After the Reggio Emilia Marathon: Modena and Bologna

The Route: Reggio Emilia → Modena (1 night) → Bologna (1 night) → home Logistics: Trains run along the Via Emilia, with short hops between each city. Check the timetable and the Sunday and Monday services. Leave luggage at the hotel or station if your check-out and your train do not line up. Marathon Month: December Duration: 2 nights

Reggio Emilia ──(train, about 15-25 mins)──> Modena (1 night)
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                        Piazza Grande ── Duomo ── Albinelli market
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Modena ──(train, about 30 mins)──> Bologna (1 night)

Modena and Bologna each take about half an hour to reach by train, and the two together make a good short extension because they are close, flat and very different. Modena is small, ochre-coloured and built around a single cathedral. Bologna is bigger, redder and covered in arcades.

The route involves almost no walking beyond the hotel and the restaurant, and the longest stretch is a train seat.

December in Modena and Bologna: the days are cold, damp and often foggy. Cafés keep their heating on, and the arcades in Bologna keep off the rain. Christmas lights go up in both centres. Museums can close on Mondays and for holidays, so check the days.

Getting there

From Reggio Emilia, take a regional train to Modena. The journey takes in the order of 20 minutes. Buy a ticket in advance on the app or at the machine.

Night one: Modena

The cathedral, the Torre Ghirlandina and the Piazza Grande together are on the UNESCO list. The cathedral is a Romanesque church of pale stone with carved reliefs, and the tower beside it leans a little on its foundations. Both are open in the day, with hours that vary. The Mercato Albinelli, a covered food market, is a short walk and lively in the morning.

The city is also known for balsamic vinegar, and several producers offer tours and tastings by appointment. Book ahead, and confirm winter opening. Modena is a base for the Enzo Ferrari museum, a car-lover's stop in the city, with seasonal opening times.

For dinner, a trattoria near the centre will serve tortellini in brodo, gnocco fritto with cured meats and a glass of Lambrusco. Book on weekends.

Night two: Bologna

Take a train to Bologna, about half an hour. Bologna's centre is described in the Bologna itinerary: Piazza Maggiore, the Two Towers, the university quarter and the porticoes. Keep the climbs off the list and the long lunches on it.

Where to stay

In both cities, pick a hotel within walking distance of the old centre and of the station. Check breakfast times, lifts and winter rates. In Bologna, avoid dates of big trade fairs, when rooms are scarce.

Getting back