Bologna la Dotta, la Grassa, la Rossa - Bologna the Learned, the Opulent, the Red. This is how Bologna is commonly referred to and never were such nicknames better deserved.
Its thousand-year-old university (the traditional date of founding is 1088) has made it one of the most important centres for academic studies in Italy and indeed in Europe. Students come from all over Italy to study medicine, law and humanities and bring a very special atmosphere to the city. The large presence of students accounts for the numerous and formidable bookshops, the alternative scene in entertainment and the best shops to buy vinyl in Italy.
The second two nicknames come from the amazing combination of the city's and region's status of traditional stronghold of communism and its wealthy economy. The first Italian Socialist party was founded in Romagna and the movement, moulded by the strong pragmatism of these people, gave birth to the co-operatives. After the Second World War the Communists took over the running of the co-ops and it was a triumph: public transport, housing development and social services became models for Europe.
Bologna the Opulent also points to the strong food traditions of the region: tortellini, tagliatelle and Parmesan cheese are among its most famous world exports. It is a delight to walk along the porticoed streets of the town centre and look into the many food shops and haberdashers, drug stores you could spend hours in just browsing through the range of pasta, herbs, sauces, teas and coffees, sweets and chocolates and then just choosing one of the trattorias, unpretentious, usually family-run small restaurants, to have a nice meal.
The never-ending porticos will take you from one side to the other of the old city (ideal when it's raining!). When I walk along them I think of Medieval scholars strolling all day through these porticos meditating on the great metaphysical questions! They would have to be careful not to be run over by cars nowadays as the pedestrian-only porticos are interrupted at intervals by streets.
There is still very little on Bologna in English. Cadogan guide to Bologna and Emilia-Romagna has finally filled the gap as far as guides are concerned and they have done it very well - so don't think I am recommending it because it is the only one! It has excellent coverage of the whole region as well as of Bologna itself.
The best map is the LAC street plan of Bologna. If you want to visit more of the region and Ravenna, Ferrara and Parma definitely deserve a visit if you have the time, TCI map of Emilia-Romagna is the map you need.
Author: Marina De Santis
Date: 1 January 2002
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