Bologna and Rimini

Dear lilioftheworld.com reader, it’s Lili, you co-editor. Bologna is a beautiful Italian town located in the Northern part of the country. It is mostly a students’ town as it is home to several universities. It is very different from the rest of Italy: as any other town in this land, it has its own spirit. We combined the visit to Bologna with a quick cameo in San Marino and Rimini. That is Rimini is part of our story today.

Italy has a special place in our hearts. We have visited so many places of interest and still we have so much more to explore. For more travel ideas check out our dedicated section: Italy. If you are interested in other ideas for weekend escapes, we have what to offer as well :-).

Lili’s 5 good-to-know tips when traveling to Bologna:

• If you want to find a place to eat (especially pizza) in the hours between 14:00 and 18:00 it is almost impossible. Even in the central tourist area some restaurants close during this time.
• Actually Bologna is not famous for its pizza. You have to try the pasta. Or the so called tortellacci- giant tortellini.
• Bologna airport is the closest airport to one the smallest countries in the world- San Marino. You can easily reach it in around two hours.
• Traveling around Italy by train is a good option as the railways are fast and reliable. There are convenient night connections as well (in case you need this).
• Bologna’s city center becomes a pedestrian zone during the weekend. The three major streets are closed for traffic from Friday at midnight to the same time on a Sunday.

Before describing our experience, we have to make the disclaimer that this was a very short trip. We landed at Bologna airport very early on a Saturday morning, then we took the train to Rimini from Bologna central station. From Rimini we took the bus to San Marino where we spent a wonderful afternoon. The night we were in Rimini and on the next day we went back to Bologna to do some sightseeing before the return flight. This means that we had to be efficient in order to spend the time wisely. The time limitation might have influenced our overall impressions from this part of Italy. But we can definitely recommend this destination for a weekend escape.

Bologna

What to see in Bologna for a day?

• Asinelli and Garisenda Towers of Bologna

The two towers, Bologna’s commonly recognized symbol, are strategically placed at the entry point in the city of the ancient Via Emilia (Aemilian Way). Bologna tower is a high one and in case you have some difficulties climbing (or if you are claustrophobic), better think twice before deciding whether to go up.  I can advise you to buy your tickets online to avoid long queues.

We went there and while being in front of the entrance we booked the next available slot. At this time of the day (noon) and year (July) there weren’t that many tourists, but you might wait for some time as there is a limitation in the number of people that can climb at the same time.

The overall up and down tour took around 40 minutes- the stairs are a bit steep and at some parts there are no side rails. It is not dangerous, but not comfortable for people afraid of heights. The ticket costs €5.

This tower was the highlight of the whole Bologna visit. This is maybe the highest building in the town and the view is really amazing. Better try to be among the first in the queue, so that you go up first. Afterwards it becomes really crowded as the space on the very top is tiny.

Here is our favorite legend about the towers:

In the beginning of the 11th century there was a poor, young man living in Bologna. He had a few donkeys, and made a living by bringing stones and sand from the river to the construction works in the city. His name was, Asinelli, which is derived from the Italian word “asino,” meaning, “a donkey.”

One day while carrying stones up to the city, he saw a beautiful girl, the governor’s daughter, in one of the palace’s windows as he passed by, and fell in love so deeply that he dared to ask her father for her heart. Her father, no doubt a man with a peculiar sense of humor, laughed and answered: “If you build the tallest tower in the city, I’ll agree to your wedding.”

Asinelli was desperate, but then, one fortunate day, while working on the river, he found something shiny at the bottom. It turned out to be some gold coins. No time wasted, he hired builders and got to work. After nine years, when the tallest tower of Bologna was raised, he got to marry his sweetheart. It is romantic, isn’t it?

• Piazza Maggiore and Piazza del Nettuno

Bologna (or at least it’s central area) is not that big, so the central square will inevitably be part of your sightseeing tour. The access to the cathedral is free of charge and it is worth to have a look at this Catholic church. The square in front of it hosts different events during the whole year and you will rarely see it without a stage.

• San Petronio (Basilica of St. Petronius)

Very close to Piazza Maggiore you can find the cathedral- basilica San Petronio. Initially the plan was that it is bigger than St Peter’s basilica in Rome, but obviously this did not happen. Even nowadays the facade of the basilica is not finished.

• The Portici (the arcades which line many of the streets)

Bologna is the town with the biggest number of arcades in the whole world- 38 km long. Locals say that you will never get wet when it rains.

• Wander the tiny streets of the old town

Like any other Italian town, Bologna also has many small streets. After San Marino though (which we visited the previous day), these did not look that cute. If you happen to be there on a Sunday, you might find them quite empty. There are many restaurants and bars in the central part of Bologna which are open during the whole week, but have in mind that the shops are closed on Sundays.

Rimini

Our impressions from Rimini are very few as we spent just one night there. The reason to stay there was that it is close to San Marino and it would have been too much to go back to Bologna.

Lili’s 3 good-to-know tips when travelling to Rimini:

• Rimini is considered to be one of the best continental resorts of Italy
• You can take a bus to San Marino. The bus ride takes only 40-45 mins and costs only €5 one way. The bus station is just opposite the train station
• Rimini is famous for its nightlife– there are many night clubs with good parties

The hotel we stayed in is worth recommending- Hotel Biancamano. It was so nice that we really regret staying there for one night only. Although it was obviously an old one, our floor was renovated and it had an amazing view to the sea. It was very close to the beach, but still far enough, so that we do not hear the noise from the night clubs. The hotel also offered a rich choice breakfast.

When we visited Rimini there was an event with a lot of old cars which passed along the sea boulevard like on an exhibition. The beach was very wide and  from what we have seen from a distance, it was clean and offered changing rooms, showers and sunbeds. In the evenings you can have a walk on the long beach alley and have a dinner/ drink in one of the many restaurants/ bars.

It was an amazing weekend, full of activities. Plus we found potential place for a longer summer vacation. We hope it was an useful read for you!

If you want to know more about Italy, we will not disappoint you- just visit the section on the link. We have prepared so many other Weekend Escapes recommendations, do not miss them.