Underground excursion to Bologna. Excursions in Bologna
“Scholarly, Red, Fat” (la Dotta, la Rossa, la Grassa) - this is how Bologna (the capital of the Emilia-Romagna region) is called. “Red” for the red color of its roofs and walls, “Thick” for the delicious local cuisine, and “Scholarly” because it was here that the University of Bologna was founded in 1088.
overview
Lamborghini factory and museum
You will visit the place where the most exquisite and prestigious cars of the Lamborghini brand are born, see the assembly line of the Gallardo LP 560-4, follow the process of creating a super sports car from the body and interior trim to the assembly of the famous V10 engine.
thematic
Parma - the city of surprises
Parma seems to many to be a quiet, sweet bourgeois town. Yes, this is partly true... But was he always like this?
Join the sightseeing “walk” and you will hear a lot of unexpected things!..
historical
The most picturesque street in the city - via Zamboni
One of the most picturesque and elegant streets of the city begins from the main towers of the city. This part of the city is chosen for his residence by Giovanni II Betivoglio, lord of the city during the Renaissance.
historical
Bologna - fun, academic, cultural
Bologna is a city that knows a lot about both science and gastronomy.
It is a university town whose students bring bustle and fun and enliven its cultural and social life. The local historical center is well preserved and is considered one of the largest in Italy.
overview
Bologna. From the Middle Ages to the present through towers and porticos
Bologna is:
* 40 km of porticoes * houses on chicken legs * leaning towers * the first university * Piazza Maggiore, which has not changed its appearance since the 16th century * staircase for the Pope * a temple that rivaled the main Vatican Cathedral * the culinary capital of Italy......
overview historical
Parma is the world capital of delicious food!
Few people still know that in December 2015 Parma was officially declared a “City of Creative Gastronomy” under the auspices of UNESCO. But everyone understands why, because the famous prosciutto di Parma, delicious Parmesan and sparkling Lambrusco are enjoyed all over the world!
agritourism gastronomic tour
Valley of Motors: museums and factories of Ferrari, Lamborghini, Pagani, Maserati, Ducati and auto track
Lamborghini, Ferrari, Maserati, Pagani, Ducati! I invite all car enthusiasts and lovers of a beautiful life to visit the unique museums and factories of the world's best sports cars!
museums themed
Modena is the birthplace of Enzo Ferrari and Luciano Pavarotti
Although Modena is famous for its rich history, dating back to the times of Ancient Rome, this city was made famous throughout the world by its famous natives - the great opera tenor Luciano Pavarotti and the creator of the most fashionable cars - Enzo Ferrari.
historical
Master class on making ice cream
Ice cream in Italy has a long tradition. We will plunge into the history of ice cream, Italian and not only, thanks to the wonderful Museum of Ice Cream, which is located near Bologna and provides the opportunity to learn how to prepare this sweet miracle.
gastronomic tour
Modena and favorite Made in Italy: Parmesan, balsamic vinegar, Pavarotti, Ferrari
Let's taste Italy, taste it, dip slices of Parmesan cheese in fragrant drops of fine Modena balsamic, and over a glass of Lambrusco? Or should we visit the great tenor Luciano Pavarotti? Or maybe you have long been attracted by the dizzying speeds of the beautiful Ferrari? This tour is for you!
gastronomic tour historical
Day trip through Ferrari land: Maranello and surroundings
We leave from Bologna and go to the Ferrari Museum. Along the way, there is the opportunity to stop at a balsamic vinegar production house, which also has a small private collection of cars.
agritourism gastronomic tour historical
Bologna, learned, red, thick (Sightseeing tour of Bologna for adults and children)
If you find yourself in Bologna, I will be glad to invite you and your children on a fascinating sightseeing tour “Bologna, learned, red, fat.” The city of porticoes, home of the first European university and delicious tortellini, will greet you with unexpected discoveries and hospitality!
Perhaps not the most frequently booked, but the most, most special excursion in Bologna is one. Many people believe that, in the end, what they will see on the “overview” is “just another” Italian city. But there is only one Ferrari Museum. Of course, it is not necessary to visit it with a guide in Bologna: what you see inside will speak for itself for a true sports fan. But the excursion saves you from the need to get to the museum on your own (it is not located in Bologna itself or even in the nearest suburb). Plus, along the way (by agreement) you can “grab” something else in the Modena countryside.
Discuss in advance the possibilities of your guide to the Ferrari Museum: after all, no one will refuse a test drive of one of the famous Italian “beasts”.
Not all Bologna guides are the same (and there is nothing strange about that). Discuss in advance the possibilities of your guide to the Ferrari Museum: after all, no one will refuse a test drive of one of the famous Italian “beasts,” especially if it is included in the price of the excursion. Only “in advance” in this case means “very in advance”: you need to sign up for a test drive, and there are quite a few people willing.
Bologna is quite popular among those interested in fur coat tours. There is not even one fur factory in the vicinity. Prices for fur coats, as they say, depend...
The specificity of Bologna is also that there are (and are actively offered to tourists) numerous shopping opportunities that attract travelers driven by a specific purpose. Milan is Milan, but this is far from the only fashionable city in the country, where all cities are fashionable in one way or another. Having chosen Bologna as your “base camp”, you will be able to travel to the largest outlets and brand discounts in Emilia-Romagna, including wholesale ones.
Five that are hidden from the eyes of tourists and, sometimes, unknown even to local residents. An unconventional tourist route to discover the city in a new dimension.
Like all big cities, it contains within its walls many attractions that are reliably hidden from the eyes of the ubiquitous tourists and, sometimes, unknown even to local residents. Some of them are located in close proximity to the gates that once surrounded the ancient city, others are located in the very center, but, despite their beauty, are not very popular. The portal "Italy in Russian" invites you to go on a mini-tour consisting of five stops to discover such a beautiful and so unknown Bologna!
First stop: Underground Bologna
You probably don't know it, but hidden beneath the streets of Bologna is a little . Hidden underground in Bologna lies an extensive network of canals, the ancient remains of a hydraulic system leading all the way to the Po River and beyond to the Adriatic and Venice, which in the past served as trade and transport routes. The two most important channels are Torrente del Aposa, the main "stream" of the huge underground canal system that crosses Bologna, located just below the main street Via Rizzoli (just think, the Roman bridge that was used to cross the Aposa still exists underground), and the canal Valverde tank, also known as Bagno del Mario, created to feed the Fountain of Neptune in Piazza Maggiore. Both, however, have been closed to the public since 2011 due to unresolved bureaucratic issues, thus depriving Bologna of two tourist attractions. While waiting for their opening to the public, take one of the alternative routes developed by the Bologna Underground Canals Association.
Underground "treasures" of Bologna. Photo vanityfair.it
Second stop: a forgotten museum
Located in the heart of Bologna's bustling university town, the Palazzo Poggi Museum is one of Italy's main historical and scientific museums, and yet one of its least known. Inside the museum are the laboratories and collections of the ancient Institute of Sciences, the first Italian public institution dedicated to research and scientific training. In the halls of the former institute, where more than seven hundred taught in the 18th century! disciplines ranging from astronomy to anatomy, it also preserves masterpieces of painting from the sixteenth century by masters from the Po Valley - Pellegrino Tibaldi, Prospero Fontana, Ercole Procaccini, etc. If you decide to visit this wonderful museum, follow the following path: start from the Giosue Hall Carducci to continue exploring the halls that house collections of ship models dating back to the sixteenth century, and then move on to the laboratories of experimental physics and anatomy.
Address: Via Zamboni 33. Ticket price: 3 euros.
Library of Palazzo Poggi. Photo vanityfair.it
Third stop: noble villa in the people's quarter
In Porta del Pilastro, the most architecturally mediocre area of Bologna, there is a large villa hidden among the foliage of trees, with a garden inhabited by wild pheasants. Its name is Villa Gandolfi Pallavicini, the villa is located about 20 minutes (by bus) from Due Torri, the historical center of Bologna. This beautiful villa, whose walls are frescoed with hunting scenes, is little known and rarely visited. Built by the Alamandini family of Bolognese nobles in the first half of the seventeenth century, the residence was acquired by the Genoese marshal Gianluca Pallavicini in 1773. Over the centuries, the villa has hosted many distinguished guests, such as the young Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, who, while in Italy in 1770, prepared in these rooms to enter the prestigious Philharmonic of Bologna. Today the villa is the headquarters of the Alma Mater Foundation and can be visited absolutely free.
Villa Gandolfi: facade and interior. Photo vanityfair.it
Fourth stop: hotel with a secret
On the main street of Bologna, Via Independentza, is the Hotel Portici, which houses the remains of an ancient theater and underground tunnels that belonged to the fortified citadel. The Eden Theater - which was called the Eden Kursaal variety show between the late 19th and early 20th centuries, where the most famous divas performed - was closed for many decades. Then, thanks to the restoration of the building that housed it - Palazzo Maccaferri - the theater was restored. Today you can admire the beautiful original Liberty Belle Epoque frescoes while enjoying food from an excellent Michelin star restaurant. Another interesting feature of the palazzo are the underground tunnels that were part of the Rocca di Galliera complex, a fortified citadel built five times by papal cardinals and destroyed five times by the inhabitants of Bologna. Now there is a separate room for exclusive candlelit dinners.
Theater "Eden" today and in the past. Photo vanityfair.it
Underground galleries. Photo vanityfair.it
Fifth stop: Monumental Cemetery Grand Tour
In an interview with Radio24, Mauro Felicori, founder of the Association of Monumental Historical Cemeteries of Europe, said that some cemeteries should be included in tourist tours of European cities. These include the Monumental Cemetery, Père Lachaise in Paris and the Certosa di Bologna, a cemetery included by the Council of Europe as part of the main European Heritage Route. “Walking through these places traces the history of the city, the country, being unwritten books about Europe, telling about its achievements,” Felicori said.
In the past, the Certosa di Bologna, one of Italy's most impressive and ancient cemeteries, was part of the stages of the Grand Tour, a long journey across continental Europe for wealthy young European aristocrats in the seventeenth century. It was visited by Byron, Dickens and Stendhal, and many writers described it in their novels. If you are traveling to Bologna, try to get out of the frame of the tour for the average tourist, and follow the example of the greats of this world.
Monumental Cemetery of Bologna. Photo vanityfair.it
If you decide to head to Bologna and follow our five unconventional stops, you can also embark on a historical journey through your choice of hotels and restaurants. For example, for lunch or dinner, you can go to Franco Rossi (when John Grisham came to Bologna to write his novel The Broker, he dined at this restaurant three times, devoting several pages of the book to it). The place is really beautiful and not very expensive - you won't pay more than 40 € for a hearty lunch or dinner, and here you can enjoy true Bolognese cuisine.
As for hotels, you can choose one of the historical hotels in Bologna as a shelter for the night - Hotel Commercianti, overlooking the Basilica of St. Petronius (four stars; price per night - from 97 euros).
Bologna is a typical Italian city with leaning towers and luxurious but unfinished palaces and basilicas.
What to see in Bologna
For many centuries Bologna has been referred to as “red”. and this is not connected with the communists, but with terracotta roofs. The symbol of Bologna is the two towers in Piazza di Porta Ravenana, rising 47 and 97 meters above the ground. Build the first one - Garisenda- they began back in the 11th century, but the architect did not calculate: the foundation began to sag, and the work was stopped. And they began to build a second one nearby, this time more successfully. The first one, Garisenda, has been “falling” for several centuries: today its slope is more than three meters.
Towers in Bologna The very center of the city is Neptune Square. A huge fountain with a statue of an ancient Roman god surrounded by several female figures symbolizes his power over the waters. In past centuries, the naked male body caused displeasure among townspeople. They even “put” bronze trousers on the statue so as not to offend the morals of particularly sensitive persons. Or were the authorities simply afraid that they would be compared to an impeccably built giant?
Next to the Neptune Fountain is the City Hall - Dakcursio Palace. Modern residents can travel to its upper chambers by elevator. Medieval nobles also did not want to climb on foot, and therefore did it on horseback - they even built a special staircase for horsemen. But it’s worth going upstairs: the second floor houses the most famous museums in the city. In total there are about 40 museums in Bologna. All of them, with the exception of the Pinakothek, are free, and the volunteers working in them do not receive a penny for their work.
The most beautiful cathedral in the city - Basilica of St. Petronius- was never completed. However, in the Middle Ages this was not surprising: money was running out, and workers were waiting for the next “tranche”, so there were many such “long-term unfinished construction”, let us remember at least the most famous - the Cathedral of Notre-Dame de Paris in the center of the French capital.
The elaborate facade of the Basilica of St. Petronius is made of white and pink marble and is built on top of rough brickwork. However, imagination can easily fill in the missing details. Inside the basilica there is a line of the solar calendar along the floor. A ray of sun penetrating through a tiny hole on the roof, located at a special angle, allows you to determine the year, month, day.
Nearby is the building of the first university ( Arkiginnasio Palace in Piazza Galvani). Now there is a municipal library there. Tourists freely enter the building, because in addition to the walls painted with frescoes, an ancient anatomical theater has been preserved here. Rows of seats rise to the ceiling and surround a large table. Just a couple of centuries ago, corpses were dissected on it in the presence of several dozen people. Embalming was not used, and therefore it could only be done in winter, a couple of times a month. The bodies of criminals sentenced to death fell on the table. Above the last row of chairs in the wall there was an inconspicuous window: through it, dad watched that everything was going according to the rules. The Church accepted the invasion of human flesh, but opening the skull and touching the genitals was prohibited.
Anatomical theater at the first European university You should definitely visit the small, seemingly nondescript Church of St. Dominic on the square of the same name. Around her, on several thin light columns, three pompous sarcophagi rose above the ground, in which were not nobles or rulers buried: in the city, scientists were so honored by university professors. Inside the church is the tomb of St. Domenic, one of the figures on the sarcophagus was made by the young Michelangelo. But the main treasure of the cathedral is the chapel. The seats for choristers, located in a semicircle throughout the church altar, are decorated with skillful inlay. Pictures made from pieces of wood are laid out so skillfully that many guests do not believe that they were not painted.
Ancient cities are full of legends and strange traditions. Nobody remembers how it all started, but young couples come to a quiet street in the very center of the city, where there is a covered building across the river. There is a small window in its wall. Local legend says: if lovers look into it together, their feeling will last until the end of their lives. All day long, couples come to the treasured window, and, apparently, in order to document the conclusion of an eternal union, they leave inscriptions on the wall around the window.
Window in a wall on a street in Bologna Shopping in Bologna
When in Italy, it is impossible to resist shopping. Going shopping in Bologna is a pleasure, because you can do it on a sunny day or on a rainy one: almost all central streets have a roof over the sidewalks - porticoes. Some tourists even think that enterprising merchants built them specifically so that customers could come to them in any weather. However, it's not about the sellers at all. Since ancient times, Bologna has been considered a university city. Students from all over Europe sought to get into the renowned university. There were a lot of rich young people, and they all wanted to live closer to their alma mater, in the center. But there weren’t enough rooms for out-of-town studio students, and then local residents began to build on their houses. They made a ceiling with an arched support over the street and built rooms on it. In the center, the oldest of them have been preserved, resembling wooden birdhouses, somehow stuck above the rich stone houses. In fact, the simple buildings turned out to be very strong and survived centuries. Several centuries have passed since then, and not because of a lack of square meters, but simply by tradition, houses continue to be built with porticoes.
Porticoes in Bologna Those who, when buying clothes and accessories, do not care about the price, need to recover in Cavour gallery, where there are stores of all the most famous expensive brands. Adjacent to it is a small city market: fresh vegetables, fruits, a huge selection of cheeses and sausages - reminiscent of gastronomic Bologna.
Bologna gastronomic
The Emilia-Romagna region is a separate Italian gastronomic empire. Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, Parma ham, traditional balsamic vinegar are all produced on this land. Bologna is called “grasa”, that is, “fat, full”. This city knows a lot about delicious food. Many dishes with the word “Bolognese” were born in this area. But the “spaghetti Bolognese” that we love to serve in our trying-to-appear-Italian restaurants doesn’t actually exist. But there are such delicious dishes as traditional Bolognese lasagna made from bright green sheets of pasta. The unusual color is achieved thanks to the spinach added to the dough.
Walking around the city, you always come across the “Russian trace”: the left pro-communist party has been in power for a long time, and therefore there is Lenin and Dostoevsky Street, restaurant "Sergey". Probably, many have already imagined a dramatic story about a native of Russia who succeeded in the restaurant business, but everything is much simpler. Initially, the restaurant was named after the owner “Sergio”. At the end of the 60s, the Russian ballet visited Bologna. The dancers, visiting the restaurant, called the owner in the Russian way - Sergey. After that, the restaurant was renamed in memory of the Russians. However, the food they serve is truly Italian - many types of pasta accompanied by Italian wines. In this city, any simple-looking trattoria resembles a wine shop to a guest unaccustomed to such variety - the walls are turned into wine cabinets and lined with rows of dusty bottles containing real treasures.
Losagna at the restaurant “Sergei” in Bologna How to get to Bologna
You can get to Bologna from Moscow in just 3 hours by plane. The city is located in the center of the country, and therefore it is very convenient to plan your trip to visit several more cities. Thus, by train you can reach Florence in just one hour and the fashionable capital of Milan in two hours. An hour's drive along the road, and travelers find themselves in the ancient medieval city of Ferrara. And there it’s just a stone’s throw from the sea: those who want to do everything at once can combine an acquaintance with antiquities with a vacation on the Adriatic coast.
The underground of Bologna contains traces of the city's life, from the ancient civilization of Villanova, the Etruscan Felsina and the Roman Bononia to the tragic years of the Second World War.
Archaeological excavations of the Sala Borsa Palace
Excursion “Bologna Underground” is a journey through Bologna of other times. Descending into the bowels of the city, we will learn how the Roman colony of Bononia was born and developed starting in 189. BC . The main evidence of this period is archaeological excavations under the Sala Borsa library building. The building changed its purpose many times over the centuries: the stables of the papal governor, a botanical garden, the Exchange Hall, a bank, a post office were located here at different times... and finally, in 2001, a library was opened. The first excavations were carried out in the 20s of the twentieth century, which then continued in 1989 and during which the remains of a Roman basilica, aqueduct, road, medieval buildings and the cistern of the botanical garden of Ulisse Aldrovandi were found.
Next we will move to early Christian period when, against the background of the general instability of recent decades existence of the Western Roman Empire, the first Christians were persecuted and suffered martyrdom for their faith. Christian blood was also shed in Bologna and the first martyrs were Saints Vitaly and Agricola. We will visit the underground crypt in the church dedicated to these two martyrs, which, according to legend, was built where the Arena was located, and where the executions took place.
Former 16th century glacier
At all times, dungeons were used as refrigerators for storing food and Bologna was rich in numerous glaciers, which were used to store ice and perishable food. One of these glaciers has survived to this day. This large ice storage was part of the papal palace, which was built and destroyed by the Bolognese 5 times. In 1906, the glacier was purchased by the Maccaferri family and became part of their palace. Today, the palace houses the hotel and restaurant I Portici.
During the Second World War, starting in 1943, when the Americans landed on the shores of Sicily, Italy was subjected to numerous bombings. The Allies' goal was to overturn the Italian defense system and destroy the fascist regime. For this reason, attacks from the sky often targeted civilians in order to provoke their uprising. Bologna suffered most of these attacks due to the city's strategic location. Local authorities were forced to take care of the protection of their citizens and create bomb shelters. These underground tunnels served not only as a temporary refuge during an air attack, but also as a permanent residence for thousands of Bolognese, when the bombings became more and more frequent and left huge losses. 
During the excursion we will visit one of the bomb shelters and you will learn how and in what conditions the local residents lived there during the tragic times of the war, what losses Bologna suffered both morally and materially, not to mention human lives.
DURATION OF EXCURSION 2 HOURS.
“...By midday they crossed the Apennines and descended along the Futa Pass to Bologna, surrounded by walls of orange brick with white small towers and almost two hundred large towers; some of these towers, clearly visible against the blue sky of Emilia, were tilted no less amazingly than the famous leaning tower of Pisa ... "I. Stone "Torment and Joy"
We arrived in Bologna by train (from Rimini - 1 hour 20 minutes). I liked using the Italian railway - both in the stations and on the platforms there are excellent informative arrival and departure posters: not only the time, but also the route, platform and small print - everything route stations with arrival time. The ticket is not for a specific date (I mean regular regional trains), i.e. you can buy tickets to all desired destinations (in Rimini there is always a queue at the ticket office), and the days can be varied according to your choice. Valid from the moment of composting (insert into the machine at the station or on the platform with the narrow end on either side, the time and departure station must be displayed). The controllers are walking around, there are toilets in the cars, there are no turnstiles anywhere. If the route has a transfer (such as from Rimini to Venice or Florence), the cashier, at your request, will give a printout of possible connecting flights on the one announced by you (or better yet, submitted in writing) desired time interval.
If, upon leaving the station building, you keep to the left, you can approach the gates of the ancient water canal, see the remains of the old riverbed and smell the characteristic smell. Interestingly, in the summer underground excursions are organized with pontoons descending on the waters of underground Bologna (information from the Italian brochure about the city). Across the road are the ruins of an ancient citadel and, up the beautiful yellow steps, the round Mortagnola Park (where we enjoyed a walk on our second “ride” to Bologna - the Venice train had to wait an hour, but you wouldn’t have time to go anywhere else).
The road is Indipendenza Street, along which we got to the historical center - Piazza Maggiore. We went to the Cathedral of St. Peter ("Ascension" Carraci, terracotta sculptural group by Lombardi (early 16th century) "Lamentation of Christ", crucifixion of the 12th century from multi-colored forest cedar...and not only, of course, this is what I remember). From Piazza Maggiore along Via Rizzoli it is very close to the leaning Bolognese towers, the symbol of the city. Towers in medieval Bologna were used by aristocratic families as watchtowers, housing, and, of course, showed the status of the owner. Of the twenty-three that have survived today, the most famous are Asinelli and Garisenda, built in the 12th century! Garisenda was built very quickly, the soil under the foundation did not have time to stabilize, and already in the 13th century it was “cut down”, and later again. Now Garisenda’s deviation from the vertical is 3.2 meters! Her neighbor and rival Azinelli is tilted “only” a little over a meter and you can climb it! 97 meters, 498 steps... I, planning to walk around Bologna for another whole day and around Italy for a whole week and, remembering my “climbing” just 387 steps of Notre Dame, did not climb...
From the towers we admired the truly memorable Palace of Commerce (1382-1384!!!) The minimum program - the main cathedral, the main square, the symbolic towers - was completed, then the most interesting thing! Hide the guidebook and map and just wander around... Bologna is very much for this It has, what is worth, the longest network of covered galleries in the world (about 40 km!) from different times - antique wooden porticoes, Gothic vaults of the 14-15th centuries, arcades of the Renaissance and Baroque periods!
We came to a very unique and beautiful triangular square (with grass between the slabs), on which stands the Abbey of Santo Stefano (first mentioned in 887!) Four churches and various courtyards under one roof (there used to be seven different eras). The oldest in the abbey and in all of Bologna is Santi Vitale e Agricola with the sarcophagi of martyrs executed in the 5th century. Women pray at the sarcophagi for happiness in family life. Entrance to the abbey is free. Attention! If the signora selling CDs about the abbey had not shown us some kind of disguised passage with gestures, we would have limited ourselves to the first room at the entrance, and there is still a lot of interesting things there...
We also wanted to watch Cimabue’s “Maesta” in the church of Santa Maria dei Servi (this is from homemade preparations), but we got into a break, breaks for 3-5 hours during the day. The church has a beautiful entrance group of porticoes - a quadruple gallery, supported by 67 thin marble columns. This church is on Strada Maggiore a stone's throw from the cafe "Chlorophyll" with a good review in the section of my guide "Where to eat in Bologna". I really liked the fish, and also real tea, dear to the heart of the Russian people, brewed in a teapot!!! It gets dark early in Italy in November (but to our envy it’s light already at 7 am, that’s what the correct standard time means..), it was time to get ready for Rimini...
I’m trying to formulate why I liked Bologna so much – la grassa, la rossa, torrito! Probably because it’s not the inclusion of historical “objects” in the development, but living history around! To be continued - Ravenna!!! - to be continued...
