The Best Things to Do in Parma, Bologna & Florence
After almost a week in Liguria, we continued our journey to Emilia-Romania and then to Tuscany. We had never visited Emilia-Romania before and we were delighted to discover two new cities: Parma for its world-famous cathedral, and Bologna because it is less touristy and very pretty.
Even if, we know Tuscany well. A few years ago, we did a big tour but this time, we wanted to come back to Florence for the third time for different reasons: collaborating with two hotels, enjoying the city in a new way, taking pictures and there's a direct flight to Paris.
One thing to know when driving in Italy is to be aware of the limited traffic areas, or Zona Traffico Limitato (ZTL) in Italian, to avoid fines. We went to Rome 7 years ago without this information and were fined 2 years later.
Many cities have established these limited areas in historic centers. Before you arrive, ask your hotel or host if they are in this area. More recently, hotels can also register your license plate to allow you to park your car without a fine.
THINGS TO DO IN PARMA
When we planned this trip, we wanted to visit Bologna. We thought it would be a good idea to make a stop in Parma between Sestri Levante and Bologna. We decided to spend a night in Parma, at the Mercure Parma Stendhal, because of its central location.
As soon as we arrived, we dropped our car and luggage off at the hotel, then began to explore the city.
We were very surprised to see that the streets were empty as if the city had been abandoned. Parma is home to one of the oldest universities in the world and all the students leave it during the summer. In the summer, the temperatures are very high there. It was 40°C (104°F) during the day! Parma is a small provincial city and has the advantage of being a little less touristy than other major Tuscan cities such as Florence, Bologna or Siena.
The city of Parma is a pretty little town and is well-known for its cathedral but also its delicious cuisine, such as Parmesan cheese and Prosciutto ham. As we are vegetarians - almost vegans - food was not our first interest.
We didn't have a precise itinerary to discover the city except we knew that we wanted to visit the cathedral. So this is what we did first and we were amazed to see so much beauty. When we entered, we immediately understood why Parma Cathedral is known all over the world. All the walls are covered with magnificent frescos from floor to ceiling. It’s a must-see.
Just next to it, on the main square, is the Parma Baptistery. We didn't visit it, because we preferred to walk the streets and feel the vibes of the city.
The historic center is full of narrow streets and many buildings that are painted a soft yellow that gives a real charm to this city.
Daisy was so happy, she found a lot of trendy stores and there were still sales in August.
Regarding food and our vegetarian diet, we had dinner at the Trattoria del Tribunale located in a cute tiny street. Despite the good reviews, we found the dishes very irregular.
But the most important thing is that we found the best ice cream of all time and it is at Emilia Cremeria. We've never had such a good ice cream before. For vegans, they offer delicious and creamy sorbets, but we still wondered if they use egg whites. That's a question to ask if you’re really concerned about it.
THINGS TO DO IN BOLOGNA
After an hour's drive, we arrived at the Metropolitan Hotel in Bologna. We dropped off our luggage and parked the car in a private car park near the hotel. Before your arrival, ask for the address of the parking lot.
We had chosen to spend two nights in a Junior Suite. The room was located in a pretty hidden patio surrounded by olive trees. It was magnificent and we felt like we were in the countryside. An ideal place to disconnect in the middle of the city.
The hotel has a rooftop with a superb view of the typical rooftops of Bologna. It is well located, not far from the historical center, and about 10 minutes from the Basilica of San Petronio.
Bologna, the capital of Emilia Romagna, has a lot to offer if you are a fan of architecture and gastronomy. After almost two days of wandering the streets, Bologna is a little jewel that deserves to be stayed in even longer.
The city is generally called La Dotta (the scientists, for its university, one of the oldest in the world. More than 80,000 students live there, one for every five inhabitants), La Rossa (red for the color of the buildings) and La Grassa (fat for its delicious food).
The first thing we did was climb on the terrace of San Petronio Cathedral. It offers a breathtaking view and it's magical because you can see all the epic monuments in the city, including the leaning towers Asinelli and Garisenda.
San Petronio Cathedral is located in the Piazza Maggiore, surrounded by three palaces (Accursio, Re Enzo and dei Banchi). It is a very beautiful square that houses the immense Neptune Fountain.
San Petronio is a little surprising compared to the cathedrals we are used to seeing. It is Gothic, and the facade is divided into two parts because it has never been completed. The lower part is made of marble and the upper part of red bricks. The interior is gigantic but less impressive than the one in Parma.
Most of the time, we wandered the streets in search of unexpected and less touristic places. This is the best way to feel out the city, but it takes time, which means you should stay in Bologna for at least two days.
The city is also known for its emblematic and stunning medieval porticoes. They make Bologna unique. You will find them everywhere in the historic center.
For a photographer, it is such a pleasure to capture the shadows and lights of these incredible perspectives throughout the day.
The second day, we woke up at 6:30 AM to take some pictures at sunrise in the deserted streets near the Asinelli and Garisenda towers and Piazza Maggiore. It is always the best way to feel the atmosphere of a city when the inhabitants are still sleeping. Thanks to our early starty, we had plenty of time to explore the city and play with its beautiful morning light.
The other strong point of Bologna is the canals. Bologna had canals in the Middle Ages, but since the city developed, they have closed most of them. Let us hope that some of them will remain visible. If you walk along Via Piella, you will find a hidden window through which you can see one of them. You can also walk and witness others. Check this map if you want to know all the places to see them.
We had planned to climb the Asinelli tower but as they limit the number of people who go at the same time, we booked our tickets online the day before (the full price is only 5€). We chose to do it at 6:30 PM to get the best light to take pictures of the city's red roofs and monuments. The view is breathtaking and worth the 498 steps.
We ended the day, having a drink in a café at the beautiful Piazza Santo Stefano, which is very close to the leaning towers. It is nicely surrounded by restaurants, porticoes and the Basilica of Santo Stefano.
We don't have any food recommendations to make because we just had good pizzas in a restaurant near the hotel. There are a few vegan restaurants in town but not necessarily in the center. We recommend that you take a look at HappyCows for the complete list.
THINGS TO DO IN FLORENCE
The car trip from Bologna to Florence takes only two hours.
We finished our trip to Florence because we were working with two hotels to create original content.
This was the third time we had visited Florence and we wanted to experience it in a cooler way.
We spent two nights at the St. Regis and one night at the Westin Excelsior. The two are facing each other, and they were a 15-minute walk from Piazza del Duomo and Santa Maria del Fiore Cathedral.
Our stay at the St. Regis was incredible. We were welcomed as VIPs from arrival to departure. They offered us a beautiful Deluxe room with a view of the Arno River and a 24/7 butler. The experience was amazing. The room was decorated on the theme of the Renaissance, which allowed us to be immersed in historical Florence. The hotel's restaurant and library were also breathtaking and tastefully decorated.
For our last day, we spent the night at the Westin Excelsior. It was funny because we didn't need to take a taxi, the hotel was only 50 meters away. It is a Renaissance-style building dating from 1863.
We stayed in a luxury guest room on the Arno River. The room was spacious, and in a more modern style than the St. Regis with all the amenities.
The hotel's greatest asset is undoubtedly its 360° rooftop. It hosts SE-STO, exquisite cuisine and the ORVM bar where you can have a drink at sunset for example.
Because we were there to create content, we were lucky enough to have access to the rooftop early in the morning to capture the magic of Florence when the sun rises over the city with its yellow and warm tones. It was unreal and it's one of our best memories.
Since Florence is one of the most visited cities in the world, we decided to visit it very early to avoid tourists. We didn't have a precise map, but we just wanted to take pictures on the Ponte Vecchio bridge, Piazza del Duomo and wander through the streets.
We can assure you that this was the best idea we had if we consider the large crowds that congregated on the streets during the day.
In addition to visiting tourist attractions, like Piazza del Duomo, Ponte Vecchio, Palazzo Vecchio, Piazza Della Signoria or the Accademia Gallery, we decided to do something we had never done before. First of all, we bought tickets to the Bell Tower.
The ticket costs 20 euros and includes the cathedral, the dome, the baptistery, the crypt, and the museum. Be aware that you must plan your visit because opening hours vary from one monument to another. Climbing the 416 steps was not so difficult and it is worth it as usual because it is always an excellent opportunity to get a great view of the city. And an excellent opportunity to take beautiful pictures.
If you have enough time, we strongly recommend that you visit the magnificent Medici Chapels and the Great Synagogue, which are less visited.
The Medici chapels, and especially the Chapel of the Princes is one of the most beautiful places we visited. The octagonal mausoleum is spectacular in its size and immense dome. We were impressed by so much luxury. All the walls and tombs are made of stone or red and green marble. It's remarkable. Definitely a must see!
The visit to the Great Synagogue of Florence was also a very beautiful discovery. You can see its dome from most of the panoramic points. The synagogue was built in 1882 after the emancipation of the Italian Jews. The building is monumental and very different from the current synagogues. The interior is in the Moorish style with Arabic and Byzantine elements, which makes this monument unique in Florence. It also houses the Museo Ebraico where you can find a rich collection of Jewish ceremonial art objects and archives on the history of the Jewish community in Florence.
Good to know if you want to visit it, pictures are not allowed, you must leave your camera in a locker at the entrance and it is closed on the Sabbath (Friday afternoon and Saturday).
Three times in Florence, and we had never been to Piazzale Michelangelo. Can you imagine? One of the main reasons is that I didn’t do photography before. We went there once to take in the sunset. We took a cab because it’s a little bit far from the center. The place is super crowded of course and if you want to take some photos at sunset you may have to be there a few hours before. The show is worth it though.
We also visited Santa Maria Novella Basilica and Pitti Palace. The basilica is in the center and the visit is interesting because you have access to the cloister and galleries.
We were less passionate about visiting the Pitti Palace. Maybe we should have visited the gardens, but we chose to spend more time strolling the streets on this side of the river, which is less frequented and just as pretty. It is difficult to eat vegan food in Florence, so we made some exceptions. We ate pasta and pizzas and avoided cheese as much as possible. On the last day, as we wandered across the Arno, we came across L'Osteria Vegetariana, a chic and trendy vegan restaurant! It was noon and we weren't really hungry, but we decided to test it. The menu offers a wide choice of dishes. We ordered hamburgers and fries that were delicious! We were disappointed not to know of this place before but now you know that there is at least one excellent vegan restaurant in Florence.
A few hours later, we were on our way to the airport, returning home and already thinking about our next trip.
In collaboration with St. Regis & Westin Excelsior.
PARMA, BOLOGNA & FLORENCE PHOTO GALLERY
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