Wandering Bologna (Bologna- D7)

The next day of our trip was Monday, and we got a later start - travel is tiring! After grabbing a {lackluster} breakfast at the hotel, we wandered down past the train station and got some rail times for other trips within the region, and then wandered back to the historic center through Parco della Montagnola. There isn't really anything exciting about this park- they have a few poor examples of sculpture and some unkempt lawns, but it was really shady and pleasant, so it seems like a nice place to bring a picnic, if you are inclined. Plus, see if you can find the rather startled lion (poorly made, but highly amusing!).

Wandering back towards more refined {foodie} areas, we ended up at A.F. Tamburini (on the corner of Via Drapperie and Via Caprarie) and spent quite a while drooling. Mr. P would have bought everything if I had let him, but we contented ourselves with a tartufo salami (that would be black truffle). The shop has an extensive selection of premade foods that you can buy and microwave in the shop (or just eat cold) for really reasonable prices, but... we weren't sure how it worked, so we went directly across the street to Eataly {again} and had paninis- they were really affordable and tasty.

After lunch we wandered down Via Santo Stefano to the Santo Stefano church complex. I really enjoyed this little grouping of church, but only because I had a pretty good guidebook. There isn't much information available at the church, so keep this little book close by if you want to know what is going on. Almost everything in the complex dates between the 8th and 12th centuries, and is built on an even older religious site that was originally dedicated to the Egyptian goddess Isis (built by the Romans).

SS. Vitale e Agricola is the oldest church in Bologna, apparently with bits dating from the 5th century, and it was really basic but kinda cool looking- there were even a few bits of the original floor remaining, but they were under glass to protect them.

The idea of the creators was to simulate the experience of a journey to Jerusalem, without having to take the time or expense of actually going. I don't know about all of that, but it was a very cool complex to wander through, and we were 2 of about 15 people we saw the entire 45min-hour we were in there, so it was peaceful and pleasant.

Heading North, we wandered through the thriving university area of Bologna. The University of Bologna is one of the oldest in the world (founded sometime around 1100), and though the city isn't the cultural hub it once was, the university still draws in multitudes of students and academics from around the world. You can see all sorts of interesting fashion statements in this area (they are very trendy and fashion forward), and it provides an interesting juxtaposition paired with the elegant porticoes. If you need to find an internet cafe during your stay, be assured you can find many around here, charging about .50 for 30 minutes. There are tons of restaurants and shops in the area, and this is the area to head to if you are interested in nightlife {we weren't so moving on}.

There are at least 10 free museums in the university complex, but we ended up taking advantage of only one of their offerings- the gardens. The University Botanical Garden is a pleasant, low-traffic area to read a book and relax (though they didn't seem to want you to have food there). While the grounds are not the manicured plots you'd expect, it is still quite nice for an hour or so.

After some relaxation, we walked back to Via Rizzoli near Piaza Re Enzo, intent on getting to the Santuario della Madonna di San Luca. From a tabacchi in the area we bought 4 bus tickets and then found the stop for bus 20 (right in on Rizzoli). We needed it in the direction that had Meloncello listed as a stop, and we got the right bus, but forgot to count the # of stops... and they didn't always announce... so we got off at the wrong one. Oops! We did manage to hop back on (the service runs really regularly) and made it to the right stop. Since the announcements are sometimes quick or missing, just keep looking ahead- when you see a big portico that goes over the road and off to the left, get off at the stop right before it and walk up to it. There weren't any signs, but we headed uphill, and kept going... and going... and going... About 2 km (the entire portico path to the church is 4km total). And this isn't a little hill- there are some steep climbs!

Interestingly, there are supposed to be 666 arches, and though they number them all the way up, once you get to about 660, they stop. I guess they decided it was a little too weird for them:) The Porticata was most likely built by the city to aid pilgrims in their trek to the church, thus bringing more money to the city of Bologna, but who knows if that is the whole story- it took over 100 years to build, and in 17th century Italy, that is a long time to work on a 'business investment'. Fortunately there are rest stops along the way- from Meloncello there are 15 stops (relating to religious events) that act as a good place to get a breather.

The church at the top is not really all that exceptional except for this:

The views are amazing! Go on a clear day and you can see for miles. It is really quiet at the Santuaria, and you pass some really interesting hillside villas on the way, so if you are up for the climb (think of all the gelato you can eat after this!), then I say go for it. I thought the afternoon was well spent:).

Climbing down was so much nicer- just be sure you don't trip because it is a LONG way to the bottom of the stairs! I had to convince Mr. P not to steal a bike for the ride down- the stairs would have been uncomfortable! After all that work, we hopped back on the bus, this time actually validating our tickets (on the ride there, we couldn't get close to the machine and weren't sure we were supposed to- this time we saw someone else do it. I guess we got 2 free tickets? Oops!).

Back by Piazza Maggiore, we headed back to A.F. Tamburini. Next to their storefront is a little bar with wine barrel tables outside and a couple long, rustic tables inside. We sat down and ordered a meat and cheese plate for 2 plus a couple glasses of wine (I love Lambrusco- yay for fizzy wine!!!). It ended up being HUGE and held us over until a much later (and fairly unremarkable) dinner. The service was great, the wine was tasty and the meat plate was exceptional. We only wished we knew how to ask for another one with different meats!

For dinner we rejoined our travel companions and ate at an unremarkable place that had fairly good food, reasonable prices, and which I can't for the LIFE of me remember the name of. Sorry. Of course, we also had some gelato at Gelateria Gianni (which was right down the road from dinner), and then headed back for another night of crashing into bed.

Bolonga- Not Baloney!!! Day 6

The next portion of our trip was based out of Bologna, the capital of Italy's Emilia-Romagna region. This is the region that produce almost all of the foods that come to mind when you think of Italy- Parmigiano-reggiano cheese, balsamic vinegar, assorted cured meats and various types of typical Italian pastas (tagliatelle, etc). The main point of this visit was to eat until we couldn't walk. And we did just that.

We arrived by train from Venice around 9am, and couldn't check into our hotel until around 12 (I think?) so we just made our way to the hotel and left our bags in their luggage area. We stayed at the Hotel Nuovo del Porto, and it worked, but don't expect anything terribly fancy. The rooms are very small (unless you opt for one of their apartments, which did have a lot more space), and they have seen better days. However, the staff were friendly, and when one couple in the group had multiple room issues, they were accommodating about moving them twice into rooms that didn't have invading ants:). Also, the left luggage area was not terribly secure (just a corner of their lobby away from the door) but it worked for what we needed. Our experience wasn't bad {at least there was always hot water!}, but I think I'd look around for a different place to stay if we are in the area again. However, at 80Euro per night, the price was right and we slept well, so the hotel did its job.

Once we dropped off our luggage, we headed out to see what Bologna was all about, and near the Duomo we ran into a fun market along Via Altabella that I *think* was the Fiera Di San Luca. They had everything from prepared {and delicious} foods to jewelry, purses and potpourri. There was an interesting food stand with a whole cooked piglet on display (that I didn't try and should have) and so many candy shops that I nearly got diabetes just looking at it!

After the market we ended up on Via Drapperie at a lovely store called Eataly. The coffee was pretty good, they had long hours, and the location was ideal- this was the first of many stops here, and this was the point where, if we were out of things to do we could say "I wonder if X and Y are there", hike to the store, and there they would be. It was fun:

Anyway, Eataly is a combo of a huge bookstore {pretty things to look at, but shockingly it was all in Italian!}, a selection of gourmet foods and beverages and a good spot to get coffee, a glass of wine and a small bite to eat. They even had this deal in the evenings where you could buy a glass of wine and get an 'all you can eat' pizza deal (tiny little pieces, and if you took more than 3-4, you were looked at askance, but it was tasty!). After the requisite shot of espresso, we wandered more- finding a great selection of local meats and cheeses at La Baita Formaggi on Pescherie Vecchia and wandering into the Piazza Maggiore. The local information office is in a building right off the square, so we got a couple of maps and then headed back to the hotel.

After that, we fulfilled my own personal addiction. While in Italy, I must have gelato on a daily basis. in Venice, there was a perfectly respectable place just down the street from our apartment that we stopped at most nights. But it wasn't superb by any means, and I wanted something more. So after drooling over the cured meats, we wandered the back streets near Piazza Maggiore, then headed over towards the two towers {no, Saruman was not involved}. Near the base of Torre Asinelli, we found the first of many answers to my wishes:) Gelateria Gianni is a bright and modern store that held some of the best gelato we found in Italy (in my opinion). You got 2 scoops for 2.50 Euro (in a cone cup- it actually cost more for the plastic!), and the fragola {strawberry} was delicious. But the dark chocolate- divine. Thick and rich, it was like eating cake batter out of the bowl. And I loved it! To the point where I actually don't think I got even one picture of it. But believe me, it tasted delicious.

After indulging in my obsession, we wandered around the towers a bit more, reading some of the translated history that posted on the walls covering the construction. The two towers are basically all that remain of over 180 towers that once broke the skyline of Bologna. Like fancy cars and huge houses today, a tower like this was a status symbol for the rich families of ancient Bologna, plus they offered lookout towers for the families during times of strife. The towers in question remain as interesting tidbits of history, and the city is currently working to make them more stable. Both towers lean {seems to be a theme in Italy}, and some suggest that the ground has shifted, but who knows- maybe the Italians just enjoy drunken towers? Torre Galisenda leans at about 10 degrees, and in the 14th century had to be cut down because the city was afraid it would fall on surrounding buildings. Torre Asinelli is the taller tower, reaching 97.2 meters, and it provides great views of the countryside all around the city. And an amazing workout, if you are so inclined {I was}. After eating gelato, it seemed only fitting that I should climb off the calories.

498 steps and 3 Euro later, I panted my way to the top, and collapsed with joy on the floor enjoyed the amazing views. The trip is well worth it for the views of the city, but make sure you have sure feet, some time and are at least a little bit in shape- the stairs are very narrow and worn in spots, and you have to negotiate the stairs as well as find your way around the other visitors as they head up and down. There are several landings where you can catch your breath or let others pass, but be prepared to be tired!

We went up closer to closing time (6 pm I think?), and the light was nice for some directions, but of course not for others, so I decided I'd go back in the morning later on, and it was really cool then as well!

After the towers, we wandered around for a while. There was a restaurant nearby that was recommended in one of the guide books and it said the place wasn't closed on Sunday. So we planned to meet there at 7:30 and we all wandered. Mr. P and I were starving, so around 7 we stopped at Eataly and took advantage of the glass of wine and pizza combo, which kept me from getting in a bad mood {a woman must eat!}. Wandered back to the restaurant and... it was closed on Sunday. So we headed down the road to a place one couple had found, sat down, and ended up having a lovely meal. Ristorante Cesarina on Via Santo Stefano served good food at reasonable prices (6 primis, 1 glass of wine, a salad and 3 bottles of mineral water all cost about 105 Euro, including the coperto), and the serving sizes were really good. If Mr. P and I hadn't had a snack, I would have wanted a bit more food, but I think splitting a salad between the two of us would have filled in the chinks.

making pizza at Eataly

As you would imagine, after dinner we opted to stop at Gelateria Gianni again for dessert and headed back to the hotel.

A word of warning- we arrived in Bologna on Sunday, and nearly everything, including most restaurants, was closed. Also, this city is not as tourist oriented as some other cities in Italy, so that can make it even harder to find necessities on a Sunday. However, for us it worked out well arriving on a slow day, because we were all tired and didn't really want to do too much shopping, etc.

Venice forever! Day 4&5

Once again our day started at the market. While most everyone on our trip was still enthralled with the abundance of fragrant and colorful veggies and exotic {and equally fragrant :s} seafood, but I was beyond thrilled to find a new vendor in place for the weekend market.

I was nearly drooling over the tulips- if the vendor had been around on the first couple days of our trip, those would have been immediately ensconced in a pitcher on the dining room table in the apartment. Gorgeous!!!

Despite the rainy conditions, Mr. P and I hiked down to Piazza San Marco and hopped on vaporetto line 2 from the San Zaccaria stop (again, there are 2 stops within a short distance of each other for San Zaccaria- make sure you are at the right one!) for the short hop across to San Giorgio Maggiore. The views were lovely even in the crappy weather- I imagine they would be stunning during clear weather. It was only 3 Euro to take the {slow} elevator to the top of the tower, so we paid up and were at the top with no more than 4 other people at any one time. The wind was howling, the rain gusted in from 2 sides, but I still managed to get some shots and enjoy the view! Downstairs the church is fairly nice, but not very remarkable- the big draw is the tower, which provides some of the best views of Piazza San Marco that you can find anywhere in the city/lagoon.

After lunch we wandered around behind the basilica into what seemed to be the mask district. Every few feet there was another mask shop, some of them with fantastical and intricate masks from horse heads to peacocks. *tears* Of course it was raining so I didn't get any pictures, but just know that if you wander along Fondamenta de L'Osmarin, you'll see tons of awesome shops! Around 12:30 we headed back to Campo SS Filippo e Giacomo to have lunch at Il Ridotto. Highly recommended on TripAdvisor and ChowHound forums, besides being in the Michelin guides for the last few years running, this little restaurant only has 6 tables, and don't expect them to know much English. After some confused perusal of the menu and some gesturing back and forth with the lone waitress {wife of the owner/chef}, we ordered the fixed price menus- I got the carne (meat), Mr. P got the pesce (fish). Don't bother asking for house wine- they don't have it. Instead, the wine list is about 10 pages of amazing, from 10Euro to 450Euro (we opted for the 1/2 bottle of Chianti for 9 Euro). My plate came with beef cheeks in a cinnamon sauce with a beef tortellini, while Mr. P had a grilled fish and a kind of fishy risotto (not the goh that Da Romano served us the day before). Everything was prepared superbly, and my meat plate was to-die-for tender and so fragrant that I nearly got full just sniffing. We ended with a tiramisu, but they served a deconstructed type that was pretty darn amazing. The fixed price menu was 20 Euro each (including one mineral or fizzy water), and with wine and dessert, we ended up paying around 60 Euro, and it was totally worth it. We just walked in and she sat us immediately (we were the first in for lunch), but during high season or for lunch, reservations are a must- you can email ahead for them, and then call (or stop by) the day before to confirm the reservation. If you can only have a few amazing meals in Venice, I would put this restaurant at the top of the list, especially for an amazing and comparatively affordable lunch.

After lunch we met back up with our group and wandered all the way up to the train station to get tickets for the next day, sightseeing as we went. After purchasing the tickets, despite the rain we ended up going on a gondola ride. The gondolier was very friendly and couldn't have been more thrilled to have someone ask for a ride- we were his first of the day and it was well into the afternoon when we boarded the ship. I can't believe how much skill they must have to weave those HUGE gondolas through the narrow and somewhat circuitous canals of Venice! Huddled under our umbrellas, we enjoyed a tour of Venice that was basically our's alone, and he even sang for us a bit (which they apparently typically charge for).

Dinner was another apartment-made experience. This time our chefs were a bit less overambitious and dinner came together a bit easier. Then off to bed on our last night in Venezia, with an early morning ahead of us.

We woke up plenty early, cleaned up and headed out. Once again we chose to hike across Venice (all 30 minutes of walking... we are hardcore) to the train station. Again, it was really awesome to go through Venice without the crowds of people. Of course, as early as we were up, we beat most of the breakfast spots (they didn't open until around 7:30ish, and we were hungry at 6:30). We ended up at the Santa Lucia train station early (we were aiming for the 7:40 train and got there at 7), but then someone noticed a train leaving at 7, so... we ran for it. The way the tickets we bought work is that you buy a ticket from point A to point B, and you can use it on any of the normal Trenitalia trains. So yeah... we hopped on the train with 3 minutes to spare... without validating the tickets. Oops. The kindly conductor let us know that we really should validate them, because it was worth a 30 or 50 Euro fine the next time we didn't validate before getting on the train {he validated them for us to save us any issues}. I was bit flustered from that- I don't like rushing that way! But in either case, it worked out well and we made it from Venice to our next destination, Bologna, without further mishap.

Overall, I think I enjoyed Venice the most out of our group of travelers. There really is no other city in the world like it, and I'm thrilled that I had a chance to experience it. Venice facts:

-She wakes up late- Goppian Cafe and one other place near the market were the only places open at 6:30 am for early risers like us for breakfast. Don't expect most stores to be open before 9am, and they will be closed for a few hours around lunch (except those in the tourist area).

-Make sure you wander farther from San Marco. You can't escape the crowds- Venice is too small. However, if you wander down to the tail of the fish (Sant' Elena), you will find areas that most people skip, and the peace and quiet can reinvigorate you to wander back into the hoards in search of art, history, or whatever you are looking for.

-Visit the market at least 1 morning (or every morning, like us!). Even if you don't plan to cook anything, it is amazing to see the vast array of fresh-caught sea creatures presented to you. Plus, get some of the tiny strawberries for snacking- they are bursts of springtime in every bite.

-Take some time to visit the other islands of the lagoon. They all have a different character and offer unique insights into the kinds of lives that used to (and in some cases still do) drive the economy and culture of Venice.

-Don't get caught up in museums. They have a Museum Pass that you can buy from Venice Connected which is worth it if you love art, and a Choir Pass that allows entrance into 16 churches and basilicas in Venice, but you can get into some lovely churches for free (San Giorgio Maggiore). The real history of Venice can be read in the cracks in her buildings, the worn stones of her bridges and the majesty of her architecture.

-Simply enjoy being there. You won't escape the mobs of tourists- Venice is too small. Just like you, the other tourists want to experience Venezia before the Adriatic reclaims her, so forget about them {but not about possible pickpockets, though we never had any issues} and focus on what you want to see.

If you read a lot, nothing is as great as you've imagined. Venice is-- Venice is better. - Fran Lebowitz

Venice & her smaller siblings - Day 3

On our 2nd full day in Venice, we were awoken at 5:30 am by a knock on the door. A couple of our fellow travelers had a wild hair to get up early... and then they ended up going back to sleep! We took advantage of the unordered wake up call, and were well rewarded. We snuck out into the weak morning light and padded over the Rialto, through the winding streets and walked out onto Piazza San Marco around 6:30am.

It was magical. The streets and piazzas were nearly empty {most people out were street cleaners or other tourists like us}, and it allowed us a glimpse of the serenity and grandeur that is woven into the history of Venezia. If you go, you must see Venice in the early morning hours before she is thronging with tourists and peddlars. This is the Venice people write stories about.

As we wandered back to the Rialto, things were starting to pick up a bit. We grabbed another breakfast at Goppian then headed to the market again and bought {too much} food for dinner, including delicious seafoods and amazing white asparagus.

And if that wasn't enough... then we went to the Islands. Yes, we hit up Burano and Murano after already spending several hours wandering through the back alleys of history and deliciousness.

We bought transport passes from the Rialto vaporetto stop from the automatic machines, though they have people selling tickets too (24 hours for 16Euro, instead of 6.50 per trip-a good deal and kept us from having a buy tickets before each ride) and took the vaporetto from Fondamente Nuvo (line LN- you may have to walk down aways from the 'normal Fondamente Nuvo stop- there are actually 2 docks within about 200 feet of each other and different lines stop at each one) out to Burano, where I quickly developed an obsession with photographing drying laundry. Weird.

Burano is known for its brightly colored homes {and lace}, and they certainly didn't disappoint! We wandered the island, bought some small pieces of lace {and the first of many scarves}, and then headed to lunch at Trattoria Da Romano. Reservations weren't required for us at noon when we went {yay shoulder season!}, but for dinner I think they would be a must (or for lunch during high season). The food was amazing!! Very simple, but the fresh ingredients and excellent cooking techniques made the flavors dance together, and we were all enchanted. We had the goh rissotto and numerous pasta dishes, as well as a frito misto, which was really just a mix of fried things. Honestly, I would skip the frito misto next time and stick with the amazingly prepared cuttlefish pasta, or the gnochetti with lobster. *drool* The house wine was amazing, and the service was superb. One of the table runners, an adorable older gentleman, pointed to a picture of President Carter's wife at the restaurant, then to the young many behind her- 'Thats me!'. It was pretty amazing to see that he was still there, which shows a marked difference between restaurant staff in the US versus Europe- there they are paid well enough and treated well enough that working as a waiter/etc can earn one a respectable living. Not so much in America{except in the rare case}.

After lunch we rolled onto the vaporetto headed towards Murano, all excited to see a glass-blowing demonstration. But... they only do those in the morning. So be warned, if that is what you are looking for, make sure you hit Murano up first and then head to Burano. For us, without the glass-blowing demos Murano was just kinda meh- there were dozens of stores selling amazing glass, but as much as we wanted good quality souvenirs, we just weren't willing to pay 100 Euro for a vase, so for the most part we didn't even find anything to buy. We did end up walking into a back area where people actually live, and that was pretty. Murano seems to be a ritzier place to live- everyone had gated courtyards and much more space than you'll find in most of Venice.

We finally got on the vaporetto back to Venice, wandered our way 'home' and those who were so inclined started cooking up a seafood feast that the poor rental kitchen could barely support {don't ask me how they managed- I just stayed out of the way and drank my fragolino }.


Venice is like eating an entire box of chocolate liqueurs in one go. - Truman Capote