Bologna and Florence in November on my own?

[miss direct]

I've got a week off coming up. I was going to just stay at home and maybe have a few days in the south of Turkey (I live in Istanbul) but suddenly thought maybe I could go somewhere new, abroad. Found a very good price for a flight to Bologna and am looking into going there (and maybe also Florence - accommodation seems much cheaper there).

Has anyone been to these places in November? I don't mind cold - I like walking around. Am quite happy pottering about taking photos, reading books and drinking nice coffee/wine.

Should I book? I can't decide :0

 

[Mrs Miggins]

DO IT!!!

 

[Mrs Miggins]

I've only been to Florence and not in November and it will probably be cold but nice and there will be a lot fewer tourists which will make it lovely. Florence is a wonderful place. It you like Rennaisance art, it's literally heaven

 

[miss direct]

Tickets are non refundable, feel a bit anxious about it but am worried the price will go up. Think I should sleep on it!

 

[miss direct]

Booked! Excited now

 

[colacubes]

Florence is absolutely gorgeous Wise decision

 

[Mrs Miggins]

Yay!! Nice one!!

 

[Hellsbells]

Not coming to the UK then

 

[miss direct]

Come to Italy!

 

[dessiato]

I've only ever been to Florence in April. It was absolutely amazing. I'd certainly recommend it.

 

[miss direct]

These cities look better the more I read about them. I've only ever spent one night in Italy (remember, Hellsbells ?) on the way to Croatia. Booked this trip on a complete whim after admiring postcards on a friend's wall.

 

[Sue]

Went to Bologna a few years ago at the end of January. Coldish but sunny -- perfect weather for wandering around. And much of the old town has covered arcadey pavement things (the proper name escapes me) so even if it rains, you can avoid getting too wet.

 

[Santino]

The Bologna tourist office does a good guided walk of the main sites, including an excellent Compianto, a terracotta sculpture of dead Jesus and friends.

When I'm on a computer I can put up some restaurant recommendations too.

 

[Santino]

If you want to go to the Uffizi in Florence then research it now. Apparently it's now very difficult to get tickets on the day, you'll probably need to pre-book.

 

[miss direct]

I'd love to go on a food tour, but the prices seem nuts (90 Euros +)

 

[Mrs Miggins]

If you want to go to the Uffizi in Florence then research it now. Apparently it's now very difficult to get tickets on the day, you'll probably need to pre-book.

Yes - you had to book at least the day before when I went 4 or 5 years ago. It will be November so less busy but there's no harm in booking well in advance.

 

[hash tag]

Even if the weather is iffy, there are many galleries to take shelter in.
As for Uffizi, I did not book and queued for all of 5 minutes, don't know how or why, maybe I missed something!
There are other galleries eg Galleria Dell' Accademia where David is housed; he is sublime (and Im not keen on sculpture).
Some of the churches and many other buildings are worth visit. Enjoy.

 

[co-op]

Not quite enough love for Bologna on this thread. Florence has amazing art collections but as a city it’s a bit over rated imo, a lot of touristy tat and the like. Bologna on the other hand is a real gem, a beautiful atmospheric city, especially in the autumn mists you get in the Po Valley. Plus the best food in Italy maybe?

 

[trashpony]

You're going to have a fab time

 

[co-op]

If you’re going to travel between the two cities you can go via Faenza where you change onto a little two-car train that potters through the Appenines to Borgo s.Lorenzo from where you can get a bus down into Florence. It’s slow but very scenic, sit on the left hand side of the bus and you get great views over Florence as you come out of the hills. Maybe stop at somewhere like Brisighella for lunch.

 

[co-op]

And much of the old town has covered arcadey pavement things (the proper name escapes me) so even if it rains, you can avoid getting too wet.

They’re called porticos - you can literally walk miles under them, it’s like being in a gigantic cathedral cloisters.

 

[Mrs Miggins]

We had an amazing dinner at this place in Florence
Menu - Osteria del Cinghiale Bianco

And there is a noodle place on the same street (i think) that is super good.

 

[alex_]

If you want to go to the Uffizi in Florence then research it now. Apparently it's now very difficult to get tickets on the day, you'll probably need to pre-book.

Even at the height of summer you can book with a couple of days notice, I did in July.

The uffizi is amazing as is the academia ( David )

Alex

 

[Santino]

These are the restaurants I would recommend in Bologna:

Osteria dell'Orsa

https://www.bottegaportici.it/?lang=en (good for a quick lunch)

Home - La Torinese1888 (good for a huge platter of ham, cheese and bread that you can't finish)

 

[alex_]

I'd love to go on a food tour, but the prices seem nuts (90 Euros +)

Go and eat at the cafe on the ground floor of the central market, top floor is like pop. Ground floor is not.

Alex

 

[Mrs Miggins]

The Uffizi has this which is worth the entry price alone:

 

[Mrs Miggins]

And then there is this - oh be still my beating heart - to be found in a tiny church near the end of the ponte vecchio

 

[Threshers_Flail]

I'm also going to Florence in November so thanks for the tips everyone.

I've been told that Fratellini's is a great place for a sandwich and a glass of wine.

 

[Callie]

I'm off to Bologna in December, do Italians do crazy Christmas stuff?? They must do???!

 

[co-op]

I'm off to Bologna in December, do Italians do crazy Christmas stuff?? They must do???!

Bologna has a really old xmas market, going back centuries but my time there was way back in the 1980s so I can't remember much about it to be honest. I totally fell in love with Bologna as a whole though. It's Italian nickname for centuries was "Red Bologna" because of the colour of the plaster but later because it was a hotbed of left and revolutionary politics, scene of Radio Alice and massive conflict between the Italian Communist Party which governed Bologna for decades after WW2 and young autonomista anarchist students during the 70s. There's a fim about Radio Alice called Work Slowly - Lavorare con lentezza - Wikipedia - and quite a good article on events here Red Bologna Today. When Italian fascists wanted to retaliate against the left armed groups in the 70s it was natural that they bombed Bologna (the railway station), which killed 85 people and the anniversary was a really huge day in Bologna when I was there, but that was in the summer. It's worth visiting the station for the memorial, I think it's quite moving.