He finally went to Bologna

Updated 12/24/2025

Bologna, 11/7/2025 - 11/10/2025

Impressions: As bustling as Milan but much smaller; the city center is maybe a 2km square. Seems less touristy than most of the cities I've been to here, more along the lines of Brescia or Mantua - noticeable but not ridiculous. It IS a huge university town with students from all over the world so you do hear a lot of English.

In the center, because it's the weekend, they have a massive food and wine tasting fair, just like the one I saw in Verona. The Italians don't lack for recreation if they want it, that's for sure!

Piazza di Nettuno in Bologna — Piazza di Nettuno / Neptune Plaza. He's the statue just left of center, with the trident.

Based on the ads in the airport it has a solid industrial/manufacturing base. Lots of construction/maintenance/restauration going on in the streets, churches, and historical monuments, such as the leaning tower that seems to be defying physics.

Bologna streets 2 — Is it a law that everything has to be painted yellow, orange, or off-white?

Bologna covered walkway — Lots of covered sidewalks with nice flat surfaces, making transporting a suitcase a breeze.

Bologna's leaning tower — Another city with severe settling problems... or perhaps faulty construction 500 years back.

Recommended: Hostaria Va Mo La' - a bustling restaurant mostly filled with natives as far as I could tell. They run a tight ship, the food (tomato-stewed rabbit) was great and the price was reasonable. Check it out!

Time for graffiti

It's been years since graffiti and old walls called to me like this but it's certainly nothing new. The apartment is in the univeristy part of town so whole neighborhood is covered with it, and like everything else artisitic in Italy, it can be next level if you're looking for it.

Via Antonio Bertolini aka Graffiti Alley

Bologna wall covered with graffiti and posters

Mural for restaurant — When the restaurant is closed they offer you a free taste of art.

The Accomodations

Magicahome is as old school and charming as the place in Verona, but without the noisy upstairs neighbors (or rather ceiling that blocked none of their noise). If it was warmer the patio would be key! This time of years it's just cute.

Basilica di San Martino Maggiore, 11/8/2025

Painting in Basilica di San Martino Maggiore

San Girolamo by Carracci — *Saint Jerome* by Carracci

Cattedrale Metropolitana di San Pietro, 11/8/2025

Cattedrale Metropolitano di San Pietro — Construction made a decent shot impossible.

Cattedrale Metropolitano di San Pietro interior

Closeup of Cattedrale Metropolitano di San Pietro interior arches

Altar and painting in Cattedrale Metropolitano di San Pietro

Basilica di San Petronio, 11/8/2025

Another almost life-size diorama type thing in terra cotta, and some pretty nifty frescoed ceilings.

Altar ceiling in Basilica di San Petronio

Peita by Vicenzo Onofri — *Pietà* by Vicenzo Onofri, late 15th century.

Chiesa Santa Maria della Vita, 11/8/2025

Their claim to fame is an oratorio with a nice terra cotta diorama of Mary's funeral; this one puts the one in San Petronio to shame. Also had a little gallery with a couple nice portraits.

Oratorio in Chiesa Santa Maria della Vita

Painting in the Oratorio in Chiesa Santa Maria della Vita

Funeral of the Virgin by Lombardi — *Funeral of the Virgin* by Alfonso Lombardi, 1520 - 1522.

Saint Augustine by Gandolfi — *Saint Augustine* by Gandolfi, circa 1760 - 1770.

Portrait of a Mature Man by Palagi — *Portrait of a Mature Man* by Pelagio Palagi, circa 1815.

Basilica di San Domenico, 11/8/2025

Palazzo Pallavicini, 11/8/2025

Used to be a rich person's mansion; now they have rotating shows here. I way overpaid for a small collection of renaissance-era portraits from the Pinacoteca Malaspina in Pavia, some of which were great, but €16? Really?

Penitent Saint Jerome by Veronese — *Penitent Saint Jerome* by Veronese, 1562. So funny how I keep getting drawn to the same artists.

Denial of Peter by Crespi — Copy of *Denial of Peter* by Daniele Crespi

Head of an Oriental by Tiepolo — *Head of an Oriental* by Tiepolo (father). Looove this one!

Pinacoteca Nazionale di Bologna, 11/8/2025

THIS is how you do it if you're charging money! They cover the whole Renaissance from pre- to post-, 400 or 500 years of painting with a focus on Bolognese artists and those from other places who spent time here. 5 stars!

Christ and the Good Thief by Titian — *Christ and the Good Thief* by Titian, circa 1563. The photo only hints at the amazing mastery of form and anatomy.

A great Pinacoteca edition of Time for Art

Museo Davia Bargellini, 11/9/2025

Stumbled across it, it's free, so why not?

*Ecstasy of Saint Phillip Neri*, circle of Giovanni Camillo Sagrestani, first half of the 18th century. Why do they have to put crap in front of the nice paintings?

Cain and Abel by Viani — *Cain and Abel* by Domenico Maria Viani, before 1711.

Battle by Dardani — *Battle* by Paolo Dardani. One of four, the other three are just as good.

Portrait of a Young Man by Burrini — *Portrait of a Young Man* by Giovanni Burrini.