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BOLOGNA
52km (32 miles) S of Ferrara, 151km (94 miles) SW of Venice,
378km (234 miles) N of Rome.
Bologna is an architecturally splendid city, but it has the
unfortunate distinction of being
overlooked by most of the tourist
crowd. While it is often difficult
to find rooms in Venice and
Florence, there is always any
number of vacancies in Bologna.
For those who have the good
fortune of visiting the city,
there is a beautiful marvel of
architecture awaiting them a
panorama of sienna-colored
buildings, marbled sidewalks, and
porticos. After fighting those
crowds in Rome, Florence, and
Venice, you might enjoy a few days
away from the tourist crush.
Bologna's rise as an economical power centre was almost
ensured by its location between
Florence and Venice. Its
university, the oldest in Europe
(founded in 1088), has for years
created in its students a lively
interest in art and culture.
Italy’s best medical school, as
well as one of its top business
schools is situated here. The
bars, cafes, and squares fill up
with students, and a diverse mix
of recitals, art exhibits, and
ultramodern ballet and theater
performances always marks the
calendar.
The student population is very large and Bologna is known as
a center of great tolerance, with
several student organizations
making their headquarters here.
Politically, communism and
socialism are prominent, which
could be why the region has
escaped the scandal and corruption
of neighboring precincts, where
barefaced capitalism has led to
Mafia-corrupted activity.
Bologna is also Italy's gastronomic capital. Epicureans flock
here just 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
different from baloney as
porterhouse is to the hot dog. The
city closes down in August, and
you will notice signs proclaiming
CHIUSO (closed) almost everywhere
you look.
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