Hot Italian Summer
Part 2: Bologna and Emilia-Romagna - go hungry
When I was in Florence this last winter, I was chatting with some visitors that were only there for a couple of days. Their itinerary in Italy was quite…aggressive. They were hitting a lot of cities for 2-3 nights for 2 weeks.
I get it. If you only have two weeks, you kind of want to soak up as much of wonderful, delicious, beautiful Italy as possible.
So, the wife was asking me if they should go to Venice. Or Bologna.
Yikes. As I had just returned from Venice not that long ago, the magic and beauty were very fresh (see Hot Italian Summer Part 1 for Venice), as was the longing to return.
But, time in Bologna and the Emilia-Romagna region is a MUST.
There is much to do and see but even if you only go for one thing - you must eat.
So. Many. Delicious. Things.
Do you know that the Emilia-Romagna region has 44 (!) unique PDO (protected designation of origin) and PGI (protected geographical indication) products? Such as Parmigiano Reggiano; balsamic, mortadella, parma ham….just to name a few. And you get the real deal while visiting Bologna and Emilia-Romagna and then, well, there is no going back. There wasn’t for me.
The food in Bologna is beyond pretty much anywhere else.
And we are talking about Italy here.
In Italy, I have been blown away in pretty much every place I have eaten from casual bistros to Michelin-starred restaurants to a pasta Nonna’s kitchen to standing in an alley with food being handed out a window…the food in Bologna might be my favorite food in Italy.
And do NOT miss really discovering Lambrusco. I have been a Lambrusco fan for many years but being in Bologna and the Emilia-Romagna, the birthplace of Lambrusco, took me to another level of admiration (and consumption).
In the last two years, I have made several trips to Bologna. One was a day trip from Florence, which is quite easy as there is a fast train that gets you door to door in 45 minutes. When I have gone for a multi-night stay, my apartments have been within 2 minutes walking from the Piazza Maggiore, and the glorious streets filled with delicious foods around it and I loved both of them. I will link them below. This is a wonderful area for eating. They both are easy walks to the Jewish Ghetto, the secret canals of Bologna, and one of my favorite Mercato’s.
As you will see in a lot of my posts, especially in Europe, you must take a walking (or biking. Or driving.) food tour! I have had the very best experiences doing food tours and both of my tours in Bologna have top spots of my all-time best.
In December of 2021, I went to Bologna for the first time for 4 nights, while staying in Italy for 3 months. I was living in Florence, and as mentioned above, it was an easy train to get me to Bologna.
To say that Bologna was dreamy in December 2021 is an understatement. It wasn’t very crowded and I could enjoy all the epic spots around the Piazza Maggiore without waiting in lines (this would not be the case in 2022).
When I planned my trip, I booked two experiences on Airbnb, which I will link below. I also watched Stanley Tucci’s Searching for Italy Bologna episode a couple of times and made notes.
My first experience was to be a 2-hour walking tour with my guide, Benedetta. Benedetta is a fantastic guide and host. I actually messaged her for her recommendations for where to go for Ragu before we even met up and she promptly and kindly provided an excellent list (which she also provides at the end of her tour) of restaurants, coffee and pastry shops, suggested sites, and more. Super helpful.
Her tour, is quite simply, impeccable. She tells you to “come hungry” and I did and I was not sorry. This tour will take you to all of the best places for PDO/PGI products and you will be able to bookmark other places that you might want to visit later. It is two hours, which flies by, and is so informative, delicious, and fun that it is worth double what she charged.
My next experience was an all-day tour out into Emilia-Romagna which began with a van pickup at 7:00 a.m. This tour was very intimate in 2021 with only me and two couples and it was beyond my expectations. The early start time is to get to the Parmigiano reggiano site, to see the cheese being crafted by the master cheese maker (who is 4th generation master!).
We then go to a 200+-year-old balsamic producer and have an Italian breakfast that includes pastries, two aged parmesan cheeses, fresh warm ricotta from our first stop, and big glasses of Lambrusco to go with the many different balsamic. Next up is the parma ham facility to see the aging process and then have focaccia and parm and more wine. This part of the tour is hosted by the hilarious and wonderful Alessandro. He is a character and a wonder. Following the parm ham stop, we then were driven up in the hills of Modena to a classic family restaurant where we had a 6-course “lunch” with wines. It. Was. EPIC. And worth every euro and more.
There are lots of different things to do and see in Bologna and I don’t think I would ever get bored there. But I just love to wander, eat, and wander some more. Then eat more. I would do both of these tours again just for the wonderful time spent with both hosts. Honestly.
Hot Tips:
If you are going in the summer, be prepared for it to be HOT and crowded. Do make sure you make your reservations far in advance. I would recommend booking experiences and restaurants as far in advance as possible for any trip, no matter time of year.
Here’s my list of favorites, links to apartments, and experiences.
Vineria Favalli - absolutely delightful wine bar on the Piazza Santo Stefano - take away or stay and enjoy.
Mercato delle erbe - the best market and where you will get the tastiest piadina
For Tigelle (do not skip tigelle!) - 051
Osteria del Sol - the oldest wine bar since 1465!
Mercato di Mezzo - fresh pasta counter - you will want everything here. Everything!
Cremeria La Vecchia Stalla - the best gelato I’ve had in all of Italy. For real.
My studio apartment - such a great location - comfy bed, great bathroom.
My two bedroom apartment - wonderful host; stylish; great location (2 bath as well)
My final words on Bologna:
You must have tigelle - brodo - ragu - gelato - piadina and Lambrusco. Trust me. You must.
Mangiare!