Plus Bologna City Guide for Your Pocket
Welcome to the latest funky info packed city guide for your pocket. Just print it off for when you are cruising past the sights of Bologna. Afterwards you can pass it on to someone else, make an origami shape, keep it as a souvenir or recycle it in some other tree huggin' hippy
way.
LANGUAGE- ITALIAN
English is becoming more widely known but more among the younger generations and those trying to be trendy. It is useful to know a few numbers and short phrases to get you around. See our printable phrase guide to help you along.
CURRENCY- EURO €1EU =$1.19USD = £0.68GBP (02/06)
Cash machines or ATMs are called Bancomats. These accept all major credit cards and any with the PLUS or Maestro logos.
TIME- CENTRAL EUROPEAN TIME (GMT+1HR)
Daylight savings (+1) starts the last Sunday in March and ends(-1) the last Sunday in October. 24hr commonly used.
PHONE- AREA CODE +39
Local phone boxes can take credit cards or you can buy international phone cards and 'Telefonica scheda' cards from a Tabacchi outlet ( they have the big 'T' sign).
| AMBULANCE | 118 |
| FIRE | 115 |
| POLICE | 112 |
| POLICE STATION | 051 640 11 11 | Piazza Galileo 7 |
| TOURIST OFFICE | 051 24 65 41 | Piazza Maggiore 1 |
| OSPEDALE MAGGIORE | 051 647 81 11 | Via Emilia Ponente |
| BUS STATION | 051 20 02 90 | Piazza XX Settembre |
| TAXI | 051 37 27 27/ 051 53 41 41 |
Getting to and Around Bologna
Guglielmo Marconi Airport
The main airport. It carries internal and international flights from the UK, France, Germany and Amsterdam. It is connected to the city by the regular Aerobus which runs every 15mins to and from the main train station.
Bologna central is a busy connecting station for northern Italy, regular trains run to Milan, Rome and to Venice.
The intercity SITA and local buses stop at the main terminal Piazza XX Settembre on the eastern side of the train station.
Tickets are €1 for a single and must be validated in the yellow machines inside the bus. You must buy these from the Tabacci's, ATC outlets and ticket machines as the drivers don't sell them . The destinations are written on the front of the bus.
Cheap and environmentally friendly. Bologna is pedestrian friendly as they have banned vehicles in the centre of town. Even the odd downpour isn't really a problem as the walkways are covered, by 40km of porticoes.
There are two outlets renting bikes for hourly, daily and weekly rates. Be warned, cobblestones can be hard on wobbly fillings!
What to see in Bologna.
Bologna's old city centre is ideal for walking as the arched walkways offer some respite from the heat of summer. This central piazza is full of life with many locals gathering to chat and pass the time, you can listen to musicians or watch the street performers from one of the many cafés or bars that surround the edges. These bars kick off long into the night as well. Or, you can just sit and admire the renaissance buildings and the sun reflecting off the ornate façades.
The centre piece of this square is the famous Fontana del Nettuno, Fountain of Neptune, built in 1566 and receives mixed reactions from onlookers due to its rather suggestive mermaids and Neptune's, um, stance. The Frenchman, Jean Boulogne de Douai who sculpted it earned the moniker Giambologna. It serves as a popular meeting place for locals and tourists.
Not trying to go one-up on Pisa but Bologna has 2 leaning towers. Originally the wealthy families of Bologna had over 200 towers built during the mediaeval period of my-tower-is-bigger-than-your-tower, but wars, time and developments as well as bad subsoils has lead to a decrease in their number.
Torre degli Asinelli
Not for the faint hearted, claustrophobic or vertigo sufferers. The 498 steps to the top get narrower and as the 100m tower is also leaning by 1.4m it all adds to the tension. However for those that do make it to the top the views over the rooftops of the city are stunning. Open daily 09:00-18:00.
Garisenda
This is the shorter one at only 49m high but has a more extreme lean of 3m and is deemed too unstable to be opened to the public.
This is the home of the National art Gallery, containing mostly renaissance works by Bolognese artists. If you are a devotee of Raphael you can view the Ecstasy of St Cecelia and take in El Greco's version of the Last supper.
In here you will find the largest Egyptian collection in Italy, with more impressive artefacts than in the Vatican. Other items of note are iron age examples of daily objects, Etruscan and Roman relics as well as casts and copies of notable Greek sculptures. The museum is also home to a 1500yr old bronze jar. Opening hours are 09:00-18:30 Tuesday-Saturday, 10:00-18:30 Sunday.
Via Zamboni
The University of Bologna is Europe's oldest university at 900 years, begun in 1088, and attracts students from all over the world. Bologna used to be a hotbed of student activism during the 70's, this still continues today but with less regularity. The area surrounding the university, like much of Bologna, has developed an energetic culture of bars, cafes, restaurants and clubs.
Welcome to the home of Ferrari, Maserati, Pavarotti and of course balsamic vinegar. Quite a combination and only 30mins from Bologna by bus. An extremely affluent town due in part to its main exports. The Ferrari factory is in the township of Maranello, 17km south of Modena for any interested petrolheads. Take the tour of Galleria Ferrari, Via Dino Ferrari 43 for around €10.
What to munch on in Bologna.
Bologna is considered the cuisine capital of Italy and Emilia-Romagna. There is a diverse range of restaurants that attracts gourmets and foodies from all corners of the globe. Whatever you budget there are many restaurants in the city offering top quality options down to humble osteria fare. Don't forget to try the famous Bolognese 'sauce' from the 'source' although it may come as a Surprise to find out it is called 'ragu' and usually eaten with tagliatelle and never spaghetti
There is now also a more international influence as well with many restaurants opening with middle eastern and eastern flavours.
Got the munchies? A few slices between foccaccia or panini , maybe some tomato and mozzarella, yummo! More commonly had as an antipasti and even for breakfast.
How do they make this stuff taste soooo good? It is mandatory to have at least one gelato a day while staying in Italy. La Sorbetteria Castiglione, on Via Castigilione, was awarded the Premio Speciale in 2003 at the International Gelato consortium making it the number one gelato in the world. All hand churned out the back and worth a lick or two.
Most Italians spend a lot longer on eating dinner than they do with their lightning quick breakfast, hence the long menu. A primo piatti is the first course, usually smaller than a main but bigger than an appetiser. The secondo is the main dish and usually comes without vegetables which have to be ordered as a separate 'contorni'. Unless you are really hungry and go for all courses you can mix and match a starter with a primo or secondo, or just have the main and then head straight for dessert.
This is a very common question. There will probably be a cover charge, this is for the table cloth 'covering' the table and cutlery or a 'service' charge for the service provided by the staff, check on the menu or with your waiter if this included or not. If it isn't then the amount will be between 12 and 15% of the total bill. In this case it isn't necessary to tip as the locals are notoriously bad tippers and just pay the service charge. Or just leave the change if it's a couple of euros and the service has been good.
Paying can be a confusing experience. If you are wanting just a coffee or Panini from a café you have two choices. One- look at what's on offer in the display case, find a table and sit down to wait for the waiter and tell him, at the end just ask him for the 'conto' or the bill. Two- check out the display case, make your way to the 'cassa', pay for your choices and then take the receipt over to the serving counter. It's all about the Italian tax system, but in some ways it makes sense that the food servers are not spending time working out change etc.
If you've had your fill of culture and history in the day then it's time to let loose! The central area in town around the Piazza Maggiore offers a range of bars and the area close to the university offers lively nightclubs. Entry fees can be expensive but usually include a drink. The variety is truly Italian with popular music styles, live music, the latest hip hop and dance tunes.
WILDLIFE AREAS
Via del Prato, Kinki, Soda Pops, Link and Cantina Bentivoglio (jazz) ALSO
Parco Nord in summer, free outdoor raves.
Things to do when you're broke.
The intention of this edifice was to eclipse the original St Peter's in Rome, however the then Pope decided this was not such a good idea, even though it was dedicated to the patron saint of the city, and canned the completion not long after 1392. Inside you can watch the sundial laid out on the apse floor, timed by the ray of sunlight falling through the roof. The admission is free and actually offers free guided tours on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays at 11.30am.
Time to walk off that huge bowl of pasta. The Sanctuary is an 18th construction up the hill 3.5km from the centre of town and you can count the 666 arches as you climb (any significance??) to the top. St Luke is said to be responsible for the image of Mary, which is brought into town for a week every May. The view from the top is also spectacular and a nice break from buildings.
Looking for a bit of spirituality? The majority of churches, or Chiese, are open to the public and free but they require a respectful level of dress. As a rule neck to knee coverage and no bare shoulders or belly buttons. It also pays to come back later if a service or mass is in progress.
Some internet cafes now have broadband but most don't. You can expect to pay up to €4 per hour for usage. The locations mentioned here are open Monday to Saturday, and are either closed or closed early on a Sunday. Here are some useful websites during your stay:
The markets are almost an attraction in their own right. The stall holders doing their trades as an actor might play the stage. Check these out for that unique souvenir, some fresh food or sheer entertainment.
These won't make you into an SAS commander but they may help avoid some difficulties as you travel around.