With culinary treats and eyecatching supercars, Bologna Airport knows how to stay memorable. Andreas Spaeth travelled to the Italian gateway to find out more
What comes to mind when you think of Italy? Most probably Rome, Venice or Tuscany as top destinations, alongside elegant design, fashion, and above all, fabulous food and drink. One city that encompasses all this, while being lesser known as a destination in its own right, is Bologna – the capital of the Emilia-Romagna region in the north of the country. With most international travellers struggling to associate anything (bar a certain pasta dish) with this attractive university city of just under 400,000 inhabitants, it remains something of a secret gem among seasoned Italophiles.
That’s not to say the city and the wider region is without notable exports – Ferrari, Lamborghini, Maserati and Ducati are all based in Emilia-Romagna. For those who prefer slow food to fast cars, the region is also home to Mortadella sausage, exceptional prosciutto, and fine cheeses.