How To Get There
The stretch from Bologna was the culmination of our five-day Italy trip. The quick trip started on Prosecco Road and next to the quiet town of Sacile with close friends. As with the other cities we visited, I put together a Bologna and Rome travel guide vlog to check out.
Bologna is about an hour and 45 minutes by car or train from the Venice airport. We had a car, which I recommend, which made our 45 minute drive from Modena manageable. A quicker option is to take the 20 minute train ride from Modena to Bologna.
Where To Stay
As I mentioned in my Modena travel guide, we left Modena in the morning, stopped in Bologna for a few hours, and then took the train to Rome. When we got to Rome, I had us booked at the Rome Marriott Park Hotel using a free award night from the Chase Marriott credit card.
The hotel, which is about a 30 minute drive outside of the city, worked well with us flying out in the morning the following day. If you are there for multiple days and looking to explore Rome, I’d book something closer.
AirBnB is an option I’d take a look at as well as hotel brands like Marriott, Hilton, and IHG, which have a number of properties near the city center.
What To Do
The first half of our day was spent in Bologna which ended up being more touristy (not too bad) than Parma and Bologna. We ordered our go-to macchiatone and brioches for breakfast at cafe on Piazza Maggiore and walked from there.
As Ashlee mentioned in her Italy post, the city is known for its Bolognese sauce and boloney. Just outside of the main piazza, we stumbled upon the Two Towers. Had we planned more, we would have taken the Tower tour that provides panoramic views of the surrounding area.
After exploring Bologna, our friends dropped us off at the train station. From there we took the 2.5 hour train ride to Rome.
The Rome attractions list is well documented so I’ll share our experience based what we saw. As you might expect, Rome is slammed with tourists. Unlike our time in Parma, Modena, and Bologna, tourists are everywhere.
While we only had a 1/2 day, we made efficient use of our time. Our first stop was St. Peter’s Square (surprisingly not touristy) followed by the Spanish Steps (crowded) and onto the Trevi Fountain (crowded).
The night ended at the Pantheon which is exactly what we needed. The area is much more relaxed with restaurants surrounding the piazza fountain.
When we get back to Rome, the Sistine Chapel and Colosseum will be on our list!
Where To Eat/Drink
After eating lunch near St. Peter’s and exploring that afternoon, we grabbed dinner at Osteria da Fortunata. The restaurant is in a much quieter area and got more crowded as the night went on. We opted for a pre-dinner aperol spritz which we followed up with homemade pasta and wine.
We left dinner to head to the Pantheon which we heard would be ideal at night. It didn’t disappoint. Wine and gelato are available in the piazza which was great as we sat on the steps and people watched.
Conclusion
Bologna was more of my style but Rome is a city that you can’t miss. If you’re looking for less tourists and a laid back city, Bologna will be great. If you enjoy sightseeing and don’t mind battling other tourists, Rome won’t disappoint.
Have you been to Bologna or Rome? Do you have recommendations on what to do or where to eat/drink? If yes, please let me know in the comments or by sending me an email pointswithq@gmail.com.
