The Best of Bologna
So. We arrived in Bologna via train from Milan after a 2 hour delay (at the Milan station). I must say, the train station in Bologna was not great. It was weird and confusing and lacked much of the charm we have seen and love about most other European central train stations. Don’t let that deter you.
We needed to catch a bus to our rented apartment on the outskirts of town. Luckily the bus originated at the station so we were able to locate and get on pretty easily. We made ourselves as comfortable as possible given we were going to (literally) the other end of the bus line.
Then things got interesting.
We happened to be positioned near the front of the bus. About halfway through the route the bus driver signaled a passenger sitting next to us. They began speaking in Italian and the passenger then positioned himself standing next to the bus driver for the remainder of his ride. What we gathered from context clues and the slight overlap in language from Italian to Spanish was that the passenger (a regular on the route) was giving the bus driver directions on how to run the route.
The downside came when a few stops later that passenger was getting off the bus at his own stop, leaving a vacancy for navigating the bus driver through the route! The bus driver then turned to us, for which we politely said “non parlo Italiano”. Off to a great start. So he had to turn to another remaining passenger on the bus to help him navigate further. One of the remaining few passengers stepped up and ran the route alongside him, directing him where to go, until, again, she reached her stop. Oh no.
At that point we had caught up to another bus of the same route and the driver was able to follow that bus for a few stops, until that bus pulled away at a light and we were all alone again. By this point most of the other passengers had gotten off at their stops (except maybe 2-3 at the back), like I said, we were going to the end of the line….
So, Ryan pulled out his map and between him and apple maps, he was able to navigate the bus driver the remaining 5 stops to the end of the line. The bus driver was very grateful and promptly told all the remaining passengers to get off because his shift was over and a new bus would be around soon. What an interesting start to our visit.
Bologna itself was a great city, youthful and edgy with some amazing food and charming streets.
Here are some of our favorite aspects of Bologna:
Bologna is the birthplace of lasagna, and let me tell you eating lasagna here is life changing. You will never look at American lasagna the same again. We grabbed takeaway from a famous lasagna shop (all they do is sell takeaway lasagna and pasta) called Pasta Fresca Naldi and it did not disappoint. Do yourself a favor and try lasagna from Bologna and forever change your world.
Bologna old town is a charming maze of baroque architecture that you can enjoy strolling through and getting lost in. The central square has all the European city hallmarks (cathedrals, towers, fountains, etc.) One of the coolest and most unique features is the extensive network of portcullises that line nearly every street in the old town. These long arched walkways give the city a very unique vibe, and the benefit of coverage during rainy days (like we had once or twice).
The most picturesque feature in Bologna is its two towers near the central square, one of which leans at a very precarious angle. Bologna used to be dotted by hundreds of these narrow towers but these 2 stand as a monument to the architecture of old.
The vibe of Bologna is youthful, owing to it being home to one of the oldest universities in the world (still operating since 1088). Evidence of the thriving counterculture movement can be found in street art, charming cafes, and vintage shops abound. We really gravitated towards its mix of grunge, green, and foodie scene.
We also lucked out with a fantastic Airbnb (one of the best we have had) on the very outskirts of the main town (but not quite suburbs). It was a direct bus into town and on the edge enough it offered us a few unique benefits.
Quiet residential area. It had been a while since we were somewhere truly quiet (besides Bellano in Como) so we were thankful for the quiet evenings and getting to see how locals live
Proximity to nature. The back of the community opened into an extensive greenspace that ran along a river. We could walk and stroll on the greenspace with nature abound, then be right back in the neighborhood in a flash.
The space was BIG by our travel standards. Plenty of room to move in and enjoy. We could sit and enjoy dinner at the table without having to unfold it. The bedroom had enough storage for ALL our things, and the shower we could turn around in. It was heaven.
One thing we didn’t do that we would immediately upon a return is the hike to the top of the hill to see the Santuario della Madonna di San Luca which is a cathedral on a hill overlooking Bologna. We had mostly rainy cloudy days so the view would have been limited. We will be back.