Page 146 - WINE DINE AND TRAVEL FALL 2024 SPAIN

meantime, never got its dome and in some
ways was never completed. Its red brick
facade is only partially adorned in white
marble, quite unlike other cathedrals that
sport ornate facings. Several attempts
were made to gussy it up, but that dream
was never realized and the city has em-
braced the church’s humble exterior. San
Petronio remains the fifth largest church
on the Italian Peninsula and is one of the
largest brick churches in the world. Its vast
interior contains twenty-two elaborate
chapels, and a meridian line marks the
path of the sun in the church floor, a testa-
ment to Bologna’s scientific traditions.
Bologna’s other architectural charm is
its 33-mile network of porticoes — covered
walkways that connect throughout the city.
These arcades date to the Middle Ages,
and the longest extends more than two
miles up a mountain to the Sanctuary of
the Madonna of San Luca.
On our final day we took a predawn taxi
to this 18th-century basilica, which offers a
breathtaking view of the city and sur-
rounding countryside. We watched as the
rising sun bathed “La Rossa” in a lush pink
light, then walked the entire 2.3 miles of
the Portico of San Luca to our hotel,
watching the city come to life.
When we reached our hotel we were
met by Rita Mattioli, a Bologna chef and
teacher. As someone who has been making
Bolognese I wanted to see how it is done in
the authentic style. Rita, who has operated
restaurants and taught food history in the

146 WINE DINE & TRAVEL MAGAZINE FALL 2024