The first time I tried driving into Bologna from the airport, I made the obvious decision: Look for the bullseye sign that says CENTRO. Usually if you go in that direction you’ll come to the old city. First sign I saw I went for it, and drove around in circles for half an hour or so. Every turn I couldn’t make, every one-way street I couldn’t turn onto, every taxi- and bus-friendly route that denied my entrance, went toward the city center. I was lost. And we were hungry.
Finally at a stop sign I got out of the car and asked the driver in front of me how to get to the city center. I expected him to say, “Sempre dritto,” just go straight. He didn’t. He said, “Da qui è un pó difficile.” Translate: It ain’t easy. He said if we were that hungry, which must have come up in the conversation, there was a good place to eat just down the road.
That was then.
I am a proponent of backroads touring in Italy, to minimize stress and maximize pleasure. But if you’ve just landed at BLQ and you’re getting into a rental car, you can spend three delightful hours (or an entire day) in Bologna.
Set your navigator for Parcheggio PIAZZA VIII AGOSTO, Bologna. You will be taken, probably by way of Via Stalingrado, to a spacious underground parking structure right next to Via Indipendenza. From there you’re a leisurely five minute walk to the good stuff.
At Piazza Maggiore, look to the left. The towers are down there. But cross the road into Piazza Maggiore, where you’ll see the imposing statue of Neptune. Next to it you can access the Whispering Archway of the Palazzo Podestá. In the tunnel, everyone will know what you’re looking for, what you’re listening for. Then there’s the church. If it’s open you’ll definitely want to go in San Petronio, to see the sun dial and Foucault’s Pendulum.
From the Piazza, standing in front of the church, go to your left on Via Clavature. You enter the old market area, also called the Quadrilatero. It’s 3-4 city blocks of shops, foods, faces, flowers, a zone of total sensual delight. Continue on Via Clavature to Via Drapperie and go left. There’s an Eataly at the end of this block. Who cares? We have a few of these in the US. And really, all of the Quadrilatero is eataly in the raw.
You can sit and eat here, lots of tables and outdoor seating. A dish of pasta, a glass of wine, you really can’t go wrong. You will be happy. It’s touristy, but the food is good. Before or after you do that, I suggest you find your way to Via Santo Stefano and take a walk to that church. The piazza will blow your mind. So will the church, or rather the churches bundled together there. There’s a bar or two in the piazza. Sit and refresh and people watch. Or make your way back toward the Quadrilatero, for a quick bite or a long bite.
Bologna. There’s nothing like it.
Find your way back to Via Indipendenza. From the sunken parking lot, you’ll want to make your way back to the Autostrada, to your destination. Set your navigator. My recommendation: head for the backroards.
Where we’re eaten in Bologna:
Enoteca Italiana. Via Marsala, 2/b, 40126 Bologna. Just off Via Indipendenza. Ask for a mortadella sandwich. Eat and go to heaven.
Teresina. Via Guglielmo Oberdan, 4, 40126 Bologna. 051272631. Two blocks from the Quadrilatero. Great food. Can be crowded. If you’re there in high season, you probably won’t get in.
Trattoria Gianni. Via Clavature, 18, 40124 Bologna. 051229434. In the Quadrilatero. A favorite of locals. High season, forget about it. Otherwise, it’s a maybe.