We will be in Romania this spring, and are starting to plan a trip from there to northern Italy. About 2 weeks--the last week in January and the first week in February. My (very preliminary) plan is to fly from Timisoara (where we will be living) to Bologna and then fly back to Venice. We've been to Venice before, but the rest is new. We're planning to take trains between Italian cities. We like art, out-of-the-way neighborhoods, eating. Any thoughts about the following itinerary:
Day 1. Fly Timisoara to Bologna Days 1-4. Bologna (thinking of Paradise Hotel) Day 5 Train to Parma Day 6 Parma Day 7 Train to Ravenna Day 8 Ravenna Day 9 Train to Ferrara Day 10 Ferraa Day 11 Train to Venice Day 12-13 Venice Day 14 Fly to Timisoara
Constance, days 5 to 12 look rather rushed to me. You have a lot of destinations packed into that week, with a train trip every other day. Perhaps you'd have more enjoyment finding those out-of-the-way neighborhoods and artwork with a bit more time in fewer cities?
I thought that since those towns outside of Bologna weren't very far from one another, that it train travel wouldn't be that problematic. We did think about just staying in Bologna and doing day trips, but in my experience that becomes even more hectic.
My age-old dilemma. We just don't have that many opportunities to go to Europe. This is a special chance for us, and there is so much we want to see. So if you had to eliminate one place from the list, which would it be. (Ravenna is a definite though, as it's one of my life-long desires to see the mosaics).
We found it quite easy to do day trips from Bologna to all the cities you mention. The train service is very good there, and it's an easy walk from the train station to Hotel Paradise (where we also stayed). I find it less hectic not to have to pack up and check in to a new hotel every day, not to mention lugging suitcases around. Here is my report from that trip.
Thanks Roz. I had read your report with relish; I think that's where I got the idea of he Paradise Hotel. Hmmm, I need to rethink. In the past, though, when we did day trips (from Paris or Florence), we ended up spending most of our time in a restaurant at lunch and didn't get to see a lot of what we had hoped to visit. So I thought being someplace where we were staying and could have dinner would help.
I guess it's a good thing to have too many choices than not enough, but I am really torn. . . .
Bologna to Parma is 1 hour Bologna to Ravenna is about 1:20 Bologna to Ferrara is 30 minutes. You see where I am going -- stay in Bologna. All those towns have trains after dinner time (I just looked). Stay in Bologna.
If you do that, you've saved quite a bit of time not traveling and perhaps you'll want to add a day or 3 to Venice.
I did day trips to Parma and Ferrara from Bologna, and for my trip to Ravenna, I stayed overnight as I didn't want to feel rushed. I was able to see most of what I wanted to see at a surprisingly leisurely pace on the first day, and then in the morning I took the bus to S. Apollinare en Classe. I think I caught the train back to Bologna around 1:30. If you are willing to give en Classe a miss, I think the mosaics can be done in a day, otherwise you might want to stay overnight.
Make sure you go to San Francesco just behind Dante's Tomb in Ravenna and have a 50 cent coin to turn on the light in the crypt. (There is a window at the front of the altar.)
Posts: 695 | Location: Toronto | Registered: 18 February 2006
I did day trips to Parma and Ferrara from Bologna, and for my trip to Ravenna, I stayed overnight as I didn't want to feel rushed.
I think this makes great sense, especially if you can go direct from Ravenna to Venice. I did Ravenna (by car) as a day trip and it was a bit rushed. On the other hand, if you're not that into mosaics, do it as a day trip.
---Marlene
Posts: 570 | Location: Boston, MA | Registered: 11 May 2004
I agree with what has been said above. Parma can easily be done in a day. I also agree that Ravenna is worth an over night visit. That way you can take your time seeing all of the wonderful sites (a combo ticket gets you into all of the major sites and is valid for 7 days).
I also think that Ferrara (which is on the way to Venice) is worth an over night.
thank you all so much; I always get the best advice from members of this board. so here's my current plan:
Day 1 Fly to Bologna Days 1-6 Bologna (thinking of Albergo Centrale now as it sounds reasonably priced and, as the name says, central; maybe day trips to Parma or Modena) Day 6 Train to Ravenna Day 7 Ravenna Day 8 Train to Ferrara Day 9 Ferrara Day 10 Train to Venice Day 11-14 Venice
As noted, we would have to go through Ferrara to get to Venice, so it seems a convenient place for another stay. Gives us over 3 days and 4 nights (and thus 4 dinners) in Venice, which we love. I probably won't be getting tickets for a bit (since I'm in the midst of planning travel to Romania that frames this visit), but love to write out an Italian itinerary
Constance, I believe your plan is more than adequate in terms of points of interest covered and time dedicated to each.
We had day trips to Ferrara and Parma included in a river Po cruise a few years ago and had gathered enough impressions to either be satisfied that we have had a "taste of" or that we covered enough ground to decide these are places worth returning for longer visits. I am sure Ravenna, which we haven't seen yet, belongs to a similarly worthy group.
I may well consider a similar approach when we return to that part of Italy. We haven't been to Bologna yet!
Right across the street is a wonderful place to eat where they serve local dishes (the cappellacci di zucca with ragu is WONDERFUL). The restaurant is called La Romantica.
It is an enotecca located just next to the church of San Francesco. They serve typical dishes of romagna, the cappelletti is a must and the piadina (flat bread of Romagana) is fantastic! Not to mention the endless selection of wine.
