Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
LOCAL KNOWLEDGE
BOLOGNA ON THE CHEAP
Bologna is a student city, which means cheap deals are rife if you know where to look. For the most
lunch & dinner Mon-Fri) for as little as €8 for three courses (and you don't have to be a student).
Afterwards, consider hitting
Il Corto Maltese
(Via Borgo San Pietro 9/2a; 9pm-3am) for two-for-
one cocktails and live DJs. For caffeine infusions, La Scuderia slams down cappuccinos for less than a
euro. Aperitifs are lined up on the bar at 6.30pm-ish and are free if you buy a drink. Nearby in ITIT,
you can linger for an hour or two guilt-free nursing the same coffee and using the free wi-fi.
Bologna's eclectic university museums (
Click here
) are all free to visit, as are most of its churches
(including the Basilica). Furthermore, free classical concerts are held regularly in the Oratorio di Santa
Cecilia (
Click here
) and the Chiesa di Santa Cristina (
Click here
).
Self-Catering
Stock up on victuals at the
Mercato delle Erbe
(Via U Bassi 27; 7am-1.15pm Mon-Sat, 5-7.30pm
Mon-Wed & Fri)
, Bologna's main covered market. Alternatively, the Quadrilatero area east
7am-1pm Mon-Sat, 4.15-7.30pm Mon-Wed, Fri & Sat)
and some of the city's best-known delis.
Drinking & Nightlife
Hit the graffiti-strewn streets of the university district after sunset and the electrifying en-
ergy is enough to make a jaded 40-year-old feel 20 again. Clamorous bars spill out into
the street, groups of earnest drinkers sit down in circles on the hard pavement, and talen-
ted musicians jam old Thelonius Monk numbers. Piazza Verdi is the nexus for thirsty stu-
dents; for a more upmarket, dressier scene head to the Quadrilatero.
Le Stanze
(
www.lestanzecafe.com
; Via Borgo San Pietro 1; 11am-3am Mon-Sat)
If La Scuderia reeks of un-
dergraduate days you'd rather forget, hit the more chic Le Stanze, a former chapel where
each of the four interior rooms has its own design concept. The
aperitivo
(pre-dinner
drinks with snacks) buffet is top-notch here, with paellas, pastas and chicken drumsticks
to accompany your wine or cocktail.
WINE BAR
La Scuderia
BAR, CAFE
