Bologna

Bologna is the capital of Emilia province in Italy. It is a city rich with cultural gems and one of the best-kept secrets in northern Italy. It's well known for its food – one of the richest in the country – and for the politics, as it is known as "Red Bologna" - the Italian Left's stronghold and spiritual home. The charm of the historical center, with the red-arcaded sidewalks and passageways is attributed to wise city counselors who, close to the beginning of the 13th century, decreed that roads should not be built without porticoes. There are enough monuments and see-sides for several days of calm exploration, including many small, quirky museums, tremendously grand Gothic and Renaissance architecture and the Due Torri, the city's own "leaning towers". Thanks to the university, whose students make up 20% of the city's population (around 500,000), there's always something happening in Bologna. It also feels so full of Italians in a way that many more known towns, raided with tourists, do not. The city is known also as "Bologna the Fat" as early as the Middle Ages, as the town's agricultural prosperity led to a well-fed population, something that survived into the 21st century. With its superb food, lively spirits, and undiscovered art, Bologna is worth a visit.