Bologna is the capital of the Emilia-Romagna region in Northern Italy. As one of the wealthiest cities in Italy, this town has so much to offer in terms of history, architecture, food, and has Europe’s second largest historic center. This region is also home to one of my favorite wines, Sangiovese. A week could be spent meandering through the never-ending and ornate porticoes outlining the entire city, 24 miles of porticoes to be exact. The opulent porticoes act as “porches” along most sidewalks, making the city perfect to explore on a rainy day.

Bologna is also home to the oldest university in the world, University of Bologna, which is open to the public to explore.

Most importantly, Bologna is renowned for it’s culinary culture. The most famous item is the Bolognese sauce, this is a meat-based pasta sauce known as ragu in Italy. As in every Italian cuisine, cured meats and cheeses are a staple in Bologna. Prosciutto, mortadella, and salumi can be found in almost every shop and restaurant.

How to spend a couple days (or one) in Bologna:

• Find a centrally located hotel. We stayed at the beautiful, Hotel Touring, which had an even more alluring view of the red-roofed city.
• Wander the city under the porticoes, sit in the piazzas to people watch, and grab a cappuccino at an outdoor cafe.
• Pop in and out of the ornamented churches and innumerable museums.
• Eat, eat, and eat. I highly recommend All’Osteria Bottega. We had the most delectable plate of cured meats and cheeses along with lunch-sized pasta dishes at this quaint eatery.

And if you have time, check out the neighboring city of Modena, know for its balsamic vinegar and opera history – or test drive a Ferrari here!