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From Bologna To The Eternal City

October 17, 2022 /

Our last post left us going through an unassuming unmarked doorway in amongst the restaurants of Bologna’s Quadrilatero district and entering a parlour full of evocative old photographs. Many show the famous faces of previous visitors to this strange little room: here Mohammad Ali’s autographed golden boxing glove, there Richard Nixon, then Tony Bennett, even a laughing Marilyn Monroe.

This is Bologna’s oldest inn, the Osteria del Sole, where the wine has flowed since 1465 and been quaffed not only by the glitterati but also by the learned intellectuals from the university, students and professors alike. Yet the joy of “del Sole” is as much about its custom as its history: it is in effect a restaurant without a kitchen.

Osteria del Sole
Our lunch time feast

The drill is: you go to the street market stalls or the fabulous deli shops of Quadrilatero, buy your food and take it to del Sole, choose a bottle of wine from del Sole’s list and head to a shared table. Now spread out your picnic, pour the wine, and enjoy. A big part of the fun is that everyone does it: every table is covered with sumptuous foods and there is hardly a spare seat in the house. Choose well and it’s a great experience. Any of the deli shops will happily slice off the required quantities of hams and cheese, but Tamburini, a delicatessen legend in this city of food stories and, like del Sole, a Bologna institution, feels just the right place to buy.

And so from gastronomy to learning. It’s impossible to miss the high intellect of the Palazzo dell’Archiginnasio, the first permanent site of the university, built in 1563 and occupied as a place of learning until relocation to its current home in 1803. The wood panelled halls and corridors echo with history and resonate to the names of the great and good who studied and/or lectured here: Marconi, Rossini, Galvani, Umberto Eco…..four Popes, Thomas Becket….Michaelangelo, Enzo Ferrari…..the list is seemingly endless. 

Palazzo dell’Archiginnasio
Palazzo dell’Archiginnasio
Coats of arms

The corridors and stairs are adorned with the heraldic coats of arms of student families – an incredible 6,000 different families are represented here. All across the city, Bologna’s reverence to the intelligentsia is plain to see: the greatest tombs and memorials here are those of philosophers, scientists and the like, rather than warmongers or bellicose heroes.

Palazzo dell’Archiginnasi – Teatro Anatomico

As we head off towards the railway station in the Friday morning sun, we feel that we’ve properly experienced Bologna: we’ve been absorbed by its “Dotta”, marvelled at its “Rossa” and utterly indulged in its “Gasso”. Now, a satisfyingly smooth 2-hour train journey through rolling Tuscan scenery brings to that most magical and thrilling of cities…Rome.

Vittorio Emanuele
Vittorio Emanuele

This is Michaela’s first visit to Rome, I’ve been a couple of times before. Such is the glory of this magnificent city that the start of a break here is almost overwhelming – there are so many wonderful sites, so many things to do, that simply planning how to optimise the stay is a challenge all of its own.

The Roman Forum from Palatine Hill
Roman Forum

One of Rome’s more modest fascinations is its Italian stone pine trees, also colloquially known as umbrella trees, their unusual lofty canopied shape forming part of the city’s character and blending perfectly with the mighty buildings and ancient ruins.

The Colosseum……and those pine trees

With this being Michaela’s first time, of course we have to “do” the big sites, all of which have extensively documented histories and need no deep descriptions here, where our photographs will do the talking. As we make our first few forays into the city, there is ample evidence that tourism is returning to normal – with our arrival coinciding with the weekend, Rome is absolutely teeming with visitors.

Trevi Fountain
Trevi Fountain
Throwing the coin

The Trevi fountain, its waters glinting either in sunlight or floodlight, is its usual attraction for photo opportunities and coin throwing at any time of day – but what a sumptuous creation it is. We tour the Forum in warm autumn sunshine, stand gazing at the sheer size of that forerunner of great stadia, the Colosseum, marvel at the huge scale detail of Vittorio Emanuele, swoon at the grandiose piazzas – Navona is still a favourite – and relax in back street trattoria.

Piazza Navona

Coming to Rome and seeing the Colosseum completes a neat double for us this year, having visited El Jem in Tunisia, North Africa’s Colosseum, back in April. It’s interesting to make comparisons between the two, not least the fact that we almost had El Jem to ourselves, very different from the thronging crowds here in Rome.

Colosseum
Colosseum
Colosseum

There is an element of Rome though which sets it apart from most other cities, something which is best unravelled on foot: just simply the huge number of wonderful buildings. Every turn brings another delight, many of which remain unidentified and anonymous on the maps and in the guidebooks. Huge buildings beautifully decorated, ornate fountains of multiple designs, giant statues and columns on ordinary traffic junctions or standing shoulder to shoulder with the designer shops.

Spanish Steps

With so much to see, it’s easy to overdo it in a city like Rome. We’ve walked over 20 miles in our first two full days here, the constant stimulation meaning we hardly notice the distances walked, until the end of the day when we finally take a breather and find that our tanks are empty. This really is a wonderful city. And there’s several more days yet to try and fit it all in……

  • View from Vittorio Emanuele
  • Quirinale Palace
  • Piazza Navona
  • Barcaccia Fountain
  • Villa Borghese gardens
  • Piazza della Minerva
  • Colosseum
  • Vittorio Emanuele

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