Bologna

Bologna is located 50 mi/80 km north of Florence, a great place to indulge yourself, is also called "Bologna the fat," : consider it to be the gastronomic capital of Italy. Local specialties include tagliatelle, the Bolognese meat sauce called ragu and handmade tortellini. And, yes, the bologna in the sandwiches of your youth was a descendant of a local delicacy, mortadella. If you want challange head first to the symbol of the city, the Due Torri Two Towers, referred to in Dante's Inferno and climb the Torre degli Asinelli's almost 500 steps for a great view. And since most of the sights are clustered around the Piazza Maggiore, go there next. Don't miss the Basilica of San Petronio-while its unfinished facade may not thrill, the enormous interior is worth exploring. Also on Piazza Maggiore are the 16th-century Neptune Fountain and the Museo Morandi, which houses more than 200 works by 20th-century painter Giorgio Morandi. Bologna is also home to Europe's oldest university, where Dante and Petrarch, amongst other notables, studied. The famous to see there is the old wooden Anatomical Theater, where medical students observed dissections. While in the area, visit the Pinacoteca Nazionale, which has an excellent collection of Italian Renaissance art. For a little bit of nature, head to the Giardini Margarita, the city's much-used public park. Bologna is a convivial city and has much to offer in the way of nightlife. We particularly like the wine bars called cantine, have simple wooden tables, occasional live music, light snacks and fine wine lists. A few miles northwest is the town of Modena, which has an impressive 28-ft/88-m Ghirlandina bell tower. Modena is also the home of tenor Luciano Pavarotti and the Ferrari and Maserati auto companies.