Italy: Sweet & Savory

Our Base of Operations: Bologna

Bologna is an old university city with lavish porticoed walkways and squares, fine historic buildings, and an interesting medieval center. Bologna is known for its beauty, great cuisine, and its left-wing politics.

Attractions:
Bologna’s compact medieval center has several beautiful churches, monuments, and civic buildings. Bologna’s many porticoed sidewalks make for pleasant walking and window shopping.

Piazza Maggiore is one of Bologna’s central squares, lined with arcades. It’s a good place to sit at an outdoor cafe. Around the square are the Gothic Basilica of San Petronio, the Palazzo dei Notai, and the Archeological Museum.

Piazza del Nettuno, next to Piazza Maggiore, another of Bologna’s main squares, has an ornate 16th-century fountain in the center and is surrounded by medieval civic buildings. Go inside the library and admire its beautiful interior.

Via Clavatura, east of the squares, has a number of small, interesting food stalls.

You can climb the steep staircase to the top of Torre degli Asinelli, one of only a few surviving medieval towers, for a great view of Bologna. Torre degli Asinelli and another leaning tower are in Piazza Porta Ravegnana where seven medieval streets converge.

In Piazza Santo Stefano you will find an unusual cluster of four interlocking Romanesque churches. The oldest, the church of SS. Vitale e Agricola, has parts of Roman temples and columns. There is also an interesting courtyard with a maze of little chapels.

The Pinacoteca Nazionale is one of Italy’s best galleries with several important works of art.

The University, one of Europe’s oldest, is worth a visit. Palazzo Poggi has two interesting museums. Sometimes you will see student demonstrations or lively graduation celebrations.

Why Brisghella?

Brisighella is a spa center and an interesting medieval town, known for its good cuisine. The medieval quarter has an unusual silhouette,
surrounded by three rocky pinnacles topped by the rocca, an unusual clock tower, and a sanctuary. Brisighella sits on the Lamone River in the Lamone Valley of the Emilia-Romagna region.

For a small town, there’s a lot to see in Brisighella.

Historic Center: Piazza Carducci is the main square in the historic center and home of the 18th century collegiate church of Saints Michelle and Giovanni Battista with some interesting art work. Above the square in Piazza Marconi are the neoclassical Palazzo Maghinardo (now the town hall)and the information office. Descending Via Roma from the main square, one comes to the Church and Convent of Santa Maria degli Angeli. There are several intersting buildings throughout the center and there’s even a map of Brisighella by the fountain (see photo) on Europe Travel). At the edge of the town, across from the station, is Giuseppe Ugonia Park. The town holds a market on Wednesday mornings and an antique market on Friday evenings in summer.

Via degli Asini, or Antica Via del Borgo, with its porticos and lanterns, is the most unique part of the medieval center. This raised, covered passageway was built in the 12th century to protect the donkeys carrying chalk from the quarries. (see photo on Europe Travel)
La Rocca Manfrediana, the fortress, dominates the town from atop a chalky hill. It was originally built in 1310 and restored and completed by the Venetians in the early 16th century. You can walk up the hill to visit or there’s a parking lot if you prefer to drive.

Torre dell’Orologio, the clocktower, on a pinnacle across the gorge from the fortress, was built in 1290 and restored in 1850. It has a six-hour clock that strikes every 15 minutes, 24 hours a day. Inside is the Museum of Time. There are stairs leading to the tower from town and a roadway connecting the tower (where there’s also parking) to the fortress.
Sanctuary of the Madonna, atop the third hill known as Monticino, is a small 18th century church.

Civic Museum Giuseppe Ugonia has works of the lithographer as well as other 19th and 20th century prints. There’s also a museum of traditional country occupations and life.

Pieve del Tho is a Romanesque church first recorded in 909 built on remains of a Roman building. It’s just outside town and open only by appointment.
Carne’ Park, also outside town, is a natural reserve with guided tours of the chalk veins and grotto.