Bologna gets overlooked by the tourists which means I like it more than other cities in Italy. It has no Duomo, Colliseum or Venetian Canals. It however, is an enjoyable city. It's cleaner than Naples, Rome or Florence, has great food and plenty of history to keep you busy.
It's the home of the oldest university in the world, tons of defensive towers and has great food. There are 23 miles of arcades so if it's raining in Italy go to Bologna!
Still Bologna is in Italy - in the two days we were here we got intentionally spit on, we saw a refrigerator get it's compressor stolen and a man broke off a bicycle kickstand and stole it.