| Overview | Things to do | Suitability | Country Info (Italy) |
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Bologna is an attractive, vibrant, cosmopolitan and prosperous city with a medieval heritage to rival that of the more renowned Venice or Florence.
Bologna remains relatively tourist free, letting the locals enjoy one of the highest standards of living in Italy unmolested. Founded by the Etruscans as Felsina, on the Po Plains in 600BC, the northeast Italian city was renamed Bononia by the Gauls, whose French overtones still can be heard in the local dialect. Today, 40km (25 miles) of ochre-hued arcades still shadow the streets - covered walkways that give Bologna its unique style. The heart of Bologna is around the twin piazzas, Maggiore and Nettuno - a handsome public space sealed on all sides by medieval palazzi and the hulk of San Petronio. Here, amid the pigeons, the Bolognese come to shop, to pray, to chat and, of course, to demonstrate. Most of interest to leisure visitors lies within the ring road, which follows the ancient walls and forms a boundary to the fairly compact city centre (1½ mls by 1¼ mls). The vast square of Piazza Maggiore is the focus of the well-preserved historical core of charming old lanes, many of which are pedestrianised. The city is particularly noted for its superb vaulted walkways and 25 mls of porticoed streets. The lively university quarter hosts many cafes, nightspots and trattorias. As one of Europe's largest exhibition venues, Bologna receives a fair number of business visitors. The city is also a good base from which to explore surrounding towns and countryside. Many locals themselves head for the cooler hills of the Apennines in the summer, and late spring/early autumn are good times to visit. Locality: Occupying flat land between the rivers Reno and Savena and backed by the northern foothills of the Apennine Mountains lies Bologna, 200 mls N of the Italy's capital, Rome. Bologna is 90 mls SW of Venice, 60 mls N of Florence and 60 mls NW of Rimini. The Small Marconi international airport is 5 mls NW of the centre. |
