Paris1972-Versailles2003

Yeah what about Bologna, Italy! Well I mentioned briefly in my posts before but feel needs a post of its own. Going over updating and revising old posts, has given me the opportunity to see missing links such as this one. Hope you enjoy it as I do

Well , really for me the last few years Bologna has been the airport, this is how I arrived to go down to Carpi/Modena area. Some nice folks there did took me on a car ride in town briefly. One of the cities on my list to be back with the family to see in depth.

Anyway , for me, I like to tell you a bit more on Bologna.

The city of Bologna is a capital of the metropolitan area of the same name, in turn the capital of Emilia-Romagna region. The city, whose first settlements date back to at least the first millennium BC, was an important urban center first under the Etruscans and Celts, then under the Romans and , in the Middle Ages, as a free town. Northern capital of the Papal State from the 16C, it had a very important role during the Risorgimento and, during WWII, was an important center of the Resistance. On the morning of April 21, 1945, in a Bologna now abandoned by the Nazis, the soldiers of the Polish II Corps of the British 8th Army, the advanced units of the 91st and 34th US divisions, avant-garde of the combat groups, entered the city to the joy of the population. Also, the   Italians “Friuli” and “Legnano”, and partisans of the “Maiella Brigade”.

The main highway/motorway junction in Italy, the A1 “Autostrada del Sole” (sunshine highway) Milan-Florence-Rome-Naples converge at the Bologna junction, and is the one I took. There is ,also, the Adriatic axis A14 Bologna-Ancona-Taranto; and the A13 Bologna-Padua. The highway/motorway junction that surrounds the city to the west, north and east is flanked for about 22 km by the ring road or beltway. I have taken several times on my trips to Carpi (see posts)

Just for information, as never use it,but  Bologna is a railway junction of national importance, through which it is estimated that over 85% of national traffic transits between North and South, excluding traffic via La Spezia (for Milan and France) and those via Ravenna – Ferrara and via Ferrara – Suzzara – Parma. The main train station is Bologna Centrale, it is among the largest Italian stations for passenger traffic, and for the number of daily trains in transit.

The transport hub TPER for the region of Emilia Romagna is here: https://www.tper.it/

The city of Bologna on public transports in Italian : http://www.comune.bologna.it/trasporti

The main transportation hub I used several times was the Guglielmo Marconi international airport of Bologna. It has last read a network of over 90 destinations and served by more than 50 airlines, it is the eighth Italian airport by number of passengers.The importance of the airport is mainly due to its position in the production center of Italy. In addition to its function at the service of the entire production area of Emiliana and Marchigiana, the increase in routes by low cost airlines and the construction of the High Speed line to Florence have led to an increase in tourism.

Passengers with boarding pass in first and business class, high status frequent flyer cards or accredited lounge scheme have access to our lounge. I did!! Nice VIP lounge! It has parking areas P1 P2 P3 P4 but I was just pick up and deposit with a driver each time so no experience here. My driver was Auto Blu Noleggi, tel +39 339 3846496 . email: autoblunoleggi@tiscali.it with great service by my driver Giacomo Franchetto, you wont go wrong using him all over Italy, he is GPS ready. More info here: https://www.autoblubologna.com/ncc-carpi/

The trips were always long in Europe because of needed connections by Roissy CDG and Schiphol Amsterdam to Nantes Atlantique. The airport is about 6 km from city center Bologna. I never tried it but there was an aerobus from the airport to the terminal train station Centrale, this is now handle by Marconi Express. The webpage in English: https://www.marconiexpress.it/en/

The Bologna airport is easy to navigate , the webpage is here in English: http://www.bologna-airport.it/uk/?LN=UK

Things to see which I only passed by in a car so need to be back for sure. My favorite looking externally were :

In Piazza Maggiore there is the gothic and imposing Basilica of San Petronio built at the behest of the town between 1390 and 1659. The Church of San Francesco 13C although it underwent significant interventions in the 19C and after WWII, the first example of French Gothic in Italy.  The St Peter’s Cathedral located in via Indipendenza, was built in the 17C on the ruins of the ancient early Christian building. Other important city churches are San Giacomo Maggiore (1263), in Gothic style and with an elegant Renaissance portico; the Basilica of Santa Maria dei Servi built between the 14C and 16C, with a Majesty by Cimabue and a suggestive four-sided portico; Santa Maria della Vita; the church of the first hospital in Bologna, founded in 1260, inside which there are the precious terracotta of the Weeping Marie, known as Lamentation over the Dead Christ and made by Niccolò dell’Arca between 1463 and 1490.

Historic palaces and villas overlooking Piazza Maggiore are the Palazzo Comunale (or d’Accursio) (13-15C) and the Palazzo del Podestà , extensively remodeled in 1485, next to the 13C Palazzo Re Enzo , whose current appearance is due to neo-Gothic restoration by Alfonso Rubbiani of 1905.

Bologna has over forty museums in which, alongside the permanent collections, temporary exhibitions are organized. The ones I saw passing were the National Art Gallery of Bologna, and the MAMbo (Museum of Modern Art of Bologna). The theater has been a very popular form of entertainment in Bologna since the 16C. The first public theater was the Teatro della Sala, active starting from 1547 in the Palazzo del Podestà.

The tourist office of Bologna: https://www.bolognawelcome.com/it

The tourist board of Emilia Romagna on Bologna: https://emiliaromagnaturismo.it/en/towns/bologna

There you go folks, another spot in the world, even if passing by. I have many experiences like this one, and eventually did came back with the family to see it show it, I hope Bologna will be one of these. Again, hope you enjoy the post and thanks for reading me.

And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!