Bologna or Chamonix?

Neither city suits a beach vacation, but at least Bologna has the sea within reach. Rimini and the Romagna lidos are about an hour away by train, with warm, shallow Adriatic water in July and August, even if the shore is rows of rented sunbeds.

In Chamonix, mountain lakes take the place of the sea. Lac de Passy has a small sandy strip facing Mont Blanc, and Lake Annecy makes a fine summer day out by car. These are cool-water afternoons off rather than seaside days.

Food is one of the clearest gaps between the two. Bologna is the home of tagliatelle al ragù, tortellini and mortadella, eaten in old osterie and family trattorias. The shops of the Quadrilatero and the producers of Parma and Modena are close at hand, and you could plan a whole trip around meals.

Chamonix eats well in a narrower way. Fondue, raclette and tartiflette made with Alpine cheeses taste best on a refuge terrace after a morning on the trails. Beyond that, resort menus repeat themselves, and many kitchens close between seasons.

Bologna's red-brick medieval centre is a sight in itself. The porticoes, San Petronio, the seven churches of Santo Stefano, the anatomical theatre in the Archiginnasio and the Pinacoteca take two or three full days to see properly.

Chamonix's heritage is the story of alpinism. The Musée Alpin and the old guides' quarter tell it well, but they take only half a day. The real sight there is the massif above the town.

Bologna's students give it the livelier evenings. Crowds gather outside the bars around Piazza Verdi, the taverns of Via del Pratello stay open late, and aperitivo near the Quadrilatero turns into a round of wine bars. The city goes quiet in August.

In Chamonix, going out means après-ski: loud, sociable and mostly English-speaking, in bars at the foot of the slopes and along a lane of pubs in the old town, with a couple of small clubs. It is fun in winter but subdued on summer nights, and largely shut between seasons.

Chamonix is in another league here. The Aiguille du Midi cable car climbs to 3,842m above the glaciers of Mont Blanc, and the Mer de Glace is a train ride away. The Tour du Mont Blanc, climbing, paragliding and steep skiing all start from the valley.

Bologna's outdoors is gentler. There is the arcaded climb to San Luca, walks in the Colli Bolognesi and the gypsum caves of the Parco dei Gessi, plus the Via degli Dei for anyone with several days to walk to Florence. These are pleasant, but they are not why you choose the city.

Bologna is by far the better base. Florence is about half an hour away by fast train, and Ravenna, Ferrara, Modena, Parma, Verona and Venice are all easy rail outings, each worth a trip in its own right.

Chamonix's day trips cross borders. Courmayeur and the Roman town of Aosta lie through the tunnel, Annecy and Geneva are reached by road, and the Mont Blanc Express runs to Martigny. These trips are rewarding, but the list runs out after a handful, and mountain roads make for long days.

Chamonix gives children more to do, as long as the family likes being outside. There are ski schools and sledging in winter, and in summer a luge, treetop courses, the marmots and ibex of the Merlet park and the red train to the Mer de Glace. The highest cable cars are no place for toddlers, though, and there is little to do on wet days.

Bologna is easy rather than exciting with children. The centre is flat and largely car-free, the porticoes give shade and meals are simple. Its sights are made for adults, however, so families tend to add a day at Mirabilandia or on the beach at Rimini.

Both are small, flat towns best seen on foot, and neither needs a car. The difference lies beyond the centre.

Bologna's station sits at the edge of the old town and connects you to the fast trains of northern Italy. Chamonix relies on valley buses and the Mont Blanc Express, which are free with the guest card but packed with skiers in winter and sparse in the evenings.

Bologna has the broader shopping. The Quadrilatero sells mortadella, aged Parmigiano and balsamic vinegar to take home, Via dell'Indipendenza has the high-street chains, a small luxury cluster sits around the Galleria Cavour, and Piazza Santo Stefano holds an antiques market.

Chamonix is a specialist's town. Its outdoor shops carry technical climbing and ski gear along with expert advice, and they are worth saving a big purchase for. Beyond that, it is cheese, génépi, rock crystals and souvenirs.

Neither is cheap, but a budget goes much further in Bologna. Trattoria meals and aperitivo with food are good value, most sights are churches and squares that are free to enter, and walking the centre costs nothing. Only hotels are expensive, especially during the trade fairs.

In Chamonix nearly everything adds up: rooms in the peak weeks, lift passes, the big cable cars and mountain guides. Self-catering, picnics, free valley transport and trails that start on the valley floor help, as does avoiding the high seasons.

Bologna has a real musical life. There is opera, ballet and symphonic music at the historic Teatro Comunale, jazz in basement clubs, student gigs and summer concerts and film screenings in Piazza Maggiore. Chamonix has a summer jazz festival, with some sets played high in the mountains, and the odd church concert. For opera or an orchestra you would have to go to Geneva.

Chamonix is the better place to unwind, though usually after hard exercise. Its large day spa has hot outdoor pools facing the glaciers, many chalets have saunas, and Saint-Gervais has thermal springs in a wooded gorge. The town itself starts early and fills up in high season.

In Bologna, relaxing mostly means a slow lunch under the porticoes, with the spa pools at Castel San Pietro Terme or the old spa town of Porretta Terme as a calm half day out. The summer heat and the noisy university quarter make rest harder.