Bolonia, la ciudad de los soportales

A beautiful medieval old town, one of the oldest universities, and one of the best gastronomy in Italy, what are you waiting for to visit Bologna?

Why visit Bologna

It is not one of the most renowned capitals of the country. However, its streets hide hundreds of curiosities waiting to be discovered.

Stroll under its more than 40 kilometers of arcades, sheltered from the sun or rain, observing its thousand and one differences. Arches, colors, mosaics, busts, columns, reliefs... Impossible to choose a favorite walkway.

And under its protection, hundreds of traditional businesses offering you one of the most beloved gastronomies in all of Italy. Mmm... are you hungry?

Well, don't stop yet, because at the end of this street, one of its squares appears, dominated by a unique church, like none you've seen before. Or maybe they are historic buildings, or one of its medieval towers defying the passage of time.

Don't be afraid to let yourself be carried away by your feet or your gaze, any corner has the potential to make you fall in love. But don't worry, you won't get lost.

On your way you will find a bustling city full of life, thanks to the great social activity provided by the thousands of students, locals and tourists.

It is often described as la dotta, la grossa, la rossaor, in other words, la docta, la gorda and la rossa.

• La Dotta is due to the fact that its university is one of the most prestigious and oldest in the world. For example, in the Archiginnasio library you can visit the first amphitheater where human anatomy classes were held.
• Grossa alludes to its delicious culinary tradition, although basing a diet entirely on it would not be advisable. It is very rich in animal products and types of pasta, while somewhat poor in vegetables and legumes. There are dozens of typical dishes that you will love. In particular, the Bolognese are especially proud of their mortadella and Parmesan cheese.
• La Rossa derives from the color of its roofs and some of its buildings. The best way to enjoy this quality is to climb one of the medieval towers that are still standing. The most famous are Garisenda and Asinelli, symbols of Bologna.

What to see

Here are the places that caught my attention during our visit. But remember, don't limit yourself to this.

Take your time to stroll through it and discover corners unknown to most tourists.

Leave the pre-established routes and immerse yourself in its medieval fragrance.

Have a beer in a square, go into a traditional gastronomic store, talk to the locals...

And fall in love with this beautiful Italian city.

Supports

The more than 40 kilometers of arcades that make up its streets make one of the best ways to enjoy Bologna, is walking under them.

With the creation of its renowned university, the large influx of students forced the construction of new rooms to accommodate them all. Thus, they began to build buildings with rooms that gained ground to the street.

In order not to eliminate space for pedestrians, it was always built by creating arcades that allowed a fluid circulation under them.

And... voila!

This is how this capital became the city of arcades.

Each one of them is different from the next, so put on a good pair of sneakers, and... let's discover them!

Santuario Madonna di San Luca and Via San Luca

The most impressive arcade street is the Portico di San Luca.

It consists of 666 arches and runs for more than 3.5 kilometers uphill, connecting Bologna with the Madonna di San Luca Sanctuary.

Along this road you will find a multitude of athletes walking or running at any time. Of course, be prepared for the climb of stairs and slopes, as there are about 300 meters of unevenness between the city and the sanctuary.

Neptune Fountain

This fountain is one of the symbols of Bologna. It is located in the center of Piazza Nettuno, next to Piazza Maggiore. In fact, they are so close to each other that they look like the same square, you can't miss them.

After its construction, the Church forced the architect to reduce the size of the male attributes of the sculpture, calling them indecent.

In revenge, its creator modified the work so that, from a certain angle, the index finger of the hand simulates a voluminous erect member. If you stand in front of the door of the Salaborsa building, you can see this perspective.

The fountain was covered by restoration works during our visit, so we could not see it with our own eyes.

Basilica di San Petronio

It is the most renowned church in Bologna, dedicated to the patron saint of the city. Not for nothing is it located in Piazza Maggiorein the heart of the city center. However, the entrance is free of charge.

In principle, this temple was designed to be the largest in Italy, surpassing even St. Peter's Basilica in Rome.

In order to avoid this, a papal order ordered the construction of the Archiginnasio on part of the land destined for it.

Its construction took several centuries, and, as you can see, the decoration of the facade was never finished.

Archiginnasio

This palace is one of the most significant, as it was the seat of the University of Bologna.

Inside is still the so-called anatomical theater, a room in the form of an amphitheater where human anatomy classes were given.

It was destroyed during World War II, so what you see today is a reconstruction.

The building is decorated by almost six thousand coats of arms, many of which can be seen as soon as one enters, all along its inner courtyard. It currently houses a library.

Basilica di Santo Stefano

Actually, this curious church is made up of seven independent temples. Don't miss it.

It is also located in one of the most beautiful squares in the city, with which it shares its name.

As a curiosity, you can visit the Isolani courta passage that crosses a set of restored palaces, today occupied by dozens of stores and restaurants.

You will also see the famous Salina palace, whose façade features the head of the devil himself concealed among the faces of the family that originally inhabited the building.

It is quite clear how little appreciation the architect in charge of the project had for them.

The two towers: Garisenda and Asinelli

Of the more than 100 towers that populated Bologna, only 24 are still standing.

Garisenda and Asinelli are the most famous and symbols of the city. They are named after the families who ordered their construction.

The size of the Garisenda tower is smaller than the initial one. It leaned and had to be reduced after its foundations gave way.

Asinelli is the higher of the two (over 90 meters). For 3 euros, you can climb its 498 steps to contemplate the red roofs from above. The views are worth it.

Where to eat

Most Italians I know have admitted on occasion that the gastronomy of Emilia-Romagna is spectacular. And Bologna, in particular, stands out as a city where maintaining your diet will not be easy. They call it la Grossa for a reason.

Some of the typical dishes you will want to try are tagliatelle al succo di prosciuto (pasta with sauce and pork meat), tortellini in brodo (broth with stuffed pasta), passatelli (a type of pasta made with bread and parmesan cheese) or cottoletta alla petroniana (breaded meat, fried and cooked in truffle and ricotta cheese sauce).

In addition to these elaborate dishes, its inhabitants are especially proud of their Parmesan cheese (with good reason) and mortadella. Don't leave without trying them.

Locals recommended me places like Biassanot, Serguei or All'Osteria Bottega (in this last one you have to book in advance). However, almost all the restaurants we tried are quite far from the center.

If you also want or are able to get away from busy areas, I recommend the Antica Trattoria da Gigina. But keep in mind that the prices of this establishment are not low (it cost us 28€ per person, without alcohol).

The day we walked down via San Luca, from the monastery, we had a mid-day menu at a good price at the trattoria Meloncello.

On the other hand, if you are looking for a break from tasting Bolognese dishes, I can recommend the Persian restaurant Pars. It will surprise you, both for the curious customer service and for its delicious sauces and rice dishes. One of my favorites is the Adas Polo, although all the ones I tried were worth it.

Between six and eight in the evening, join the crowds of students, locals and tourists for a snack. It is common for many bars to offer you a small buffet of products for free when you pay for a drink. This is a good way to dine for a small fee.

Although there are such establishments in Bologna where the quality is much better, in most of them the free menu is based on flour and fried food.

Personally, I prefer to pay a little more and eat well. A perfect place to do this is some bar/charcuterie along the via Pescherie Vecchie or any other establishment in that area (known as the Quadrilatero). We tried Salumeria Simoni, where we ordered a delicious cheese and charcuterie board for two plus drinks for only 10€/person. Not bad, don't you think?

Even cheaper can be the Osteria del Sole, a historic establishment where you are allowed to eat outside food while enjoying their wines.

Other great places to dine for an inexpensive aperitivo are Mercato delle Erbe and Mercato di Mezzo, both marked on the map at the bottom of this page.

And last but not least, sweets.

Most of the desserts you will find in restaurants will be homemade and will contain some type of cheese, such as mascarponeand lots and lots of egg yolk. You only have to look at the intense yellow color of all their creams to realize it.

Another option is to skip dessert and have a delicious ice cream while strolling under the arcades. Although most of the ice cream parlors are artisan, the Cremeria Funivia deserves special mention. Cremeria Funiviadeserves special mention, thanks to its selection of innovative flavors and delicious combinations.

When to go

In winter, temperatures range between 0 and 6ºC, while in summer they reach maximum temperatures of 30ºC, which is a bit stifling for a day of sightseeing in the city.

Therefore, spring and autumn are the best times to visit.

Rainfall is not very extreme, although November is usually the rainiest month. In any case, the magnificent and ubiquitous arcades will protect you from both sun and rain, so don't worry.

Whenever it is, go to Bologna! You won't regret it.

We were there in mid-September 2016. Out of four days, three were sunny and quite warm (shorts and a t-shirt are more than enough). On the fourth, as a farewell, a heavy thunderstorm fell and lasted several hours.

Directions

There are three ways to get there:

Aircraft

If you have to get to Italy from Spain and your first stop is Bologna, you are in luck.

The airport, located just fifteen minutes from the city, receives dozens of direct Ryanair flights from capitals such as Madrid, Barcelona, Seville, Valencia, Ibiza, Gran Canaria and Tenerife. Iberia and Vueling also operate from Madrid and Barcelona, respectively.

A great way to save money when flying with these airlines is to learn to travel with only a carry-on bag.

I assure you, once you learn to move lightly, you will never want to carry large suitcases again. Not only do you save a lot of money on the ticket price, but you also save time (check-in and waiting at the airport belt).

In addition, it allows you to carry your small bag without fear of hurting your back, much more agile and with freedom of movement.

When searching for flights, I like Trabber because the price it shows you is final (including credit card and other fees). Of course, I always check the prices of eDreams and Momondo.

You never know who will have the best deals 😉.

Train

If you are traveling through Italy by train, you are in luck, because Bologna station connects with other Italian capitals, such as Milan, Florence or Rome, through high-speed trains (called frecciabianca, frecciarossa, frecciargento...).

They are very fast and, if you buy your ticket well in advance on this page, you can save a lot thanks to the supereconomy fare.

In addition, the station is only a 15-minute walk from the very center of the city, so you won't need to take any other transportation (depending on the time you arrive or the size of your luggage, of course).

Car

If you are touring Italy by car, you should park your car in the outskirts or in the parking lot provided by your accommodation.

Traffic in the medieval quarter is limited to residents and public transport.

Therefore, if your accommodation is located there, talk to the owners to find out where you can drive and where to park. We chose to look for accommodation with private parking on the outskirts.

If you are not going to spend the night in Bologna, you might be interested to know that, next to the train station, there is a paid parking quite close and accessible (I have marked the place on the map at the bottom of this page). There are others, but the closer you get to the historic center, the more expensive they will be.

Where to stay

My recommendation, if you don't go by car, is to sleep near the center of Bologna. The surroundings are not particularly nice, especially at night.

There are many options on Booking and Airbnb. However, the closer to the center, the more expensive your choice will be. Therefore, for the sake of your pocket, book as soon as possible.

If you bring a car, you will have to pay for private parking in the center and you will not be able to access any part of the city. In this case, a good option is to stay in the surroundings, as we did.

Specifically, we spent several nights in the Airbnb apartment "Terrace between fair&city center", which is also listed on Tripadvisor as HomeinBo.

The apartment is spacious, renovated and with everything you need. At night, there is some noise from neighboring apartments and the road, but nothing out of the ordinary. The attention received from the owner upon arrival was second to none. It also has a private parking space.

From there you can walk for about 30 minutes or take a bus and you will reach the center without any problems.

The only drawback is that you have to pass by the train station. And we all know that train stations, especially at night, are not particularly safe or pleasant. However, we didn't have any problems on our usual walks home from the old town after the aperitif.

In addition, if you are here to attend a convention or congress, the location of this house is perfect, as it is just a few minutes from the Fiera.

Useful Links

• Trenitalia website.
• Hotels in Bologna.
• Flights to Italy: Trabber, eDreams, Momondo and Vueling.
• Get 5% off your IATI travel insurance.

I hope I have convinced you that Bologna is worth visiting at least once in your life. With so many flights connecting this wonderful city with Spain, what are you waiting for?

And if you are on the road in Italy, don't stop here, keep discovering it:

• A week's tour of Umbria.
• A stroll through Florence.
• Tour of Tuscany: Siena and Val d'Orcia.
• Venice in low season.
• Driving along Lake Como.
• A weekend in Rome: how to make the most of it.
• The wonders of the Amalfi Coast.

And remember, if you need more information about this destination, leave me a comment below. I'll be happy to help you in any way I can.

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