Bologna not in Rick's book

You're not the first person here to ask about Rick's exclusion of Bologna. "Why would he exclude it?" None of us knows for sure, but we can clarify that, unlike many guidebooks, Rick's books simply don't attempt to cover every sight. We assume the exclusion of Bologna is simply a judgment call made by the Master and his Editors. To compensate for this apparent oversight, here's a link to a discussion of Bologna in a previous discussion thread on this site: http://www.ricksteves.com/graffiti/helpline/index.cfm?topic=17362 If you search the archives here ( click here for instructions on how to do that), you'll find more prior discussions of Bologna in which travelers discuss things to do and see in Bologna.

In some of his blog entries in the past, Rick has suggested he finds most of Emilia-Romagna overrated. I for one am a bit glad he leaves it out. The best thing about it is the food in my opinion, then you have the great arcaded architecture, some fantastic churches, a jewish quarter, the two towers, the museums and university, etc. etc. More than enough to keep you happily busy (and satiated) for a night (or more).

What Debra said. Many travelers mention the food in Bologna. A number of travelers posting here have given Bologna a day (some more than a day) and been glad they did. Helpline Secret Tip: It's actually OK to go to places not mentioned in Rick's books. Such independent behavior is not exactly encouraged here, but is tolerated, just don't let the Boss know.

Remember, you can search flickr or some other site for pictures of any place you're curious about. Here are some pictures from our trip to Bologna: Bologna May 2008. We enjoyed it, but it's not the first place we would recommend to travelers.

Bologna has many sites, but, for me the main attraction is the food. Here is a blog post from a well known American chef/author living in Paris, describing his eating tour of Bologna http://www.davidlebovitz.com/2006/10/molto-gelato-in/

I spent one night in Bologna when i was in Italy for the first time two years ago. I had a Fodor's book to supplement the RS book, so I used that info. One night (on the way from Venice to Florence) was really all we needed. there aren't a lot of big sights. it's a college town. we stayed by the main square, saw the big church and the two towers, and just ate and ate and ate until we felt sick...the food was amazing everywhere we went. we even got to relax a bit between meals. well worth it, in my opinion.

Rick's Italy book has a lot of holes. I'd suggest lonely planet, let's go, michelin green guide or other guide book that matches your style.

Here is a PDF version of the official Bologna city guide. http://www.emiliaromagnaturismo.it/en/publications/donwloads/GuidaBologna.pdf/view?searchterm=guides

Great architecture but little in the way of artwork...In my opinion, that's why it is not included in Rick's book. From watching his shows and reading his various guidebooks, you know the guy loves his art.
My wife and I, on the other hand, spent 4 nights there in June and loved every minute of it. A lively youthful town with lots to see and eat.

RS guidebooks were originally designed to complement his tours, though they have greatly expanded through the years. They really aren't meant to be a comprehensive book for the country, but his version of the "best of". He has great info, but don't be afraid to look beyond RS. In fact, on our recent RS tour, my favorite stop was a small village not even referred to in his own book!

I will say that, in my limited travel experience, when going 'outside' the safety zone of Rick's suggested itineraries, the hassle level does increase, especially in finding accommodations. For instance, Bologna is a magnet convention destination (as, I'm guessing, is Turino) which likely means value, 'back door' rooms are not in sufficient supply to make that city part of said list.

Thanks for the insights here. I too, asked myself why it's not in the book. As Foodies it's a destination that we are very interested in but I did pause when I realized it wasn't "Uncle Rick Recommended". The food tours here sound awesome.

A list of all the cool places in Italy that are not in the RS books could fill a book. :-) Rick's not trying to be comprehensive, and I appreciate that. But his books are really hard to beat for helpful information, especially for the first time visit to one of the locations that he does cover. Our next planned trip (our fourth!) will be happening mostly without RS assistance, since we're planning to do Lake Garda, Bergamo and Verona. I'm loving the idea of not traveling long distances again, but rather focusing on one specific area. (P.S. If you're ever in Bologna, try the cinghiale - wild boar. To die for. Also excellent is lardo. Srsly.)

My husband and I spent 2 nights in Bologna last October near the end of a 17 day trip. It was a GREAT break. If the RS way is to get out of the tourist mobs I think Bologna should be on the list. The food is the thing for sure and we took a double decker bus tour as an overview which was cool. it was great to just sit in a cafe and have a wine without worrying about the next musuem. It was great to hear more Italian on the streets than English!