Bologna

  • Portico: protection from rain or sun
  • Garisenda and Asinelli medieval towers
  • Al fresco dining
  • Most of the buildings in Bologna are painted in tons of yellow, rose, orange, or red

Bologna is a historical city, famous for its cuisine (la cucina Bolognese), with around 390,000 inhabitants. Although it is well known by Italians, it is less so among foreign visitors. English is widely spoken by the local student population. It is the capital and largest city of Emilia-Romagna (a region in northern Italy) and the seat of the oldest university in continental Europe, founded in 1088.

It is also viewed as a progressive and well administered city. It is considered second only to Venice in beauty by many Italians and certainly has one of the largest and best preserved historic centres among Italian cities. Its architecture is noted for its palette of terracotta reds, burnt oranges, and warm yellows, hence the name of Bologna la rossa (Bologna the red). The extensive town centre, characterized by miles of attractive covered walkways, known as “porticos,” is one of the best-preserved in Europe.

Bologna is at its best from March/April to October, when it is warm and there is much outdoor drinking and dining, or just sitting in squares such as Piazza Santo Stefano and Piazza Maggiore. However, during July and August it may be particularly hot and humid and more populated by tourists. In August, as is the case in much of Italy in the summer, many shops and restaurants are closed for the summer vacation. Winter can be cold, but Bologna is beautiful the two weeks before Christmas. January and February often feature cloudless blue skies, but the clear weather is often the coldest: you will need a coat, scarf, hat and gloves.

There are many choices for where to eat, as Bologna is generally considered to be the gastronomic centre of Italy, the Food Capital. It is difficult to find a truly poor meal as the Bolognese, like most Italians, use fabulous quality local produce with sparkling ingenuity.

Where is Bologna?

Some of the recipes I’ve brought from Bologna and tried at home:

My suggestion of places to go in Bologna: