San Giacomo Maggiore (St. James), Bologna

Advantages: A real Italian city, without many tourists
Disadvantages: Lots of students (but then that also adds to the charms of the city)

...level of a building out above the pathways, would provide for extra rooms. Famous sons of Bologna include Guglielmo Marconi - famous for the radio. Sadly Bologna also has seen some tragedy in its history. In the 1980s, right-wing terrorists planted a bomb in the waiting room at the railway station, killing 84 people. The huge jagged gash in the thick wall of the waiting room caused by the bomb has been left as a monument to this sad point of the city's history, next to a memorial plaque containing the names of those sadly killed. Tourist sites that you must see: Piazza Maggiore and fountain of Neptune; the 2 towers (try walking to the top of la Torre Asinelli for fantastic views over the red roofs of the city); the church at Santo Stefano; the Santuario di San Luca (on a hill overlooking the city) - with the 3.6km of covered arcaded... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: centrally located, large rooms, excellent value
Disadvantages: some rooms on the top floor too hot in winter

...I know the Palace Hotel in Bologna because I stayed there every year when we had our annual teachers' conference. I would say it is a superior three star hotel. First the location- it is very central just a few minutes walk from the main square Piazza Maggiore. It is tucked away in a small street off the main Via dell'Indipendenza. The organisation I worked for chose the hotel I think because of its central location and also because it has a large number of rooms. All are comfortable and perfectly well appointed. There is a certain old world style reception area. The quality price trade -off is just right. Breakfast is usually included and is more than adequate. They had a full breakfast bar the last time I was there and you can order coffee or tea from the staff. They have great cornetti as well which are fresh every morning from... Read review

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Advantages: Good food
Disadvantages: A bit boring

...Bologna. I have been twice in Bologna, once was fro concert on the outskirts, the second time for the wedding of my cousin with a guy from Bologna. I had a chance to visit a bit of the City when we went for the wedding, because we stayed there the night before. To be honest with you, Bologna is nothing special, although the centre is nice, but I remember it as a bit noisy. What was very good was the food we had the night before the wedding, and at the wedding. Tortellini are a speciality from Bologna, and you can also have plenty of good cheese Parmigiano and cured meat, like Prosciutto di Parma. What I found nice, are the mountains just out of Bologna, called Appennini. In summer it can be very stuffy in Bologna and the mountains are never too far away. Keep it in mind if you go there in summer and it is too hot.... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful