By being in the centre of Italy, Bologna is the base for hundreds of daily tours. Ferrara, Parma, Milan, Florence, even Venice, but also Le Marche.
Actually, the latter area is the less discovered, but if one has a tour there, one will immediately realize such a beautiful surprise it is. Although a daily tour is not the proper way to discover the spirit of Le Marche, there are some interesting places to visit in a day.
An example is this tour I had with Dan and Emac from South Africa.
martedì 24 febbraio 2009
lunedì 24 novembre 2008
Chocolate show last weekend!
Last weekend I visited the chocolate show in Piazza Maggiore, Bologna.
There were so many kiosks full of every kind of chocolate, from everywhere in Italy: chocolate from Modica, in Sicily (they say it's the closest variety to the Aztec one!), from Piedmont (the famous gianduia), from Florence (where Pistocchi, the best chocolate torta in Italy, is based).
What about chocolate from Bologna? Well, with Majani and La Sorbetteria Castiglione, chocolate lovers can satisfy their needs even without the cioccoshow!
There were so many kiosks full of every kind of chocolate, from everywhere in Italy: chocolate from Modica, in Sicily (they say it's the closest variety to the Aztec one!), from Piedmont (the famous gianduia), from Florence (where Pistocchi, the best chocolate torta in Italy, is based).
What about chocolate from Bologna? Well, with Majani and La Sorbetteria Castiglione, chocolate lovers can satisfy their needs even without the cioccoshow!
sabato 22 novembre 2008
Bologna, heart of transportation in Italy
Bologna is quite a big city. In the 70's it exceeded half-a-million people, now the population has reduced but it's still around that amount. By being the capital town of a rich region like Emilia-Romagna, its train and transportation system is very well developed.
In addition, by being in the center of Italy, Bologna is the heart of the Italian transportation system. If something goes wrong in Bologna, the whole of Italy is split in two, whether it's trains or highways: Bologna is the connection between the northern and the southern part of Italy. If you go from Milan or Turin or Venice to Florence, Rome, Naples, Le Marche, Abruzzi or Puglia, you have to pass through Bologna.
I leave you to imagine how crowded the station of Bologna might be on Friday afternoon when all the daily and weekly commuters are going back home; now, add a holiday and you have this amount raised by 40%; say that the holiday is the 8th of December - when the biggest exhibition, the Motor Show - is taking place with thousands and thousands of visitors, and I wouldn't be exhaggerating if I said you would feel like you are at the gates of Hell...
In addition, by being in the center of Italy, Bologna is the heart of the Italian transportation system. If something goes wrong in Bologna, the whole of Italy is split in two, whether it's trains or highways: Bologna is the connection between the northern and the southern part of Italy. If you go from Milan or Turin or Venice to Florence, Rome, Naples, Le Marche, Abruzzi or Puglia, you have to pass through Bologna.
I leave you to imagine how crowded the station of Bologna might be on Friday afternoon when all the daily and weekly commuters are going back home; now, add a holiday and you have this amount raised by 40%; say that the holiday is the 8th of December - when the biggest exhibition, the Motor Show - is taking place with thousands and thousands of visitors, and I wouldn't be exhaggerating if I said you would feel like you are at the gates of Hell...
lunedì 17 novembre 2008
Bars in Bologna
Bologna is full of bars. Being a wealthy town, people are used to having colazione (cornetto e cappuccino), or simply an espresso at the bar.
The aperitivo, on the contrary, is more typical of Milan, where you can even have dinner without going back home. In Bologna it is instead a way to make you hungry. Over the last few years, some bars have tried to offer the same aperitivo as Milan, but there's no comparison. In Bologna, people want to sit down and eat, and they want to eat seriously, not just a simple slice of mortadella served in a tiny piece of bread. We may clearly state that in Bologna the real aperitivo alla milanese will never take place.
After dinner, the bolognesi and even more so the students, like to go out and sit down at a bar, or a pub, sipping some wine, beer or even grappa. In spring or summer it's great to stay outside; but in the winter it's rather cold. No problem: here is the way to make the winter warm outside. Somebody says it's not the best way to fight the energy wasting, but bars need to work.
I personally like to stay in when the weather is cold, but a lot of people don't: with such a view outside, they can't be blamed!
The aperitivo, on the contrary, is more typical of Milan, where you can even have dinner without going back home. In Bologna it is instead a way to make you hungry. Over the last few years, some bars have tried to offer the same aperitivo as Milan, but there's no comparison. In Bologna, people want to sit down and eat, and they want to eat seriously, not just a simple slice of mortadella served in a tiny piece of bread. We may clearly state that in Bologna the real aperitivo alla milanese will never take place.
After dinner, the bolognesi and even more so the students, like to go out and sit down at a bar, or a pub, sipping some wine, beer or even grappa. In spring or summer it's great to stay outside; but in the winter it's rather cold. No problem: here is the way to make the winter warm outside. Somebody says it's not the best way to fight the energy wasting, but bars need to work.
I personally like to stay in when the weather is cold, but a lot of people don't: with such a view outside, they can't be blamed!
domenica 16 novembre 2008
Why don't you have a walking through Bologna?
A project is in progress: walking days in Bologna.
Why should you have a walk with me? For the same reason that you should have a tour in Le Marche with me: you can see the places you explore with me also by yourselves, but with me you can take the deep meaning, their essence, their secret stories.
I don't want to seem boasty or overestimating my skills: I decided to promote this second project only after some informal tests. I now see that this project can work, as Le Marche project is working very well. I myself would like to explore another town with people who can help me to see what I cannot see with my only eyes.
The first walking days in Bologna will take place from December on. Differently from Le Marche, which give the best in the mid-season (April, May, June, September and October), Bologna is nice to see all year long, except July and part of August, when it's too hot. You can follow this blog to see how things are going.
Please spread the voice: December is near.
Why should you have a walk with me? For the same reason that you should have a tour in Le Marche with me: you can see the places you explore with me also by yourselves, but with me you can take the deep meaning, their essence, their secret stories.
I don't want to seem boasty or overestimating my skills: I decided to promote this second project only after some informal tests. I now see that this project can work, as Le Marche project is working very well. I myself would like to explore another town with people who can help me to see what I cannot see with my only eyes.
The first walking days in Bologna will take place from December on. Differently from Le Marche, which give the best in the mid-season (April, May, June, September and October), Bologna is nice to see all year long, except July and part of August, when it's too hot. You can follow this blog to see how things are going.
Please spread the voice: December is near.
mercoledì 13 agosto 2008
Bologna, the city in between
Bologna could be the most famous city in every country but Italy. In Italy, Bologna has to follow Rome (of course), Florence (of course), Venice (of course), Naples (of course), Milan, Sicily, Tuscany and some other places.
However, when visiting Italy, you are forced to pass through Bologna, given that this city is the strategical node to get from North to South and vice-versa. Wherever you go in Italy, Bologna is in between.
Therefore, if you have enough time for a walk, like a half day (or even a couple days), drop off and take a tour of Bologna. And if you have a good and sportive body, climb up the highest tower of the city, Torre degli Asinelli.
You can enjoy a view like in the picture above, on the header.
However, when visiting Italy, you are forced to pass through Bologna, given that this city is the strategical node to get from North to South and vice-versa. Wherever you go in Italy, Bologna is in between.
Therefore, if you have enough time for a walk, like a half day (or even a couple days), drop off and take a tour of Bologna. And if you have a good and sportive body, climb up the highest tower of the city, Torre degli Asinelli.
You can enjoy a view like in the picture above, on the header.
martedì 13 maggio 2008
Oh, bike!
This post is dedicated to the bike. To this marvellous and bio-natural means of transportation. When in Bologna, I usually go biking, or walking: ten years ago, when I starte
d the university, lots of people used to go by bike, now everybody moves around by car, in spite of limited traffic areas, high pollution levels, and so on.
My brother, who lives in Milan, always says that milanesi (inhabitants of Milan), can even survive without air. But not without car.
d the university, lots of people used to go by bike, now everybody moves around by car, in spite of limited traffic areas, high pollution levels, and so on.My brother, who lives in Milan, always says that milanesi (inhabitants of Milan), can even survive without air. But not without car.
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