You gotta love Italians, don’t you?
More than any city visited so far, I love Bologna best. A small and vibrant university and business center with 1000’s of apartments above the porticos. Tens of thousands of people actually live, work and enjoy the city within the old city walls. Great food, art, shopping walking and world class churches. One group (1) that is connected is called Sette Chiese, which means seven churches. Oddly, there are only 5 churches there. Enthralling to walk around inside each, and experience the different “feel” of each.
The hilltop church of San Luca is a must see, and a very long walk from the old city. It is 3.5 kilometers from the Porta Saragozza, one of the 12 gates into the old city. The walk to the church is under cover all the way. A series of 666 (yes, that is the actual count) connected porticos lead you up the 3.5km climb to the church. Well worth the effort.
On New Year’s Eve an effigy of the “old man” of the year ending is burned in the Piazza Maggiore. This represents getting rid of the baggage from the year ending and starting the New Year with a clean slate. Again oddly, the effigy isn’t always of a man. This year it was a stately 40 foot high frog. Go figure. I could go on and on about this fine city and no doubt will in the future.
More than any city visited so far, I love Bologna best. A small and vibrant university and business center with 1000’s of apartments above the porticos. Tens of thousands of people actually live, work and enjoy the city within the old city walls. Great food, art, shopping walking and world class churches. One group (1) that is connected is called Sette Chiese, which means seven churches. Oddly, there are only 5 churches there. Enthralling to walk around inside each, and experience the different “feel” of each.
The hilltop church of San Luca is a must see, and a very long walk from the old city. It is 3.5 kilometers from the Porta Saragozza, one of the 12 gates into the old city. The walk to the church is under cover all the way. A series of 666 (yes, that is the actual count) connected porticos lead you up the 3.5km climb to the church. Well worth the effort.
On New Year’s Eve an effigy of the “old man” of the year ending is burned in the Piazza Maggiore. This represents getting rid of the baggage from the year ending and starting the New Year with a clean slate. Again oddly, the effigy isn’t always of a man. This year it was a stately 40 foot high frog. Go figure. I could go on and on about this fine city and no doubt will in the future.
1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santo_Stefano_(Bologna)
Image fountain detail : livingsimplicity.blogspot.com
Image neptune fountain : theodora.com
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