Me and my wife will be going to Italy in November. We are staying a few days in Rome and making our way mid-country. We are trying to decide doing Tuscany, like Siena or Lucca vs going to Bologna and visiting towns like Modena and Parma. We stayed in Florence last trip so we wanted to do something different. We love Italian food and have heard great things about Bologna and Parma as far as food goes. Just wanted to see what you guys thought about either option.
Posted by
Ontario, Canada
368 posts
For food, definitely Bologna region. The lasagna verde, tortelloni & ravioli were so delicious! Easy short day trips to Parma, Ferrara, Modena & Ravenna is an hour away.
Posted by
San Francisco Bay Area (USA)
16168 posts
My vote goes to Siena. Prettier than Bologna in my opinion.
You can find great food anywhere in Italy and also in the US at the Olive Garden.
Posted by
Florida
137 posts
If you go to Bologna, don't miss a chance to take a food tour. We loved it. Prosciutto, Balsamic and Parmesan. We bought a few kilos of Parmesano Reggiano right from the farm to bring back home for gifts. It's SO good!!! It was one of our best memories.
Posted by
872 posts
Siena is a town [a pretty town] while Bologna is a major city with all kinds of things to do, plus day trips; unbeatable with respect to italian cuisine.
Modena has our favorite restaurant in Italy, Da Danilo. Parma has La Forchetta, the signature dish Duchessa di Parma, just wonderful. In the little gelateria behind the duomo, nuns fashion cones in the shape of a rose. Ravenna to see the mosaics another easy and worthwhile day trip; enter Ravenna Mosaics here:
https://www.google.com/imghp?hl=en
https://www.neverendingvoyage.com/things-to-do-in-bologna-italy/
https://travelphotodiscovery.com/bologna-highlights-outdoor-markets-and-street-food-of-bologna/
Posted by
8423 posts
Bologna was OK for touring, but we loved Ravenna. Siena and Lucca are great, I would go with Tuscany over Bologna.