Bologna was [is] great. The food - in restaurants and bars and in the shops - was great. The Bologna philosophy is great; as one pope is alleged to have said, "only in Bologna". The town is great. The walks are great. Even in the depth of winter. You should go there. And if you're there on NY eve head to the square (after dinner). They have this quirky tradition of setting fire to a giant object that symbolises the year past and to honour the change of years. We had a burning garden watering can about three storeys tall. Right there in the middle of the crowd blazing into the midnight sky. I'd never seen that before.
But wait on ... this is meant to be about Elizabeth's apartment. Elizabeth's apartment was great. We had the whole place, including the terrace (but sadly it was a bit chilly for too much outdoor eating). It is big and fitted our family of five into the three bedrooms easily. Although our elder teenager had to squeeze into one of the smaller beds. But after all the walking in the daytime, that was fine. The apartment was tidy and neat and secure and there's a big dining table that we could all fit around on the few occasions we didn't eat out. It is also well situated in the historic part of the city; but check your maps as there is a direct way into town and there's the roundabout way into town. It took us a few trips to figure that out. And make sure you get Elizabeth's guide to eating. V helpful. So, if you’re going to Bologna (and you should – it also a great base for train day trips: Venice, Florence, Milan, Modena) stay at Elizabeth's. Especially if you’re a family.