A tale of two cities: Bologna to Verona by train

Bologna and Verona are two totally different cities, but equally worthy of a trip (Pictures: Sophie-May Williams) At exactly 3:50pm in Verona Porta Nuova, the October sun beats down on platform 12 at the city’s main railway station. I have 10 minutes until my train to Bologna, so I take a seat and people-watch. An elderly man leans against a pole, smoking a cigarette despite signs telling him not to. Two teenagers in tracksuits laugh at a TikTok video. A woman reads her book, brows furrowed. I picked Verona for a reason. The home of Romeo and Juliet has long been considered the ‘Gateway to Italy,’ serving as a route between northern Europe and the Italian peninsula. People do visit, of course. It’s just that its 4.5 million annual tourists pale in comparison to nearby Venice’s 30 million, or Lake Garda’s 27 million. I started my journey through Italy at Verona Porta Nuova (Picture: Getty Images) But Verona has just been named one of the best European city breaks for 2027, so I’m eager to get ahead of the curve. Plus, as the rail renaissance continues, there’s never been a better time to see Italy by train. A flying visit: Meatballs, wine and cafe culture My flight is delayed by two hours, so instead of eight hours in the UNESCO-listed Verona, I have six. Be quick – last few days to win a luxury holiday Down Under worth £35,000! Sydney is one of the stunning destinations included in the prize (Picture: Shutterstock / Iris Sokolovskaya) Pack your bags for the trip of a lifetime, because you could be heading to Australia on an incredible luxury holiday for two. But only if you enter before the competition closes in just a few days! Fly Business Class with Cathay Pacific and explore four iconic Australian destinations, with five-star stays, unforgettable experiences, private transfers and £500 spending money all included. Don’t miss out on this once-in-a-lifetime competition – enter now for just 50p. Full T&Cs apply*. Enter now *Open to UK (excluding Northern Ireland) residents aged 18 or over. Competition opens 15:00 18/9/2026 and closes at 23:59 on 1/11/2026. To enter the draw, entrants must either purchase a ticket at metrocompetitions.com or use the free postal entry route. See full T&Cs here. I’m not a fan of fast tourism, which involves ticking off as many attractions as possible in a limited time. I prefer the opposite: quality over quantity, sustainability and engaging as much as possible with local culture. Expect pretty architecture and cafe culture in Verona (Picture: Sophie-May Williams) Ask Metro Use AI to go deeper into the stories you care about – powered by Metro and trusted publications. But with less time than I’d hoped, I hop on the airport-to-railway-station shuttle (€7/£5.85) and make the 20-minute walk into Verona’s historic heart. I pass pretty piazzas, where locals chat with coffees in hand, and stroll to Piazza delle Erbe, Verona’s oldest square, where vendors sell fresh fruit and veg at the daily market. A 10-minute walk to Piazza Bra, the city’s main square, and I see Verona Arena, a Roman amphitheatre first opened in 30 AD. Next, an amble through the pedestrianised Old Town, a labyrinth of narrow streets filled with outdoor cafes, before taking in the iconic Verona view in person. From the Ponte Pietra stone bridge, looking up at Castel San Pietro, there’s barely anyone around. Perks of shoulder season, I guess. I conclude Verona is a feast for every type of traveller, from culture lovers to foodies, history enthusiasts to those with an eye for design. So for people who have more time to spare in the city (including future me), here’s what else I’d do. I’d visit Castelvecchio, a medieval castle and museum, perhaps the most important military monument of the Scaliger dynasty in the Middle Ages. I’d also climb (or take the funicular) to the Castel San Pietro fortress, where I’ve heard the sunsets are unmatched. To get more steps in, I’d hike the 400 stairs to the top of Torre dei Lamberti, a medieval tower in Piazza delle Erbe offering panoramic views of the city. After all that, I’d deserve to indulge in Verona’s hearty, comforting cuisine, digging into everything from Risotto al Tastasal (a rice dish with pork sausage) to potato gnocchi. Alas, time is not on my side before heading back to the train station, so I beeline for Osteria Sottoriva, a casual Veronese restaurant a few minutes away. Verona in shoulder season means you get this iconic view without the crowds (Picture: Sophie-May Williams) I sit under a terracotta archway, where groups of old friends chatter away. The owner smiles as she recommends a few things on the menu. Full from bread, meatballs, prosciutto, and a carafe of red wine (all for a reasonable £14), it’s ciao to the Veneto region and buongiorno to Emilia-Romagna. Beyond Bologna’s culinary scene I am here for one reason: to eat and drink my bodyweight in mortadella ham and Pignoletto white wine. Bologna is one of Italy’s premier culinary capitals — often called La Grassa, or ‘The Fat One’ — because food is central to its identity. But I’m also armed with a ticket to see The Strokes at the Unipol Arena on a Saturday night, which means I’m about to experience two things: an evening in Bologna with its student population and fellow music lovers. Bologna is famed for being home to one of the world’s oldest universities, founded in 1088. The uni enrols almost 100,000 students, and roughly 87,000 live directly in Bologna. That is to say, students make up more than a quarter of the population — and one that is historically left-wing. Alongside its ‘Fat One’ nickname, Bologna is also coined La Rossa, meaning ‘The Red One.’ Not only is this a visual comparison for its red-brick terracotta architecture, but also for the city’s socialist traditions. Bologna at night is full of incredibly cool people wearing incredibly cool outfits. On Via del Pratello, a bohemian street lined with cocktail bars and offies in the Porto-Saragozza neighbourhood, I compare the sights to a Brighton-Naples blend. Groups of friends sip beer in leather jackets (and tonight, The Strokes merch), and I’m transported back to my Brighton uni days, socialising outside trendy haunts like The Hope and Ruin and Green Door Store. Bologna is the ultimate destination for food and drink lovers (Picture: Sophie-May Williams) The grit of Naples is also obvious: buildings are tagged with street art and anti-war slogans, and there’s a high-energy vibe that feels like anything is possible. The beauty of youth, I think. Verona and Bologna couldn’t be more different. While the former is steeped in romance and Renaissance charm, the latter is a feisty city fighting for the future. Our Top Shopping Picks This Hoover vacuum is a game-changer for pet owners and muddy homes See London's Christmas lights from an open-top double-decker bus this winter My skin always suffers when the heating goes on but this serum changed that The skincare formula that finally took the guesswork out of my routine Families can save up to 20% on summer 2027 holidays in Club Med's four-day sale It’s why they’re the perfect pairing for a long Italian weekend. Verona to Bologna by train A Verona-to-Bologna trip definitely won’t break the bank. Ryanair flies to Verona from London Stansted for as little as £23, with a two-hour flight time. Once you’ve explored Verona, jump on a train from Verona Porta Nuova to Bologna Centrale. You can book on Trainline for as little as £7 one-way. The journey ranges between 50 minutes and one hour, 50 minutes, depending on the train you book. Bologna Centrale drops you off in the centre (of course), so there’s no need for taxis or public transport once you arrive. Arrow MORE: Like Race Across the World, I only travel analogue – it’s the best way Arrow MORE: Finland is offering singles a free trip to potentially find love Arrow MORE: Melting glaciers expose hundreds of unexploded World War I bombs The Getaway Expert Your exclusive seven-day guide to travelling with confidence from Metro's resident travel expert, Alice Murphy.