Bologna Archives - The Bright Eyed Explorer

2 weeks in Italy: A guide to seeing Northern & Central Italy

February 18, 2020October 28, 20222 Weeks in Italy, Adventure, Bologna, Carry on luggage, Carry on only, Cinque Terre, Europe, Florence, Food, Historical sites, History, Hotels & Eateries, Italy, Leisure, Rome, Sightseeing, Solo Adventures, Solo female travel, Solo travel, Travel, Venice admin

Have 2 weeks in Italy and not sure where to travel aside from Rome and Florence?

Here is my itinerary in full from my recent trip to Northern & Central Italy. It includes some handy information, advice on how many days to spend in each place, how to get to and from places, where to stay in cities and also links to reviews of accommodation and tours.

The Aussie/Italian connection – The history nerd in me had to go there!

Read on if history is not your thing.

Italy has always held a great interest to me as a traveller. I mean come on, all that food, that wine, all that history and culture! What’s not to love about Italy? For Australians, the Italian connection is huge and it is never more apparent than in Melbourne (where I live).

Here’s why:

After World War 2 ended the suffering caused by war and the widening economic gulf between the classes provided a need for many Italians to seek a better life elsewhere. The Italian government of the 1950s and 1960s, struggling to feed, house and find employment for its citizens, actively promoted migration to Australia (and other countries). At the same time, Australia was embarking on an industrialisation and population program which would open the door to mass migration.

In the 1950s Italian migration to Australia was at its peak. Between July 1947 and 1950 over 33,000 Italians migrated to Australia. The following decade saw the arrival of over 170,000 Italians with the majority of migrants settling in the inner suburbs of Melbourne and Sydney.

From Italian migration, Melbourne grew its reputation of being one of the most respected foodie towns in the world. With Carlton’s Lygon Street being one of the most famous Italian streets outside of Italy. People come from all over to have a taste of our mixed heritage twist on Nona’s famous recipes. But It wasn’t just food that the Italian’s brought with them. There was the coffee, wine, culture, art and history. Something that Melbourne and Australia is undoubtedly indebted to.

It also gave us all new friends. New families. New ways of living.

So, it was inevitable that someday, I was getting on a plane to visit the original home of so many Australians.

My Itinerary at a glance

Venice	2 days
Bologna	2 days
Cinque Terre	2 days
Florence	6 days
Rome	4 days

This included travel to and from places (all up about a day of travelling via train)

My Itinerary in depth

I started my 2 weeks in Italy in Venice after catching the train from Salzburg, Austria. Weirdly, you really do get a sense of being in another country as soon as you cross the border into Italy. Gone is the order and beauty of Austria, in its place is what feels like a sense of franticness, things are just a little more chaotic and messier. It’s not a bad thing, in fact therein lies a beauty in what appears chaotic. Its charming, it is quaint, often loud and proud yet it is a reflection upon the people of Italy. Kind of reminded me of a few of my Italian/Australian friends back home

VENICE

Instantly upon arrival in Venice I was in love. And lost. You step out of the train station to a crowd of people, mostly tourists, some local. That is Venice in the warmer months, busy! And then there is working out where the hell you are. I used Google Maps all the time and it worked ok but still I managed to get lost. I stayed in the Cannaregio area of Venice for two nights.

At the time, while I absolutely loved the first day and really did appreciate Venice’s charm, by day two I was ready to move on. Unfortunately, I was there on Italy’s Liberation Day which coincidently had also fallen on the same day as Venice’s saint day, St Marks Day. In Hindsight now that I am home, I wish I had of stayed longer. But more on that later.

You can read more about my Venice experience here:

BOLOGNA

From Venice I ventured on to Bologna via train. My apartment was 10 minutes by foot in the university district; a 5-minute walk to Centro Storico. You don’t hear much about Bologna in Australia. That is until you start researching. As soon as you google ‘food’ and ‘Italy’ Bologna is the common denominator. Bologna for me would be all about food. Well pasta. In particular ‘Ragu Tagliatelle’ or as Aussies like to call it ‘Spag Bol’. I ate it, a lot.

I really liked Bologna. Tourists were outweighed by locals by a long mile, and that was a much-needed change after being in Venice. The food was outstanding, the locals were super friendly and the Centro Storico was truly beautiful.

You can find out more of my foodie experience in Bologna here:

CINQUE TERRE

From Bologna I was off to the Cinque Terre. Getting there took 3 train trips over the space of quite a few hours (including train delays). The train takes you from Bologna to Florence to Pisa to La Spezia to the Cinque Terre. The Cinque Terre is 5 (Cinque) towns (Terre = lands in Italian) on the west coast of Italy. Not too far from Florence, if you have a car. Close to Pisa if you want to see the leaning tower. The 5 towns are cut into the cliff face and are just exquisite. They’re small, quaint and colourful.

The first night I stayed in Monterosso, which is the flattest of the 5 towns. Located at the northern end of the Cinque Terre, it is the only one of the 5 towns to have a beach. The second night I stayed in Riomaggiore, which is the southern end of the Cinque Terre, or the closest to Pisa. Both towns were equally as beautiful as the other. While I was in the Cinque Terre, I also travelled through the other towns Vernazza, Corniglia and Manarola, albeit briefly as I only had 2 days there.

I loved the Cinque Terre. For a place that is touristy, it is also very lovely. Once the day tourists leave, the 5 town’s charm really comes to life. I did a fair bit of shopping, eating and drinking. The locals are next level lovely and welcoming making for an all-round great experience.

You can learn more about my Cinque Terre experience here:

FLORENCE

I have ALWAYS wanted to visit Florence. It for me was like Paris, a city of immense history, brilliant art and amazing culture. SO MUCH MEDICI!!! Rather than stay for a couple of days, I chose to stay for a week. Taking up home in an apartment for 4 nights on one side of the River Arno and 2 nights in the more touristy area. I wanted a base to call home for a while, to wash clothes, cook food and immerse myself in day to day life.

Again, I ate & drank to excess but shopped as much as I ate. Florence is after all known worldwide for its fashion and notably its leather, of which I was a few hundred euro less for! Florence’s beauty lies in Florence itself. The majesty of it all, the buildings, the art that lines the streets, the river Arno, the hills and mountains surrounding the city, and the famed Tuscan wineries only a short distance away. Literally everywhere I turned, I was in travel love all over again! Florence really had everything to offer and let me tell you, it sure did on so many levels.

You can read more about my Florence experience here:

ROME

It was hard to leave Florence, but Rome was looming like this beating heart that would not quieten down. Part of me was scared of Rome and the other part was probably too excited. So yes, I was anxious. I arrived in Rome only to find that my apartment was literally a 10-minute walk from the Colosseum. Winning!

Rome = history. And that is what I got a huge dose of in the 4 days that I was there. 4 days was not nearly enough but knowing I had the southern parts of Italy to explore I knew that I’d eventually be back to explore more.

For a huge city, I loved Rome! It literally blew my mind. The Colosseum, the Forum, Palatine Hill, Pantheon, and the Vatican. And getting lost. So amazingly lost, but what an experience it was to be able to ‘roam’ around Rome (yes ok!! Total Dad joke). There is so much more that I didn’t get to see and at times Rome was so overwhelming just because there is so much, but I will definitely go back. After all, I do want to see the Colosseum again.

Read more about my amazing Rome experiences by following these two stories: ‘An overview of getting lost amongst ancient history’ and ‘4 days in Rome: challenge accepted’

My advice – what I’d do differently

Stay longer!

Honestly, unless you are going to stay in just 2-3 cities with a few day trips 2 weeks in Italy does not give you a lot of time to explore and I only did Northern & Central Italy. And that was not enough

But if you are short on time, here is my advice:

Venice – Instead of 2 days, make it at least 3 and travel out to the islands of Burano and Murano. Something I wish I had the time to do but didn’t. And maybe don’t go when there is a public holiday and saint day all in one. Venice is busy enough.

Bologna – I was happy with my 2 days in Bologna; however, I could have allocated more time to Venice and Cinque Terre. So, with that in mind a good idea would be to base yourself in Florence and do day trips if you are short on time, but don’t not go. It is a fabulous city.

Cinque Terre – I could have stayed here a week. It was that relaxing, beautiful and just downright lovely. It is expensive though so if you are on a budget, I would recommend 3 – 4 days in the Cinque Terre. Pick one of the towns to stay in and move around the 5 towns by train. They run quite frequently.

Florence – This is personal choice. While I did 6 days in Florence you can afford to do 3 – 5 days and still see a lot. There really is so much to see and do in Florence. Remember if you are into wine, the Tuscany tours generally take up a day.

Rome – How long is a piece of string? I mean you could spend 4 days like I did and still enjoy yourself and see a lot of historical sites. But it is nowhere near enough time to immerse yourself into all that is Rome. It is a hectic city and that may not float your boat. I would recommend 4 – 6 days. And, whatever you missed out on or want to see again, simply go back some other time.

My conclusion on 2 weeks in Italy

Just go!

While Italy is a path well-worn Italy certainly is never boring!

And the food and wine is BEYOND exceptional.

There is just so much to experience so chances are your experience will be different to the next persons. It is not just all that fabulous food and wine, history, art and architecture that set’s Italy apart, I think their way of life is something that the rest of us could (and should) get accustomed to. Also, Italian’s have this unique way of making your stay special thanks to their sense of hospitality. Adopt an Italian friend on your stay and you’ll be so well looked after. And fed.

Accommodation reviews:

Florence Apartment The Bright Eyed Explorer

Tour reviews:

2 nights in Bologna – The foodie capital of Italy

July 28, 2019October 28, 2022Adventure, Bologna, Carry on luggage, Carry on only, Europe, Food, Hotels & Eateries, Italy, Leisure, Sightseeing, Solo Adventures, Solo female travel, Solo travel, Travel, Uncategorized admin

Bologna is the largest city in the Emillia Romangna region of northern Italy. It is kind of half way between Venice and Florence. Known as La Rossa (the red), La Grassa (the fat) and La Dotta (the learned), Bologna is famous for its ancient architecture and terracotta colour buildings, rich beautiful food and being home to the first and oldest university in Europe. Not as busy as Venice, Rome, or Florence but certainly a city that is worth a visit when travelling through Italy.

For me, it was all about the food! Being a huge fan of Italian food and in particular Spaghetti Bolognaise (hey that is what it is called in Australia) I knew I had to make Bologna a stop on my recent trip to Italy. After two hectic days in Venice, Bologna was a very welcomed change of pace for me.

To get to Bologna from Venice, I jumped on a train that took about an hour and 20 minutes and cost $25 AUD. Too easy! I chose to stay in the university neighbourhood in the Centro Storico (historical centre) of Bologna which is literally a 10-minute walk into Piazza Maggiore and the Fountain of Neptune. Through Booking.com I managed to find a lovely 1-bedroom apartment to which the owner was simply lovely and very accommodating giving me loads of handy hints, places to eat and areas to explore. My review of Le Casine Di Vladimir (my apartment) is here.

After familiarising myself with the apartment I was off to explore the area. I spent a few hours roaming around Bologna’s famous (and very beautiful) porticos, people watching, grocery shopping and beer drinking at Cluricaune Irish Pub. Upon numerous recommendations from locals and people back in Australia it was an absolute must that I try out one of Bologna’s most famous Osterias ‘Osteria dell’Orsa’.

The place is loaded with people at all hours looking for a cheap, simple but authentic meal. Often there is a wait for a table with people queuing out the front, but the lines apparently move fairly quickly. With this in mind, I decided to miss the crowds and line up and have an early dinner. I managed to score a seat on a shared table filled with the united nations of diners. My table was mixed with a few locals, Germans, Singaporeans, a solo Israeli traveler and this solo Aussie chick. Every single one of us ordered the same. Tagliatelle al Ragu. Or as Australian’s like to call it, spaghetti bolognaise (I promise to never call it that again!)

Let. Me. Tell. You…. How AMAZING this simple bowl of pasta was. It was freaking delightful, never have a tasted a pasta dish like it. So good that I am pretty sure that my eyes rolled back in my head at one point. My dinner comrades must have felt the same as you could hear a pin drop at our table while eating, only 5 minutes before that we were all laughing and telling travel stories! The food is all sourced locally and the pasta is home made. The wine is sourced from a town called Imola which is located 40 kilometres from Bologna. If you’re in Bologna, definitely definitely, definitely put Osteria dell’Orsa on your must do list.

With a full belly, I left the Osteria, grabbed some wine and headed off to Piazza Maggiore to do more people watching while reading, writing and drinking my wine like a local. On a warm spring night there is no better way to enjoy the best of Bologna, the locals certainly enjoy it probably more than the tourists.

The next day I had booked myself on a walking foodie tour. Being in the food capital of Italy doing a food tour was simply a must. You can read more about the food tour in my review ‘Best of food in Bologna’ but, this is when I had my first of many gelati on my trip to Italy. I was soon to become hooked! I was also able to take in more of Bologna’s famous sites, including the famous leaning Asinelli towers. Situated in the heart of Bologna, the towers were built in the 12^th century and both have an impressive lean on them which is an interesting view from below when looking up. These two towers have more than a lean on them than the famous ‘Leaning Tower of Pisa’. Pretty impressive. After the tour I wandered around the food market and purchased my dinner Lasagne alla Bolognese as well as some really rich balsamic vinegar and other foodie treats for the rest of my trip. It was an early exit to the Cinque Terre the next morning so a home cooked meal fresh from the market in my humble little apartment was a perfect end to my short stay in Bologna.

Bologna really is an Italian food lover’s paradise. The Bolognesi are clearly very passionate about their food, wine and produce and so they should be! It all really is of such high quality. The absolutely lovely thing is that they also nurture the recipes that have been passed down from generations. The food is traditional and while it is simple you really can feel the love and care that has gone into perfecting these recipes. When eating out in Bologna you really get the impression that you are eating food that has been lovingly passed down from the chefs Nona.

Although my stay in Bologna was quite short, it was really enjoyable. I felt safe, comfortable and relaxed. It is a picturesque city with a really cool vibe. I will definitely head back to Bologna and stay longer the next time I am in Italy.

Read how full of food and happy I was in 2 days exploring Venice in my blog post 2 days in Venice, Italy: Lost, happy & full of food!

Best of food in Bologna

The tour was run by Elisabeth whom I discovered through AirBnB experiences. Elisabeth is actually from the Netherlands but I specifically chose her to take the tour so I could gain an outsider’s perspective on living in Bologna. Elisabeth is a student and attends university in Bologna. Specifically choosing Bologna for the chance to learn more about Italian food, art and culture.

The tour took us on foot through to Bologna’s oldest chocolate shop Majani Cioccolato Boutique which was established in 1796. In Majani, I was treated to sampling 4 chocolates of which I purchased one of each to ‘take home’. None of the chocolate I purchased even left Italy as I ate it all. Too good not to. My favourite was the FIAT Cremino, a 4-layer velvety alternation of hazelnut and almond paste, with sublime creaminess.

After Majani we walked through one of Bologna’s many food markets. We sampled some Piadina’s together which was a great chance to ask a lot of questions and take in the morning ritual of market shopping by the locals. It was especially nice to have Elisabeth sit down and eat with me.

The next stop was another food market area which was quite close to the Piazza Maggiore area. The streets are lined with butchers, fruit and vegetable shops, seafood places, bakeries and traditional Italian food shops. We were also able to sample some cheese and balsamic vinegar from around the area. I really enjoyed this part of the tour and made the decision to head back later to buy some lasagne alla bolognaise which I had been eyeing off.

Wondering around for a while we purchased some Crescentins (also known as Tigelle) which are a type of small flat bread that were filled with some meats and cheeses from the local area. We grabbed our food and ended up at Osteria del Sole that from memory was the oldest of its kind in Bologna. What an amazing little place. Families gather there with their own little picnics gathered from the surrounding markets and feast together with wine purchased at the bar. We sat on a lively table of a family that was celebrating just being together. Amazing to watch and be a part of. Elisabeth purchased our wine and after talking and eating and drinking and having such a great time, I ended up buying us more wine. Of course.

Lastly, we headed off along Bolognas famous porticos to Elizabeth’s favourite gelati place. My first (of many) gelati in Italy and let me tell you it was every bit as wonderful as I had imagined it to be. The shop has an abundance of flavours to try, I settled on two after a long wait trying to decide which ones to have.

For a 3-hour tour we certainly packed in a hell of a lot and I did not need to eat breakfast (which I was advised not to upon booking) or lunch. For just under $100 AUD this tour was certainly worth every dollar spent. Not only was the food amazing but being able to head into some places I would never have thought to if I was on my own was a really great experience. For someone whom is a new local to Bologna she certainly knows its history and stories really well. Elisabeth is also lovely, vibrant and a truly charming person to be around.

I’d highly recommend booking Elisabeth for your walking food tour of Bologna.

You can book Elisabeth through AirBnB Experiences

Check out more about my stay in Bologna in my post 2 nights in Bologna – The foodie capital of Italy

Bologna Apartment : Le Casine Di Vladimir

Apartment in Bologna

I stayed two nights in Le Casine Di Vladimar whilst in Bologna. The apartment is about a ten minute walk from the main train station and less than ten minutes from the Centro Storico (main centre). There are some great café’s, bars, restaurants and grocery stores close by. Easily accessible on the second floor of the apartment building. The apartment is secure and you don’t hear much from neighbours or from the crowds in the Piazza close by.

It’s a quaint apartment fitted out with all the necessities needed for your stay. Importantly there is a washing machine which comes in real handy when you are travelling around Europe using only carry on size luggage.

The one bedroom is huge! You could fit a cot or another single bed in there if needed. The bed is super comfortable and dressed in modern bed linens. In the bedroom there is a wardrobe to hang clothes, hair dryer, clothes horse (to dry clothes), an iron, ironing board, desk and anything else you could need.

The lounge and kitchen area leads out to a small balcony. The couch in the lounge can fold out into a bed for more than two guests. There is no TV but seriously, who needs a TV when you are on holidays. The kitchen is fully equip with everything need for your stay and to cook meals. The owner supplies coffee and tea and other such things you may need for your morning wake up drink.

The owner is really lovely. She says she doesn’t speak English that well but I thought she really did very well. She gave me many recommendations on where to eat, drink and what to visit.

If you’re headed to Bologna and looking for an apartment to base yourself I would highly recommend LeCasine Di Vladimar. I’ll definitely stay again when in Bologna next.

Check out my 2 day review of Bologna, the food capital of Italy here