Wandering in Bologna-- more food and porticoes

On Friday October 16, Alonso and I wandered around Bologna, checking out some food spots in the Quadrilatero District, just behind Piazza Maggiore. It was another beautiful day. High of 23C. 

The bookstore next to our apartment entrance was open.  The sign in the middle of the bookshelf with the hours noted the name of the bookstore: Libreria Club Dumas.  The name draws inspiration from a famous novel, The Club Dumas (Il club Dumas), written by Arturo Pérez-Reverte.  I later read that the bookstore had just opened on October 11, the day we arrived in Bologna--- that explains the big party outside the bookshop!  It specializes in curated used books and hard-to-find titles.

Libreria Club Dumas


View inside

We walked to Via Caprarie which is known as La Strada del Jazz (Jazz Street) located in the Quadrilatero market district.  The pavement features inlaid brass and marble stars honouring famous jazz musicians who performed in the city.

Jazz street- Ella Fitzgerald is the closest star


Alonso at the Dexter Gordon star

Duke!

We decided to stop for a panini at one of the many Simoni delis and stores.  We shared a Kaswalder (Salami Rosa Simoni, pecorino, pomodori secchi). The meat and cheese were delicious and it was served in a crusty bun.

Panini Menu 

Making our sandwich-- nice hot bread

Busy store

Lots of choices

We sat outside the Signorvino wine store on Piazza Maggiore and had our sandwich.

Wine store where we had bought a bottle of wine earlier in the week.

Very large half of a panini.  Very warm day too!

We walked around the market district.  Folks have charcuterie plates on one side of the narrow streets.

Outside another deli 

Homemade pasta everywhere-- very competitive in Bologna.

Fruit market on one of the narrow streets.

Another Simoni deli-- one of the best




Gilberto- wine and other treats


Atti Bakery and pasta place with two locations- lots of variety.  Wonderful pasta and sweets.  
We bought some almond marzipan cookies in one of their stores.


After some more wandering, it was time for a gelato.  We stopped at Vero, which had great flavours, both dairy and non-dairy.

Making our choices at Vero

Alonso had a pistachio and coffee cone-- being carefully prepared. I had chocolate and strawberry.

We wandered into another area of town.

A lovely corner deli-- La Prosciutteria


Madonna and child


The Two Towers (Asinelli and Garisenda).  They sit side by side at the centre of a circle from which all the city's main streets radiate.  In medieval times there were over one hundred towers in Bologna.  
There are 20 towers still standing in the city.


There was a UNESCO plaque by some of the porticoes, noting they were inscribed in 2021 on the list of World Heritage sties.  It notes that Bologna's porticoes 'represent in an exemplary manner an architectural typology of ancient origins and wide diffusion".

More porticoes

The ceilings in this portico were outstanding.

Busy Bologna scene

We did some window shopping and stopped in at Neirami, one of the Italian brands that I know.  Their collection for fall/winter was "Life is a Circus".

Great window, even with reflection.  No purchases made.

We stopped in Piazza Galvani for a brief rest.

Monumento a Luigi Galvani (1737-1798), famous Bolognese physician and physicist.  
It was sculpted by Adalberto Canetti and unveiled on November 9, 1879.

Meeting the dog in the Piazza

So cute- couldn't resist taking the picture

Caffès under the porticoes

We had arranged to meet Sari at L'Emporio, a lovely wine bar for an apertivo at 6:30 p.m.

Outside of L'Emporio

A peak inside

We sat outside and had a glass of a lovely sangiovese (local wine).  
Buzzy place.  There was a mix of locals and tourists.

We headed over to Osteria La Traviata  (just a few minutes away) where we had a dinner reservation for 7:30 p.m.  It was a lovey spot that filled up once we started our meal.  It served traditional Bolognese cuisine in a 17th century building with some outdoor tables under a portico.


Inside of Osteria La Traviata


I had a Select Spritz and my favourite tortellini in broth and Sari had tagliatelle with porcini mushrooms.

Alonso had a veal escalope with porcini mushrooms and sautéed chicory.


Night scene on the way back to the apartment.

It was a lovely day wandering in Bologna.  Perfect weather and a great food day.  On Saturday October 17 we will be heading to Modena for another day trip!





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