Taking inspiration from Motor Valley, this dapper apartment is a stylish place to call home. With its automotive wallpaper, midnight blue kitchen and lavish rainfall shower, there's no denying that every inch is sleek, sophisticated and super contemporary – but the scenes from the balcony are anything but. A former palace, the view of the building's tangerine-coloured internal courtyard is old-world at its best – what a delightful contrast to the glossy finishes inside. Although there's nowhere to sit on the balcony, we still think it's an excellent spot to savour a glass of Pignoletto in the Italian sunshine.

You also couldn't be better located, with Piazza Maggiore, the Two Towers and Fontana del Nettuno all less than a ten-minute walk away. Spend afternoons wandering Bologna's historic lanes in search of independent shops, tucked-away trattorias and local markets. Evenings, however, are best enjoyed wining and dining alfresco at the array of excellent restaurants nearby. Sounds like the perfect getaway to us.

Home truths:
*Two of the four guests will sleep on the sofa bed, but we'd recommend a maximum guest count of two
*Your host has several flats in this building, and you may be able to book them together to accommodate larger groups – please ask for more information
*While there aren’t any laundry facilities in the apartment, shared washers and dryers are available in the building
*This building has a shared entrance – you can self check-in with a smart lock
*This home is in Bologna's restricted traffic zone – cars are only allowed between 8pm and 7am
*Well-behaved pets are welcome on request
*A germicidal air purifier can be provided on request
*The kitchen is very small and best suited to lighter meals