*POST UPDATED OCTOBER 2026.
Finally, the time has come. Welcome to Italian Adventures Part II: Bologna!
Boyfriend introduced me to the gorgeous city of Bologna not long after we got together, and I can’t help but wonder if that’s why it holds such a special place in my heart. On our first trip there, I fell head-over-heels for the city & ever more smitten with Boyfriend. We’ve been back several times since that first visit, & every single time we dream of uprooting everything we have here in Dublin & running off to the Emilia-Romagna capital. It’s romantic, quaint, and peaceful. It miraculously remains somewhat untainted by tourism, and it’s the birthplace of one of our favourite meals: the mighty ragù.
Bologna is known as ‘La Grassa’ in Italian – which translates to ‘the fat’ in English – & it isn’t hard to see why: you will be extremely hard pressed to have a bad meal in the city. Although I’ve included a list of our favourite restaurants below, think of it more as a guideline. Get out, and find the places that work for you – we’ve eaten at a hell of a lot more restaurants than are listed here, but these are our old faves. Wherever you find yourself, try to seek out two special local dishes. Tagliatelle al Ragù & Gramigna alla Salsiccia are both specialties of the city and should not be missed! You can thank us when you get home.
As with our Italian Adventures Part I: Florence guide, there is a huge amount of recommendations in this post. To make life easier, I’ve streamlined everything into six sections: Stay / Coffee / Eat / Drink / Museums + Attractions / Places to See + Things to Do. The difference between the last two sections is an entry fee; Museums + Attractions are all paid entrance, while the Places to See + Things to Do are free.
Happy travelling, friends!
where to stay
Airbnb // we stayed in the most fantastic apartment on our last visit. The flat – Silent Bright Apartment – is located a stone’s throw from Strada Maggiore. It was honestly the best Airbnb experience we’ve ever had. Spacious, clean, with a balcony overlooking the blazing rooftops of the city. The kitchen was extremely well equipped for cooking, the bed was amazing, and there was a bathtub in the bedroom. The location was about an eight minute walk to the main square in the city. Basically, it was perfection. Added bonus: there was a totally adorable turtle roaming free in the courtyard below! We named him Sporo and had a really hard time leaving him behind.