Bologna is nestled in the foothills of the Apennines Mountain range in northern Italy. This mountain range runs north-south through Italy for 870 miles. The city is within the Po Valley region; the Po river runs through several major cities in Italy including Venice. The city of Florence is 50 miles west of Bologna, and the Adriatic Sea is 50 miles east.
Bologna was settled by the Etruscans in the 6th century B.C. Historians believe they originated from Asia Minor, but their roots remain a mystery today. The Etruscans named the town “Felsina." The area became a Roman municipality in 189 B.C. when its name was changed to "Bononia." By 1088, the first university was set up in Bologna and still operates as the oldest university in Europe.
Bologna is the home to the famous pasta dish, Spaghetti alla Bolognese, a sauce made with veal, pork and sausage and a hint of tomato. Other specialties of the region include tortellini (pasta stuffed with ham) and mortadella (pork bologna). Sweets are readily available including cakes, custards and Sfrappole, which is a deep fried dough stuffed with rice, almonds and Amaretto liqueur.
The Torres degli Asinelli and Garisenda (Asinelli and Garisenda towers) built in the 12th century are in the center of the city. These towers are leaning in a manner similar to that of the tower at Pisa. The Museo Civico Archeologico is a free archaeology museum that allows visitors to explore the ancient antiquities from Bologna, Greece and Rome. A walking route begins at Porta Saragozza and leads to the hilltop Sanctuary of the Madonna of San Luca. Porta Saragozza is one of the twelve gateways built into the ancient wall that was constructed around the city during the Middle Ages. The pathway is 2 miles long, and the visitor will encounter a total of 666 portico arches on route.
Bologna can easily be reached by trains departing from Milan, Venice, Florence, Rome and Italy's coastal areas via Trenitalia or the high-speed train service operated by TAV SpA. The airport Guglielmo Marconi di Bologna (BLQ) only services destinations in continental Europe. To reach Bologna from the airport, use the Aerobus shuttle service, which runs every 20 minutes to Bologna´s main rail station from the airport.
