Midday strolling in Bologna, Italy

Here you can find Bologna in 2008. It was only a brief visit and surely a re-visit is a must for me. Often underrated, Bologna is the capital of Emilia-Romagna. It is a charming city which is only 1-2 hours away from Milan by a train. There should be something more about Bologna which drove me there for a night. Yes, you may have the same passions for Bologna’s cute nicknames : “the Learned (la Dotta), the Fat (la Grassa) and the Red (la Rossa)”. The three nicknames represent Bologna in 3 interesting aspects : firstly as a home of the oldest university (The University of Bologna) in Europe since 1088 ; secondly as a home of the rich gastronomy, and finally as the famous terra-cotta rooftops and its unique red buildings all over the city as well as a birthplace of the Italian political left.By exploring the city center on foot, you will get a chance to embrace the charming architecture, but only at the ground level. You should also climb up the Two Towers to see the stunning bird-eye view perspective of Bologna.

In fact, I felt that taking a bus or a taxi from Bologna Centrale railway station would take less time to reach the hotel. Budget-wise and environmental-friendly, I opted for walking a long way from Bologna Centrale railway station to Hotel Porta San Mamolo which is situated at the back end of the city center, not far from to Piazza Maggiore. For me, it was a walking marathon again, but the beautiful covered walkways (called as Porticos in Italian) made my journey to the hotel worthwhile. I remembered that it was a long walk (again)..And it was delightful to stay in Hotel Porta San Mamolo finally. I enjoyed the lovely breakfast & coffee, the spacious room as well as the welcoming staff. You’d be happy staying here too if you like homey feel. When traveling unconsciously sometime, I may take a photo with no clue of where it was. Just shooting mode, everyone! I did not have a chance to appreciate the inside of the landmarks e.g. The Two Towers (Garisenda & Asinelli) and the palaces surrounding Piazza Maggiore. More details are kept for exploring further next time!

I have not yet got a complete reward from Bologna. I had no chance to try hand-made tortelloni or tagliatelle here. Moreover, I even did not spend time indulging myself with gelato. Finally, I did not go to the local food markets i.e. the Mercato delle Erbe and the Mercato di Mezzo . What did I do there anyway? Maybe I just walked back and forth 😉 It should be left unsaid sometime! You see what I miss now.