Around Italy: Bologna

We’re kicking off 2017 with a special series on Italy and the best place to start our journey is in Bologna.

As home to the oldest university in the world, Bologna’s charm is in the youthful energy of the students dominating the popular eating spots and the cobbled streets. It was the perfect home base as I set out to discover the North of Italy (Emilia-Romagna region in particular) through day trips.

In the morning, I enjoyed long walks around the city center just observing daily activities of locals and then saying a morning prayer usually at the unfinished Basilica of San Petronio. My strategy against jet lag was eating. Osteria dell’Orsa serves really good and affordable Tagliatelle Caserecee Al Ragu Bolognese and mortadella. For dessert, I kept coming back to Sorbetteria Castiliogne. All my other meals were at random food stops on my way home but I did get a chance to try something at Eataly however nothing beats local food finds. In the evenings, I was lucky that the place where I’m staying gives me a good view of one of the best outdoor cinemas in Europe. Before moving on to Milan, my second home base, I also made sure to find the time to visit the Basilica Santuario della Madonna di San Luca.