Hi all,
Traveling in mid-September and staying 3 nights in each location. We have one extra night to spend in either Bologna or the Dolomites. Which would you do and why?
Varenna/Lake Como -> Bologna -> Dolomites -> Venice
We will have a car for the Dolomites portion, otherwise traveling by train. Two in our group cannot do long hikes, but want to ride the cable cars and explore the scenery of the Dolomites by car.
This is a tough call. What do the rest of your group prefer?
That is a hard decision
Bologna has so many great day trip options- are you planning any?
Ravenna, Ferrara, Padov, Modena etc
The rest of my group is on the fence. Would love to do some day trips and Bologna seems ideal for that ...
Having gone by train to Italy from France, Stayed in Verona near Lake Garda and visited Bologna, Rome, Florence, Assisi, Orvieto, my one wish is to visit the Dolomites - spectacular scenery I believe.
If I were making this decision it would be tilted towards how rainy weather would affect things. Hopefully the weather is good when you're in the Dolomites (we're actually going to be there around that same time), but if not an extra day increases the chances of a good day for a walk. On the other hand Bologna has literally miles of covered walkways since so many buildings have the 2nd floor built up over the sidewalk. So I'd spend the extra day in the Dolomites (which of course means every day there will be sunny!)
Sometimes I get flak for this, but here goes. I love scenery and North America is the best place for it and a lot closer for North Americans.
So I would (and have) spent more time in Bologna than the Dolomites. And I would go back to Bologna again if the opportunity presented itself. The city is underrated, likely because it doesn't have any major sights, but it does have enough sights to enjoy for at least a day and a half. And because it's a rail hub, it's easy to day trip to half a dozen other towns.
Appreciate your insights, thank you!
