Bologna

Accommodations

• Hotel Novecento: 4-star hotel not far from the main square, I walked everywhere from the hotel without issue. The hotel is fairly new and part of Bologna Art Hotels chain but it's small enough to be boutique. The design is clean lines but warm with color. Service was great and I believe they include breakfast, which I have no recollection of, thus I may have slept through it, oops!

Sites/Tours

• I came to Bologna as I found it on a top 10 list for Christmas Markets. Just a heads up I don't think it should make the top 10 but going for just the food was tasty.
• The Two Towers of Bologna: For a small fee, climb the interior stairs to the top for amazing city views. Great to see for sunset.
• Basilica Santuario della Madonna di San Luca: This was one of the sites I wanted to catch but wasn't able to, it's still on my list. It's a few miles outside of the city center. The site supposedly includes the world's largest Portico which I think would be amazing to walk and take in.

Food

• Sfoglia Rina: Well anything with "Rina" in the name must be excellent, right?! This is a great, down-to-earth, local place to sit down for a pasta dish or buy fresh pasta to take home. The menu is only in Italian and listed out on a giant chalkboard in the dining room. You place your order by taking the clipboard with sheets of paper on it from the middle of the table and putting your seat number and order down. Then just hand it to the server when they swing by. The food was delicious, of course I had something with Bolognese sauce.
• Pappagallo: Close to the two towers, Bolognese dishes are the menu. Dress at least smart casual here, it's white table cloth dining with a formal server atmosphere. I had the Bolognese lasagna, which did not dissapoint.

Florence

Accommodations

• Hotel degli Orafi: 4-star hotel with a great rooftop bar view. Service was nice, room was comfortable and had a very floral decor. I found most things walkable from the hotel. I would stay here again. 

Sites/Tours

• Everywhere and everything: One of my favorite cities in Europe and extremely walkable. Some specific callouts are:
  • Pitti Palace and Boboli Gardens: Kind of the Versailles of Florence on a smaller scale. Head to the back of the gardens and enjoy the amazing views of Tuscany.
  • Uffizi Gallery: Beautiful works of art. I'm not a museum fiend but I still enjoyed myself here and if you need a break from the heat (or rain) it's a good couple hours to enjoy strolling around viewing the works. Try to go at opening or at the end of the day as mid day crowds can make it suffocating.
  • Giotti's Bell Tower: Obviously I saw the outside of this but unfortunately was not able to climb the interior stairs to the top as this was part of the trip I was ill. This is still on my list to do as I understand the views are wonderful from the top and better than the views from top of the Duomo because the view from the Bell Tower includes the Duomo.
  • Ponte Veccchio: This is a must. Really take in the bridge from the banks of the River Arno a couple blocks northwest of the bridge. Once you get to the bridge itself, expect tight quarters as you walk across. Make sure you've got hold of your belongings, this is a high pick pocket area. If you like jewelry, there is plenty to look at, otherwise it's nice to catch a live band playing on the bridge. I also enjoyed coming back at night to see the calmer and more serene side to the bridge.

Milan

Accommodations

• Airbnb: Great for 1 person, 2 max. Lots of cafe and restaurant options nearby to walk to and the subway around the corner. Would stay here again, check out my review under the listing.

Sites/Tours

• Milan Cathedral (Duomo): I really wanted to check this out because you can climb the stairs to the roof and walk on top of the roof for views over the square. A couple tips; make sure you review the posted prohibited items and dress code before you go, so you don't have to throw anything away or unable to visit. I thought I tackled the list but had to throw out my sunscreen. Get in the mindset of airport security for this one. It's worth it though, and make sure you get there with enough time to savor the rooftop views and not have to rush through it.
• Colonne di San Lorenzo: I always love me some Roman ancient ruins. Check out the colonade and you can also find some good street art in the surrounding area, so walk around a bit.
• The Last Supper: Leonardo Da Vinci's famous painting can be found in Santa Maria delle Grazie church. Seeing the original in person was something I thought would be interesting, as we've all seen plenty of replicas or variations based on the concept. That said, this is a hot ticket! You have to try and get tickets well in advance, months ahead. Alas, I couldn't get in, and this one is still "on the list" for me, if you are planning a trip far enough out, you should look into this.

Rome

Accommodations

• I stayed in a little hotel near the Spanish steps that I think has become a different hotel six years later. There are definitely many accommodations in that area and I found it a good jumping off point for getting around the city with lots in walking distance.

Sites/Tours

• The Colosseum: This is a no-brainer. It's amazing. Decide how you want to tackle this and make plans accordingly. I did an individual ticket without a tour and perused it myself at my own pace using my guide book. If you want more of an insiders tour you can get tickets for a private or group tour that also takes you into areas not open to general tickets. You get some extra sites but are on a timetable to get through. Depends on how you like to take it in.
• Roman Forum: Incredible as well. Take in the size of things and continue to think when these were built. In today's day and age we can't even build roads that last longer than a few years. While here you can also check out the continuous fresh flowers placed on the altar of Julius Caesar.
• Bocca della Verità: The mouth of truth. If you aren't looking for this, it's easy to miss. If coming from the Colosseum, head towards Circus Maximus and follow that north. There's a small donation to be made to get up close and stuff your hand in.
• Vatican City and St. Peters Basilica: It doesn't matter if you are religious or not, this "city" is something to see. Get in line to go up the dome to the top of St. Peters Basilica, you'll get amazing views of the interior ceiling and then the city outside.
• Trevi Fountain: Another must-do for at the least the tradition of any first time visit to Rome. I recommend visiting at night as it's just too crowded during the day unless you want to get smacked in the head with 100 selfie sticks. When you come here also have your coin ready to throw into the fountain as it's supposed to ensure another visit to Rome.
• Piazza Navona: I recommend grabbing a cheap gelato nearby and coming here to peruse the local artists paintings, people watching and live music. I don't recommend actually eating here as it's all super touristy. If you want to sit down, just get some drinks and find dinner elsewhere. 

Venice

Accommodations

• Hotel la Forcola: 3-star hotel about 20 minutes walk from St. Mark's Square. The back of the hotel is off a waterway so it was fun to look out the window in my room and see gondolas passing by. The hotel and rooms were clean but very basic. I thought the hotel was fine, but if traveling there again would see what other options were available.

Sites/Tours

• St. Mark's Square: Almost all the biggies are here; St. Mark's Basilica, Doge's Palace, and St. Mark's Campanile. Nearby on the promenade you can also hire gondolas. Now, be prepared to pay if you want a gondola ride, they are expensive. I personally did one because I felt it's just something I had to do in Venice and didn't want to regret in the case I never had the opportunity to come back. You will also get the best view of the Bridge of Sighs from a gondola as you will actually go underneath it.
• Rialto Bridge: It is a rush hour of boats around this bridge during all daylight hours. The bridge spans the Grand Canal and is the most recognizable/famous. Check out both sides of the bridge as the two sides can have a different feel to them.