Bologna scientist Galvani,

whose studies of frogs movements led to

an understanding of bioelectricity

Bologna
And then, we arrive at your center and feel your pulse stronger and
stronger as before us unfolds Piazza Maggiore.... Magnificent in a new
way. Open, yet surrounding and protecting us in glory. Your San Petronio
Church rising high over red rooftops. Your Palazzo Re Enzo creating a soft
boundary for the piazza but hiding its own treasures within. The Fountain
of Neptune strong, commanding our attention yet delicate to behold. A
short walk and two towers rise tall into darkening gray sky and fog,
determined to mark the center of their wonderful and powerful city. A
reminder of long ago....
And as the day leaves and night slowly emerges, festival lights turn bright
and lead the way. Hands are held, voices call to one another, and sheltering
umbrellas come to life with movement. Operatic music sweetly pours from
the large wooden church doors and of course we are called to enter. Long,
narrow churches are lined with one beautiful painting or sculpture after
another. Candlelight sets the stage as crucifixes, portraits of saints, nativity
scenes, large and small, each with their own story to tell, transport us from
2016 back to a time long ago.
Bologna, your streets are many and filled with amazement and yet, you are
calm. You are serene. You are elegant. Thank you for being the star of our
New Year's Day and the beginning of our new year in Italy. We have tasted
your food and long for more. Viewed your sights and anticipate a future visit
where we discover others. Listened to your music and hear it now in our
hearts. We will return in time to take in your springtime beauty under a blue
sky. Until then, stay sweet and stay strong, stay you.
by Marcella Smith

Bologna is a 3-hour trip from Lucca, with a change of trains in

Prato. From the train or bus station you can walk to Piazza
Maggiore in 15 minutes, or take the #25 bus.
In the center of the piazza is the Welcome Center (tel. 051
6583111, incoming@bolognawelcome.it). The Bologna
Welcome Card costs 20, is valid for 48 hours for 1 adult
and 1 child under 12, and offers free entry to permanent
museum collections, a map of the city and various discounts
It also gives you either a free 2-hour guided walking tour of
the city or a 24-hour bus ticket.
Prefer to explore on your own? Walking west towards
Piazza di Porta Ravegnana and Via Zamboni, you will see
the city's two most famous leaning towers. Turning left into
the historic ghetto, you might have a lovely light lunch at Le
Pupitres Bistro (Via D Giudei, 6/c). Bologna is known as
the culinary capital of Italy. Don't leave Bologna without trying their famous rag, known as bolognese. Also popular
are the piedini (pocket sandwiches).
Continuing along Via Zamboni, you come to the Teatro
Comunale. You might hear it before you see it, since music
is often piped into the piazza. You are now in the University
district. This is the oldest university in Western Europe,
attended over the years by intellectuals such as
Copernicus, Erasmus, Tasso, Thomas Becket, Pico della
Mirandola, Galvani and Umberto Eco.
If you want to know more about Bologna's history, be sure
to visit some of its many museums. To mention just a few:
the Resistance Museum in Via Isaia, the Archaeological
Museum in Via Manzoni with a current exhibit on ancient
Egypt, the Medieval Museum Via Manzoni which has an
exhibit dedicated to the Bologna Confraternities, the Jewish
Museum (Via Valdonica 1/5) with an exhibit dedicated to
Primo Levi.
For those who prefer shopping rather than history, visit
the Corte Isolani, a charming gallery linking a series of
courtyards inside Palazzo Isolani. Here you will find boutiques, artisans shops, restaurants, cafs and wine shops.
On our last visit we stayed at the Hotel Centrale in Via
della Zecca (tel. 051 0063937), near the Piazza Maggiore. It
was decorated with serene elegance, was economical, and
featured an excellent breakfast. The Editors

21

Photographs by Grapevine

n our first morning in Bologna, we woke to

cold air and gray skies in this new city yet to
be explored. Small raindrops that so
desperately were hoping to turn to snow
hung sweetly onto treetops and brushed our cheeks as
we strolled the majestic streets of Bologna. And
although the weather tried to fill her space with gloom,
Bologna would not allow her elegance to be held back.
Reflective marble walkways laid out beneath our feet
and guided us to the heart of you. Hand painted,
carefully constructed archways sheltered us from the
heavy skies...And we realize that one does not want to
take another step as we fear missing a detail, a doorway
to another world, a sculptured face from long ago, or a
gold trimmed painting adorning a simple wall.

Bologna in a Nutshell

Bolognas famous leaning towers

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Tuscanys GRAPEVINE Magazine March 2016