We spent only two nights in one of Italy’s greatest cities, Bologna, but they were an enormous gift, due in no small part to our stay in this room, one of several rooms in Valerio’s and Caterina’s B&B, which is about equidistant from the train station and the historic city center. There is brilliance in how Valerio, an artist, designed — actually, redesigned — the shop and storerooms of his grandfather’s (later, father’s) plumbing enterprise and turned them into a very smart cluster of livable rooms and a central living area. The entire apartment has been recently renovated. It is clean and appears almost totally untouched. Lighting, bathroom fixtures, railings, table tops, clothes racks, wall spaces, furniture — all of it is freshly conceived and built. We have never seen pipes and other plumbing supplies repurposed as design elements the way they are here. Nor have we seen ice-cream urns in a new use as recycling containers. Staying here was fun. We did not meet Caterina, but Valerio and their employee, Lucia — both very good with their English — are ready to answer your questions about where to go for dinner late on the night of your arrival or any other night. The wi-fi is strong and doesn’t quit. Public transit is close by. The only problem we had: Cellphone service by Italian company TIM is non-existent in the lower part of the apartment, but if you go up to the terrace, you’ll get your bars. It’s an issue of TIM’s, not the apartment owners. We loved this place and appreciated the warmth and hospitality of the owners.