Bologna is one of the most beautiful cities in Italy and certainly one of the most visited ever. On the web you can find guides of any type to visit the most characteristic places and the most famous restaurants. However, there are things that are not explained in the illustrated guides and that are preferred by locals for this reason.
Bologna is a university city and it is for this reason that hides several activities to do that have an incredible interest for tourists.
There are activities and places to see that can not miss the visit, and not only: Bologna is also customs, habits and things to do at night. You want to know what you can’t possibly miss? Here is a list of activities that you won’t find on any tourist guide, but that have been recommended directly by the locals!
Local Market
Shopping in local markets is always one of the best activities to do in an active and colorful city like Bologna.
Here you can find several regional products at very affordable prices, and above all of a really superior quality. A typical and famous market is the Mercato di Mezzo, renovated in 2004 and since then point of interest for anyone interested in living the daily life of a citizen of Bologna.
Another typical market is definitely Mercato Ritrovato, a type of farm-style market that offers products at km 0.
Among the local markets you can also enjoy the street art of very varied artists; also you can also buy used clothes.
Enjoy a Trattoria
Bologna is called the city "fat", and this for specific reasons. The recipes in the region are really typical and represent one of the most complex kitchens in Italy.
The experience in the trattoria always begins with a plate of cold cuts and salami and wine, of which the Bolognese are avid consumers.
A typical food are tigelle or crescentine, a fragrant bread-like treats usually accompanied by mortadella and culatello which are particular cuts of meat.
But if you come to Bologna you must eat lasagna, famous all over the world but definitely more in this city that is the true creator of this tasty dish.
If you find yourself passing in winter, however, a typical dish are tortellini in brodo (in broth) or stuffed pasta (tortelloni). One of the main dishes are also passatelli in broth and maltagliati with beans.
Discover the love of cinema
Bologna is the city of cinema: one of the most important authors is certainly Pier Paolo Pasolini. At the moment it is famous for the Cineteca and for the fact that it is the city where the DAMS is located and therefore the best contemporary cinema ever.
Travelling to Bologna is just one way to broaden your knowledge of cinema.
Once in Bologna you can start from the Cineteca di Bologna, with its many events. In addition, at certain times of the year, you can attend the festival of the "Cinema Ritrovato". This is usually performed between June and July.
Another very romantic activity is definitely "Cinema sotto le stelle", an event that consists of watching movies under the stars, outdoors, in the beautiful Piazza Maggiore.
Enjoy the publick park
Bologna, like any city further north, is full of green parks: it is the right opportunity to take a walk in complete serenity and enjoy the clean and fresh air.
One of the most famous parks is Montagnola, which has one of the oldest gardens in Bologna where you can enjoy a breathtaking view and where you can enjoy the view of some ruins of a castle. Another very important place is the Park of Villa Angeletti which also has a courtyard for children and is one of the most beautiful observation points of the entire city.
Visit a library
Bologna is also famous for its unprecedented level of culture. Not surprisingly, it is called and defined "the dotta" (the learned one). The city of Bologna alone has more than a hundred bookshops and that is why it has been called the City that reads. So it is impossible not to fall in love with reading here, especially because there are some of the most beautiful libraries in Italy. One of these is the Salaborsa, opened in 2001, which preserves more than 250,000 documents including books, comics, music and maps. It is located right next to the Fountain of Neptune, and is considered one of the best places in Bologna. It also includes a bar and a crystal floor that has emerged from recent archaeological excavations: this only increases the cultural value of the entire structure.
Another popular library is that of Archiginnasio, the largest in Emilia, which preserves ancient manuscripts and offers a section dedicated specifically to the culture of the city. Also visit the "Anatomical Theatre", a wooden room built in 1637 to learn anatomy to the fullest.
