Italy really does spoil us when you stop and think about it. It has lots of big cities to visit, including Rome, Milan and Naples, and plenty of ancient sights to see as well. But if you only visit the obvious destinations you will miss out on many of the smaller but equally well formed places you could see while you are in the country.

Take Bologna for example. Situated in Northern Italy, it is often referred to as one of the most attractive places to visit in the entire country. When you see it for yourself you will soon see why this is the case. Holidaymakers are spoiled when they arrive here to explore everything it has to offer.

There is a university here that was founded more than nine hundred years ago, so you can see there is a good degree of history to be found in Bologna itself. Even though the city is highly developed it still retains all the best parts of its past. As such it provides an amazing experience to all those who visit it – whether it is for the first time or the hundredth.

There are two squares to be found in Bologna – Piazza Maggiore and Piazza del Nettuno. Both of them are equally good places to start any exploration of the city, since they draw the crowds and provide a point from which to branch off to other areas.

Look out for such delights as the two leaning towers, which are just a short walk away from the Piazza Maggiore. Lots of people who know Bologna well recognise these as the symbols of the city. One of the best things about Bologna is that while it has plenty to offer to tourists, it is not overrun with them in the same way that many other Italian cities are. It may be a long way from Rome, but it is worth planning a weekend away in Bologna if you want to see a different and yet equally charming side of Italy. Bologna might just surprise you in more ways than one.