My kind of town: Bologna

Why Bologna ? It’s a lovely sight to see the deep red buildings that cover the medieval and baroque to the neo classical. There is the pair of medieval towers, which have remained tilted for roughly 900 years.

What do you miss most when you are away? You can find some excellent pasta in Italy , in particular tortellini in brood, which was supposedly made by a cook after looking at the navel of Venus.

What's the first thing you do when you return? The Piazza Nettuno, with the statue of Neptune and Piazza Maggiore are the city’s heart for the architectural and social. Here you can find groups of old men that seem not to have changed in 25 years.

Where's the best place to stay? You have the choice of staying in the city’s new boutique hotel. This has 25 rooms and called Novecento (Piazza Galileo 4; 0039 051 745 7311; www.bolognarthotels.it; from £124), it is also situated wonderfully just west of Piazza Maggiore.

Where to go for a drink with friends? In a wonderful chapel of Bentivoglio there is Le Stanze del Tenente (Via del Borgo di San Pietro 1; 051 228767). In here the décor is a blend of 17 th century frescoes with neo-Gothic and 1970s retro to attract Bologna ’s amazing people for cocktails. For the more traditional, there is Cantina Bentivoglio (Via Mascarelli 4b; 051 265416; www.cantinabentivoglio.it), it is in a cavernous wine cellar of an old palace. There are plenty of wines to choose from. There's also decent food and live jazz.

Where to go for lunch? Trattoria Caminetto d'Oro (Via de' Falegnami 4; 051 263494; closed Tues dinner and Wed), just off Via dell'Indipendenza. On offer here is exquisite homemade pasta and zampone. This is stuffed pig’s trotter, all for the cost of roughly £20. If your taste buds are in the mood for a salad and fish, there is Da Ercole (Piazza Minghetti 2; 051 228848; open daily). There are also your cafes that can serve you tramezzini (little sandwiches) with a glass of fizzy Lambrusco.

For dinner? All you need to do is jump into a taxi and head for Trattoria Gigina (Via Stendhal l; 051 322132). Here you can sample a classic of Bologna , tagliatelle al ragu, with a meaty main course and a Sangiovese wine all for under £20. There is also the Ristorante Cesarina (Via Santo Stefano 19; 051 232037; closed Tues lunch and Mon) to feast outside in a perfect setting on the house speciality: courgettes stuffed with thin tagliatelle, porcini mushrooms and Parmesan. Here a three-course meal without wine for about £30.

Where would you send a first-time visitor? Climb up the Torre Asinelli. This is a shaky wooden staircase that curves round to the top for amazing views.

What would you tell them to avoid? One place not recommended going to is the unfinished basilica of San Petronio. The outside is adequate, but the interior is dreadful.

Public transport or taxi? Here in Bologna , the taxis are not going to charge you a fortune. However, if you walk to the centre it is fairly packed together and there is shelter and shade provided in most of the 25 miles of spacious porticoes.

Handbag or money-belt? You can go out and about with a designer handbag to outshine the local fashion enthusiasts.

What should I bring back? There are the boutiques along the Via Farini, are good to go to. However, in Bologna , if you like food, you could bring back fresh thyme, even in winter, fresh pasta in weird shapes, truffles, dried porcini, balsamic vinegar, from Modena close by, prosciutto and peppery salamis. You can also bring back a big chunk of classic Parmesan for roughly £5 a pound at the main covered market, the Mercato delle Erbe (Via Ugo Bassi 27). It is advisable to try a little bit before you buy, as the quality will vary. The city’s market is a no-frills market, but the side streets between Piazza Maggiore and the Due Torri (two towers) are places that you would find upmarket delicatessens. The landmark for cakes, pastries, dried pasta and Bolognese breads is Pasticceria Atti and Figli (Via Caprarie 7; 051 220425; www.paoloatti.com) you can end your shopping trip at the chocolate shop and laboratory of Roccati (Via Clavature 17a; 051 261964).

If you run out of time, you can go to Tamburini (Via Caprarie 1; 051 234726; www.tamburini.com). It can be found at the centre of the small group of food streets, and is the most respected emporium of all. It has been established in the same family since 1932 and it is full of more than 150 products to try and buy, these are all served by smart shop assistants in white caps and coats.