Page 141 - WINE DINE AND TRAVEL FALL 2024 SPAIN

ach. Even in Italy, renowned globally for its
fine food, Bologna is recognized as a stan-
dard setter. As the capital of Emilia-Ro-
magna in Northern Italy, the city is the
center of a rich agricultural region that
produces balsamic vinegar, Parmigiana
Reggiano cheese, and salamis and meats
of all kinds, including Mortadella Bologna.
That of course is where baloney, the U.S.
version, gets its name, but the less said
about that the better. And Bologna’s
kitchens have given the world some very
special foods, such as tagliatelle, tortelloni,
and Bolognese, the local ragu that shows
up on the menu of nearly every Italian
restaurant.
After our dubious introduction to
Bologna through the train station, our hotel
more than made up for that bad impres-
sion. The Art Hotel Commercianti dates to
the 1100s, and in the 1400s served as part
of the University of Bologna. It has recently
been remodeled to include modern apart-
ments. Ours looked down on the Piazza
Maggiore, the city’s social hub, and stands
across a narrow road from the Basilica of
San Petronio, a historic Bologna landmark.
This was the Bologna we were seeking
— a city known for its splendid cuisine and
medieval accents. In contrast to Florence,
which stands as the apotheosis of the Ital-
ian Renaissance, or Rome, where you can
walk in the footsteps of the Caesars,
Bologna takes you to the Middle Ages,
when kings and dukes battled popes over
who would rule; when cities battled rival
cities for power and wealth; and when fam-
ilies within those cities battled each other
for dominance.

Opposite: A view of the old Reno Canal, which
served as a means of transport and energy
beginning in the middle ages.
Right top: At nearly 200 feet, the Prendiparte
Tower is Bologna’s second highest, and offers
overnight stays.
Right: Bologna’s leaning towers were erected in
the early 1000s. Asinelli, the taller, exceeds 300
feet, and Garisenda was closed in late 2023
because of fears for its stability.

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