Help with Northern Italy trip.

I haven't been to most of the places you mentioned but am a big fan of the magnificent Byzantine mosaics in Ravenna, which is an easy day trip from Bologna. Ravenna has enough to see--if you also like art--to justify about 2 days there, but many people make it a day trip from Bologna.

@acraven,
What a great tip!
I've read a bit about the mosaics and am intrigued. A day trip is certainly doable to take it in.
Thank you!
Britney

When is your trip? My first visit to Ravenna was in February for 2 nights, and about 1-1/2 days. I was able to see all the mosaics at a leisurely pace and without crowds. My second visit was a day trip from Bologna in May and I only saw the highlights, with lots of crowds and some waiting in line.

Ferrara is another day trip possibility. I overnighted there and loved the town. Look at Eating Europe tours. It was highly recommended on a couple of recent posts, and I've been looking at them for my upcoming trip to Italy.

If you don't want to spend all 6 or 7 nights in Bologna, I highly recommend spending a night or two in Parma. It's a lovely city and was not overly crowded when we there last May. We stayed near the Piazza del Duomo, where you can visit the Cattedrale di Santa Maria Assunta and the Battistero. We enjoyed aimlessly wandering and stopping into several smaller churches. There was an interesting outdoor flea market when we were there. There are also 3 museums in the Palazzo della Pilotta but we didn't have time to visit. I would have enjoyed staying an extra night (so 2 nights instead of 1). We stayed at Palazzo dalla Rosa Prati, and they upgraded us to a huge, 2-bedroom apartment.

Getting to Turin will most likely mean flying into Milan and then making your way to Turin. The Malpensa airport (MPX) makes the most sense. You can choose to train or bus from the airport to Turin. My choice would be a direct bus from the airport, mostly because it avoids changes. After a long flight it's just more appealing to me.

Driving in the Piedmont is very easy. Just be sure you have your IDP and if you do drive, do not drink. We visited an enoteca/wine co-op in Neive at Via Cocito, 1 and had a very enjoyable time. Alba was a bit of a let down for us, but a lot of others really like it. It was a good place to base, though.

I would not shortchange Turin. It's a great city to visit. I would take one night from Alba and use it here. Some may encourage you to take a night from Bologna, but we love that city. Ravenna is a must-see. The mosaics are just stunning. We also enjoyed our visit to Ferrara. I would suggest you find a way to get from the train station to the old town. It's a long and boring walk.

Our favorite restaurant in Bologna is Trattoria di Via Serra. It's a bit off the beaten path and unless you can get a reservation (very tough) I would plan on getting there before they open for lunch. Another recommendation would be Hostaria San Carlino. And of course, Mo Mortadella for their amazing sandwiches.

Have a great trip!