Where to stay

Consider accommodations in Borgo Panigale, just east of the city, for tours of the Ducati Museum. The Bologna City Centre is the prime location for baroque, gothic and medieval architecture. Some hotels are close to the Archeological Museum and Piazza Maggiore, while the MAMbo Museum, near Bologna Centrale train station, is a must-see for modern art. Book rooms in Piazza Verdi, the center of Bologna's university area, which holds a beautiful 18th-century opera house in a city known for its classical music. Alternatively, accommodations in the Santo Stefano neighborhood, centered on Piazza Santo Stefano, are ideal for discovering the basilicas of the area known as Sette Chiese ("Seven Churches").

For great window-shopping, the 16th-century L'antico Ghetto Ebraico (Jewish Ghetto) has artisan workshops with textiles and arts, as well as plenty of hotel rooms. Stay here for an easy stroll around an area full of colorful houses and hidden canals. Consider staying in accommodations near Piazza dell'Otto Agosto to buy vintage goods from the big flea market held on the square every weekend. Stay in the Bologna City Centre to walk to the luxurious stores on Via Farini, with the finest designer labels, including Italian favorites: Versace, Dolce & Gabbana and Furla.

Bologna people love their food. The city even has a museum devoted to gelato, not far from hotels in Borgo Panigale. Consider accommodations in Eastern Bologna for one of the world's largest food parks at FICO Eataly World, 20 minutes by shuttle bus from Bologna Centrale train station. Stay in hotels in the popular neighborhood of L'antico Ghetto Ebraico for tiny bakeries and artisan shops along colorful streets filled with character. Alternatively, choose a room near the indoor market of Mercato delle Erbe in the Bologna City Centre to enjoy the café culture of this great neighborhood. Step into the narrow alleys of the Quadrilatero off Piazza Maggiore, an atmospheric area around the old medieval market. Shop at independent stores selling handmade pasta, mortadella, and salamis.