Walk. Eat. Walk. Eat. Walk. Eat. That pretty much sums up what I like to do in Bologna.
The Walking Part: Bologna is a mid-sized city, so it's easy to get around on foot, and there are literally miles and miles of covered arcades, so it doesn't matter if the weather is bad. Being a university town, it has a great, energetic vibe.
The city has a (surprise) long and rich history that is visible practically everywhere in its extremely well-preserved historic center: take in the art and architecture on its streets, look up to admire its towers, spend time in its outdoor squares, or duck into some of its many churches for a sample of Medieval, Baroque and Renaissance art.
The Eating Part: Don't leave without tasting the famous Bolognese pasta sauce, or ragù. Try any of the cured pork meats like prosciutto or mortadella, and sample wine from nearby vineyards. Bologna is the perfect place to find some freshly-baked bread, some local sliced meats, some local cheeses (this is also parmigiano reggiano territory) and some fresh fruit, and sit in a piazza to people-watch and picnic.
Other things to do:
- visit the well-known University of Bologna, the oldest in Europe, founded in the 11th century;
- take in a basketball game to see one or both of Bologna's basketball teams play;
- go see some live music - a UNESCO city of music, Bologna offers everything from classical to jazz to folk to opera.
In Bologna (and - as an aside - in Venice too) my favorite thing to do is follow the smallest streets I can see (not the completely deserted ones though!) and get good and lost. Then I pull out my map, and slowly find my way back, making neat local discoveries along the way.
Worthwhile daytrips from Bologna:
- I'll probably do a separate post on the city of Parma, home of parmesan cheese, but it's close enough to nip over and back in a day.
- Halfway between Bologna and Parma is the city of Modena, famous for its production of balsamic vinegar, but again a very pretty city in its own right and worth a visit.
- Travel southeast (about 30 minutes by train) to the city of Faenza, and visit the famous ceramics museum.
- From Faenza, take the 10-minute train ride to the small and off-the-beaten-track medieval town of Brisighella. It's got beautiful scenery, medieval architecture, good food, and in the summer, a medieval festival. I lived in Brigishella for 3 months one summer, so I may be somewhat biased, but I do think it warrants a visit.
Photos by Sanjay
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