Merel Diemont
There are hundreds of stories to tell about the northern Italian city of Bologna. And that for centuries. The city owes this history to its favorable geographical location at the crossroads of medieval trade routes. Nowadays, cities such as Milan, Florence, Verona and Parma can even be reached within an hour and you can also fly from the Netherlands to the oldest student city in the world with just over an hour.
For those who already know Venice and Rome and the crowds and tourists that come with it, and who are looking for a city that has only recently been discovered by tourists, the 20 medieval towers, the 40 kilometer long colonnades, and the tortellini and mortadella are a welcome change. Not quite convinced yet? Then read on about the water that runs under the city and the world-famous university that has given the city its left-wing character since 1088.
Europe's first university city
Bologna is also called the Scholar (la Dotta), thanks to its university: the oldest functioning in Europe. The first 'schools' were established in 1088 and in 1158 Barbarossa, the Holy Roman Emperor, declared the university independent. This was unique, because until then 'schools' were linked to churches.
The attraction to – left-wing – students was enormous. Therefore, another nickname of Bologna is the Rooie (the Red). The development of the university has contributed greatly to the Golden Age of Bologna (the 13th century) and the appearance of the historic center today.
Faculties, student bars, libraries and university museums can be found all over the city center. The original building is often well preserved and the wide stone stairs, the hard wooden benches and frescoes in the corridors take you back to the Middle Ages.
The Golden Age of Bologna
Thanks to its favorable location on trade routes and its wise-cracking inhabitants – those students again – Bologna grew into one of the largest cities in Europe in the 13th century. The silk trade flourished as never before thanks to an ingenious network of small canals that ran all over the city.
In this way, dozens of watermills were supplied with energy that was used to produce silk and textiles. Some of those canals have been filled in, but a number of them still run under the city and are even visible and very photogenic in some places ('Little Venice').
The 120 towers that defined the city's skyline in Bologna's Golden Age – 20 of which still do today – were built during the same period. Rich nobles built residential and defensive towers that formed an important status symbol: the higher the tower, the richer the lord. And you still see it!
Porticoes
Also in autumn Bologna is a good destination to walk around for a few days. You always walk dry, thanks to the porticos: the medieval colonnades with high pillars that line the street all over the city.
The porticos of Bologna together have a length of about 38 kilometers. But none are the same: some are very high and made of wood, others are of stone and richly decorated with frescoes. The porticos were also built in the 13th century.
Residents wanted to expand their homes, but the city government did not allow this to be at the expense of the streets. However, it was allowed to build over the street as long as the buildings were high enough for a horse to ride under: this is how the porticos were created that will soon be on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
The belly of Italy
That you can eat great in Italy is nothing new. But if a city both the Belly of Italy and the Vette (la Grassa (the fat one)) is mentioned, that sounds promising. Rightly so. The ingenuity of the Bolognese is not limited to medieval canals or to Ferraris and car tires. The city is also the birthplace of tagliatelle al ragù (don't you dare confuse this dish with spaghetti bolognese), tortellini and mortadella. The historic center is dotted with small eateries, trattorias and coffee bars.
Walking through the old market district (the Quadrilatero) on summer evenings in search of a free table, you will immediately understand Bologna's nicknames. The creamy sauce of the tagliattelle al ragù, the fragrant stock of the tortellini in brodo or a platter of Italian cheeses and mortadella – with a glass of wine, of course – make it impossible not to consider lunch and dinner the highlights of the day.
Practical information
Bologna has about 385.000 inhabitants and is the capital of the region Emilia Romagna and Lombardy. The city is easily accessible by plane from Amsterdam, Weeze and Eindhoven. Optionally you can fly to Milan and then take the train (about an hour).
Compared to the rest of Italy, Bologna is generally prospering economically, which is reflected in the prices. Coffee and pasta dishes are cheaper than in the Netherlands, but those are exceptions.
For overnight stays it is best to look at booking.com of AirBnB. All accommodations and places of interest within the ring road are within walking distance, although good walking shoes are useful. There is a tourist information point in Piazza Maggiore with extended opening hours and English-speaking staff.
💡Tip: also read the articles with the 10 most beautiful places in Bologna and the 10 most beautiful places in the Emilia-Romagna region.
More stories about Bologna can be found on the Dutch website www.thebestofbologna.com.
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