Excessive Ditch Venice and Florence – This Italian city is more authentic | Europe | Travel

Rome, Venice and Florence are classic tourist destinations for people all over the world, including the UK. Their beauty and history make them very popular and as a result, they are extremely crowded (here you can see the busiest countries in Europe).

Anyone who has visited these world-famous cities knows that avoiding them involves fighting horde of tourists from all over the world. And this also means that we have to fight against all the problems that are in major tourist destinations: low-quality “tourist trap” restaurants, long lines to go anywhere, people trying to force people to buy things, and even pickpockets. In fact, Italy has recently been appointed as the worst country in Europe and the worst country in pickpockets.

Of course, these cities are well known for reasons. Of course, there are no chin-dropping wreckages of Rome's glad past, cars are prohibited, and the only way is to walk or board a small boat. Sicily is another Italian tourist hotspot, but one writer recently said that what she saw there felt she was unwelcome. And another Italian island is said to have some of the best beaches in the world.

But these heavyweights of European tourists have earned all the headlines, but there are a huge amount of Italian cities that rarely attract attention, and certainly deserve it.

Bologna is the capital of Italy's Emilia-Romagna region, and is about halfway between Venice and Florence. Today it is Italy's seventh largest city, but with a history dating back thousands of years, it has a perfect combination of history and a bustling modern city.

One of the claims of Bologna's fame is that it is home to the world's oldest university, but perhaps its outstanding selling point is the quality of its food. In fact, it is called “lagrassa” (fatty ones) because of its rich heritage of gastronomy. It is rumoured that the pasta itself was invented here, but whether it is true or not, Bologna is the origin of many foods you've definitely heard of. And, as a result, it is also a great place to eat them.

There's so much to do in Bologna, not to mention the clothing store that sells everything from high streets to high end, exploring cobblestone city centre streets and alleyways, ducking into bars, coffee shops, ice cream shops and restaurants.

Hidden Canal

Although they may not be as famous as Venice, Bologna has its own canal built in the 12th century to transport goods and people. The canal has been hidden mostly ever since, but if you look hard enough you can still find it. The Finestrella di via Piella has a fence on one side, allowing you to view the canal. However, the “hidden” windows allow you to cross the street for better views. This allows you to open yourself and take a look if it's closed.

The oldest university in the world

The University of Bologna is the oldest university in the world and its anatomical theatre, allowing patients to visit in front of students and other “experts” in the 17th century. The entire area around the university is worth wandering to absorb the atmosphere of learning that lasted centuries.

Piassa Mayor

Piazza Maggiore is the heart of Bologna and has more than similarities to Venice's world-famous Piazza San Mark. It dates back to 1200, so it is one of Italy's oldest (and largest) squares, and what you're looking at today is the pinnacle of 800 years of transformation that gave it the look and feel of the present. There are few better places to monitor people.

Walk through Portico di San Luca

This is an experience you can't miss. “Portico” is a covered corridor leading to the building, the longest in the world, and is 3.8km up to Santuario de la de la Madonnadine Luca. You can start a walk from the city centre itself and end surrounded by countryside with miles of views.

The people of Bologna will be determined to tell you that they have the best food in all of Italy. Try out Tagliatelle Al Ragu, Lasagne, Prosciutto, Tortellini, Mortadella and it's a must when you're there. Also, calling a bar at Aperitivo (evening drinks like spritz) to the bar will usually tweet a free selection of cold meat and cheese.

One of its best restaurants is, ironically, a restaurant specializing in food from Puglia in southern Italy. But don't let it put you down.

On the other hand, you have to be unlucky to wander around Tratoria or Osteria and are not served with really good quality and well-cooked pasta and cured meat. Osteria Dell'Orsa is often at the top of the list of visitors. Some places specialize in meat and sandwiches, such as the Mo Mortadella Lab and La Prosciutteria.

Again, almost anywhere in central Bologna, it's good to call for a spritz, a glass of wine, or a cold glass of beer. For something a little different, you can leave the city centre and head to two suburban-based pubs called Old Bridge and Dragon. These are modeled after British pubs, but you don't feel anything but the real Italian vibe, especially when the crowd comes down to watch football there (disclaimer: I know people who run both of these pubs very well, but I can still wholeheartedly recommend it!)

Bologna has a rather large, busy airport with regular flights from the UK every day, taking just over two hours. The British Airways fly regularly from Heathrow to Bologna, while Ryanair flies once a day from Stansted and from EasyJet from Gatwick. There are also flights from Manchester, Birmingham and Edinburgh. So it's a very easy city.

Furthermore, the international airport is located around the city, so it is a short trip from the airport to the main parts of the city itself. Bologna also has connected stations. From there you can either take 40 minutes to Florence or Venice in about an hour and a half. This makes it perfect for exploring Italy more. It is also located near Modena, famous for its headquarters with famous names such as the automotive industry and Lamborghini, Maserati and Ferrari.