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.

• The sofa bed will be set up for all bookings of three or more guests – if you’d like it set up for bookings of fewer than three guests, there’s an additional fee of€15 per day
• Your host can arrange a variety of services for an additional fee, including daily cleaning and discounted parking in the nearby Garage Bologna and Garage Marconi parking garages (€30 per vehicle per day)Cost on request