On May 21, 2012 there was a major 6.0 earthquake in northern Italy centered near the town of Bologna. While the recent earthquake resulted tragically in some death as well as destruction of some historical buildings and monuments in the smaller towns of the region, as far as I have heard Bologna itself was spared.
We travelled to Bologna [averagetraveller.com] in 2010 as part of my Northern Italy trip because it is the biggest city in the food rich Emilia-Romagna region. That area is famous for being the home of products such as Parmigiano-Reggiano, Prosciutto di Parma, and Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Modena (traditional balsamic vinegar). Perhaps you’ve heard of them before? Bologna was also the starting point for an amazing food tour [avergetraveller.com] that I took by Italian Days tours [italiandays.it].
Bologna is known for the meat based pasta sauce known as Bolognese around the world, ragù alla bolognese around Italy, and just plain ragù in Bologna. While it wouldn’t be served with ragù, an obscure little pasta called tortellini also calls Bologna home. Another product that they created is Mortadella, a finely ground pork sausage. In the United States you probably grew up eating a luncheon meat based on Mortadella called bologna or baloney. Now you know where that name comes from!
In addition to its rich food history, Bologna is also one of the world’s oldest University towns as the University of Bologna, opened in 1088, is the oldest in the world. Walking around town in the evening you can tell that there is a youthful vibe with many bookstores, cafes, restaurants, and bars spilling into the narrow streets and full of very well dressed people in their 20’s. On one post-dinner stroll we walked around the corner at 10:30pm on a Tuesday night to find someone directing all the foot traffic out to the sides of the street. Before we knew what was happening, a full fashion show came marching down past us! It was very cool.
Bologna is easily my favorite city in Italy. It is large enough that it has all the cultural sites and restaurants that you would want yet small enough that there aren’t really any touristy places. While we needed to use our very basic and newly learned Italian language skills [averagetraveller.com], it was nice to do some shopping at some of the well-known Italian clothing stores without any crowds and with a little extra personal attention from the staff.
If you are travelling by train between Florence and Venice make sure to hop off the train in Bologna and stay for a day or two. I will be returning there as soon as I can for more food and to hit a couple of famous gelato shops that I missed on my last trip! I also have to make sure to visit the Ferrari and Lamborghini factories that are in Emilia Romagna! Daydream……
This post was submitted to Travel Photo Thursday [budgettravelerssandbox.com] and Friday Daydreamin’ [rwethereyetmom.com]
What a wonderful, underrated Italian city! Great pictures and thanks for putting this on my radar of places to visit. It looks like my kind of city with lots of history, charm and full of good food.
Visiting Italy on a food tour has always been one of my biggest wishes. I just need to find a time to make it happen…parma ham is my favourite food in the world. I can even eat it for dessert hehe
Ah, I read about this city in a recent travel magazine and the travel bug has biten! Can’t wait to make it over there myself.
I will be traveling to Venice later this year, but Bologna wasn’t on my list. Now I’m going to have to see if I can fit it in. You had me at the food.
I’ve never been to Bologna but it looks like a lovely city. I’m pretty sure that if I told my 8 year old that parmagiano cheese was produced here that it would move to the top of our travel wish list!
I’ve never been to Bologna but you’ve just put it on my map (also for the food) – a visit to Bologna and your idea of doing a photography tour in a new city are brilliant ideas..
Ah, Bologna! Wanted to get there on my last trip to Italy, but too many places, too little time.
I too have not been to Bologna but would love to spend some time there! That last picture of the fountain was interesting. I do enjoy seeing all the fountains in European cities.
Never been to Bologna, so thanks for the tour 🙂 The basilica looks so interesting!
There’s a pretty cool story behind the basilica. It would have been the largest Catholic church ever if finished. They worked on it for two hundred years before the Vatican told them to stop so as to not take away the shine from St. Peter’s Bascilica in Vatican city (or at that time it might still have been considered part of Rome). I guess news travelled more slowly back then. It’s been left unfinished for three hundred years now.
Any city with good food (and a little shopping on the side) is definitely worth a trip!
Gorgeous photos and I love the history of the food – I loved our time in Italy and can’t wait to go back one day!
Thank you for linking up with us this week!
I’ve been hearing a lot of great things about Bologna. I just emailed your post to a friend who’s going to Italy in the Fall. Thanks for the info.
This looks fabulous, and the food makes me want to jump on a plane right now!!