Siena vs Bologna Smackdown!

Siena is wonderful, we did it thoroughly in one full day, spending two nights there.
Bologna was a disappointment. It was OK, but not on the list of top 25 places in Italy. Ravenna was much better.

I spent five nights in Siena, and was not bored. I did take an afternoon day trip to Monteriggioni.

Bologna is a relatively short train ride to Venice. Have you been there? I would prefer a few nights in Venice to a few nights in Bologna. Perhaps you would like to spend that extra night you gained closer to Rome before you fly out the next day.

If you're driving I would say Siena because of all the other Tuscan towns you could visit from there as day trips (Volterra, Colle di Val d'Elsa,San Gimignano, Montepulciano). If you're taking trains, then Bologna has great day trip options by train (Padua, Parma, Ravenna, even Milan).

Quite enjoyed Bologna this September with its interesting porticos and oh such delicious pastas - large tortelloni, ravioli & lasagna verde. Favourite restaurants were Al Sangiovese & Osteria Al 15 as well as eating at the Mercato di Mezzo food court. Eataly was good too. We stayed in an apartment to take advantage of the markets & cook some dinners. Enjoyed climbing all 498 steps of their tower & our day trips by train to Parma & Ferrara. Never made it to Ravenna as temps hit 33C during our stay and we weren’t up to an hour regional train ride to tour. Do regret that.

I haven't been to Siena, but spent nine nights in Bologna this summer. We did lots of day trips from there (and slept in Ravenna for three nights before arriving in Bologna). You can absolutely find great things to do both in the city and an easy day-trip away.

I love Siena BUT recommend adding your extra night to Bologna. You have so many choices for day trips--Ravenna, Parma, Modena, Ferrara...and more. Plus, Bologna has a fair share of its own worthy sites.

I totally agree with Den. Bologna, as a transport hub, offers many great opportunities for worthwhile day trips. If you have a car and visit Bologna, get rid of the vehicle ASAP. It would be nothing but a headache in the city.

Nancy's response is spot on.

If you opt for Bologna I would recommend a day trip to Ravenna if you're an art lover. The mosaics are just amazing. Spending a day wandering in Padua would also be a treat.

Thanks for the input, everyone. These are just the kinds of responses I was hoping for.

We will not be driving, so ease of day trips is a factor. We've spent a few hours in Siena, on the Village Italy tour, but not nearly long enough to explore the city.

Bologna has been on my "want to go" list for years. And we've been to Ravenna, also on the VI tour, and again, not enough time. So we're open to just about anything. I'd love to go to Ravenna again, and we're interested in both Parma and Faenza.

And using Siena as a base, there's San Gimignano, Montalcino, Monteriggioni...

Some local friends spent about a week in Siena last year and took a number of day trips, including a day long wine tour. We're checking into that, as well.

So many wonderful things to do and see; so little time!

I forgot to mention that we have also been to Venice; we would love to go back, but have decided that when we do it will be for several days at least, and definitely in the off-season.