Italy – Bologna 24/8/16 – 27/8/16

A great train journey from Ancona to Bologna taking around 2 ½ hours. Tickets are simple to purchase, either by going to the ticket counter or using the many ticket machines at the train stations. However be warned once you have your tickets you have to validate them, by inserting them into separate machines before boarding. The trains are relatively cheap, quick, quiet and rather luxurious as they have leather seats. On each train so far we have travelled with Trensitalia. These are double decker trains and like I say, very luxurious. We arrived in Bologna around 1pm and got a taxi to our digs. We’re staying 4 nights (airb&b) at Bolognini a nice 1 bedroomed apartment about 15 minutes walk outside the main walled city. We were met by the owners mum who spoke Italian at great speed, but our host had left typed instructions re where to go, what to do etc. In the fridge there was also milk, water, beer, fruit juice all for us to use.
So we ventured into town, but after 20 minutes walk realized we had gone in the wrong direction and was now facing the motorway out of the city. A u turn and 30 min later we were in the city. On first counts it looks big, however its architecture is stunning and very impressive, typical of the Roman Empire.
Next day we spent walking around the city within its great Roman Walls. This place is big so we opted for the “hop on hop off” city bus. €18 pp for 1 day or €20 pp for a 2 day pass. It takes just over an hour for the bus to complete 1 circuit. This is truly the best was to get around an unfamiliar city, so we did 1 full circuit, then decided to get off at a few stops and walked around that area. What a beautiful city, old, impressive and so rich in culture. The audio guide on the bus is very informative and at one stage it announced there are over 2000 columns in the city. Very impressive, every building seemed to be held up by columns at its entrance. When the audio stops you listen to Vivaldi’s 4 Seasons, very apt. The city is full of restaurants, bars and shops selling luxurious Italian leather, designer clothing, and of course the Italians like their bling – jewellery shops galore, there everywhere. We broke off our city tour and found a great restaurant. Looking at the vast menu, we both decided on the classic Italian gastronome of meatballs with bacon and mozzarella cheese, all washed down with the local red wine – DELICIOUSSSSSSS
Later than evening we decided to stay local and as were quite close to Chinatown, opted for a Chinese restaurant round the corner. This was called “Koko” an “all you can eat” restaurant, all for €20 pp. Exquisite and again washed down with a bottle of cold refreshing Lambrusco.
We took the train for a day trip to Venice which we have done a separate post for.