While Bologna even has its own, albeit somewhat hidden selection of canals, if you are coming from Venice, then you’ll likely be more intrigued by the twin leaning towers, mouth-watering cuisine, and the impressive architecture of countless churches, cathedrals and plazas.

Basilica di San Petronio, Bologna, Emilia Romagna | Ph. Daniel Clarke
Bologna is a city of art, of music, and of gastronomy – and somewhere I love dearly. It’s here you’ll find the oldest western university in the world, founded in 1088, and today it’s history can be found across the city. From grand libraries that will take your breath away, to historic medical training facilities set around a wooden amphitheatre.
To visit Bologna is to visit the university, as it sprawls out across the city. Bologna itself is linked together by some 40-kilometres of porticos (covered walkways), each one taking you to a new wonder. Medieval palaces sit alongside Romanesque cathedrals in grand squares, and the city’s architecture spans centuries of different influences.

Porticos, Bologna, Emilia Romagna | Ph. Daniel Clarke
You could easily spend days exploring the numerous galleries and museums in the city thanks to the countless famed artists who have decorated the city, from Michelangelo‘s sculpture work to Morandi‘s paintings. Beyond the adorned walls and halls, there are numerous adorned plates with food being just as much a work of art in the region.
In Bologna, you can sample traditional ragù Bolognese, alongside local homemade pasta such as tagliatelle and tortellini, while the region as a whole offers many Protected Designation of Origin flavours.
From Prosciutto di Parma and Parmigiano Reggiano to Lambrusco and Traditional Balsamic Vinegar – all of which can be sampled on this itinerary in their ‘birthplaces’.
There’s a reason Emilia-Romagna is often referred to as the ‘home of food’.