Nathalie is a wonderful host and ferried us to and from the airport which is a very short car ride away. Her flat is cosy and has all the amenities you'd expect including a washing machine and effective aircon for the hot summer weather! The flat has a bus stop just down the end of the road and a bus into 'town' takes around 15 minutes - it also stops at Bologna Centrale train station en route.
Bologna is a beautiful and friendly city - I speak practically no Italian and managed to get by! We visited during the height of Summer in August and even though many locals were away, most shops were open and we didn't feel like we were missing out on anything. I would definitely recommend getting a Bologna Welcome Card (€20 or €30 for 2 or 3 days) which entitles you to free entry to several museums and a free walking tour. This quiet period meant that we were able to enjoy the sites without fighting with other tourists. There are plenty of good places to eat; Via Guglielmo Oberdan featured some lovely bars and restaurants.
I also can't not talk about the public transport which was cheap and efficient! Buses were on time (unheard of here in the UK) and trains were also reliable and affordable. We made day trips to Parma, Modena and Florence (all within a 30-60 minute train journey away) with ease! Bologna is a fantastic base for those who want to explore other cities and make the most of their time in Italy.
Thanks again to Nathalie for making our stay easy and stress-free. I look forward to coming back!