Bologna for Beginners: The Historic Center

Fresco, Church of the Crucifix, Santo Stefano

Bologna is not one of the major tourist destinations in Italy, at least not for Americans, which is both a shame (because it's fabulous) and a blessing (because it remains less crowded than Rome, Florence, and Venice and moves at a decidedly slower pace). Many of the guide books skip over it or give it barely a mention and yet my Italian friends love this city and visit often. Add to that the region's reputation as la pancia (the stomach) of Italy with a unique and fabulous cuisine and I had to check it out for myself. And so, with a long weekend to spend, I headed to Bologna with few expectations other than exploring, wandering, and sampling good food.

It didn't take long for me to become enamored with this city - the beautiful pale red hues of the buildings and roof tops, the large medieval plazas ringed with architectural masterpieces, the cafe/bars offering perfect seats for watching the action, the bustling markets, those unique and stunning porticos, the churches, the art, and - oh yes, the food. In short, what is there to like about Bologna? Everything!

Bologna is just 35 minutes from Florence by train, but don't be tempted to "do" Bologna as a day trip. It is well worth spending several days in this beautiful city, so find a good B&B and settle in to explore. I was delighted with my stay at the B&B Palazzo Trevi on Via Frassinago. This is a warm and friendly place gracefully run by owners Consuela and Francesco. The rooms are comfortable and pretty, the breakfasts bountiful, and the location superb. Ask the owners for restaurant recommendations - they know the best spots in this neighborhood!

B&B Palazzo Trevi

Breakfast terrace at the B&B

Breakfast Buffet B&B Palazzo Trevi

It's impossible to see everything Bologna has to offer in a few short days. It's best to map out top priorities and then schedule in lots of time for strolling the arcaded streets, sipping a morning cappuccino or an afternoon drink on a pretty piazza, and just watching and wandering.

A good starting point is a walk around the historic center, which is full of medieval buildings, towers, and piazzas. A pausa (break) for coffee at Bar Vittorio on Piazza Maggiore provides a view across across the piazza to the Basilica of San Petronio with its incomplete facade (bottom half marble, top half rough brick). Across the way is Palazzo d'Accursio and the clock tower. Built in the 1300s, this building now serves as the town hall.

Basilica of San Petronio

Palazzo d'Accursio

After pausa, it's just a few steps across the piazza into the courtyard of the Palazzo d'Accursio and a few more to visit the interior of the Basilica of San Petronio with its richly decorated side chapels, beautiful stained glass windows, canopied altar with ornate crucifix, and lovely artwork. There is also an interesting meridian line from the 1600s set into the floor, which provides an accurate way of marking the days of the year. There is a 2-euro photography fee in this church - pay the fee and get a colored armband or risk getting scolded for taking photos without one. At the end of the afternoon, a return to Piazza Maggiore is perfect for a glass of wine or an aperol spritz and more people watching.

Altar, San Petronio

Fresco, San Petronio

Side chapel with beautiful windows

Just around the corner is Piazza Nettuno, with the famous Fountain of Neptune. The fountain is currently being restored and is hidden by scaffolding. It is possible to schedule an appointment to go inside the scaffolding for a peek but this must be arranged ahead of time. Two fascinating buildings enclose this piazza. First is the Palazzo Re Enzo, built in the 1200s. It has a gorgeous central courtyard, impressive stairways, an arcaded upper floor and an interesting history.

Courtyard, Palazzo Re Enzo, Bologna.

The second is the Bibliotecca Salaborsa, another medieval building, now the main public library and community center. It's worth stepping inside to see the unique architecture and ceiling and to get a sense of the vibrant community feel of this building, which is used by locals of all ages as a place to work, study, read, and meet. The basement houses a timeline showing the uses of the building over it's long history, as well as some Roman ruins.

Interior, Biblioteca Salaborsa

Quadrilatero market display

Fruits and Veggies Via Pescherie

Piazza Maggiore leads right into Via Pescherie, the heart of the Quadrilatero, or old market. The street is narrow, crowded, and filled with salumeria (delis), fruit and vegetable stands, cheese shops, fish stalls, and lots of opportunities to dine on local specialties. 

The two towers portrayed by Pio Panfili, 1767.

Fanning out from Piazza Maggiore at the center, it's easy to spot the two towers that are the symbol of Bologna. Torre degli Asinelli (highest of the two and higher than the more famous leaning tower in Pisa) and the shorter Torre Garisenda, which has a more dramatic lean. The Asinelli's wooden interior steps are currently closed for restoration, scheduled to reopen in summer 2017.  

The Biblioteca dell'Archiginnasio is just a bit behind the Basilica San Petronio in Piazza Galvani. This building was the first central seat of the University of Bologna, in the 1500s. It housed the study of medicine, law, and arts. The building is set around a central courtyard, has broad staircases to the classrooms on the upper floors, and contains a famous anatomy classroom. The family crests of students, with names and countries of origin, line the walls. With a building this imposing, the students were bound to take their studies seriously. If only the university where I taught for many years were this beautiful!

Family Crests Biblioteca dell'Archiginnasio

Lecturer's Podium Anatomy Classroom

No beginner's guide to Bologna is complete without some dining recommendations. After just four days I'm hardly an expert in Bolognese dining, but I did find some favorites:

Osteria Santa Caterina is known for it's salumi platters.

Osteria Santa Caterina is a bit out of the center in the area around the Porta Saragozza, located near, and recommended by, the innkeepers at B&B Palazzo Trevi. This is a small, cozy neighborhood place with outstanding food and wine. They have a variety of salumi platters, delicious soups, tortellini in a rich brodo (broth), terrific lasagna, and the absolute best eggplant parmesan I have ever tasted. 

A morning cappuccino and a torta di mele (apple tart) at Pasticceria Gamberini.

Pasticceria Gamberini sits under a portico on Via Ugo Bassi and has lovely pastries and cakes. It's a pleasant place to have a morning coffee and a pezzo dolce (sweet pastry). They have a beautiful array of pastries, cannoli, miniature tarts and sweets, and bite-size savories. They also have takeout panini and tremezzini (those triangular sandwiches) to go - perfect for a picnic lunch. 

A local Lambrusco wine at Ristorante "da Nello"

Ristorante "da Nello" is just off Piazza Nettuno, on Via Montegrappa. The food here is traditional, including pastas, fish, and meats. The flavors are authentic and delicious, the menu varied, the wine list good, and the waiters friendly. On a warm night, the outside dining area is delightful. 

In four days I've barely scratched the surface of Bologna. I am already looking forward to a return trip in the near future!                       -post by JB

Contacts:  

B&B Palazzo Trevi Via Frassinago, 32.   www.palazzotrevi.it

A Child's Eye View of Lucca

Colorful balloons for sale in Piazza San Michele.

When I think of Lucca I picture medieval streets, renaissance walls, lovely gardens, music and fabulous food. Not so my 6-year-old friend Edie, who visited me in Lucca recently, along with her mom, Holly, and great aunt Pat. She gave me a whole new perspective - Lucca looks different when seen through a child's eyes.

At 6, Edie is already a good traveler. She likes the overnight flight, doesn't seem to suffer much from jet lag, and sleeps like a baby despite the time change - which made the adults in our group quite envious. She likes the outdoors and Lucca offers a lot of outdoor activities, making it a great destination when traveling with children.  She enjoyed discovering succulents growing along the wall (she recognized these from home), smelling the roses in the gardens at Palazzo Pfanner, and was delighted to find that Italy has some interesting bugs (though not spiders - she didn't care for those).

Here are some fun activities for young kids visiting Lucca (all come with Edie's endorsement) :

Photo courtesy of H. Baker

Ride the carousel. This was definitely a highlight though it took some thought for my young friend to pick which animal she wanted to ride. In fact, she needed several attempts to try out the different options. Smart girl!

Edie and me, exploring plant life on the walls. Photo courtesy of H. Baker

Explore. Together we found "secret" spots all along the walls. Spots with huge rocks to climb, wild buttercups to smell, bugs to investigate, steps to climb, and statues to see. The wide grassy areas on the wall are great spots for running or playing games. Don't forget to look up - especially at the statue of the Archangel Michael atop the Basilica of San Michele, which Edie said was her favorite in all of Lucca. All this outdoor activity may explain why Edie slept so well! 

Sottosopra (upside down)

Find the playgrounds and let the kids climb, swing, and tumble. There are several playgrounds on the wide areas of the wall in Lucca and some down in the town as well. Edie tried out most of them and gave them her kid-tested seal of approval.

Drink a milkshake. Or two or three. Italian milkshakes are quite different from American ones - less ice-creamy and more frothy, like a frappe. Flavored with vanilla, these were a real kid treat. Pretty good for grown-ups too.

Eat foccacia. This may have been Edie's favorite food in Lucca, and who can blame her? It's one of my favorites too. 

The walls are the perfect bike path. Photo courtesy of P. Baker

Bike the walls. This is a great family activity, even if the adults do most of the work!  There are all types of bikes for rent - everything from two- or four-person surreys to tandem bikes and single bikes in adult and child sizes. Rent by the hour, half-day, or full day. When Edie's legs get longer we'll let her do the pedaling and she can go as fast as she'd like!

Do some shopping. Children love having some of their own money to shop for gifts to take home to grandparents or friends. Putting thought into picking out just the right gift is a valuable life lesson too. 

Some of Lucca's beautiful door knockers. Photos by E. Baker and H. Baker

Take photos. Give a kid a digital camera and set them loose to take their own pictures - it's a great vacation activity and helps create wonderful memories. Edie especially enjoyed taking pictures of flowers and all the beautiful door knockers in Lucca. I think her mom liked those door knockers too! Edie used her mom's camera, but I suspect her very own will make a good gift before her next trip. 

Take a day trip to Pisa. This is especially fun for kids if they get to take the train from Lucca to Pisa, see the famous leaning tower, hear the music echo in the Baptistery, grab lunch in Pisa, and then take the train back to Lucca. This makes a perfect day trip and what child wouldn't like a photo of themselves next to the leaning tower as a reminder of their trip?

Edie and her mom, Holly, in a famous spot. Photo courtesy of P.Baker.

When traveling with a small child it's important to plan kid-size activities, shorten visits to places like museums and churches, and add in lots of breaks for active play time. It also helps to be based in a smaller, less chaotic city like Lucca. Having an apartment is a good strategy too  - it gives everyone room to breathe, accommodates child bedtimes, allows for some meals at home rather than always eating out, and gives a child a space they can settle into. Having a flexible agenda is key, as is planning some time for the parents to get out on their own for some grown-up exploring. Then relax and enjoy the view through a child's eyes.                           -post by JB

Florence - A City of Science As Well As Art

It’s not hard to fall in love with Italian men, especially when they are as intelligent and forward-thinking as Galileo Galilei. I have been enamored with Galileo for years – ever since someone described him to me as a polymath. A polymath (a person with significant knowledge of several subjects)! What’s not to love? The man was a genius! There is a great tribute to him - and to science in general - at the Museo Galileo in Florence.

A bust of Galileo in the Florence museum that bears his name.

The Museo Galileo, just behind the Uffizi Gallery, is a repository of scientific instruments ranging from telescopes to thermometers and covering topics ranging from The Science of Equilibrium to The Science of Warfare. The museum says it is “heir to a tradition of five centuries of scientific collecting” and credits the Medici and Lorraine families of Tuscany with emphasizing the importance of such collecting. Indeed, I felt like I was in a toy store for scientists as I wandered the rooms of the museum.

An astrolabe from the 16th century, used to measure the inclined position in the sky of a celestial body.

An astrolabe from the 16th century and a huge armillary sphere are just two of the items on display that help explain how Galileo and other astronomers from centuries ago looked at the heavens.

The giant armillary sphere at the Museo Galileo.

There is plenty of information about Galileo, too. And for the non-squeamish, there is a display of his right-hand index finger and thumb, and one of his teeth. It is said that admirers of the man removed the digits and tooth, as well as a vertebra, from his body as it was being transferred from storage to a tomb in Santa Croce Basilica.

Several telescopes at the Museo Galileo.

Even for visitors who aren’t scientifically inclined, seeing the intricacy of the instruments used so many years ago is fascinating, as is reading about the practical applications of various scientific discoveries.                                                   -post by JG

Museogalileo.it

Fagiolini Verde

I admit it, I'm a food nerd. I love reading recipes. I find mountains of purple artichokes or eggplant stunningly beautiful. The scent of good (some might say stinky) cheese is like perfume to me. And the first salty bite of a fresh focaccia is a sensual delight. Yes, I'm a food nerd.

One of the things I love most about Italy is that it is heaven on earth for food nerds like me. The "slow food" atmosphere, the focus on quality over shelf life, the regional specialties, the artisanal bakers, cheese makers, and producers of salumi -  all these things contribute to the fact that I love shopping, cooking, and dining here. It's also one of the reasons I like to have an apartment - apartments come with kitchens and kitchens are the pathway to experimenting with the use of local ingredients to make simple, seasonal, and tasty dishes. 

Colorful eggplant at the Ortofrutta.

My favorite place to buy fruits and vegetables in Lucca is the Ortofrutta in Piazza Salvatore. I love the eye-catching colors of the produce, the artful way they are arranged, the changing selection based on season and freshness, the friendly staff, and the whole process of purchasing here - pick out the fruits and veggies, put them in little paper bags, bring them to the counter to be weighed and priced, and then take your receipt to the cassa  (cash register) to pay. No grocery store can compare!

Another view of the Ortofrutta, so much more charming than my local grocery store at home!

In addition to produce, the Ortofrutta has flavorful foods to go (think homemade pesto and other sauces, cooked spinach, little trays of lasagna, olives), along with basics - milk, eggs, dried pasta, jams, olive oils, canned tuna, wine.

Prepared foods to go.

Recently I went to the Ortofrutta without a clear idea of what I wanted to cook. I found beautiful, tiny fagiolini verde (the kind of green beans we would call by their French name, haricot vert) and pretty lemons. Together, they inspired me to make marinated green beans - a perfect accompaniment to the chicken I roasted for dinner. 

Here's how I prepared them (amounts are approximate and based on kitchen spoons, not measuring spoons).  Experiment! 

Simple ingredients for the marinade.

Marinated Green Beans

Start with 2 big handfuls of fagiolini verde (using tiny green beans is key), cooked in boiling water until just fork tender (about 6 - 7 minutes). Rinse in cold water, let cool a few minutes, and then toss with marinade while beans are still warm. 

Marinade:  

1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard  (use more or less to taste)

Juice of 1/2 medium lemon

A few shakes of good sea salt and black pepper (taste finished marinade and correct to taste)

Whisk well and slowly drizzle in about 4 tablespoons of good olive oil, whisking to emulsify

Pour half of the marinade over the cooked green beans, toss, and let sit at room temperature for 1 - 2 hours. Toss again before serving. 

Finished marinated green beans.

Save the other half of the marinade to use on a salad or to pour over steamed asparagus - that's what I did a couple of days later when I found beautiful asparagus at the market.

Same marinade, different veggie.

That's it!  When you start with great ingredients and blend in a little creativity, you end with great taste.  

-post by JB                          

Italy Remembers

One of the banners carried in the Liberation Day Ceremony, Lucca.

When I visit Europe I am always reminded of the deep and lasting effects of the Second World War. From hedgerows in France, to the bombed cities of England, Italy, and Germany, the landscape here still echoes of a war that ended 72 years ago. Somehow, war feels closer here. One important benefit of travel is learning about the history, causes, and effects of conflicts, as well as standing in places touched by war. I feel fortunate to have visited war-damaged cathedrals in London, the American Cemetery in Normandy (where I searched for the name of my father's childhood friend, killed on D-Day), the outstanding Peace Museum in Caen, the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam, and the site of the Nuremberg trials. All were emotional experiences; all taught me something. 

Wall of remembrance, Bologna.

Because I love Italy, I'm especially interested in the Italian war experience. In Pienza, I've visited an Etruscan cave, later a hermitage, and later still a hideout for the partigiani (Italian partisans or resistance fighters). Twenty years ago I stumbled across a still war-damaged building in a small village near Milan, overgrown with the most beautiful hydrangeas.

Vizzola Ticino, 1996

I was moved by Iris Origo's diary War in the Val D'Orcia and a visit to La Foce, where she lived during the war. I've walked along the river Serchio, of strategic importance during the war. I was horrified to learn aboug the massacre at Sant'Anna Stazzema near the end of the war, and pleased to know the story of the American Buffalo soldiers who participated in the Liberation of Lucca. I've been inspired by accounts of the partigiani and their role in fighting for, and liberating, the country they loved. These are fascinating and important pieces of the story of WWII in Italy. Though I've absorbed these experiences, the war is not my story - it belongs to the people here who lived it or have lived in its aftermath. To them it is both history and a part of daily culture.

Liberation Day ceremony, Lucca.

Ceremony honoring the liberation of Bologna.

Wreath laying ceremony, Lucca.

This year I was able to experience the Liberation Day celebration twice. First, in Bologna where a ceremony takes place on April 21, the day the partigiani liberated the city, and again in Lucca on April 25, the national holiday. Both cities had moving ceremonies, of remembrance and celebration. In Lucca there was a procession with representation from military, civilian, and civic groups; there were school children waving Italian flags, a band, speeches, and a solemn wreath laying ceremony.

I am thankful that my language skills have improved enough to allow me to understand much of the ceremonies - the sacrifices of the partisans, the hardship of the people of Italy, the abject poverty during the war, the terrible damage to infrastructure and industry, and the value placed on freedom and peace. The celebrations focused not only on the past, but also on the present and future. The people here remember, it's in their DNA, and they continue to honor those who fought, those who died, those who suffered, those who liberated Italy, and those who work today to maintain peace and prosperity.                                                                                     post by JB

Children gather in Piazza San Michele, Lucca, for the Liberation Day ceremony.