Ditch over-crowded Venice and Florence - this pretty Italian city is more authentic

Rome, Venice and Florence are classic tourist destinations for people all over the world, including the UK. Their beauty and history make them hugely popular and, as a result, very over-crowded (you can see Europe's most crowded countries here).

Anyone who has visited these world-famous cities knows that getting around them involves battling hordes of tourists from all over the world. And this means also having to battle all the problems that being in a major tourist destination bring: low-quality "tourist trap" restaurants, long queues to get in anywhere, people trying to force you into buying things and even pickpockets. In fact, Italy has recently been named as the worst country in Europe for pickpockets.

Those cities are famous for a reason, of course, like the jaw-dropping remnants of Rome's gladitorial past or the impossibly romantic canals of Venice, where cars are banned and the only way to get around is on foot or on a small boat. Sicily is another Italian tourism hotspot, though one writer recently said what she saw there made her feel unwelcome. And another Italian island is said to have the world's best beaches.

But while these heavyweights of the European tourist trail get all the headlines, there is another Italian city with a huge amount to offer that rarely gets any attention, but certainly deserves it.

Bologna is the capital of Italy's Emilia-Romagna region and is almost exactly halfway between Venice and Florence. Today, it is the seventh largest city in Italy but has a history dating back millennia, so you have the perfect mix of history and a bustling modern city.

One of Bologna's claims to fame is that it is home to the world's oldest university, but perhaps its standout selling point is the quality of its food. In fact, it is called "La Grassa" (the fat one) for its rich gastronomic heritage. It's rumoured that pasta itself was invented here but, whether that's true or not, Bologna is the origin of plenty of foods you definitely have heard of, like tagliatelle al ragu, lasagne, prosciutto, tortellini and mortadella. And, as a result, it's also the best place to eat them.

There is plenty to do in Bologna, though you could easily spend your days exploring the cobbled city centre streets and alleyways, ducking into the bars, coffee shops, ice cream shops and restaurants you'll find every few steps, not to mention the clothes shops selling everything from high street to high-end.

Hidden canals

They may not be as famous as Venice, but Bologna has its own canals, built in the 12th century to transport goods and people. The canal has since largely been covered up but you can still find it if you look hard enough. At Finestrella di Via Piella, there is a fence on one side through which you can look out over the canal. But there's a better view across the street from a "hidden" window, which, if it's closed, you can just open yourself and look through.

The world's oldest university

The University of Bologna is the oldest university in the world and its the anatomical theatre, where tutors would operate on patients in the 17th century in front of students and other "professionals", can still be seen and visited. The whole area around the university is worth wandering around to soak up the atmosphere of centuries of learning.

Piazza Majore

Piazza Majore is the heart of Bologna, and bears more than a passing resemblance to the world-renowned Piazza San Marco in Venice. It dates back to 1200, so it's one of the oldest (and biggest) squares in Italy, and what you see today is the culmination to date of 800 years of transformation that have given it its current look and feel. There are few better places to people-watch.

Walk the Portico di San Luca

This is an experience not to be missed. A 'portico' is a covered walkway that leads to a building, and this is the longest one in the world taking you 3.8km up to the Santuario della Madonna di San Luca, a basilica sitting high on a hilltop outside the city from where you get a stunning view of Bologna below. You can start the walk from the city centre itself and end it surrounded by countryside with views for miles around.

The people of Bologna would tell you categorically that they have the best food in all of Italy. Trying the tagliatelle al ragu, lasagne, prosciutto, tortellini and mortadella is a must when you are there. And if you call into any bar for an aperitivo (an early evening drink like a Spritz) bars will usually provide you with a selection of cold meats and cheeses to nibble on free of charge.

One of its best restuarants is Officine Degli Apuli, which, ironically is a restaurant specialising in food from Puglia in the south of Italy. But don't let that put you off.

Meanwhile, you'd have to be unlucky to wander into any trattoria or osteria and not be served really good quality and well-cooked pasta and cured meats. Osteria dell' Orsa often features at the top of visitors' lists. There are also places that specialise in meats and sandwiches, like Mo Mortadella Lab and La Prosciutteria.

Again, almost anywhere in central Bologna is good to call into for a Spritz, glass of wine or a cold glass of beer. For something a bit different, you could venture out of the city centre and head to two pubs based in the suburbs, called Old Bridge and Dragon. These are modelled on British pubs, but you won't feel anything but an authentic Italian vibe in them, especially when crowds descent to watch football there (disclaimer: I know the people who run both these pubs very well, but can still heartily recommend them!)

Bologna has a reasonably large and busy airport, with regular flights from the UK every day, taking just over two hours. British Airways flies regularly from Heathrow to Bologna, while Ryanair flies once a day from Stanstead and easyJet from Gatwick. There are also also flights from Manchester, Birmingham and Edinburgh. So it's a very easy city to get to.

What's more, its international airport is just on the fringes of the city so it's a short trip from the airport to the main parts of the city itself. Bologna also has a well-connected train station. From there you can get to Florence in 40 minutes or to Venice in about an hour and a half, so it's a great base for exploring more of Italy too. It's also near Modena, famous for its car industry and the headquarters of such storied names as Lamborghini, Maserati and Ferrari.