Bologna is our Italian ‘home’ city. It’s where we landed in 2017 when we came here to live for two years. Before that time, we didn’t know Bologna at all — we scarcely knew any Italian cities — but we’d done the research, and Bologna seemed like a good place to start. It was.

It’s a great city. About 400,000 people live in Bologna’s old town, so it’s large enough to offer all the services you might need during an extended stay, but small enough so the city’s urban geography, and the rhythm and patterns of its life, soon become familiar.

There’s a long history here and, fortunately, much of it has been preserved. During the Renaissance, Bologna was a powerhouse of culture and art. The legacy of that is beautiful architecture and a vibrant cultural identity. In 1088, Europe’s first university was established here. Still today, the city’s large student population helps drive its energetic vibe.

Another key advantage is location. Bologna is an important rail hub so there are fast train links to all the major cities. Milan, Venice and Florence are just over an hour away. It’s two and a half hours to Rome.

The city attracts about 1.8 million tourists a year. Compare that to Rome’s 22 million and it’s clear Bologna has not yet become a ‘must do’ destination.

Eight years ago, when we chose to start our Italian adventure in Bologna, we didn’t know how much we’d come to love this city. We didn’t know how welcoming it would be, how it would enable us to experience an authentically Italian way of life. For those reasons and many more, Bologna holds a special place in our hearts and will always be our Italian home.