I lived in Bologna. I go back quite often, and I still have lots of connections and lots of friends. It was a nice period in my life.
~Mike Patton
It is no secret that Bologna is one of my favorite cities, not only in Italy but in the world. Over the past 12 years, I’ve spent more time there than any other town in Italy, and I have many friends there. Sometimes my groups don’t end up visiting Bologna, but I try to make an effort to spend at least a few days there every year. It feels as though I’m going home.
Felsina, Bononia, Bologna
Bologna’s history dates to 3000 years BC, falling under the Etruscans and Gauls (who called it Felsina) during the Bronze and Iron Ages. It fell to the Romans, who called it Bononia, before finally becoming an independent state during the Middle Ages. Over the years, the name evolved to become Bologna.
Bologna was one of Europe’s largest cities in medieval times, and in 1088 opened the world’s first university. There is some thought that it is the first university in the western world, but suffice to say the university was the world’s first university in the that offered advanced learning and degrees. While the university’s first offerings were only religion and philosphy, it quickly added medicine, law, and other degrees. Today, the University of Bologna offers more than 200 degree programs to its 86,000+ students.
The fact that Bologna is a university town is one reason I like it. Actually, there are a bunch of reasons why I love Bologna. Here are just a couple more.
Why I Love Bologna, I
When I first started going to Italy, I avoided going to Bologna. I thought it was a large industrial town, and visions of my home town crowded my mind. You have to remember that I grew up in Youngstown, Ohio, when it was home to steel mills, so the image I had of Bologna was similar to that. I didn’t care to see factories and smoke stacks.
In 2013, I had free business class tickets to return home, but we had to fly out of Bologna to use them. “Let’s just go and see what the city’s like,” I said to Mike. “It’s only for a few days.”
Well, that few days did me in. I quickly fell in love with the town as it was nothing like what I had in my mind. Instead of factories and smoke stacks, the historic center contained historic palaces, the UNESCO-listed porticoes, fantastic food, and medieval towers. My friend, Giovanni (owner of of R&B Santo Stefano) once said to me, “Bologna’s historic center is like its own small Italian village.” True, this.
WhY I Love Bologna, II
Speaking of Giovanni, he is one of the reasons I love Bologna. I’ve known him longer than anyone else in the city, and when I decided to stay in Bologna to study Italian in 2014, he helped me find an apartment. When I had a kidney stone while in Bologna some years ago, Mike (who was in Las Vegas at home) called Giovanni. He was gracious enough to take me to the hospital and translate for me since I didn’t know medical terms. To this day, we visit regularly via WhatsApp when I’m in the States and in person when I’m in Bologna.
But, Giovanni is not the only friend I made. The morning after I arrived in Bologna to study Italian (2014), I waltzed into a bar next to my apartment. At the time, the old owner was in the process of turning over the bar to the new owners, Cesare and Lili. Cesare, one of the most outgoing people I have ever met, welcomed me and got me a cappuccino. Since he was from Barcelona, I was thrilled since I could talk to him in Spanish. Long story short, we gradually transferred conversations to Italian, and he and Lili became two great friends. They have had me to their home for dinners (Lili is a wonderful cook), and the include me in so much. (And introduced me to Giovanni P, another great friend.)
There are times when Cesare will text me if he doesn’t see me in the morning just to make sure I’m okay. We joke that Cesare is my fratello (brother), and I am his sorella (sister). As with Giovanni, we regularly visit via WhatsApp when I’m not in town, but you’ll find me at the bar in the morning and afternoon when I am.
When reading about Social Street, one day, I discovered that it was formed in Bologna on a street near the bar and B&B… Long story, but I wrote the founder, Federico Bastiani, and got to meet him and his wife, Laurell shortly after she gave birth to their second son. We have become great friends; they have welcomed me (and Mike) to their home numerous times; and I’ve watched Matteo and Noah grow up. I make a point to see them when I’m there when their very busy schedules will allow it and keep in touch via WhatsApp.
And, there are the women of the bar who also include me in their morning get-togethers when I’m there. Patrizia, Amanda, Cristina, and others. My good friend, Leda, who passed away almost seven years ago, was one. I love these women, too.
Please do not take this to mean I do not have friends that I love as much elsewhere. I do. They are the reason I love other towns, but we’re talking Bologna here.
Why I Love Bologna, III
Speaking of other towns, getting to many from Bologna is easy. Bologna is a main train hub, and visiting Venice, Florence, Milan, Ravenna, Padova, Ferrara, Vicenza, Verona, Mantova, and so many other towns is simple and fast. Even Rome is just a two-hour train ride from Bologna, making it easy to head in for the day and be home in time for dinner (If you eat after 8:00!).
There have been times when I’m in Bologna, decided I needed to get away, and hopped a train to Venice for the day. It’s almost like deciding I want to go to the mall here, but I don’t have to get in the car and drive.
So….
As I mentioned above, there are other cities and towns in Italy that I love just as much. At some point, I’ll write as to why I love those towns. I hope you can see, though, why Bologna is so dear to my heart and why we’re staying there this year.
Next time: Lucca…
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