B.ologna is generous. It gives its great beauty to the eyes of travelers who cross its squares, cross the doors of the churches, stroll under its marvelous arcades. It is not enough. There are many places to visit freely, without paying the ticket. A taste, to entice you to discover the museums and exhibitions set up in the city.
The two Towers, Garisenda and degli Asinelli.
Urban trekking under the Porticoes of Bologna
Map of the city in hand, do not miss the walk under the arcades-living room, with frescoed vaults and Palladian floors, which since 28 July 2021 have become part of the Unesco World Heritage list. They are those of piazza Santo Stefanothe arcades of via ZamboniOf Strada Maggiorethe arcaded building of MamBothe arcades of Piazza Cavour And via Farini.
The Unesco urban trekking continues along the portico of San Lucathe arcades of Pavaglione And piazza Maggiorethe arcaded street of Saint Catherinethe porticoed building of the Barca district, the portico of the Charterhousethe arcades of They baraccano and the arcaded street of Galliera. Not only are they beautiful. But they constitute “an identifying element of the city of Bologna, both by the community and by visitors, and are a reference point for a sustainable urban lifestyle, in which religious and civil spaces and the homes of all social classes are perfectly integrated. ”Read the motivation for the candidacy. A successful bet.
The portico de ‘Servi, one of the finest examples of a Bolognese portico.
A jump into the past
Walking through the historic center of Bologna you will discover new treasures. At no. 44 of the Strada Maggiore, in front of the spectacular portico of the Servantsadmission is free at Davia Bargellini Museum (museibologna.it/arteantica): seven exhibition rooms full of collections and rare objects, such as the puppet theater of the eighteenth century and a deluxe doll’s house that reproduces a miniaturized Emilian residence of the eighteenth century. In the center of the last room, here is the highlight: a carriage, or rather an ultra-decorated four-seater gala sedan.
The last room of the Davia Bargellini Museum.
In the matryoshka of the Seven Churches
The complex of Santo Stefano enchants. The square overlooks the church of the Crucifixof Lombard origin, from Calvario and SS. Vitale and Agricola and the Trinity church, renovated between the 12th and 13th centuries. The interior is a vertigo, a dip in the Middle Ages to be enjoyed without haste. You can admire the Pilate’s courtyardwith a marble basin donated by Liutprando and Ildebrando king of the Lombards and the cloister of the Benedictines with a double loggia (10th-13th century), one of the most superb creations of the Emilian Romanesque.
Piazza Santo Stefano, where the church of the Crucifix, of Lombard origin, of Calvary and of SS. Vitale and Agricola.
In the “Sistine Chapel” of Bologna
The oratory of Santa Cecilia (via Zamboni, 15) preserves a rare cycle of frescoes by Bolognese and Emilian painters of the early sixteenth century. The frescoes cover the walls on the right and left: in ten squares separated by pilasters decorated with grotesques, as many episodes from the life of Saint Cecilia and her husband Valerian are narrated, set in the time of Urban II (III century) and became martyrs for not having denied the Christian faith.
Not to be missed, in the adjacent church of S. Giacomo Maggiorethe Bentivoglio Chapel built by the Bentivoglio family in church of S. Giacomo Maggioreone of the most beautiful monuments of the early Renaissance.
The neighbor is worth a visit ancient ghetto, not far away, delimited in 1566 by walls and two doors. There are still secluded and silent alleys, with a suspended atmosphere: via de ‘Giudei, via dell’Inferno, via Canonica, vicolo di S. Giobbe, vicolo Mandria, via del Carro and via Valdonica.
The Comix Café (via delle Belle Arti, 12) with albums and volumes of author comics on the shelves, available to customers for reading.
Lunch break in the realm of comics
You are tired of walking. And you love comics. The funniest break is the one at Comix Café (via delle Belle Arti, 12) quick dishes and dozens and dozens of albums and volumes of author comics on the shelves, available to customers for reading. A paradise! The cheapest, and most poetic address in the heart of Bologna is (since 1465) The Osteria del Sole (from Monday to Saturday from 11 to 21.30, vicolo Ranocchi, 1 D, osteriadelsole.it) wooden tables available for those who bring food and order drinks. You got it right: you take a sandwich from your bag, or a piece of crescent (focaccia with pieces of ham) with a hectogram of freshly sliced mortadella from the renowned gastronomy of the surroundings, and you can taste it all with a glass of wine or a beer. . Do you want a coffee with a view on the most beautiful places in the city? Treat yourself to a table in the rooms under the arcades of Piazza Maggiore or Piazza Santo Stefano.
Piazza Maggiore with, on the left, the basilica of San Petronio.
In Bologna, a (free) newsstand all to yourself
It is the dream of every reader who loves paper newspapers: to have all the newspapers available, including foreign newspapers, all weeklies, monthlies, travel magazines, cooking, fashion, furniture, cinema, theater and literature magazines. … In short, the entire newsstand. The dream in the center of Bologna, which cannot be more centered, comes to fruition at Salaborsa Libraryon the first floor of the former Bologna Stock Exchange (piazza del Nettuno, 3 bibliotecasalaborsa.it): well-displayed newspapers and magazines and free reading stations. Ideal for a break. Do-it-yourself consultation also for tourist guides, art and history books on Bologna. It’s not over: the archaeological excavations under the covered square of Salaborsa are open to the public. With a free offer, it is possible to see up close the remains of the civil basilica of Bononia (2nd century BC), the foundations of the medieval houses of the Palazzo d’Accursio area. Not to be missed.
A cutting board of Simoni’s mortadella, local in via Pescherie vecchia 3 / b.
Irresistible low cost shopping
Souvenirs made in Bologna around 10 euros? It can be done. From CrackPot (Strada Maggiore, 35 / b, cracpot.it) They are T-shirt with beautiful digital prints and colorful patches in appliqué with fabric inserts or with relief. The vast market in the parish of San Paolo Maggiore (via Carbonesi, 20) is the kingdom of vintage tableware. Beautiful and cheap, i bijoux of yesteryear of Memoires in via de ‘Fusari, 7.
The ancient Nanni Library, under the Portico della Morte.
Second-hand books fill the historical external exhibitors of the Nanni Library (via de ‘Musei, 1), frequented by the very young Pier Paolo Pasolini, a high school student in Bologna. City where, you know, there is no escaping the greedy hyper-caloric shopping to put in the trolley. The most sinful shopping list? A piece of Chocolate peel Majani (via de ‘Carbonesi, 5, majani.it). The single portions of sweet noodles and of rice cake of Atti (via Caprarie 7 and via delle Drapperie 6, paoloatti.com).
The fountain of Neptune and the basilica of San Petronio.
A piece of mortadella by Simoni (Via Drapperie, 5 / 2a, salumeriasimoni.it/punti-vendita,). Comfort food in Bologna is there Imperial soup: in delicatessens you buy a bag of cubes that smell of Parmesan and nutmeg and, when you return home, they are covered with steaming broth. Have a good return!
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