La Dotta
Bologna is home to the oldest university in the Western world, from which-among others- Dante Alighieri, Leon Battista Alberti and Copernicus have graduated, and some of them have been professors. The alma mater studiorum was founded in 1088 and to this day is the first choice of study of thousands of students from around the world. L ‘Archiginnasio, the ancient seat of the university, is located in the historic center of the city and is one of the most legendary buildings in Bologna. MAMbo, the Museum of Contemporary Art in Bologna, hosts every year a plethora of exhibitions by promising Italian artists, organizes exceptional tributes to the work of great artists and has a rather impressive permanent collection. The Museum of the History of Bologna (Museo della Storia di Bologna) is also a must-see! It’s a modern museum that is based almost entirely on the interaction of visitors with the exhibits.
La Grassa
As you may have guessed, “Fat” refers to the delicious cuisine of the city, about which Pellegrino Artusi, the famous author of the equally famous cookbook “La scienza in cucina e l’arte di mangiar bene,” said “When you hear them talking for the cuisine of Bologna, you should take a bow!”. Thanks to the agricultural wealth of Emilia Romagna, Bologna stands out for its handmade tagliatelle and tortellini, its mortadella and, of course, its adored Bolognese, the famous pasta sauce to which it gave its name. Tortellini, on the other hand, were first made in Bologna. According to the legend, the goddess Aphrodite once stopped at a hostel between Bologna and Modena and the chef, enchanted by her beauty, tried to create a pasta that would resemble the shape of her navel. And so the first “tortellino” was created, as a tribute to the goddess of beauty and love.
