A quick stopover
Neptune Fountain
I needed to transit through Bologna in my travels and so decided to do a quick stopover. I had been to Bologna before so knew there was an historic zone that was mostly pedestrianised and interesting to experience.
San Petronio Basilica
The Bologna basilica, which can be found in the main square called Piazza Maggiore, looks unfinished. That's because it is! The bottom part is all pink and white marble and the top part was constructed in brown bricks and the marble was meant to cover them, something that never happened. It does give the basilica a rather unusual look!
The square the basilica is situated on is currently been set up as an open air cinema, with a huge screen and seats.
The towers are a symbol of Bologna, there used to be many more, with some historians guessing that wealthy families had them built for defensive purposes. By the 14th century they were beginning to be torn down, these two remain where the intersection of the roads leading to the gates to the city.
Just next to the towers is the church of San Bartolomeo, go inside as it's a beautifully decorated church. More muted colours of blues and greys compared to many churches with frescos or murals.
San Bartolomeo interior
The historic centre is mainly a pedestrian area now filled with a multitude of outdoor cafes and restaurants. Bologna is the home of bolognese sauce (the good old 'spag bog'!) and the region around Bologna is famous for its balsamic vinegar, the parmesan cheese, so quite the foodie's delight. With just have a few hours in Bologna there's plenty of choice when finding a place to eat.
Bologna's original claim to fame is that it houses the world's oldest university, the historic centre is where you can see the porticoes that were replicated in just about any historic university.
Outdoor cafes
Porticoes, which are very much appreciated on a hot sunny day!!
Bologna could be used as a base to explore the other smaller towns nearby such as Reggio Emilia and Parma (home of parmesan cheese!) Or use it as a stopover as I did and experience a little of what it has to offer.
I needed to transit through Bologna in my travels and so decided to do a quick stopover. I had been to Bologna before so knew there was an historic zone that was mostly pedestrianised and interesting to experience.
The Bologna basilica, which can be found in the main square called Piazza Maggiore, looks unfinished. That's because it is! The bottom part is all pink and white marble and the top part was constructed in brown bricks and the marble was meant to cover them, something that never happened. It does give the basilica a rather unusual look!
The square the basilica is situated on is currently been set up as an open air cinema, with a huge screen and seats.
The towers are a symbol of Bologna, there used to be many more, with some historians guessing that wealthy families had them built for defensive purposes. By the 14th century they were beginning to be torn down, these two remain where the intersection of the roads leading to the gates to the city.
Just next to the towers is the church of San Bartolomeo, go inside as it's a beautifully decorated church. More muted colours of blues and greys compared to many churches with frescos or murals.
The historic centre is mainly a pedestrian area now filled with a multitude of outdoor cafes and restaurants. Bologna is the home of bolognese sauce (the good old 'spag bog'!) and the region around Bologna is famous for its balsamic vinegar, the parmesan cheese, so quite the foodie's delight. With just have a few hours in Bologna there's plenty of choice when finding a place to eat.
Bologna's original claim to fame is that it houses the world's oldest university, the historic centre is where you can see the porticoes that were replicated in just about any historic university.
Bologna could be used as a base to explore the other smaller towns nearby such as Reggio Emilia and Parma (home of parmesan cheese!) Or use it as a stopover as I did and experience a little of what it has to offer.
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