Located in Northern Italy approx 220km south-east of Milan and about 80km from Italy’s Adriatic coast, Bologna has no small measure of history, heritage and significance despite it not enjoying the large scale tourist appeal of Rome or Venice.

Nevertheless, sightseeing in cultural Bologna is still popular and it’s not hard to see why. The city is thought to be the gastronomic capital of Italy (no mean feat!) with many local and regional dishes to whet any appetite – including of course Spaghetti Bolognese, if you hadn’t already guessed!

One of the main features of Bologna which helps give it its uniqueness is the remarkable red cityscape of the city, and what better way to view it than from one of the city’s famous landmarks, the ‘Torre degli Asinelli’, one half of the city’s ‘Dui Torre’ (Two Towers) constructed in the 12th century.

Most of the main attractions and sights are within walking distance of the pedestrianised city centre and fairly easy and enjoyable to get around. It is with this in mind that we recommend Hotel Paradise Bologna as the perfectly situated hotel and retreat from which to base yourself during your visit to Bologna.

Also home to Europe’s oldest university (c. 1088!) and no less than 38km of its famous porticoes it’s easy to understand Bologna’s appeal. The university itself is well worth a visit for its museums alone and the city’s extraordinary and distinctive design means you are never far from a shady portico to shelter from the midday sun.

Just 600m from 3-star Hotel Paradise Bologna, Piazza Maggiore and adjoining Piazza del Nettuno form the heart of lively Bologna and are a popular meeting place as well as hangout to watch the world go by. The majestic centuries-old buildings surrounding the area and statue of Neptune are focal points of what is thought to be one of the finest settings in Italy.