4 Easy Day Trips from Bologna

Day trips from Bologna are almost too easy. This city makes an ideal base for exploring the treasures of Emilia-Romagna and beyond.

During our month-long stay, we took side trips to Modena, Ravenna, Mantova, and Verona. We visited Modena alone three times. Not on purpose, and not our best planning. Each town offers its own distinct charm, history, and incredible food.  Read on for the goods.

Curious about the full story of our month living and working in Bologna? Start here.

Looking for a deep dive into what to see, do, and eat in Bologna itself? Click here.

sleek Italian trains

First, a word about the trains

Italian trains are gorgeous. Sleek, chic, beautifully designed.  But punctual? That’s another story. The fast trains (Frecce) mostly run on-time, but regional and city trains seem to operate on more of a suggested schedule. Bring snacks and a flexible attitude. And pray there’s no strike.

Also, the Trenitalia app is an absolute disaster, requiring a password reset at every login. You can usually buy tickets at the station, but prices—especially for the fast trains—tend to creep up the closer you get to departure time.   So pick your poison.

Try finding your train

Getting out of Bologna is famously confusing. The station is a maze with four separate wings: the main platforms, an underground annex with the high-speed trains. A few minutes’ run away.  Yes, we full-sprinted it to make an especially tight connection. And, separate East and West wings for regional lines. So, Track 3 is not the same as Track 3 West. We learned that the hard way. Consider this your official warning.

Finally, plan for stairs.  There are elevators, but no ramps, so if you’re in a rush, you and your baggage are hoofing it up the stairs.

Modena

We ended up in Modena more often than we planned—and not just because it’s only 20 minutes by train from Bologna. Modena has a lot going for it: Vinegar, food, Ferraris.  Did we mention the food?

our ride

Let’s start with the Ferraris

Driving one is every bit the thrill you imagine. Our 60-minute test drive with Pushstart was an adrenaline rush. The instructor kept urging Doug to “push it,” and push it he did.  He pushed it, passing car after car when the solid center line was clearly saying “Don’t do it” and the oncoming traffic was saying “I dare you.”

He pushed it through mountain roads, barreling around curves in a way that made us appreciate just how well those wheels grip the road.  He pushed it in town, right up until the moment when Riccardo said “finito” as we approached the speed camera.

After the drive, we visited both Ferrari museums: the Enzo Ferrari Museum in Modena (focused on Enzo’s life and the older vehicles) and the Ferrari Museum in Maranello (more modern and F1). Even if you’re not a gearhead, they’re worth a visit—but probably not an all-day affair unless you’re a superfan.

Parmigiano Reggiano and Aceto Balsamico di Modena

Next the food

Modena is also a hub for two of Italy’s most revered DOP (protected designation of origin) food products: Parmigiano Reggiano and Aceto Balsamico di Modena. So, for our 2nd visit to the city, we toured and tasted formaggi at 4 Madonne Caseificio dell’Emilia and vinegar at Acetaia Giusti. Interesting stops that will forever impact how we purchase cheese and vinegar in the U.S.

Fun facts

Fun fact: Parmigiano Reggiano can only bear the name if it’s made in specific regions of Italy, using milk from cows that graze exclusively on local grasses. It must be aged for at least 12 months, but often much longer—so long as the rind stays intact, a wheel can mature for decades.

Which made it especially jarring when, during our tour, the guide casually mentioned that a worker in the room had just dropped—and shattered—their oldest wheel, dating back to 1974. And somehow… no one seemed mad.

Also fun (and delicious): The genesis of Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale, the aged balsamic vinegar of Modena. Traditionally, families would start a barrel at a child’s birth and age it for decades, gifting it at their wedding. Aged in a series of wooden barrels for up to 25 years, it becomes thick, syrupy, and intensely complex. And it can cost hundreds of euros per tiny bottle. In other words, absolutely nothing like the stuff at the supermarket.

We settled in to watch the Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy episode on Emilio Romango and were pleased to see that both the above spots were mentioned, and on a whim, decided to look for a ressie at Osteria Francescana.  This three-Michelin-star brainchild of chef Massimo Bottura, is heavily featured by Stanley and also has its own Chef’s Table episode. Shocked to find an available table, back to Modena we went for a third time.

Five Ages of Parmigiano Reggiano

Osteria Francescana

The meal was artful, complex, and a bit fancier than we usually go for. With hushed dining rooms suited for low-talkers, an overly theatrical waiter, and a $500 tasting menu, it was classic Michelin bouge. But tasting the iconic “Five Ages of Parmigiano Reggiano”—a playful yet reverent tribute to Massimo’s hometown cheese—made it worth the splurge.

perfect pesto

But honestly, we loved the simple dish of pasta we had inside the market at L’Antica Bottega di Modena almost as much. It’s a casual counter tucked inside Mercato Albinelli, the city’s bustling covered market. Nothing starred, nothing plated like a sculpture—just excellent gnocchi with pesto (admittedly, more of a Genovese dish), a fresh salad with tons of tomatoes, and a seat among locals.

If we’d had the energy for a fourth trip to Modena, which we didn’t, we might have explored all things Pavarotti, since it’s his hometown. But even without that, Modena proved to be an easy, rewarding day trip from Bologna.

Verona

We took a day trip to Verona (about an hour by train from Bologna), and it did not disappoint. The town is so picture-perfect it feels like a movie set—quintessentially romantic, medieval, and charming. Maybe that’s why Shakespeare set his tale of star-crossed lovers here, despite never visiting. In June, the air even smelled sweet, thanks to blooming linden trees lining the streets. Of course, all that romance and cinematic charm comes at a price: crowds. Lots of them.

scenes from Juliet’s house, including a “do not graffiti” sign, fully graffitied, and a wall of gum

Wherefore art thou Romeo

As the fictional hometown of Romeo and Juliet, it made perfect sense to visit the fictional, but now oddly historic, Casa di Giulietta (Juliet’s House).

Verona embraced its Shakespearean fame by designating a 13th-century home as Juliet’s, complete with a 20th-century balcony. It’s now one of the city’s top attractions, where crowds rub Juliet’s statue for luck in love—or pose for awkward photos under the watchful eyes of skeptical boyfriends. We were no exception.

Piazzas and towers

We strolled through Piazza Bra, Verona’s grand and spacious main square, and Piazza delle Erbe, with its layers of Roman, medieval, and Renaissance architecture—and enough souvenir stands to outfit a hundred Juliets.

We climbed Torre dei Lamberti for a panoramic view of the terracotta rooftops and winding streets. Worth the 368 steps (or elevator, we won’t judge).

Verona Arena outer ring

Verona Arena

But our favorite spot was the Verona Arena. This Roman amphitheater, built in the 1st century AD, is astonishingly well-preserved and still hosts operas and concerts today. Most of the outer ring was dismantled in the Middle Ages to build city walls, but enough remains so you get the idea.
It may be smaller than the Colosseum in Rome, but it still takes your breath away.

Further wanderings

We also wandered across the Castelvecchio Bridge, a stunning medieval span that was destroyed by retreating Nazis in 1945 and painstakingly rebuilt afterward. The adjacent castle now houses a museum, but we just soaked up the views from the bridge.

We picked up the Verona Card, which gives access to many of the city’s main sites and is definitely worth it—just note that for Juliet’s House, you’ll still need to reserve a separate timed-entry ticket. Romance waits for no one, apparently.

pasta as straw

We ended with a refreshing piazza Spritz with pasta-as-straw.

Ravenna

Ravenna was one of our favorite day trips—only 30 minutes from Bologna by train, but it feels like stepping into another world (and another century). The city is famous for three things: Dante, piadina, and mosaics. 

Always first, the food

Piadina, as it turns out, is a warm, foldable flatbread sandwich filled with deliciousness. Prosciutto, cheese, rocket, all fragrant and melty. Profumo di Piadina “Laboratorio del Palato” is the place to go with the long line proving it’s worth the wait.

cappelletti in brodo

Then there’s cappelletti, little hat-shaped pasta (like mini tortellini), traditionally filled with meat, Parmesan, and a touch of nutmeg, and served in a rich broth. We had a heavenly bowl at Ca’ de Ven, a restaurant set in a frescoed medieval hall.

stunning mosaics of Ravenna

Next, Mosaics

Then came the mosaics. Ravenna is a UNESCO World Heritage site thanks to its stunning collection of early Christian and Byzantine mosaics, which date back to the 4th to 6th centuries. These aren’t your average church decorations—they’re intricate, shimmering masterpieces made from tiny bits of glass, stone, and gold, designed to dazzle the faithful in the glow of candlelight.

There are 5 locations in the city center.  We visited three with our guide:

• Basilica di San Vitale – Home to Ravenna’s most famous mosaics, including Emperor Justinian and Empress Theodora in all their jewel-encrusted, Byzantine glory. It’s hard to overstate how jaw-dropping these are in person.
• Mausoleo di Galla Placidia – Our favorite.  A small, cross-shaped chapel that may look modest from the outside but explodes with starry blue mosaics inside. It feels like stepping into a jewel box.
• Sant’Apollinare Nuovo – A long, elegant basilica lined with glittering processions of saints and martyrs in white robes, marching toward the altar in an eternal parade.

One quirky detail: Because of centuries of flooding and sinking structures, the floors in several of these buildings have been raised, bringing the ceiling mosaics up to three meters closer to eye level than originally intended. A gentle reminder to see them now, before they inch all the way into the earth.

crypt at Basilica di San Francesco

Fishy surprise

Hidden beneath the Basilica di San Francesco is one of Ravenna’s quirkiest attractions. The 10th-century crypt is slowly sinking and filling with groundwater, transforming it into a shallow shimmering grotto, complete with goldfish gliding like jewels over ancient mosaic floors.

We paid our respects to Dante

Briefly, and on our way to aperitivo. The poet himself is buried here in the aptly named Tomba di Dante, a surprisingly simple tomb. He died in Ravenna in exile, far from Florence, and the city has guarded his bones fiercely ever since. Hopefully, he’d approve of our journey from Inferno to Spritz.

Spritz and aperitivo

Corte Cavour is a charming little piazza we stumbled upon and settled into for apertivo and Spritz.

Also worth a look is Mercato Coperto, Ravenna’s historic covered market, surrounded by nice cafes.

Ravenna is one of those quietly spectacular places that makes you wonder how it’s managed to stay under the radar.

Mantova

We visited Mantova on the recommendation of a friend who was born there and started her own family there. It did not disappoint. And, it was especially fun to see the church (Sant’Andrea) where she and every member of her family were baptized.

A day trip to Mantova feels like discovering a Renaissance secret. Quiet, elegant, and dripping with history. An hour or two from Bologna by train, the city once served as the seat of the powerful Gonzaga family, who left behind one of the most impressive palaces in Italy.

the most beautiful room in the world

The highlight? Camera degli Sposi in the Palazzo Ducale—a room so exquisitely frescoed by Andrea Mantegna in the 15th century that it feels like you’re stepping into a dream. Often (subjectively, but convincingly) called the most beautiful room in the world, it’s a masterclass in illusion, with painted architecture, noble portraits, and that famous ceiling where cherubs peer down with mischievous charm.

Palazzo Ducale

But that’s just the beginning. The entire Palazzo Ducale is a labyrinth of art and history—dozens of rooms packed with Roman statues, Greek antiquities, frescoed halls, tapestries, and endless rows of marble busts watching silently from every corner. It is just stuffed with art. But, believe it or not, there could have been even more if Napoleon hadn’t looted much of Mantegna’s work, now housed in the Louvre.

Teatro Bibiena

Teatro Bibiena

Just a short walk away is the Teatro Bibiena, a baroque marvel where a 14-year-old Mozart once performed. It’s so ornate, and so petite, it’s hard to imagine a more intimate way to experience genius.

We also wandered through Piazza delle Erbe, visited the Rotonda di San Lorenzo (a perfectly round, red-brick Romanesque church), and grabbed a sweet local treat—sbrisolona, a crumbly almond cake that pairs beautifully with a mid-afternoon macchiato.

Mantova is the kind of place that makes you wonder why more people aren’t talking about Mantova.

Bologna as home base

These fantastic day trips from Bologna turned out to be effortless. Bologna was the perfect launchpad. Central, easy, and well-connected, for a string of unforgettable adventures.  We easily explored Modena, Mantova, Verona, and Ravenna. And if we’d had more time (or stamina), Parma, Ferrara, Padua, and even Florence and Venice were all within easy reach. The possibilities for day trips from Bologna are practically endless.