Bologna

Bologna is the capital of Emilia Romagna and makes a fantastic base for exploring the legendary 'food valley'. The city's history stretches back a few hundred years before Christ and it is home to the oldest university in Europe. These facts are responsible for two of the nicknames Bologna owns with pride. La Dotta – 'the learned one' and La Grassa – 'the fat one'. Truly you're never far from a spectacular meal in Bologna, as long as you're not vegan. Emilia Romagna might not be a name that's as well known as neighboring Tuscany but its food specialties are renowned the world over. The king of Italian cheeses: Parmigiano Reggiano, Prosciutto di Parma and traditional Aceto Balsamico are all from around here and a visit to see how they're produced is a must.

The recently opened Eataly World on the edge of Bologna is worth a day to itself, If you've been to an Eataly in the US, this is all that and more, with demonstrations and classes running throughout the day. Petrolheads will also find much to love in Emilia Romagna. Ferrari, Lamborghini, Ducati and Maserati are all produced close by and have museums or factory tours available. If 'slow food' and fast cars aren't your thing then Bologna still doesn't disappoint. A thriving arts scene means you'll easily find a more cultured diversion, from art galleries to operas. And if you want to work up an appetite, the gently leaning Asinelli Tower's almost 500 steps will help you burn some calories. From the top you'll see why Bologna has another nickname 'La Rossa' – the red one, as you gaze out over the red tiled roofs of the old city, which escaped WWII largely undamaged by Allied bombing raids.