Italians love to define Bologna as a scholarly, fat and red city. The scholarly label refers to the site of the world’s oldest university (1088). The fat label alludes to Bolognese food, with its tagliatelle and tortellini. Finally, Bologna is a red city because of the colour of its houses and also thanks to the political traditions of the city’s administration.

Bologna is also a city of porticos, which stretch for nearly 40 km in the city centre, and of the Garisenda tower, the only real leaning tower in Italy (the leaning tower of Pisa is in fact a bell tower). As a student city and as the symbol of the good life, Bologna is well known for the efficiency of its services and the welcoming nature of its people, who are somewhat envied for their joie de vivre.

As an Etruscan settlement, Bologna later became a Roman town (Bononia). During the medieval period, the city developed into a free commune which reached the peak of its power in the 13th Century. Despite falling under the control of the Papal states in the 16th Century, the city maintained legal and political autonomy. Its town centre is one of the best conserved in Europe, and is full of beautiful palaces and churches packed with art works that bear witness to the cultural importance of the city over the centuries.

Things to see:

Santo Stefano - Extraordinary edifice consisting of four medieval churches. The most interesting is the church of the Sepolcro, which preserves a representation of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem.

S. Domenico - This is the birthplace of the Dominican order and the resting place of the remains of its founder. Beautiful Romanesque façade and Gothic chapels.

Pinacoteca Nazionale is the most important art gallery in Bologna and boasts one of the richest collections in Northern Italy. Materpieces by Giotto, Raffaello and others.

Torre Degli Asinelli and Torre Della Garisenda - These two leaning towers - built in the 12th century - are one of the main symbols of Bologna. The tallest tower is the Torre degli Asinelli, with its 98 metres. It’s worth making an effort to climb this tower because of the magnificent views from the top.

The Palazzo Comunale is Bologna’s town hall and is home to a large collection of Renaissance paintings and other pieces of art.

S. Petronio is one of the largest medieval churches in Italy. The inside is full of Gothic archways, stained glass windows and doors from the 15th and 16th centuries.

Shopping:

Italian fashion and food should be the key themes for Bologna’s visitors. There’s a reason Italy is one of the main fashion nations, and browsing the windows in Galleria Cavour, just ten minutes on foot from piazza Maggiore, will make you see why. Here you can find Armani and other main Italia griffes’ clothes and accessories, such as Gucci, La Perla underwear, Magli shoes and la maison Bulgari jewelleries.

Other fashion shops are located all around the centre of Bologna, mostly in via Farini, via Ugo Bassi, via Indipendenza and under the Portico del Pavaglione.

Eating out:

Bologna is renowned for its rich cuisine. You should at the very least try mortadella (a sort of salted pork meat) and tagliatelle (handmade noodles) with meat sauce and lasagna, which, by the way, was invented in this city.

Please don’t ask for ’spaghetti alla Bolognese,’ the waiters could lose their temper. The famous ragù (Bolognese sauce) is served only with fresh tagliatelle or lasagna. This restaurant mainly offers typical Bolognese dishes in a cosy atmosphere.

La Tua Piadina - Whichever kind of piadina (a sort of pizza bread with fillings) you fancy, you will find it here, from the thick piadina of Bertinoro to the thin kind from Riccione. They also have a kind of vegetarian piadina and flavours such as Nerella with walnuts.

Pizzeria Ristorante Vito a San Luca - If you want a good pizza, try this restaurant opposite the Madonna of San Luca Sanctuary. It also offers generous salads, bruschettas, desserts and ice cream and a good selection of red and white wines.

Rodrigo - One of the most elegant restaurants of the city situated in an old building in the city centre. The menu contains both traditional dishes and creative ones based on fish, meat and mushrooms. The fresh pasta is very good. If you go there late in the evening, you can sometimes spot famous Italian theatre actors.

Diana - Born in the 1920s, this restaurant is known as the temple of the Bolognese cuisine. Recommended dishes: fresh pasta (tortellini, tortelloni, lasagna, tagliatelle), roasts, mushrooms and dessert ’Diana’ with hot chocolate and ice cream. The furniture and atmosphere are a ticket back to the 1950s.

Posta is recommended for its typical Tuscan cuisine and its romantic atmosphere with candle lit tables. The waiters are pleasant and fast working. Recommended dishes are: fresh pasta, sweets, vegetable soup and grilled meat. This is a good place for wine buffs.

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