Solo Travel in Bologna, Italy
With its colorful alleys, charming architecture, and miles of porticoes, Bologna is a city like no other. Despite its landlocked location, I immediately found myself daydreaming about planting roots in this laid back city — waking up to the smell of garlic, spending the day walking from cafe to cafe, meeting friends for Aperitivo, and immersing myself in the culture.
Loneliness often creeps in at some point during a visit to a new city — but in Bologna, I never felt lonely. I didn’t mind wandering the streets alone, browsing the street markets, requesting a table for one, or finding my way around the busy train station.
I found Bologna surprisingly easy to navigate, even for this directionally-challenged traveler. Despite Scott not joining me this trip, my days were never boring. I don’t think I would ever grow tired of making the 3.8 km trek to the Sanctuary of the Madonna di San Luca or gazing at the expanse of orange-colored buildings and miniature buses from the Asinelli tower.
Besides wandering the streets and exploring the cafe culture, I grew fond of my daily trips to the grocery store — a two-minute walk from the apartment — where I always knew I would find the freshest cheese and Prosciutto.
Just next door stood a small pizza shop, with margarita pizza for a mere 2.5 euros and a line of locals out the door. Osteria dell’Orsa (another local favorite) was just around the corner for a taste of the traditional Tagliatelle al Ragu.
I think Bologna is often overlooked because of its location. It’s sandwiched between three of the most popular cities in Italy — Milan, Venice and Florence. This city is perfect for travelers who have had their fill of the traditional sightseeing spots in Italy.
If you want to really get to know Italy and immerse yourself in the culture, then Bologna won’t disappoint.
This post was brought to you as a result of the #Blogville campaign, created and managed by iambassador in partnership with Emilia Romagna Tourism. As always, all opinions are my own.
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Very interesting ! Thank you, Christy !
I’m from Napoli (Naples); I never saw Bologna, well I’m 50 I have time. Congratulations.
Amazing! Bologna is totally my kind of a place – pizza, cafes, old buildings…
Charming pictures 🙂
So achingly beautiful, Christy! Fantastic photographic captures!
Thank you so much, Henry!
Lovely photos! It really does look colorful and charming, and waking up to garlic in the morning sounds amazing. Thanks for sharing this! – Vanessa
Thanks, Vanessa!
Sounds like I would LOVE Bologna!
I bet you would!
Bologna…must give it another try. (Not the sandwich meat)
Haha. Yeah, the sandwich meat is gross. 🙂
Nice to hear you enjoyed being there by yourself. I would love to stay in Bologna. I haven’t been there but everything I’ve read makes me want to visit!
I hope you make it there, Jenna. I absolutely love Italy, but some of the cities can be a little overwhelming with tourists, so it’s nice to find a place where it feels like you are mingling with the locals.
I’m planning a trip there in the fall. Thanks for confirming my city choice!
No problem! I hope you enjoy your trip!
Beautiful photos. I love Bologna but have not been there in forever. Need to get back there the next time I go back to Italy.
Thank you, Elena. It only took me four visits to Italy to find this gem.
Gorgeous photos. And seriously beautiful colours, too. Makes me feel all calm and contented just looking at them!
Thanks, Katie!
Really lovely photos Christy. I’d love to visit this beautiful city. It’s so colourful and interesting to look at.
Thanks, Jen! The city was extremely photogenic.
Your photos are dreamy! There are definitely some cities that are perfect for solo travel – where you just can’t feel lonely. Good to know you’ve found one!
Thank you, Laura!