Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
6
Bologna &
Emilia-Romagna
You'll find plenty of great art and architecture
here—but not many tourists.
by Reid Bramblett
M
ANY TRAVELERS WHIZ THROUGH THE EMILIA
-
ROMAGNA REGION
,
OF
which Bologna is the capital, en route to and from Florence, Milan, Venice, or
Rome. Which is a terrible shame because they not only are bypassing some of
Italy's finest art and architecture but are also missing the opportunity to experi-
ence a way of life that has been largely unaffected by those two great demons of
the 20th century: mass tourism and massive industrialization.
Those ills are largely absent in Emilia-Romagna, a region comprising two
ancient lands: Emilia, named for the Via Emilia, the ancient Roman road that
bisects its plains and art cities; and Romagna, named for its prominence in the
Roman empire. History has left its mark here on some of Italy's most beautiful,
yet lesser-known, cities—Ravenna, last capital of the empire and later the strong-
hold of the Byzantines and the Visigoths (the former leaving behind spectacular
mosaics); Ferrara, a center of art and culture during the Renaissance; and Parma,
one of the most powerful duchies in Europe under the Farnese family.
Bologna, the regional capital, is home not only to great pasta (spaghetti bolog-
nese anyone?) and cured meats but also to the oldest university in Europe. This
venerable institution accounts for much of Bologna's great sights—from frescoed
and sculpture-adorned churches to rich museum collections—and for the liveli-
ness and active cultural scene of this student-filled city.
DON'T LEAVE BOLOGNA WITHOUT . . .
SEEING A TEENAGED MICHELANGELO'S SCULPTURES
They adorn
the revered tomb of San Domenico.
STUFFING YOURSELF WITH SOME OF THE BEST FOOD IN
ITALY
Even the non-Bolognese agree: Emilia-Romagna is the culinary heart of
the country.
CLIMBING TO THE TOP OF TORRE DEGLI ASINELLI
From the top,
you'll get a panoramic view of the city.
HANGING OUT WITH THE COLLEGE KIDS
You'll find them in the
wine bars, pubs, and
osterie
lining Via del Pratello and Via Zamboni.
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