52km (32 miles) S of Ferrara, 151km (94 miles) SW of Venice, 378km (234 miles) N of Rome
The manager of a hotel in Bologna once lamented to us: "The Americans! They spend a week in Florence, a week in Venice. Why not 6 days in Florence, 6 days in Venice, and 2 days in Bologna?" That's a good question.
Bologna is one of the most overlooked gems in Italy; we've found empty room after empty room here in summer, when the hotels in Venice and Florence were packed tight. It's true that Bologna boasts no Uffizi or Doge's Palace, but it does offer a beautiful city that's one of the most architecturally unified in Europe -- a panorama of sienna-colored buildings, marbled sidewalks, and porticos. After fighting the crowds in Rome, Florence, and Venice, you might enjoy a few days away from the tourist crush.
Bologna's rise as a commercial power was ensured by its strategic location between Florence and Venice. And its university, the oldest in Europe (founded 1088), has long generated a lively interest in art and culture. It features the nation's best medical school, as well as one of its top business schools. The bars, cafes, and squares fill up with students, and an eclectic mix of concerts, art exhibits, and ballet and theater performances is always on offer.
Perhaps because the student population is so large, Bologna is a center of great tolerance, with the national gay alliance and several student organizations making their headquarters here. Politically, communism and socialism figure prominently in the voter profile, which could be why the region has been largely unscathed by the scandal and corruption of neighboring precincts, where blatant capitalism has led to Mafia-corrupted activity.
Bologna is also Italy's gastronomic capital. Gourmets flock here to sample the cuisine: the pastas (tortellini, tagliatelle, lasagna verde), the meat and poultry specialties (zampone, veal cutlet bolognese, tender turkey breasts in sauce supreme), and the mortadella, Bologna's incomparable sausage, as distant a cousin to American-style bologna as porterhouse is to the hot dog.
The city seems to take a vacation in August, becoming virtually dead. You'll notice signs proclaiming CHIUSO (closed) almost everywhere you look.
