Bologna

Do note that unless you own a Ferrari, or are close with a dealer/employee/etc that can get you into the tour, you will not be touring the Ferrari factory. There is a museum you may visit, but they very much restrict who tours the factory. Lamborghini factory tours can be booked through their website.

Thank you. Have you visited the Ferrari museum? Is it worth a trip? Have you visited the Lamborghini factory and/or museum? Which museum did you prefer? Can either be reached from Bologna or would another city be a better hub? Thanks for the information!

We stayed in Bologna for three nights this May. This was our 7th trip to Italy so we always try to return to a favorite and try somewhere new. We took a day trip to Parma which didn't impress us and spent the night in Ferrara at Hotel de Prati which is a pleasant town. We only used the rail and it was a 20 minute walk from our Hotel Paradise. Both hotels were good although due to an incoming convention, which appear to be plentiful in Bologna, our hotel costs took a large jump on the last night. Others on this board seem to like Bologna more than we did. For us it was just okay and the food was good but not outstanding (great in Ferrara). When we consider all of the places in Italy that we love including Sorrento and Rome and many many more it fell way short. Especially if this is your first trip IMO there are alot of special cities that you should visit first. You may also want to look up the weather in Bologna in March as I seem to remember its not great.

Thank you. I thought Bologna would be a good hub since we wanted to see the Ferrari museum (husband and son) and Ravenna sounds wonderful, as does Ferrara. Would another city be a better hub?

I personally liked Bologna and I think it is a great hub for exploring the region as the train services are excellent in Emilia-Romagna and the distances are short. I personally preferred Parma to Ferrara, however I mistakenly went to ferrara on a whim on a Monday and basically everything was closed including almost every restaurant and the castle. I'm sure it would be more enjoyable on other days though I did enjoy touring the little synagogue and learning about that. The fact that Rick doesn't mention a place shouldn't make it a red flag for you, it should make it interesting. I remember asking the people in my hotel (I also stayed at the Paradise and would recommend it) for some non-touristy food recommendations and the lady was like "this is Bologna, everywhere is not touristy" and that is why I liked it. It may not be as rich in attractions as the "biggies" but it is a real Italian city with nice people and cool architecture and good history and ridiculous food. Enjoy!

Bologna is not included in the RS books mainly because it doesn't have any major tourist sites. That said, it is interesting enough, and most Italians agree that the best food in Italy is in Bologna. Here are a few pictures from our trip there in 2008, if you're interested: Bologna in May 2008 You can also search flickr or another photo site for pictures of Bologna as a good resource to help you decide whether to visit somewhere.

Here are Mario Batali's descriptions of his favorite places in and near Bologna. http://www.mariobatali.com/exploreItalyDtl.cfm?rid=6

Thank you. I'll check on these sites right away!

Ravenna, Ravenna, Ravenna! Great city, great art and food, and the people seem happy to live there - even the cab drivers don't gripe about the decline of civilization in their town. Hotel Bizanzio or Hotel Byron Centrale (sister properties) are my favorites, perhaps too reasonably priced if you are Ferrari shopping.

Oh, no! We are not Ferrari shopping!!! They'll just be admiring them. :) Thanks for the tips. I'm open to all ideas!

I have not visited either factory. My husband loves cars, and we will probably be touring the Lambo factory and museum this fall. I have heard good things about it, but cannot tell you anything personally. If you and your husband are interested in the production of the cars, not just looking at the history and models, I would choose Lamborghini over Ferrari, but if he has a particular interest in Ferrari the museum may be preferable. I know that at least with the Lambo factory you take a train from Bologna to the city outside of Bologna where the factory actually is, and from there you can take a bus or walk to the factory. If I remember correctly, they may have directions on their website.

My opinion is that Bologna is one of those towns that for some reason didn't fall in favor with RS and so many people here always ignore it. As a hub for exploring what is on the Northeastern side of the Apennines (that big mountain ridge that cross the Italian peninsula from the French border all the way to Sicily), it is a perfect hub: plenty of rail lines, highways as scenic roads sprawl from there to places like Ferrara, Ravenna, Urbino, Modena etc. It makes easy to pay Milan a day visit with 1h5 high-speed trains going there. As a destination itself, it is one of those cities that might appeal to people that like the whole more than the sum of parts, to speak so. It is a lively university town, with plenty of small hidden architectural gems and great food, and some great sights like the Due Torri and the Neptune cathedral. However, as it is not a über-tourist cozy town like San Gimignano, it means it take a bit, just a bit, of effort to find good food (like asking on your restaurant's reception!) before stumbling in the first eatery you stumble upon. There is also as interesting modern art museums in the city (MAMBO).

If you do a quick search on "Bologna" on this site you'll find that this topic has come up several times so I won't rehash everything I've said about Bologna on here. I will add however that there is a gelateria there called Gelateria Gianni that many Italians say is the best in the country. Having eaten gelato all over Italy (including Gianni's several times), I'm inclined to agree. He recently opened a second shop near the Two Towers but the original is still the best, down the street from the main piazza on Via Monte Grappa.

Great tips! I will be traveling with 2 young children - 7 and 5 so the gelati place will be a big hit! We will definately try the best place in Italy! I've looked for apartments but am having trouble finding something to suit us. I've tried VRBO. Any other ideas? I'll search for other threads on Bologna, too. Appreciate the tip.