Topic: Bologna

[Late Developer]

It looks like Mrs LD and I will be off to Bologna for a long weekend in February. 

Has anyone been there?  If so, what suggestions do you have on good / interesting places to photograph in / around the city itself, as we won't have a car whilst we're there. 

Thank you.

[Francois]

I know their university is one of the oldest and best regards in all of Italy.
It's also a city where the communist party is still strong after all these years.

And they have it when people start singing Weird Al's song My Bologna

[Late Developer]

I know their university is one of the oldest and best regards in all of Italy.
It's also a city where the communist party is still strong after all these years.

And they have it when people start singing Weird Al's song My Bologna

Francois, the Uni is THE oldest in Europe and my politics are a good few steps left of centre, so the politics don't bother me.  I haven't heard Weird Al's "My Bologna" (and I won't be looking it up on YouTube or Spotify) so I'm unlikely to break out into an impromptu rendition 

[charles binns]

I went there years ago.  Spent Christmas there in fact.

I didn't see any commies there but plenty of statues - the main square is a gem and is dominated by the statue of Neptune.

There is a church on top of a hill with a covered walkway leading up to it.  That's worth checking out - something like 1000 steps or so.  I can't remember what it's called but it is one of the main tourist attractions in the city so you won't have a problem finding it.

Bologna is famous for it's food - not just spag bol either. 

[Late Developer]

I went there years ago.  Spent Christmas there in fact.

I didn't see any commies there but plenty of statues - the main square is a gem and is dominated by the statue of Neptune.

There is a church on top of a hill with a covered walkway leading up to it.  That's worth checking out - something like 1000 steps or so.  I can't remember what it's called but it is one of the main tourist attractions in the city so you won't have a problem finding it.

Bologna is famous for it's food - not just spag bol either.

Thanks Charles.

I've seen a photo of the main square and it does look impressive.  Apparently, they don't use spaghetti with the Ragu as spaghetti is a southern Italian pasta and only tortellini is used.

Given the state of my knees, I won't be marching up 1,000 steps.  Probably some very good views from the bottom....!

[Sandeha Lynch]

It's my second home so I can probably answer some questions.  I was there this Christmas and New Year and my main problem was the air pollution - it's not Beijing, but there's never any wind to drive the diesel gases away and when it happens to be foggy (rare) it's quite unpleasant.  However, everything else about the city compensates amply.

The area within Palazzo Fava, via Marsala, Piazza Santo Stefano, Piazza Galvani and Piazza Maggiore is probably the most photogenic, with some of the better places to eat around the old market shops in via degli Orefici and Clavature.

The church on the hill is best left alone as San Luca only looks good from afar.  Santo Stefano however, will repay many hours given that it is seven churches in one.  Much might depend on where you're staying but generally events are well advertised:
http://www.bolognawelcome.com/en/home/live/events/complete-calendar/

The largest collection of my shots from Bologna is probably this one.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/sandeha/albums/72157626573574759

I didn't make it to the Frieda Kahlo exhibition as the queues were really long but I saw an exhibition of Robert Capa's two years in Italy which was brilliant.  Neptune is currently shrouded off for restoration work, but this giant character was burned to the ground in Piazza Maggiore on New Year's Eve.  There's always some fun to be found around the main square.

[Ed Wenn]

Hah! That's pretty awesome, Sandeha  I bet you didn't expect that level of insiderness from FW, Paul. Also, I think the 1000 steps could be handled in shifts. Perhaps 100 each before and after lunch. Sleep overnight on step 200 and get up bright and early for day 2. Do this for 5 days and then fly home.

[Late Developer]

Hah! That's pretty awesome, Sandeha  I bet you didn't expect that level of insiderness from FW, Paul. Also, I think the 1000 steps could be handled in shifts. Perhaps 100 each before and after lunch. Sleep overnight on step 200 and get up bright and early for day 2. Do this for 5 days and then fly home.

Sadly, we're only there 4 days / 3 nights..and, as Sandeha mentioned, San Luca looks best from a distance.  I know how that feels..

[Late Developer]

It's my second home so I can probably answer some questions.  I was there this Christmas and New Year and my main problem was the air pollution - it's not Beijing, but there's never any wind to drive the diesel gases away and when it happens to be foggy (rare) it's quite unpleasant.  However, everything else about the city compensates amply.

The area within Palazzo Fava, via Marsala, Piazza Santo Stefano, Piazza Galvani and Piazza Maggiore is probably the most photogenic, with some of the better places to eat around the old market shops in via degli Orefici and Clavature.

The church on the hill is best left alone as San Luca only looks good from afar.  Santo Stefano however, will repay many hours given that it is seven churches in one.  Much might depend on where you're staying but generally events are well advertised:
http://www.bolognawelcome.com/en/home/live/events/complete-calendar/

The largest collection of my shots from Bologna is probably this one.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/sandeha/albums/72157626573574759

I didn't make it to the Frieda Kahlo exhibition as the queues were really long but I saw an exhibition of Robert Capa's two years in Italy which was brilliant.  Neptune is currently shrouded off for restoration work, but this giant character was burned to the ground in Piazza Maggiore on New Year's Eve.  There's always some fun to be found around the main square.

Sandeha, that is absolutely fantastic.  Thank you so much for all that information, you're a gentleman and a scholar; but most of us already knew that.

We watched Rick Stein's "Long Weekend" programme about Bologna the other night and really liked the look of the place.  As we live near Stansted (12 miles away) and Ryanair do flights, the logistics are a doddle. The hotels over there also seem very reasonably priced in February (I wonder why...!?).  Nevertheless, Lara and I intend to eat our way round Bologna and hoping to come back with a few decent snaps - and a lump or two of the locally-produced Parmigiano Reggiano.  There's even a Leica shop 

The hotel we're staying at is a couple of hundred metres outside the city walls, so most travel will be by foot - so comfy shoes and a light camera bag will be the order of each day.

Love your photo collection, by the way, and the website is invaluable as it gives a lot of detail on the events that are on the go.  I might see if we can book to see the Frieda Kahlo thing as it's still on.  I don't know much about her (other than she has the same eyebrow issues as I have) but she sounds like a bit of a character.

[Sandeha Lynch]

I'm sure you'll have fun there.  I dropped into the Leica shop 18 months ago when it had just recently opened; I had a long chat with the guy about the Mamiya Meniscus camera I was carrying - he was fascinated by it.

Try researching the bus route to the centre from your hotel.  A City Pass for 12 Euro will give you ten bus trips in and out of the centre which can be a huge time and energy saver - depending on where you're located.

Oh, and start listening to Lucio Dalla.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tRGuFM4DR2Y

[Francois]

Just to put you in that Italian mood
! No longer available

This is a classic at every Italian wedding I've heard of

[Late Developer]

Well, we went and booked it last night.  Having had a scour through the Bologna Welcome website and re-viewed the Rick Stein Long Weekend programme, expectations are high for the food and drink side of things. 

There certainly seems to be a great deal of history to investigate and, as all the suggestions are that it isn't a major tourism destination, we're not expecting the same hustle and bustle as we might experience in somewhere like Venice or Rome.  Hopefully, the weather will be benign.

I've just got to decide what camera(s) to take now and learn a few useful Italian phrases....

[Francois]

and learn a few useful Italian phrases....

That should be the fun and easy part!
Ciao Bella, Ciao a tutti, y tutti quanti
Bread = panne
Apple = mella
Cow = mucca

And just tell your tender half: Sei una bella donna 

[Bryan]

and learn a few useful Italian phrases....

That should be the fun and easy part!
Ciao Bella, Ciao a tutti, y tutti quanti
Bread = panne
Apple = mella
Cow = mucca

And just tell your tender half: Sei una bella donna 

Why would he need to know how to say cow?

[charles binns]

Just shout Brexit at everyone.  That'll make you a few friends.

[Late Developer]

and learn a few useful Italian phrases....

That should be the fun and easy part!
Ciao Bella, Ciao a tutti, y tutti quanti
Bread = panne
Apple = mella
Cow = mucca

And just tell your tender half: Sei una bella donna 

Thanks, Francois. I know Italian and Latin are not the same but, bearing in mind that there are similarities and that the Romans (not Italians) spent 400+ years ruling what is now England, there's little similarity / influence of the Italian language in English - much less than Anglo-Saxon and Norse.

[Francois]

and learn a few useful Italian phrases....

That should be the fun and easy part!
Ciao Bella, Ciao a tutti, y tutti quanti
Bread = panne
Apple = mella
Cow = mucca

And just tell your tender half: Sei una bella donna 

Why would he need to know how to say cow?

Well... When in the country you can always point and say cow!
Also useful if you want to make a joke in the.city...
Or if you want a picture of everyone looking in the same direction...

Really I have no idea why I would need to know that word when visiting a city...