Bologna is the capital of the province of Emilia-Romagna, and is about an hour north of Florence, and a bit further from Milan in the other direction. It is famed for primarily for its culinary produce and also the university, which is the oldest in Europe.
It is also known as 'Red Bologna' or Bologna Rossa, both because it's left-leaning politics (which led to the tragic bombing of the railway station in the early 80s which killed 80 people)and because it was the first city in Italy to elect a communist council, and also because of the clay-like stone which makes up the colonnades, and gives the city a reddish tinge especially as the sun is setting.
One of the most famous landmarks though, are the 'Due Torre' or two towers, whereas many towers once dominated the skyline of this city, somewhat like San Gimagnino, now, only two remain, and one of them leans a bit. You can walk up to the top of one of them, but it was closed when I went the first time, and to be honest, I wasn't really sure of the point unless you like climbing towers!
As for things to do in Bologna, being a university city, and quite a 'young city', there are great bars/clubs/discos around the central university area. It has also one of the most active gay communities in Italy, and is proud of its tradition of tolerance. There are also the ubiquituos irish pubs, which are quite fun and attract much of the younger populace. It certainly has a far livelier night life than a lot of cities of comparable sizes, which I can only put down to the University, and it has a wide range of things to do, from classical concerts and recitals to clubs and pubs.
There is a small expatriate community here, due, mainly to the university, and the exquisite charm of the city itself, there is an English language bookshop which is a good place to meet locals eager to practice their English. They are remarkably friendly, the Bolognesi, and very proud (unsurprisingly) of their city.
Another good way, if you are travelling alone and a bit starved for company, is just to hang around in the Piazza Nettuno long enough, someone will talk to you eventually (ok, it worked for me... it's amazing what loneliness can drive you to!).
There are a couple of museums of interest, and two, in particular, art galleries, attached to the university. The shopping is fine and offers a good range, and there is a very good market on Fridays and Saturdays in the main park area which is close to the railway station.
As for the food, is a famed throughout Italy, and something the Bolognesi are extremely proud of. Even the smallest (and cheapest) trattorie, will find a pride in serving a gem of a meal. I can't remember the names of any restaurants in particular but there are many dotted around the city.
It is quite expensive to stay, although there are a number of cheap hotels and the hostel is quite far out. THere is an information desk in the station where they can help out.
It is a very popular place for Italian companies to have conferences and fairs, so it is worth making sure your visit doesn't coincide with one of these because the hotel prices are hiked up astronomically.
It's a great place to spend a few days away from the tourist trek that is Italy in the summer. The countryside is also beautifully understated, perhaps not quite Tuscany, but not far off, and there are some excellent smaller cities in the immediate vicinity making this a great place to spend a little time.
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I thought that the review was good as a general overview to Bologna, but it is quite lacking on some of the finer details, and specifics, such as names of restaurants, hotels etc
marcolangley 15.03.2003 14:47
Great op, I am from Bologna and I really enjoyed what you've written. Marco
JVL 30.08.2001 15:35
Great op - another place I'd love to visit... a mate of mine was in Bologne recently, but she didn't like it all. Looks like she could have done with your potted guide to the town!
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Aug 15th, 2000
(May 30th, 2001)
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