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Morning

This morning following breakfast we met our guide, Manuela from Trips by Locals. She gave us a very informative tour of the historical centre of Bologna. We started our tour in the main square, Piazza Maggiore, where Manuela told us the history of the square and described its various functions over the centuries. It was built in the 15th century as a market and also became the site of the seat of municipal government. It was the most important urban project in the city of Bologna during medieval times.

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The square is still home to Bologna's city hall. The beautiful Fountain of Neptune can be found in the Piazza. The main Basilica is also located in the Piazza. The Basilica Saint Petronio is dedicated to the city's patron saint and is the largest and most important church in Bologna. Inside it houses the worlds longest sundial built in 1576 by a professor of mathematics at the university. If you arrive at the correct time of day, the beam of light from the sun will tell you the date and time. 

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We continued our walk to visit the buildings of the oldest university in the world, founded in 1088 by an organized guild of students. Its early focus on civil law attracted students from all over the world. We visited the courtyard of one of the oldest buildings in the university which was attended by the medical students. The courtyard is encircled with beautiful porticoes throughout.

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From there we continued our walk through historical streets of the city and were given the history of many of the porticoes and saw some of the oldest ones. We also walked through the old Jewish Ghetto. While there was never a big Jewish community in Bologna they were confined to a very small area within the historic centre and were expelled twice in 1569 and then again in 1593 after they were allowed to return to the city for a short time. There is an old synagogue that can be visited and the city has put up signage in the area to identify some old Jewish homes and businesses. 

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Next we visited the Saint Steven Square with its porticos and beautiful palaces as well as the Saint Steven Churches Complex. This complex houses four small churches with a fascinating history. They were built between the 6th and 8th centuries and are comprised of one roof connecting all four churches as well as interconnecting bridges and courtyards. The churches are adorned with unique representations of towns on both sides of the Jordan river, beautiful mosaics, scenes from the Nile Delta, and other motifs.

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We continued walking along many of the main streets and alleys including the Mercato di Mezzo, the old medieval food market, and ended by the two leaning towers of Asinelli and Garisenda.

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Afternoon

This excellent tour ended close to the market and we certainly had worked up an appetite at that point. We headed into the old market area which still has vendors selling all sorts of produce and meat. We stumbled upon Salumeria Simoni. We ordered a platter of cheese and meats and some wine. Such a treat. They have high top tables on the narrow street which is perfect for people watching while enjoying lunch.

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After lunch we walked to the Museum of Mondern Art (MAMbo). Although this museum is located in the historic centre, it is around a half hour walk from the main area. This gave us a chance not only to walk off our lunch but also to see some other neighbourhoods of the city. The museum has an interesting collection of modern and experimental art. The temporary and permanent exhibits we saw there were very interesting. 

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From there we headed back to our hotel with a stop at Venchi Gelateria for a gelato and to taste their homemade chocolate. Their ice cream is delicious made with high quality ingredients.

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Evening

We left our hotel and decided to take a circuitous route to the restaurant we booked as we wanted to explore an area of the city we hadn't seen. This neighbourhood was a lovely residential area filled with families out for a stroll and residents were riding their bicycles home from work. We stopped in a small piazza with a church that had a few cafès with outdoor seating. We sat outside with our Apperitivo and watched daily life go by for the residents. Kids were playing soccer in front of the church, people were arriving with their yoga mats for a class inside the church and others were sitting down for an afternoon drink. It was so enjoyable and peaceful.

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We had dinner reservations at Trattoria da Me. To be honest, I'm not sure how I came across this restaurant but I'm so glad that I did. This was one of the meal highlights of our trip. It is an award winning Italian restaurant that is under the radar and very low key. The cuisine is unique and so delicious. It is traditional and modern at the same time. I highly recommend you make a reservation and run to this tasty restaurant.