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Bologna, Italy
Escape the crowds, embrace the cold cuts.
Mike @ Re-Routed
September 01, 2024
Welcome to Re-Routed - a concise weekly newsletter showcasing one travel destination worth re-routing to on the way to (or instead of) somewhere more crowded and overinstagrammed.
Today, we’re off to Bologna.
Florence might have the Duomo and David, but Bologna - less than 40 minutes by train away - has what can only be described as 900-year old skyscrapers and the best mortadella.
Even with the growing, mortadella-hungry crowds, it’s still nowhere near as hectic as Florence.
WHERE IN THE WORLD?
Bologna is the capital of the Emilia-Romagna region in northern Italy. (Google Maps, Apple Maps)
It sits at the foot of the Apennine Mountains, roughly half-way between Venice and Florence.
And it provides a quieter alternative to both, with some jaw-dropping architectural gems, the oldest university in continuous operation, and endless supply of mortadella. The REAL, protected mortadella.
BOLOGNA - WHAT’S THE ATTRACTION?
The “skyscrapers”
Or the Towers, as they are known. But the comparison to the skyscrapers of the Manhattan skyline is not accidental.
There is a drawing of Bologna by an Italian engraver, Toni Pecoraro, showing what the city might have looked like in the Middle Ages.
Literally, a mediaeval Manhattan surrounded by some green fields.
Of the original 200 or so towers, around 20 survive, as the rest were either dismantled or simply collapsed ages ago.
They might have served as defensive structures, but the origin of many of them is unclear (although “my tower is taller than your tower” might have been the primary motivation in a few cases).
Due Torri are the two most prominent ones (called Asinelli and Garisenda). Both sit right in the heart of the city. Sadly, they are now leaning so much, they’ve been closed to the public for the time being.
Due Torri
The Mortadella
Let’s clarify one thing: boloney, or industrially produced bologna (usually found in lunchboxes between two slices of white bread) might look like mortadella.
It’s definitely not the same as the delicate, finely sliced, centuries-old charcuterie found everywhere in Bologna.
The mortadella of Bologna has been the city’s signature product since 1661.
As the body dedicated to preserving the nature of the original charcuterie states, you can only use the exclusive “Mortadella Bologna PGI” name if you meet all the conditions and requirements, including where it was produced, what specific pig cuts and raw materials were used and how it was processed.
There’s even a very specific way of cutting it - starting at the pointed end.
Lots of new places offer it to the ever-growing hordes of day-trippers. But visiting some of the long-established places makes you realise why this charcuterie is often a delicacy enjoyed with friends, and not simply a cheap sandwich filler.
The porticoes
If you ever visited Florence in the summer, you understand how boiling hot this landlocked city can get.
Bologna is similarly hot. But how you experience the heat there is different.
You can walk outside at the height of the summer and still be in the shade. All thanks to the 40-kilometre (just under 25 miles) long network of porticoes - long passageways with endless and often exquisitely decorated arches.
And that’s just in the centre. The entire network is 62 km (38.5 miles) long.
Officially listed on UNESCO’s world heritage list, the porticoes have been growing - along the flourishing university - since the 12th century, providing much needed shade and spaces to think, meet and socialise.
Even via Senzanome (aka Nameless street) has one, even though it’s considered to be the narrowest one in Bologna.
They’re simply marvellous.
GO IF….
You crave some cold cuts, fresh tagliatelle or just want to sit in the main square picking up the vibe.
DON’T GO IF….
You’re scared of leaning towers.
HOW TO GET THERE:
Bologna has its own airport just north-west of the city.
Regular trains run to and from Milan, Florence, Venice and Rome.
A network of highways connects the city to most other places in northern Italy.
CURIOUS? READ ON:
Downloadable map of Bologna
Italian City Launches New ‘Save The Towers’ Campaign (Forbes)
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