Bologna. Also the Due Torre flavor gelato across the street from the two towers.
Posted by
WPB, FL & Firenze
3112 posts
Bologna has some interesting sights, churches and museums, as well as one of my favorite lunch spots, Tamburini. I spent 2 days there and didn't see everything on my list compiled using the Lonely Planet guidebook. If you wanted, you could stay in Bologna for 2 nights and day trip to Reggio Emilia. That option would also shorten your travel time to Venice. If you really want to stay in Reggio Emilia, then I would head straight there and also visit nearby Modena and Parma during your 2 night stay, leaving Bologna for another trip. Again, I would suggest the Lonely Planet guidebook for good information on those cities.
EDIT: If you stay in Reggio Emilia and have a car to see the bridges (see posting below), that opens up a lot of other nearby options. You could visit a place where they make cheese or prosciutto or balsamic vinegar, or you could visit the Ferrari factory if you're car buffs.
Posted by
seattle
2147 posts
Getting to Reggio Emilia (RE) from the Bologna airport requires a bus from the airport to the Bologna train station and then about an hour train ride to RE. RE is a charming small city. We have visited several times. There are many delightful plazas, but these will be very sleepy in November. I recommend visiting a salumeria to try the wonderful cheeses and meats of the area. We ate at the Antica Salumeria Giorgio Pancaldi and made a great meal out of a meat and cheese platter and a few glases of wine. The San Prospero church is recommended. Getting to Venice from RE takes about 3 hours by train, with a change in Bologna. Bologna has many more sights. I would recommend 1 night each in RE and Bologna or 2 nights in Bologna with a day trip to RE. Looks like you need a car to see the bridges designed by Santiago Calatrava.
Posted by
San Francisco, CA (USA)
560 posts
I'd recommend Ravenna to see the Byzantine mosaics however, you're really cutting things close with the time.
Bologna is a fantastically underrated place for tourists and if anything, is just below the Italian Big-3 when it comes to places to visit. Spending a day wandering around and eating is itself worth the time in Bologna.
I'd also consider visiting Ferrara, one of the last fully walled cities in Italy, it's a pretty unique place to visit with it's Castello dead center of town.