Inflight Magazine of Brussels Airlines

Welcome to the Inflight Magazine of Brussels Airlines

Destination Guides

bthere! Destination guides

Previous issues for Bologna

Whilst every effort is made to ensure accuracy,
please confirm event/venue details in advance.

Italy : Bologna - February 2010

Country Code: Dial for Italy

Bologna in February can be a wonderfully vigorous affair, with the city’s myriad bars and eateries full to bursting with lively locals putting the world to rights – in-between mouthfuls of tasty lasagna. For a raucous night out to remember, meanwhile, indie rockers Kasabian are in town on the 19th, playing the hip Estragon club (visit estragon.it for details). Oscar Xavier gets into the groove

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 DELLA MERCANZIA

Wander the enchanting medieval patchwork of streets, in the shadow of the iconic two leaning towers.

Culture vultures – Head to the Museo Civico Archeologico (2 Via dell’Archiginnasio, closed Mon) – an intriguing treasure trove where you’ll find relics from prehistoric times, the ancient Greeks, Romans and Etruscans.

Must eat – Al Pappagallo (3c Piazza della Mercanzia, tel. ) is one of the city’s best-loved honey pots, where you can dine on classic local fare including guinea fowl breast with grapes.

Shop til you drop – Go for the classic Italian look at Zinelli (5 Piazza della Mercanzia), where you can pick up tailored shirts and bespoke suits. Or for a more modern take on the bella figura, Bang Bang 2 (also 5 Piazza della Mercanzia) stocks clothes and accessories for the discerning bag lady.

VIA SAN FELICE

A chic shopping street leading away from the centro and heading northwards, go here for some serious shopping and to mix with the glamorous beauties of Bologna.

Sleep soundly – The Best Western Hotel Re Enzo (26 Via Santa Croce, tel. . hotelreenzo.it, rooms from €79) is rather business-minded, but with a stylish edge and good value. Alternatively, San Felice (2 Via Riva Reno, tel. , hotelsanfelice.it, rooms from €90) is a comfy bolt-hole. Ask for a top-floor room for added quiet.

Must eat – For traditional comfort food, the Trattoria Danio (50 Via San Felice, tel. ) is hard to beat: try the homemade pappardelle. Equally impressive is the Osteria del Cirmolo (86 Via San Felice, tel. ), with its lighter flavours, including aubergine parmigiana with scamorza cheese.

Shop til you drop – Find a number of contemporary designers under one roof at I Love Shopping (21 Via San Felice, closed Sun and Thurs afternoon), or stock up on cutting-edge undies at Ricamarte (45 Via San Felice), specialising in ‘intimate apparel’.

VIA ZAMBONI AND THE UNIVERSITY DISTRICT

If you yearn to live out your student days once again you could do a lot worse than hanging out in Bologna’s boho quarter, which is a great place for bar-hopping.

Must eat – A veggie restaurant in red-blooded Bologna? Centro Natura (6 Via degli Albari, tel. ) is hugely popular with the local student population, with an all-organic menu that includes a frittata of vegetables with ricotta cheese. The Bravo Caffè (1 Via Mascarella, tel. , closed Mon) is a nice mix of trad décor and an innovative menu, including veal in barbera wine with puréed potatoes.

Must drink – If you fancy a bit of live music, a visit to the Cantina Bentivoglio (4b Via Mascarella) is a must, with jazz on offer most nights and a huge wine cellar to work your way through. And Le Stanze (1 Via del Borgo S. Pietro) is a wonderful old bar where you can have a leisurely drink by candlelight.

OUT OF TOWN

Bologna is surrounded by a number of sights and museums, all easily reached from the city centre.

Culture vultures – The Museo Ducati (3 Via Antonio Cavalieri Ducati) is a suitably racy celebration of the big red motorbikes. The museum (and actual factory) is open for guided tours only, easily arranged via the website, ducati.com (which also has directions). Alternatively, get a bit of exercise with a stroll up the hill to the Santuario di San Luca (36 Via di San Luca). Don’t worry if the weather’s not looking too clever; you can walk the whole way from Via Saragozza under 4km of arched porticoes. The hilltop church dates from the 18th century and is the sanctuary of the blessed Virgin of San Luca, but this is really all about the view – looking out across the city and on towards the surrounding countryside.

Compiled by Oscar Xavier