Good Morning Bologna. Hi everybody. Today I want to share my favorite places in Bologna.
I love my city and i suggest you to start your tour from Piazza Maggiore where you can find the tourist office and Bologna Welcom office. In the middle of the square you can see the Basilica di San Petronio,
Palazzo Re Enzo, the Town City Hall, piazza del Nettuno from where you can access to one of the important and beautiful places in Bologna, Sala Borsa; here we can rent, for free, book, dvd, cd, read newspaper from all over the world, take a coffee, meet each other, visit some exhibition or attend to an event; for parents and children there is also a beautiful area for kids and babies. Under Sala Borsa you can visit the ancient town (www.bibliotecasalaborsa.it/content/scaviarcheologici.html).
I suggest also to visit the two tower ( 2 torri), at least from the bottom, then go to Santo Stefano Square and take a moment to rest and enjoy the view. If you are lucky you can find also the Antiquariato Market ( every second saturday and sunday of the month). Visit the Basilica ( you can find 7 churches in one), one of the beautiful places in the world. Pass through Corte Isolani Gallery and reach Strada Maggiore. Looks up to the attic when you reach Strada Maggiore and see the beautiful the ancient Portico with the arrows. Go down to the Portico dei Servi where you can find the Christmas Market of Santa Lucia. Then go in Piazza Aldrovandi and come back to the two towers from via San Vitale.
Take a tour of ex-Ghetto Ebraico, via Marsala, via Oberdan, the Torre Prendiparte and have a coffee in Gran Bar Caffè in via Altabella, an ancient bar with a happy barman where you can try italian hospitality. Go back in Via Indipendenza where you can take one hour of shopping.
From via Manzoni where you can see the beautiful church of San Filippo Neri, go to via Parigi and don’t miss San Colombano and Collezione Tagliavini ( via Parigi 5).
If you have time you can reach via Ugo Bassi and have a tea in via Testoni in Il Mondo di Eutepia shop ( via Testoni 5) and have a tour of the area of Porta Nuova. From Porta Nuova you can reach Piazza Malpighi and San Francesco Curch. At night you can have a beer in via del Pratello.
For the food market it is valuable to visit and have shopping in Mercato di mezzo ( via Clavature, via Pescherie Vecchie, via Orefici), here in Tamburini Shop you can buy all the deliciuos food of Bologna ( tortellini, mortadella), In Gilberto Shop you can buy Majani Chocolate candies (I suggest Majani scorza).You can also buy gifts ( also for you) in a strange shop in Strada Maggiore where there is an ancient Hair dresser but you can find also beautiful custom jewelry. On friday and Saturday you can find Piazzola Market in piazza 8 Agosto. And if you want to visit the famous Bologna Hills, rent a taxi and go to Basilica di San Luca ( you can also take a bus n. 58 or the Saint Luca Express, City red Bus Circuit www.cityredbus.com). In via D’Azeglio you can visit the house of Lucio Dalla the famous singer. Don’t miss Mambo- Modern Art Museum, Manifattura delle Arti areas (www.manifatturadellearti.org) and Cineteca, the Museo della Musica and the new Museo della Storia.
Bolognesi habits: take a caffè creme in Zanarini Bar, have dinner to Trattoria Belle Arti, take an aperitif at Nu lounge Bar or at Osteria del Sole, vicolo dei Ranocchi ( in Bologna from 1465) or have a pizza in Toto’ pizzeria via San Valentino 2 ( good pizza and low budget). Very pleasant is to taste salumi and local wines in Salumi e Baci Osteria in via Caprarie 1. If you are young go to the university area, you can find almost every thing, pizza, take away from all over the world. For more tips www.bolognawelcome.com and www.bolognadavivere.com
Download our tourist Guides:
Bologna Museum City
Bologna city of Music
La Bologna delle acque ( river and water in Bologna)
Good Food. Le ricette degli artisti doc
Beatrice Di Pisa, Bologna da Vivere’d director