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Italy : Bologna - December 2009

Country Code: Dial for Italy

Bologna in the heart of winter can be a magical experience, whether you’re dodging raindrops by walking under the miles of porticos or Christmas shopping in the markets and stores in the centro. And for a bit of culture, contemporary Italian artist Gilberto Zorio has a retrospective at the MAMbo museum this month. Matt Barker takes a closer look

Getting around

Guglielmo Marconi Airport is 6km outside the city

Bus: A shuttle bus runs from the airport to the train station every 15 minutes. The journey takes about 20 minutes and costs €5. Other buses serve Modena and Siena.
Taxi: The journey to the city centre takes about 20 to 30 minutes and costs about €18.
Tourist information: The main office is in Piazza Maggiore (9660).

PIAZZA MAGGIORE

The heart of the city and your gateway to Bolo’s many charms. Best of all, it’s not nearly as touristy as the main piazze in other Italian towns.

Sleep soundly – Novecento (4/3 Piazza Galileo, , novecento.hotelsbologna.it, rooms from €133) is a designer affair with a 30s influence. Pick of the rooms is the twin suite. The Hotel Due Torri (4 Via degli Usberti, tel. , hotelduetorri.net, rooms from €80) is a nice cheap standby with comfy rooms, the best of which is the Jacinthe d’Orient double.

Shop til you drop – The daily food market (on Via Clavature, Via Pecherie and Vicolo Ranocchi) is a typically busy affair, while Paolo Atti & Figli (7 Via Caprarie) is the kind of cake shop that dreams are made of. You should stock up on certosino (fruit bread). For an altogether more exclusive shopping trip, head to Galleria Cavour, where you’ll find shoes and other leather goods by luxury brand Bruno Magli that began locally (number 9) and posh jeweller Giulio Veronesi (number 1).

GIARDINI MARGHERITA

Lying just to the south of the centro, these large public gardens offer respite from the crowds and a fine opportunity to walk off some of those calorific cakes and lunches.

Must eat – One of the city’s best restaurants, Bitone (11 Via Emilia Levante, tel. ) offers a lighter take on the local cuisine, with house specialities including chicken lightly cooked in balsamic vinegar and rosemary. Eating seafood in such a proud red meat stronghold may seem a little against the grain, but Acqua Pazza (168d Via Augusto Murri, tel. ) has much to recommend it, with swordfish served with leek and pine nuts a must.

Must drink – For a glass or two of wine, pop into La Polena Café (23a Via San Mamolo), with its well-stocked cellar and chatty locals. If you’re more in the mood for a beer, Amadeus (1 Via Dagnini) has a huge selection.

PIAZZA SAN FRANCESCO

On the western side of the centro, this was once the city’s red light district. Now a more user-friendly proposition, it’s great for bar hopping.

Culture vultures – The Museo d’Arte Moderna di Bologna (14 Via Don Minzoni), or MAMbo for short, is an intriguing exhibition space, with a huge graphic art collection, bookshops and a restaurant.

Must eat – Locals love Fantoni (11a Via del Pratello, tel. ), with its old-fashioned ambiance and handwritten daily menu. Horse meat, if you’re in the mood, is the house speciality. La Braseria (2 Via Testoni, tel. ) is equally homely, with its football shirts on the wall and dishes like rabbit casserole.

Must drink – An excellent wine bar, the Enoteca Alotasso (6d Piazza San Francesco) is also a bit of a cultural centre, with a cinema and gallery. Birreria del Pratello (24 Via del Pratello) has a relaxed, friendly crowd.

MODENA

Just 20 minutes or so by train (which leave every half hour at peak times), Modena is almost a Bologna in miniature, easily explored in a day.

Culture vultures – The small centro is home to a number of cultural gems, including the Galleria Estense (48 Piazza Sant’Agostino), which has a collection featuring El Greco, Bernini and Tintoretto. The Duomo (Corso Duomo) dates from 1099 and houses the secchia rapita (stolen bucket), a much-prized trophy from a medieval skirmish with Bologna.

Must eat – Modena is one of the country’s great gastro hubs, and most of the top-end places here aren’t cheap (plus you’ll need to book). However, if you’re just passing through on a whim, try Osteria La Bonissima (16 Via Masone, tel. ). It’s a great spot to take your fill of local dishes such as the ubiquitous (but not to be missed) tortellini in broth.

Compiled by Matt Barker