Solo Travel in Bologna, Italy
The Italy travels continue. This year I spent my birthday solo traveling in Bologna, Italy. I spent 5 days in Bologna and took a day trip to Modena–home of Osteria Francescana, the #1 restaurant in the world. My time in Bologna, after spending 10 days with friends traveling through Rome and Florence, was quiet and included a lot of "me" time. This trip was for me and while some days weren't as easy, I had an incredible time.
I really fell in love with Bologna and Modena. Visiting the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy has been a dream of mine for the past few years since it is the foodie capital of Italy. I have always felt called to visit but I can't specify a reason why. The food, yes, is incredible. But there's something about Bologna that I really fell in love with. The colors of the buildings, the energy of the city, the porticos, the authentic Italian experience that is hard to find in touristy cities. I felt very at home during my trip–like I was in the right place at the right time.
I spent my 21st birthday learning how to make pasta, admiring the hills of Bologna, and eating as much gelato as possible. This was not the way I expected to spend my 21st birthday. Nor was it like any birthday I have ever had. It was quiet. It was not extraordinary. But it was me. I spent it doing everything I wanted to do. While I kept in touch with friends and family during the day, I missed their presence. I missed being able to get together with all of my friends to celebrate but I now realize that a birthday is just a day and those times of connection can happen on any day of the year.
If you're reading this, then you're probably a lot like me: traveling to Bologna for the food. It's pretty hard to go wrong but here's where I tried during my time in Bologna (including my favorite gelato in ALL of Italy)
To Do in Bologna
- Stay in this lovely Bed & Breakfast
- Climb the Asinelli Tower (book in advance)
- Hike up 660 porticos to Sanctuary of the Madonna di San Luca for amazing views of the countryside
- Learn how to make 5 different types of homemade pasta
- Sit in Piazza Maggiore
- Admire San Petronio cathedral
- Food Tour!
- MAMbo - Bologna's modern art museum
- Day trip to Modena (other options: Parma, Rimini, Venice, etc.)
To Eat in Bologna
Pasta:
- Incucina: little bistro great for lunch, really good pasta
- Osteria Dell’Orsa: cheap local osteria with a small menu but all homemade and so good. Get the tagliatelle al ragu
- Sfoglia Rina* - pasta / pasta shop SO GOOD
- Oltre - hipster take on bolognese classics great cocktails (& the best mocktail I’ve had) really good service they brought a candle in my dessert for my bday:)
Other:
- Simoni Laboratorio (best for charcuterie - get the focaccia too!)
- Un’Altra Idea: vegan café lots of vegan sweets
- Tigellino (next to a Piadina shop which is also traditional): little buns almost filled with meats/cheese/veg good for a snack or light lunch!
Café:
- Café Gamberini: amazing pastry selection
- Senza Nome (bar): good for apertivo or to hang out at night
- Vetro: by Giardini Margherita park; located inside of an old greenhouse. So so cute great to do work
- Osteria Del Sole: cheap beer/wine you bring your own food...great for apertivo. It’s the oldest osteria in the city!!
- Pappare: great little café good for BRUNCH and also a really creative hip (vegan options) all day menu as well
- Ca’Pelletti: cute café with breakfast good lunch (sandwiches but also pasta)
Gelato:
- Gelateria Oggi: pretty good! fairly standard
- Cremeria Cavour*: SO CREAMY AND FLAVORFUL wowowow best gelato I’ve had in Italy
MODENA
- Menomoka Coffee (hip&cute)
- La Consorteria 1966 (to taste/buy balsamic)
- Hosteria Giusti: MAKE RESERVATIONS. 4 tables, one lunch seating per day. Really amazing local dishes
- Emilia Cremeria: really creamy, homemade gelato
My time in Bologna was good for the soul. It was extremely healing but also helped me realize just how lucky I am to have so many incredible people in my life. Solo traveling allows you to get to know yourself on a deeper level than you ever thought was possible. I am so grateful to have this relationship with myself and the opportunity to spend time in places that I used to only dream about.
To get the full story on how I manifested meeting Massimo Bottura (chef at Osteria Francescana) head over to my Youtube channel!
