Bologna Travel Guide
Travel to Bologna - Medieval Heart and Hearty Food!
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Thought by many to be the gastronomic centre of Italy it's seems a shame that people sometimes pass through the city without pausing to explore - there's more to Bologna than just great food! A great history, medieval streets, red-tiled roofs, famous towers and arcades are just some of the delights of Bologna.
The history of Bologna dates back to 1200 BC and the Villanova civilisation but it's in the 6th century BC we find references to an town the Etruscans refer to as Felsina. Occupied by the Gauls and conquered by the Romans in the 2nd century BC the city was renamed Bononia and with the decline in the Roman Empire it came under the Byzantine then Lombard control, finally becoming a Papal State of Rome.
Bologna's continued success was lasted to the age of the Communes, when the city proclaimed its independence as a free commune. The first university in Europe was created in 1088 and many of the numerous towers for which the city has become famous were constructed by wealthy Bolognese families.
The French wrested control of Bologna in 1796 but the city was later returned to the church before in 1860 Bologna was annexed to the Kingdom of Italy.
Attractions in Bologna
Bologna's attractions are many and a great place to start is the Due Torri (Two Towers, as referred to in Dante's Inferno) and a climb up the Torre degli Asinelli's. From the top there are great view over Bologna's famous red roofs. Head next to the Piazza Maggiore as most sites are to be found close by: the Basilica of San Petronio, the famous 16th-century Neptune Fountain and the Museo Morandi (look for it in the Palazzo Comunale) are all hereabouts. A walk along Strada Maggiore leads you through medieval Bologna.
Walk the city's famous arcades and in particular what is reputed to be the longest in the world that leads into the hills and to the Shrine of the Madonna di San Luca.
Finally northwest of Bologna lies Modena, erstwhile home to Pavarotti and the Ghirlandina bell tower.
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