Day Trip: Milan to Bologna, Italy

Welcome to Bologna: Origin of the Bolognese Sauce

What can I say about the Italian city of Bologna? Well, let me start off by mentioning it is a MUST SEE location and totally reachable from Milan making it the perfect day trip. I hope you are ready for your virtual journey to Bologna, Italy, because here we go!

As I mentioned previously, Bologna is extremely easy to reach from Milan; it only takes a train ride. Depending on your comfort level for traveling (and your budget), you can reach the medieval Italian city between one to three hours from Milan Central Station. In our case we wanted to travel cheaply, so for 16 euros one-way we rode the regional train which took us nearly three hours to reach Bologna. If we spent about 25 more euros, the fast train would have gotten us there in about one hour. A word of advice: choose a train that gets you there before 10 am because there are a lot of places to see and things to do in Bologna. We ended up leaving at 8 pm and still didn't see everything we wanted to.

With origins dating back to about 1,000 BC, Bologna is now the 7th largest city in Italy based off population. From the Iron Age with the Villanovan culture to Celtics to Romans to Lombards, the city has been through many changes and served various purposes. This is the reason why Bologna is home to a wealthy assortment of structures portraying Medieval, Renaissance, and Baroque styles.  The below image is part of the Roman wall which surrounded the entire city at the time, and below the wall image is a small sample, about 0.0001%, of all the arches in the city. LOL!

Section of the Roman wall that surrounded the city

Only four of Bologna's mannnny arches

Arena del Sole Theater...and more arches

The next image was taken from inside of the University of Bologna, the world's oldest continuously operating university which held its first class in 1088 AD. The University also houses a very interesting free museum that we visited which was all about the university's students and campus life. Some of most notable alumni for the University of Bologna include three popes. Today, about 85,000 students are enrolled throughout the University's 23 schools.

Palazzo Poggi University Museum

The National Art Gallery of Bologna is another free attraction we visited. This gallery contains a vast collection of 13th-18th century paintings made by artists who have ties to the city of Bologna.

National Picture Gallery

One of Bologna's secrets happens to be its hidden system of canals. Before my trip, I had no clue bologna had canals until I crossed over one. This hydraulic system was created during the middle ages to bring not only water into the city for use but as a source for hydraulic energy. It was a nice surprise....I can't wait to see what Venice will be like.

Bologna Canal

Located near the town's main plaza, Piazza Maggiore, the 1567 Fountain of Neptune,complete with patinaed bronze, was a remarkable sight to see. (Also, a great photo op.)

Fountain of Neptune

As the heading of the post states, Bologna is the origin of everybody's favorite meat based sauce....Bolognese! So for lunch I had to try tortellini with bolognese sauce....I don't know if it was just psychological, but it was perhaps the best I ever had! Bologna is also known for their cured pork meats and cheeses. Unfortunately, I didn't try mortadella....Italy's version of American Bologna.

Tortellili Ragu alla Bolognese

Traditional Bologna Food

Some of Bologna's most famous landmarks are it's towers. It is said between the 12th and 13th centuries, Bologna had around 180 towers! Pictured below are the famous "Two Towers;" the smaller leaning one is called "Garisenda" and the tallest one is "Asinelli". At a cost of 3 euros, you can climb the old wooden staircase for a remarkable panoramic view from the 90 m high Asinelli tower. (This is my #1 recommendation of things to do when visiting Bologna)

The Two Towers (yes, one leans)

I made it to the top!

View from Asinelli Tower

View from Asinelli (notice the large Basilica...explained later))

The Churches and Basilicas of Bologna 

Bologna is home to many important churches and basilicas, and all come complete with outstanding architectural structure and intricate details. (Well, almost all do.) Sadly, many of the churches prohibited photos, but a few of them allowed them didn't. The basilica of San Giacomo Maggiore houses many artistic pieces from the Renaissance era, but they are located inside where photos were, in this case, prohibited. (At least the outside looks nice...right? LOL!)

Basilica of San Giacomo Maggiore

Basilica and Sanctuary of Santo Stefano is widely known as the "Seven Churches." This might be primarily due to the fact the complex contains multiple basilicas. The basilica is even said to be built over a temple for the Egyptian goddess, Isis. Cool, right?!

Basilica and Sanctuary of Santo Stefano

Church of the Holy Sepulchre (Oldest part)

Located on the Piazza Maggiore, the Basilica of San Petronio is unmissable. It is known to be the worlds 15th largest church with the vault of the ceiling reaching 148 ft into the air. One of the basilica's prominent features, is the uncompleted facade. On the inside, there is even a sundial embedded into the floor.

Basilica of San Petronio

The main alter in San Petronio's Basilica

The last photos are of a few more churches we had time to visit. If churches are your guilty pleasure, then by all means you best look for real estate in Bologna because you would be in heaven. LOL no pun intended.

Basilica and Sanctuary of San Domenico

Cathedral of San Pietro's main alter

Cathedral of San Pietro

San Francesco Basilica at night

After a full day of sightseeing and walking, it was nice to take a load off our feet on the three hour train ride back to Milan. It was an unbelievable day full of sights not common to me as a rural Iowan...let alone an American. I leave you with a pic of the "boy band" travelers:

David, Lance (me) and Jitin

Day Trip: Milan to Bergamo

Bergamo: An Historic Walk in the Altitudes

At just about 25 miles northeast of Milan sits the Italian city of Bergamo, and it is the place to be on sunny, pleasantly warm Sunday in March. Reaching Bergamo from Milan is easy, quick, and inexpensive; thus, making it the perfect day trip destination. It only took the group of six (Nico, Vir, David, Dani, Manu, and myself) a short ride on the green metro line to the Porta Garibaldi train station, a €4.55 train ticket (that's right...an one-way ticket for under €5) using an automated ticketing station, and an one hour long train ride to reach the remarkable Italian town.

Sources say Bergamo is the 2nd most visited city in the Lombardy region...right after Milan, of course. The most distinctive characteristic of the city happens to be the city's two centers; Citta Alta, the historic part situated on top of a hill surrounded by 17th century defensive walls, and Citta Bassa which is the newer area wrapping itself around the base of the hill. The upper and lower sections of the city are connected with roads, stairs, and a cable car making it easily accessible for anyone.

Citta Alta is above the wall; Citta Bassa sits below

Pretty much the entire day was spent up in the historic Citta Alta section of the city. One of the most spectacular sights I've seen since my arrival in Italy is the La Rocca di Bergamo (The Fortress of Bergamo). The medieval castle with its towers and thick walls depict history quite well....dominance and authority. Today, it is a fantastic observation point providing scenic,panoramic views of Bergamo.

Panoramic view of Bergamo

View of Citta Bassa from la Rocca

View of Citta Alta from la Rocca

Just as in Milan, and I assume other Italian cities, the cathedrals were extravagant. In Bergamo, I visited two of the more prominent ones...the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore and the Cathedral of Bergamo. Both located right next to each other near the town square, Palazzo della Ragione which sits on the location of the old town square called Piazza Vecchia.

The "emotional wall" in Citta Alta...I call it that because of the faces lining the top. LOL

Buildings along a street in Citta Alta

The Facade of Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore

Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore's detailed dome

The Main Alter in the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore 

 Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore

Inside the Cathedral of Bergamo

Street leading towards the Duomo Plaza

I can compare Bergamo to nothing in the United States; therefore, making it one of northern Italy's unique gems.

The Travelers (Nico, Vir, Manu, Dani, and David) 

Mind-blowing Exhibits at Pirelli HangarBicocca

When I say "contemporary art," what do you think of? Cement towers that are seven stories high? A used shipping container filled with old operating motors? Well, what I experienced at HangarBicocca is perhaps the best visual definition of the term!

"Iliokatakiniomumastilopsarodimakopiotita"

The first exhibit I will explain is their temporary one created by Italian artist, Micol Assael, titled "Iliokatakiniomumastilopsarodimakopiotita." (Done on purpose, the name is a bunch of Greek words combined to make no sense at all.) The exhibit space contained five cells/environments where Assael provides the viewer with an opportunity to absorb the beauty of what is taking place though sound, smell, sight, and feel. 

Micol Assael's, 432Hz. 

During this work, the exhibitor enters a large wooded room only to notice a series of frames containing backlit wax drawings accompanied with the hum of bees; think beehive. The work is called 432Hz because that is the frequency of the bee's hum.

Vorkuta

Referencing the artist's trip to Siberia, this is the coldest exhibit with an environment temperature of -30 degrees Celsius. (It might be because it is inside a refrigerator LOL) Vorkuta is the name of a mining town in the bitter cold northern part of Russia.

Assael's, Sub

Rather cool, this work is pure science. It uses dripping water as a pure source to create an electrical charge.

Mindfall

The smell of "fatigue", or just running electric motors and oil, happens to be what's inside this environment. With 21 old running motors, making music only a mechanic can love, there is an obvious reason why you are only allowed to stay inside for three minutes.

I think the video speaks for itself and explains Micol Assael's work titled, "Untitled," quite well.

The Seven Heavenly Palaces

Another more permanent exhibition is by the famed contemporary artist, Anselm Kiefer. When I first set eyes on Kiefer's exhibit, my first impression was simply jaw-dropping awe. Standing before me were seven concrete towers wieghing about 90 tons each and they looked like kid stacked building blocks. Each individual tower had a theme it followed.

Kiefer's Seven Heavenly Palaces...are you in Awe?

Tower 2: Melancholia...Each shard of glass represents
NASA classification numbers for stars.

Towers 5 & 6: JH & WH... Meteorites with symbolic meanings based off writings in the Kabbalah.

Just me,,,always asking random people to take a photo for me LOL

Warhol and Kandinsky Exhibts

For many centuries, The Palazzo Reale di Milano (The Royal Palace of Milan) was the home of Milan's city government. Nowadays, it is still an important part of the Milan government but on the tourism side as it houses some of the most world renown exhibitions and expositions. This time it showcased two of the most famous painters of all time...Andy Warhol and Wassily Kandinsky.

Andy Warhol: The Father of Pop Art

It's not everyday you get to see a gallery full of Andy Warhol masterpieces, but when you are in Milan....anything is possible. The Warhol exhibition at the Palazzo Reale, near the Duomo, contained  some of his well known pieces like the Campbell Soup Can, Mao Tse Tung, Self-portrait, Marilyn, etc. They even had  one of Warhol's "piss paintings" where the canvas was urinated on to cause an oxidation effect.

Warhol was fascinated with Leonardo da Vinci. Ironically, his last art exposition during his lifespan was called "The Last Supper" and was held right here in Milan. The tour was also international friendly as they had individual audio players explaining certain artworks in ENGLISH. :)

Andy's Liz Taylor

Lady Sketch

The Elvis Presley Boot

Campbell's Soup can

Andy's Flowers

Wassily Kandinsky: Father of the Abstract

Immediately after my mind being blown away by Andy Warhol, it was time to see Wassily Kandinsky's exhibition. At first I couldn't put a painting behind Kandinsky's name, but as soon as I entered the exhibit my exact thoughts were, "He was the one who painted that?!"

Born in Moscow, he originally studied law and economics but his concentration was soon to be pointed in a different direction...painting. I guess his educational background would explain how he moved towards becoming a theorist painter. Unfortunately, the two images below are not originally taken by me as the gallery security guard forced me to turn off my phone; nonetheless, these were two important Kandinsky works on display and the Palazzo Reale.

Sky Blue by Kandinsky

Yellow, Red, Blue by Kandinsky

Basilica of San Lorenzo

Saturday: Church Exlploration

No matter what your religious beliefs are, when you come to Milan you HAVE to take some time out of your day and visit any and every church that crosses your path. If I'm correct, I think Nico and I visited around five of them on Saturday. The one I will be describing in this post is the Basilica of San Lorenzo. 

With the origin of this magnificent Catholic church dating back to the late fourth (390AD) - early fifth (402AD) centuries, the original structure has been rebuilt several times due to fires and other natural disasters. However despite these setbacks, the Basilica of San Lorenzo and the Colonne di San Lorenzo (the square plaza in front of the basilica) are still symbols of the Roman Empire legacy in Milan. 

Complete with decorative marble and early christian mosaics, inside the basilica you will notice the main geometric shapes used for its development where squares and circles. Over history, several chapels have even been added along the sides of the original structure. One in particular which is still standing and can be seen by the public for a small fee (1-2 Euros) is the Chapel of St. Aquilino. This chapel dates back to the origin of the basilica...late 4th century.

Overall, this was an amazing church located in the center of Milan, Italy. Milan...a city for anyone who wants to take a journey back in time. Enjoy the pictures!

The front of the basilica

The main dome...not original but still remarkable

Let the sun shine in! (Basilica's main light source)

Decorative marble art 

Notice that details are everywhere

Mosaic in the Chapel of St. Aquilino

Ceiling above the Main Alter in the chapel of St. Aquilino

The back of the Basilica