Bologna is lined with porticoes.  In inclement weather, one can walk from one end of the city to the other, only getting wet when crossing the streets.  Some of the porticoes also have art in the form of frescoes, painted in their lunettes.  I always feel blessed, whenever I am lucky enough to see them,…

In the middle of the street, in Piazza Malpighi, you will find the Colonna dell’Immacolata.  The copper statue of the Madonna, at the top of the column, dates from 1638, and is the work of the artist, Giovanni Tedeschi, based on a design by Guido Reni. Approaching the Basilica di San Francesco, at the edge…

We awoke to a bright, sunny day, and so, immediately after breakfast, we set out to explore more of the city.  A plaque on the facade of the building, at Via Nosadella, #45, reminds the passersby that the structure once housed the Convent of Santa Maria degli Angeli. On Via Sant’Isaia, #16, a plaque marks…

The Casa Berò, also known as the Casa dei Carracci, dates from the 16th century, and can be found at Via Rolandino, #1.  This house is considered a good example of Renaissance civil architecture. A plaque on the facade pays tribute to the Berò family, and to the architects who renovated the building later. On…

“Explore Bologna like a local,” the sign said, and that is just what we were going to do!  We would do it on foot, though. The Oratorio dello Spirito Santo is on Via Val d’Aposa, #6.  It dates from 1481.  For me, the most interesting feature of the church’s facade were the five medallions depicting…

For our stay in Bologna, we rented a one-bedroom apartment, which was set on the quiet street of Via Nosadella, and yet, it was only a few minutes away on foot, from anything we could have needed. To our delight, our host had left a bottle of Prosecco, a bottle of water, some pastries, as…

At the end of last week’s post, we were on the grounds of the Santuario della Beata Vergine della Salute, seeking shelter from the rain inside a small grotto with an existing chapel, while the birds from the pen, pictured above, roamed around us, looking for something to eat. After about twenty minutes, the rain…

It only made sense that in a city like Abano Terme, you would find a school that specializes in the hospitality industry, like the institute pictured above.  I imagine that many of the area’s hotel and restaurant workers were graduates of this school, and others like it. On this cloudy morning, our first destination was…

The Duomo di Abano Terme, also known as the Chiesa di San Lorenzo Martire, dates from 1780, even though a church by the same name existed on the site as far back as 1077.  The church we see today is the work of the architect Domenico Cerato, with the exception of the facade, which was…

For those who do not want to walk, there is a shuttle that takes you from one end of the town to another. Quinto Elemento was once a very popular pizzeria, but sadly, it is abandoned today.  The sign still catches one’s attention, though! If one has the urge to pass the night away dancing,…

Behind our hotel, on Via Cornelio Augure, #7, we found the NaturaSì Market.  This is a wonderful organic supermarket selling everything, from dairy products and fresh vegetables, to meat and fish. From where we stood on the other side of the street, we could see steam rising off of pools of the thermal water.  We…

A large portion of Viale delle Terme is for pedestrian use only.  Cars are strictly prohibited.  The street is lined with hotels, shops, and cafés.  Along the street, there are places to rest, with tables and benches, as well as public art. The Hotel Trieste was first opened in 1912.  During WWI, it housed the…