ITALY - Bologna?

[Dancer in the kitchen]

My husband has to go to Italy for training on an x-ray unit his company sold & I'M GOIN' WITH HIM!! We'll be leaving the first week in August. Poor guy's class starts Monday morning which means he'll be starting class 2am our time! Meanwhile, I'm back at the hotel with no clue what to do. I checked with AAA & there are no tours that go out to the other cities which are about a 3-4 hour train ride away. I was told to check with the hotel & they should have suggestions, but I was looking for an insider's opinion. We'll also be looking for something to do & somewhere to eat, once he gets out of class.

Ideas?

 

[justplainbill]

Check out the Trattoria alongside the Carabinieri Station. The American University in Bologna also had some pretty good reviews. Watchout for the Commies!

Seriously, you migh want to look at:
Bologna Restaurant Reviews, Restaurants in Bologna, Ratings - SideStep

Scope out several places by having early lunch there and then return with DH at 8 if you liked lunch.

 

[Dancer in the kitchen]

The website looks really interesting. Thanks for sending it!

When was the last time you were there? Are the people pretty fluid in English? I've been going through the Rosetta on-line language program, so I'll at least be familiar with some phrases. I'm really looking forward to trying the different foods & wines. I just hope my husband isn't too tired after class to do some site seeing. The time change is going to be really rough on him.

 

[Lynan]

Bologna Forum - TripAdvisor

TripAdviser is brilliant for all kinds of info on any city/country in the world, from people who have been there and are offering their experience.

Have a wonderful time!!

Lyn

 

[wysiwyg]

Ciao Dancer,
I am not sure if you are a fan of Rick Steves (PBS), I like the way he advises about travelling thru Europe, here is a link with articles related to Bologna:
Rick Steves Europe: Site Search
If you like cars or Formula 1, visit Maranello.. specifically "Ristorante Cavallino" and the "Maranello Rosso" (the Ferrari Museum)
Not sure if you will be able to travel on a weekend, but remember that Venice is about 80 miles from Bologna (you can go by train)
Enjoy your trip!

 

[Dancer in the kitchen]

Thanks to everyone for all the helpful websites! I'm really looking forward to my trip. We'll be leaving August 4, so I've got plenty of time to figure out what to do & where to go.

I'll post a message when I get back & let you all know how everything went!

Arrivederci!

 

[Rom]

Ciao, Mi chiamo Rom.
Come stai?

 

[Katie H]

Not sure if you will be able to travel on a weekend, but remember that Venice is about 80 miles from Bologna (you can go by train)
Enjoy your trip!

Yes, Dancer, I highly recommend Venice. Hope you can get there and if you do, try to take a quick side trip to visit Murano and its glassblowers. Beautiful. I'm jealous. Hope you have a wonderful time.

 

[Dancer in the kitchen]

Ciao, Mi chiamo Rom.
Come stai?

Sto bene! Mi chiamo Debbie. Piacere!


That's about the extent of my Italian without looking at the book. I'm really getting excited about going, but I've got to get my language down with the basics. I just hope I put the right emPHAsis on the correct syLLAble! I wouldn't want to say something embarrassing!

 

[Dancer in the kitchen]

Yes, Dancer, I highly recommend Venice. Hope you can get there and if you do, try to take a quick side trip to visit Murano and its glassblowers. Beautiful. I'm jealous. Hope you have a wonderful time.

I would absolutely LOVE to go to Venice, but I understand it's a 2 hour train trip away. My DH will be in training all day & we only have the evenings together. Not much time to go anywhere, so we'll have to make do with what's in Bologna. I understand there are some wonderful museums & architecture to look at & some wonderful restaurants to try. I always look forward to trying different foods. Wonder how much better real Italian pizza is as compared to say NY pizza, which in my opinion is the best I had ever had!

 

[justplainbill]

Wonder how much better real Italian pizza is as compared to say NY pizza, which in my opinion is the best I had ever had!

Because the pizza in most regions of Italy is different than what you've probably had in the states, you may be disappointed. My first encounter with pizza in Milano was a letdown. Six months later it had risen to near the top of my favorites. Beware, that in some regions, anchovies are a default part of the topping; and also don't be surprised if the dough looks kinda yellow.

 

[Dancer in the kitchen]

Because the pizza in most regions of Italy is different than what you've probably had in the states, you may be disappointed. My first encounter with pizza in Milano was a letdown. Six months later it had risen to near the top of my favorites. Beware, that in some regions, anchovies are a default part of the topping; and also don't be surprised if the dough looks kinda yellow.

Thanks for the heads-up AND the warning about the anchovies! I think I could deal with it, but not sure DH could!

 

[Rom]

You're Italin reads good LOL, make sure u indulge in Gelato..make it a part of your daily diet LOL My Sis and Bro-in-law went recently to Italy...mmmm foood lol

 

[Olive Oven]

I would absolutely LOVE to go to Venice, but I understand it's a 2 hour train trip away. My DH will be in training all day & we only have the evenings together. Not much time to go anywhere, so we'll have to make do with what's in Bologna. I understand there are some wonderful museums & architecture to look at & some wonderful restaurants to try. I always look forward to trying different foods. Wonder how much better real Italian pizza is as compared to say NY pizza, which in my opinion is the best I had ever had!

Hi Dancer
You'll find the best pizza in the world in Naples, I'm not sure what they do that is different (except I think there might be a lot of olive oil involved) but it is AMAZING! I would also definitely recommend Florence, you'll find the most delicious tuscan dishes around Florence, not to mention the gelato! Although heck, all you have to do is get a hunk of fresh mozarella and some procuitto at a little market and I think you'll fall in love...and don't forget to sample the wine!!!

 

[Dancer in the kitchen]

Hello Everyone!

I just got back from Bologna, Italy, Saturday around midnight. I'm still getting used to the time difference. My DH & I are having no problem getting up in the morning -- 6am Va. Beach time is 12 noon Bologna time, but come 3 or 4 pm Va. Beach time, we start feeling the effects of the time difference. Seems we were just getting used to it & it was time to come back home.

I spent the majority of the time there exploring what Bologna had to offer by myself. My DH was in class all day learning about his company's newest piece of x-ray equipment. It's a good thing I'm somewhat of an adventerous person or it would've been pretty boring. I wouldn't trade the experience for anything, but next time, we'll have to make it a real vacation so DH & I can share it together.

If you'd like, you can check out my Blog with the details of my "adventure"
www.debbie-ourttriptoitaly.blogspot.com

And here are a few pics for ya . . .

The Basilica di San Petronio - the Church of St. Petronius, the patron saint of Bologna. Of course, some of my DH's friends joked that they thought the patron saint was Oscar Mayer cuz he has a way with B-O-L-O-G-N-A.

This is the inside of the church. Amazing, huh!

The 2 Towers - the smaller one was left incomplete because it started to lean. The taller one was used as a watchtower for the city. It has 500+ steps to get to the top. I was tempted, but they said there's no type of ventilation, so no air . . . so no dice!

And here's the 2 of us in front of the Fontana del Nuttuno. See this proves we were actually there together!

 

[justplainbill]

http://www.debbie-ourttriptoitaly.blogspot.com/ SEEMS TO BE A BAD LINK :-(

 

[Dancer in the kitchen]

http://www.debbie-ourttriptoitaly.blogspot.com/ SEEMS TO BE A BAD LINK :-(

OOPS!! My bad! I see my typo! It should be . . .

Our Trip to Bologna, Italy

Try that one! Sorry 'bout that!

 

[Rom]

WOW how cool!! um is it me or does that big tower look like it is leaning as well LOL Leaning tower of Pisa II? hehehe

So tell us about....THE FOOD?!?!?!?? bring back any recipes??

 

[Dancer in the kitchen]

WOW how cool!! um is it me or does that big tower look like it is leaning as well LOL Leaning tower of Pisa II? hehehe

So tell us about....THE FOOD?!?!?!?? bring back any recipes??

That's the disappointing part . . . half the city was closed down for the month of August -- even the restaurant in the hotel where we stayed! And get this, it was called The Cordon Bleu!

Since the trip was for my DH's job, we didn't have a choice as to when we went. We went through the main area of the city, up & down the streets looking for a nice sit down restaurant. ALL CLOSED!! We did finally come across a restaurant called La Bella Napoli. The food was VERY good & mostly seafood & pasta, plus their signature pizza. They stayed open an extra week & closed Friday . . . our last day there. What luck!!!

If you'd like you can check out my Blog that gives details of my trip

Our Trip to Bologna, Italy

So don't go to Europe in August!