Bologna – sights and travel tips

Travelling to an inland Italian city at the end of July? Is this a good idea? Yes it is. Even though I hesitated for a long time myself and only booked the bed and breakfast three days before the extended 1st of August weekend and took care of the train tickets. In the end, it was three wonderfully sunny summer days in a pleasantly “empty” Bologna.

Getting to Bologna by train

From Zurich to Bologna it takes less than six hours by train, including a stop of around 40 minutes in Milano Centrale. Since I booked at such short notice, I had to show some flexibility in the travel time, because some of the trains from Zurich to Milano Centrale were already fully booked. Luckily, there were still enough tickets left for the Frecciarossa route Milano-Bologna (travel time: one hour). Bologna is therefore great for a short trip of two to three days and the train ride can even be used for work.

Attractions in Bologna

38 kilometres of arcades for strolling

One of the most outstanding architectural features of Bologna and classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site are the “Porticos”. The arcades extend over a length of 38 kilometres and are particularly practical in the summer heat. It stays pleasantly cool under the arches. If you follow the arcades with an attentive eye, you will discover beautiful old doors and flashy vintage shops such as the “Fratelli Broche“, where we were told a story about every piece of clothing. Another special feature of Bologna is the “secret canals“. If you open the inconspicuous window in Via Piella, you get a view of waterways that are reminiscent of Venice.

Bologna’s Leaning Towers: Climb Garisenda and Asinelli

It’s not just Pisa that has a leaning tower as a landmark. In Bologna, there are even two leaning towers right next to each other. The smaller Garisenda is extremely crooked in the landscape and can only be visited from the outside. With this crooked situation, no one would dare to enter voluntarily. In the higher “Asinelli”, a narrow wooden staircase leads almost 100 m up to the viewing platform. The entrance fee is 3 euros and the effort is worth it. From up here there is a great overview of the red-tiled roofs of the old town of Bologna.

Relax in Piazza Santo Stefano

The tip that Piazza Santo Stefano is the most beautiful piazza in Bologna was revealed to me by someone on Facebook. I agree with this 100%. In the Caffè della Sette Chiese on the edge of the piazza you can relax wonderfully and there is real lemonade.

Escape the midday heat at MAMbo

When the heat sets in around noon, it’s time to cool down inside. Bologna has some museums worth seeing. We decided to visit the Museo d’Arte Moderna di Bologna (MAMbo). The museum has three main focuses. On the one hand, there is a special exhibition (currently David Bowie). In addition, the collection is divided into two parts. The Morandi Museum section is dedicated to the works of art by local artist Giorgio Morandi. In the second part, modern works of art (pictured a work by Tony Cragg) and video installations are exhibited.

Visit the world’s oldest university

The Biblioteca Comunale dell’Archiginnasio is one of the most impressive buildings in the city and was the seat of the ancient University of Bologna. For three euros, the anatomy room and another historical room can be visited. The detour to the building, which is located not far from Piazza Maggiore, is worth it just for the view into the inner courtyard.

Search for the most beautiful viewpoint

The most beautiful view over Bologna can be found at the Chiesa di San Michele in Bosco. From the city centre, bus no. 30 runs there regularly. The bus ticket costs 1.50 euros for 75 minutes. Unfortunately, we only discovered this viewpoint on the last day – this would be a nice photo location for a sunrise photo. Be sure to take a look inside the church.

Zum Sanctuary of Our Lady of St. Luke pilgern

We originally thought that you could enjoy a great view over the city from the church Santuario della Madonna di San Luca, which towers high above the city on the wooded Colle della Guardia. Nothing there. The front of the church has no platform and is not accessible. Nevertheless, the path is worth it. Not so much because of the church, but because of the longest arcade in the world, which starts at Porta Saragozza and leads up to the church in just under four kilometres. The locals like to use the track for their daily workouts. If you reach the top at 30° degrees, you know why. At 7 p.m., access to the church will be closed.

Enjoy the summer feeling in Piazza Maggiore

In July and August, “Il Cinema Ritrovato” takes place in Piazza Maggiore. Old Italian films are shown against the historic backdrop of the city. Admission is free and even those who don’t understand a word of Italian will enjoy the evening atmosphere on Bologna’s central square.

Culinary discoveries: Best restaurants and delicacies in Bologna

Taste your way through the best gelaterias

Of course, we have set ourselves the goal of finding the best gelateria in Bologna. We were convinced by «La Sorbetterie die Castiglione». Also recommended are the gelateria “Galliera 49” and “Gelatauro”. Lovers of exciting ice cream creations will get their money’s worth here.

Eating the “real” spaghetti bolognese

It’s no secret that the right spaghetti bolognese is called “tagliatelle al ragù” and is part of the culinary must-see. At the end of July, many Osterias unfortunately have a summer break (which would be the only drawback of the travel time we chose). The Osteria dell’Orsa is open all the time and there we tried the classic.

Best of Emilia-Romagna

The Emilia Romagna region is rightly considered the belly of Italy. Whether it’s Parmigiano-Reggiano, Parma ham or pasta dishes – enjoyment comes first. A restaurant that embraces regional cuisine wonderfully and was able to delight us with its lunch menu is the Gessetto Ristorante. The friend still raves about this wonderful plate of Parma ham and burrata.

Pizzaplausch

Ranzani13 serves pizza, burgers and beer. So not necessarily the most representative restaurant in the region, but no less fine. Reservations are recommended. I made a reservation online in advance and it worked out great.

Fine Dining

Since the favorite osteria of our B&B host (All’Osteria Bottega) unfortunately had a summer break, he recommended the Sale Grosse, listed in the Michelin Guide 2016, as an alternative. The cuisine focuses on fish dishes. Good vegetarian alternatives are also available. Clearly the culinary highlight of our Bologna city trip.

Casa Bertagni Bed & Breakfast in the heart of Bologna

We spent the night in the centrally located Bed & Breakfast Casa Bertagni (partner link). The guest house, which opened last year, currently has three rooms. For the next summer season, even more rooms will be added. If you appreciate personal tips from locals, you’ve come to the right place. In the room there is a city map with exquisite food tips from the owner and at breakfast he told us his favorite culinary place and at the same time offered to take care of the table reservation for dinner. A super individual service! For three nights including breakfast we paid 450 euros.