Inflight Magazine of Brussels Airlines

My Bologna

Massimo Mutti is the artistic director of the annual Bologna Jazz Festival (www.festivaljazzbologna.it), one of Italy’s most prestigious music events. He guides us through his hometown, revealing a love of churches, green spaces, ragù sauce and, of course, live jazz

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My city is full of sound: declared a UNESCO City of Music in 2007, Bologna is tied to jazz by a long-standing and very special love. Since 1958, there’s not been a high- ranking jazzista or promising youngster who hasn’t passed through here for the oldest jazz festival in Italy. The city has seen all the greats, from Chet Baker to Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald to Sarah Vaughan, and Keith Jarrett to Miles Davis.

Day One

9:00 Start by taking a quick walking tour of this fascinating city. To get your bearings and enjoy a panoramic view looking out over beautiful red roofs, climb to the top of the Asinelli Tower (Piazza di Porta Ravegnana). The famous Due Torri (two towers) are the city’s great symbols; Asinelli is the highest medieval Italian tower, while its twin Garisenda – the smallest – is mentioned in Dante’s The Divine Comedy.

10:00 From Piazza di Porta Ravegnana head towards Piazza della Mercanzia where, walking in the direction of Via Clavature, you can admire the wonderful Loggia dei Mercanti. While on Via Clavature I never miss the chance to visit the beautiful church of Santa Maria della Vita (at number 10), dating from the 13th century, where you can find one of the great masterpieces of Italian sculpture, the 15th-century La Pietà by Niccolò dell’Arca. From here you can enter Piazza Maggiore, the pulsing heart of the city that’s surrounded by some of its most bewitching buildings: the Podestà palace, the Accursio palace, the Basilica of San Petronio and the Banchi palace. From Piazza Maggiore you appear on the Piazza del Nettuno, with its fountain of the all-powerful Neptune by Giambologna, and the Palazzo Re Enzo.

13:00 Now the really fun part: lunch! Walk along Via Rizzoli in the direction of the Due Torri to stop at Taverna di Roberto (9b Via San Vitale, tel. ) under the porticoes of Via San Vitale. It’s an elegant dining room, but not well known by people outside the city – a place where you can enjoy typical Bolognese cuisine with the locals. Fish fresh from the market is one menu highlight, or try the delicious pasta.

14.30 To work off your lunch, stroll the short distance from Via San Vitale to Piazza Santo Stefano, with its curious triangular shape. During the summer there are evening concerts held here. The church of Santo Stefano deserves an in-depth visit, as it’s constructed from a complex of a good seven churches – called Santa Gerusalemme – all built during different historical ages. You’ll also find a pagan altar inside.

17:30 In Piazza Santo Stefano, make your way to the Corte Isolani (Via Santo Stefano), where you’ll find a beautiful assortment of shops housed in architecture that is both ancient and unusual; I love browsing through the antique stalls and small art shops.

19:00 Take an early evening passeggiata (stroll) towards the Zona Università, which is 900 years old and made up of Via Zamboni and the various side roads leading off it. Alternatively, explore the tangle of streets that were originally the Jewish quarter (Via Valdonica, Via dell’Inferno, Via de’ Giudei and Vicolo Tubertini), heading towards Via Mascarella. The Bravo Caffè (1 Via Mascarella, www.bravocaffe.it) is a very popular haunt, and a great place to check out some live jazz.

20:00 For dinner, the Cantina Bentivoglio (4b Via Mascarella, tel. , www.cantinabentivoglio.it) is one of the most historic jazz clubs in Bologna. Enjoy a typical meal – such as the taglioline with prosciutto and lemon, or salsiccia with sweet and sour onions – washed down with some excellent wine, all to the rhythm of jazz.

Day Two

9:00 There’s no better way to start the day than with a really good cappuccino and brioche in historic Caffè Zanarini (1 Piazza Galvani). One of the city’s most famous bars, it’s at its best first thing in the morning, before everyone starts their working days.

9:30 Bologna is full of intriguing museums and art galleries, but my favourite is the International Museum and Library of Music (34 Strada Maggiore, museomusicabologna. it). The museum is housed in the Palazzo Aldini Sanguinetti, decorated in fine Napoleonic style with tasteful neoclassical frescoes. It contains an important collection of instruments from various ages and, in a room on the ground floor, a reconstruction of the workshop of famed violin maker – and proud Bolognese – Otello Bignami.

11:30 After the museum, get some fresh air with an excursion to the beautiful Margherita Gardens (Viale Gozzadini), Bologna’s green heart that also boasts a lake. I love to take a stroll between the avenues of trees, stopping for a while on the grass to soak up a bit of autumn sun while looking at the swans.

13:00 Take lunch at Rodrigo (2h Via della Zecca, tel. ), set in the historical Palazzo della Zecca. A favourite with locals for generations – it opened in 1949 – it serves excellent tortellini al ragù.

14:30 Spend the afternoon under the porticoes of the long Via dell’Indipendenza, the principal road of the centro storico, which leads from Piazza Maggiore to Porta Galliera – one of the old gateways that circle the city. This is one of the best shopping areas, where you can find goods of all kinds covering all budgets, often housed in historical buildings.

16:00 When you’re tired of shopping, you can rest on a bench in the Montagnola Park (Piazza VIII Agosto). As you may have realised, I do love a bit of time in a park and a chance to get away from it all for a while. Montagnola is actually elevated: it’s reached by a set of marble stairs, which during the foggy nights of winter provide a magnificent spectacle when lit up with numerous streetlights.

19:00 Time for an aperitivo from the modern, sleek and well stocked bar of the Take Five Genuine Music Club (15 Via Cartoleria, tel. , www.takefivebologna.it). This is a great place to check out up-and-coming and international live music talent.

21:00 For a real treat, dine at elegant I Carracci (2 Via Manzoni, tel. ) at the Grand Hotel Majestic Già Baglioni, with a frescoed ceiling from the Carracci school. It serves beautifully prepared Emilian cuisine, such as wild boar cacciatore (hunter style), while the hotel’s Enoteca Morandi supplies the wine.

FR Mon parcours de Bologne

Massimo Mutti, directeur artistique du Festival de Jazz de Bologne (festivaljazz bologna.it), nous fait découvrir sa ville natale

Jour 1
9:00 Pour vous repérer, grimpez au sommet de la Tour Asinelli (Piazza di Porta Ravegnana), l’une des Due Torri emblématiques de la ville… 10:00 Visitez la magnifique église Santa Maria della Vita (10 Via Clavature) et la Piazza Maggiore, le cœur animé de la cité… 13:00 Dégustez la cuisine bolognaise à la Taverna di Roberto (9b Via San Vitale)… 14.30 L’église Santo Stefano (Piazza Santo Stefano) a été bâtie à partir d’un groupe d’églises… 17:30 Le Corte Isolani (Via Santo Stefano) est un super lieu de shopping… 19:00 Faites une passeggiata (promenade) jusqu’à la Zona Università, explorez ensuite le vieux quartier juif. Et allez écouter du bon Jazz au Bravo Caffè (1 Via Mascarella)… 20:00 Le club de Jazz Cantina Bentivoglio (4b Via Mascarella) sert d’excellents plats.

Jour 2
9:00 Prenez un cappuccino et une brioche au Caffè Zanarini (1 Piazza Galvani)… 9:30 Visitez le Musée international et la Bibliothèque de la musique (34 Strada Maggiore). Des violons du célèbre luthier bolognais Otello Bignami y sont exposés… 11:30 Allez respirer dans les somptueux Jardins Margherita (Viale Gozzadini)… 13:00 Appréciez un lunch chez Rodrigo (2h Via della Zecca), dans le Palazzo della Zecca… 14:30 Faites du shopping sous les portiques de la Via dell’Indipendenza… 16:00 Reposez-vous dans le Parc Montagnola (Piazza VIII Agosto)… 19:00 Prenez un aperitivo au Club Take Five Genuine (15 Via Cartoleria)… 21:00 Savourez une cuisine merveilleusement préparée de la province émilienne dans l’élégant I Carracci (2 Via Manzoni).

NL Mijn Bologna

Massimo Mutti, de artistieke directeur van het Bologna Jazz Festival (festivaljazz bologna.it) leidt ons rond in zijn stad

Dag een
9u00 Beklim de Asinelli Tower (Piazza di Porta Ravegnana), een van de Due Torri en een prachtig oriëntatiepunt annex stadssymbool… 10u00 Bezoek de mooie kerk van Santa Maria della Vita (10 Via Clavature) en Piazza Maggiore, het kloppende hart van de stad… 13u00 Smul van Bolognese specialiteiten in Taverna di Roberto (9b Via San Vitale)… 14u30 De kerk Santo Stefano (Piazza Santo Stefano) is een constructie van een complex van kerken… 17u30 In de Corte Isolani (Via Santo Stefano) kan je heerlijk shoppen… 19u00 Tijd voor een passeggiata (wandeling) langs de Zona Università en de oude Joodse wijk. Geniet in het Bravo Caffè (1 Via Mascarella) van jazz… 20u00 De jazz club Cantina Bentivoglio (4b Via Mascarella) tovert prima maaltijden op je bord.

Dag twee
9u00 Ontbijt met cappuccino en brioche in Caffè Zanarini (1 Piazza Galvani)… 9u30 In het International Museum and Library of Music (34 Strada Maggiore) vind je een tentoonstelling over de Bolognese vioolbouwer Otello Bignami… 11u30 Schep een luchtje in de mooie Margherita Gardens (Viale Gozzadini)… 13u00 Lekker lunchen bij Rodrigo (2h Via della Zecca) in de Palazzo della Zecca… 14u30 Een namiddagje winkelen aan de zuilen van de Via dell’Indipendenza… 16u00 Blaas even uit in the Montagnola Park (Piazza VIII Agosto)… 19u00 Drink een aperitivo in de Take Five Genuine Music Club (15 Via Cartoleria)… 21u00 Geniet van de heerlijke keuken van de historische streek Emilia in het stijlvolle I Carracci (2 Via Manzoni).

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