Super Ponte 25/04 e 01/05: Toscana, Liguria, Emilia Romagna

About the destination: People have strained themselves over the years inventing nicknames for wondrous Bologna: la Dotta, the learned, for being the home of Europe’s oldest university, an institution which still attracts thousands of students; la Grassa, the fat, for being a gastronomic marvel with more and better restaurants than many world capitals; finally Bologna Rossa, due to its leftist politics. Stroll among the endless miles of porticos which grace the burnt-orange buildings, and catch the energy which hums quietly in the streets. Check out the elegant galleries of vie dell’Indipendenza and via Ugo Bassi. At piazza Nettuno and Maggiore the crowds gather under the Corinthian columns of the Palazzo del Podestà, shifting in the afternoon with the shade to the steps of the Basilica of San Petronio, a huge Gothic structure with a spectacular doorway. In the fountain outside, the bronze Neptune and Attendants splash happily. The two towers to the west of piazza di Porta Ravegnana are considered the symbol of the city. You can climb the taller of the two for a great view of Bologna and the Po valley. The capital of the Emilia-Romagna region is rich in history, art, culture, cuisine and music, and is often overlooked in favour of the country’s more well-known tourism honeypots nearby but is all the more appealing for it.

About the destination: Modena is an ancient town in Emilia-Romagna, 40km northwest of Bologna. It is a charming place, with lovely arched porticos and a magnificent main square. We have now visited Modena twice and highly recommend it, even if you only have a few hours as a day trip from Bologna. Home to Balsamic Vinegar, there are countless places where you can taste and buy this delicious product. The region surrounding Modena is home to the factories of some of the famous Italian car makers, such as Ferrari and Maserati, which gives the town its nick-name of "the capital of engines". Modena is a gentle city and tourists from all over the world are attracted to visit the art treasures in Modena: the 12th century Cathedral, masterpieces of Italian Romanesque art, which, together with Piazza Grande and the Ghirlandina tower, creates a complex of unique beauty, included by UNESCO among the "Wealth of Mankind".

About the destination: The city of La Spezia is located ubidacada in the region of Liguria, in Northern Italy, and is at the same time the capital of the province that has the same name, located in the Gulf of La Spezia, also known as Golfo dei Poeti (of the poets) since it was the residence for some time of important English poets such as Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792-1822) and George Byron (1788-1824). Said is the commercial port, one of the most important in Italy although La Spezia also hosts one of the biggest military industries of the country: OTO Melara. Although La Spezia stands out as a modern city (almost all the buildings were built from 1920), there are many places of interest in the surrounding area since the area has very beautiful villages such as Lerici, Portovenere (typical fishing village) and the Cinque Terre, where a national Natural Park has been developed. Cinque Terre, Portovenere and the islands of Palmaria, Tino and Tinetto, have been declared by the Unesco as world heritage.

About the destination: Florence is as vital and beautiful today as when its wool and silk merchants and bankers revolutionized the economy of 13th century Tuscany, and the art of Dante and Michelangelo stunned the world. Florence was the centre of the Italian Renaissance. The fruits of the city’s rebirth are still evident in its seemingly endless array of museums, churches and palazzi. With its historic centre classified as a UNESCO World Heritage site, the Duomo, the elegant and beautiful cathedral, dominates the city and is an unmistakable reference point in your wanderings. The River Arno, which cuts through the oldest part of the city, is crowned with the Ponte Vecchio bridge lined with shops and held up by stilts. Dating back to the 14th century, it is the only bridge that survived attacks during WWII. Standing by the river at night, when the city is illuminated with a myriad twinkling lights, is unforgettable. But more remains of Florence’s incomparable heritage than stones and paint, the city’s indomitable spirit has also survived the centuries, ensuring Florentine life today its liveliness and sophistication.