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Activities at Hotel Corona d'Oro 1890 or nearby |
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WHAT TO DO AND SEE WHILE STAYING AT HOTEL
CORONA D'ORO 1890 |
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There are lots of places to go and activities and events to take part in or see in Bologna. There are events which take part throughout the year, including Carnival (parades, costumes, feasting, and more), the Bologna Festival (classical music festival), the Bologna Sogna Open Festival (film, theatre, and music), and the Made in Bo (outdoor pop festival).
A must-visit is the Basilica di San Petronio. A beautiful church, it was built, starting in 1392, but not fully completed because of restrictions placed on construction by the Vatican. The original plan would have put the Basilica di San Petronio as the largest church in the world, an idea rejected by the Papal authority in Rome. The amazing architecture is really something to experience in person, especially the doorway, with incredible carvings of Biblical scenes.
Bolognas Basilica di Santo Stefano is another destination recommended to visit. There is a beautiful piazza placed before the Basilica, and the Basilica itself holds interesting catacombs, crypts, and four churches. The main basilica holds an amazing altar with an angel carvel by the one and only Michelangelo.
The Fontana del Nettuno is beautiful place to visit. The fountain itself is enormous. It was built in 1566, and has some beautiful bronze statuary. The sculptor became so famous after completion of the project that the people of Bologna named him Giambologna.
Most associate Italy with the leaning Tower of Pisa. But Bologna has two such towers itself! The Torres degli Asinelli (Tower of the Asinelli), and the Torres degli Garisenda (Tower of the Garisenda) are both located in Bologna, and both in the same piazza, the Piazza di Porta. One of the towers, the Torres degli Asinelli, is taller. Yet, with less of a lean, it is possible to climb up the 498 steps to observe the surrounding Bologna area. Its quiet a beautiful view and visiting the Piazza di Porta to see these magnificent structures, is highly recommend.
Bologna also has a gorgeous town hall, the Palazzo Comunale; built with a staircase so wide, it accommodated horse drawn carriages up to the first floor. Inside the Palazzo you’ll find a beautiful collection of medieval and Renaissance paintings and sculptures. Also travel to the Pinacoteca Nazionale (National Picture Gallery) to see a grand display of work by Bolognese artists.
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ABOUT BOLOGNA |
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52km (32 miles) S of Ferrara, 151km (94 miles) SW of Venice, 378km (234
miles) N of Rome
The manager of a hotel in Bologna once lamented to us: "The Americans!
They spend a week in Florence, a week in Venice. Why not 6 days in
Florence, 6 days in Venice, and 2 days in Bologna?" That's a good
question.
Bologna is one of the most overlooked gems in Italy; we've found empty
room after empty room here in summer, when the hotels in Venice and
Florence were packed tight. It's true that Bologna boasts no Uffizi or
Doge's Palace, but it does offer a beautiful city that's one of the most
architecturally unified in Europe -- a panorama of sienna-colored
buildings, marbled sidewalks, and porticos. After fighting the crowds in
Rome, Florence, and Venice, you might enjoy a few days away from the
tourist crush.
Bologna's rise as a commercial power was ensured by its strategic
location between Florence and Venice. And its university, the oldest in
Europe (founded 1088), has long generated a lively interest in art and
culture. It features the nation's best medical school, as well as one of
its top business schools. The bars, cafes, and squares fill up with
students, and an eclectic mix of concerts, art exhibits, and ballet and
theater performances is always on offer.
Perhaps because the student population is so large, Bologna is a center
of great tolerance, with the national gay alliance and several student
organizations making their headquarters here. Politically, communism and
socialism figure prominently in the voter profile, which could be why
the region has been largely unscathed by the scandal and corruption of
neighboring precincts, where blatant capitalism has led to
Mafia-corrupted activity.
Bologna is also Italy's gastronomic capital. Gourmets flock here to
sample the cuisine: the pastas (tortellini, tagliatelle, lasagna verde),
the meat and poultry specialties (zampone, veal cutlet bolognese, tender
turkey breasts in sauce supreme), and the mortadella, Bologna's
incomparable sausage, as distant a cousin to American-style bologna as
porterhouse is to the hot dog.
The city seems to take a vacation in August, becoming virtually dead.
You'll notice signs proclaiming CHIUSO (closed) almost everywhere you
look. |
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