An underappreciated Italian gem

Something really hits me on my first morning exploring Bologna. It's not the copious amounts of caffeine I've imbibed for breakfast, nor the slew of restaurant chalkboard menus advertising meaty, carb-fuelled temptations.

It's the arcades. Supported by pillars and columns, and decorated, in some parts, with stuccoed icons of saints and messiahs, in others with fiery political slogans (generally of the "anti-austerity" variety), these marble-floored porticoes fan out through a centro storico (historic centre) wedged within the borders of Bologna's ancient city gates.

Dating back to the Middle Ages - when an edict was passed stating that all new buildings must have an arcade - these winding walkways appear infinite but Bolognese friends assure me that if you joined them together, they'd stretch about 40km in total.

Not just for show, the arcades shelter the entrances to all sorts of places: homes, hotels, museums, galleries, bars, cafes, trattorias, gelaterias, pizzerias and myriad retail outlets, allowing pedestrians to wander, sightsee and consume come rain or shine.

I fancy that being an umbrella salesman in Bologna would be one of the toughest jobs in the world.

The capital of northern Italy's Emilia-Romagna region, Bologna eludes many travellers' radars but the relative lack of tourists, allied with the city's traditional Italian charms and the youthful zest generated by its tens of thousands of students, makes it a rewarding place to break up a visit between, say, Milan and Florence, or Venice and Rome.

Like Venice, Bologna has several nicknames: la dotta (the learned one - it's home to Europe's oldest university, founded in AD1088), la rossa (the red one, thanks to its left-leaning politics and the colour scheme of its buildings and terracotta roofs), and la grassa (the fat one; it's one of Italy's gastronomic capitals and spawned the saucy Bolognese-style dishes globally adored today).

Cafes on the Piazza Maggiore, Bologna's heart beat. Picture: Steve McKenna

Despite its wealth of covered public spaces, plenty of stuff happens outdoors in Bologna. Cyclists are ubiquitous. It's said you can pedal almost anywhere of note within 15 minutes of Piazza Maggiore, the city's heartbeat, which is home to the imposing Basilica di San Petronio (said to be the world's fifth-largest church). It overlooks an ornate fountain sporting a buff bronze statue of the Roman god Neptune.

The alfresco cafes of Piazza Maggiore are a dream for people watchers. Over cappuccino, I spy septuagenarian businessmen with ancient suits and even older leather briefcases, gaggles of hipster students, and a parade of slim, stylish women weighed down with Gucci and Prada bags.

A tangle of cobbled alleys spring off the square. My tip: go wherever tickles your fancy. Unlike Rome and Florence, where certain sights have to be ticked off, in Bologna, you can mostly keep your map in your pocket. I amble to my heart's content, roaming the backstreets, browsing antique stalls, markets loaded with fruit and veg and other tantalising local produce, and delis selling mortadella sausages and Parmesan-like cheeses. I poke my nose in fashion boutiques, medieval palace courtyards and frescoed chapels. And when I start to flag, I'm never far from a cafe that offers espresso boosts for one euro ($1.43) or less.

Piazza Maggiore, Bologna's central square, is a great spot for people-watching. Picture: Steve McKenna

But Bologna has a few "unmissables", not least Le Due Torri - the two leaning towers built in the 12th century, when medieval skyscrapers began to soar over this booming merchant city.

Scale the 498 steps of the tallest - the 97m Torre degli Asinelli - for panoramic views over the city and its hilly green surrounds. Superstitious Bolognese claim any (undergraduate) student daring to climb them will never graduate.

Alternatively, stroll along Bologna's longest arcade, which spans 666 arches and runs 3.8km to the Madonna di San Luca, a hill-top sanctuary on the city's lush western outskirts.

Studded with leafy parks (Margherita Gardens is the prettiest), Bologna is said to have more cultural attractions per capita than any other Italian city. Etruscan and Roman artefacts from the city's ancient past are among the exhibits in the Archaeological Museum, set inside a 15th century palazzo. A converted bakery plays host to the avant-garde MAMBO, the Museum of Modern Art.

In the warmer months, the cobblestone squares and lanes around Via Zamboni (the central university district) provide a scenic backdrop to a calendar of outdoor theatre performances and music festivals. So, too, does Piazza Santo Stefano, which is home to a complex of religious buildings with 5th century roots.

Year round, after dark, these two neighbourhoods buzz with winers and diners, grungers and hip-hoppers and characters sporting Che Guevara-esque beards and berets.

The Quadrilatero - a web of lanes with cocktail bars and eateries east of Piazza Maggiore - draws a dressier crowd, while a bohemian middle-class vibe permeates the osterias (taverns) along Via del Pratello. This stretch is worth visiting in daytime, too, if you fancy some authentic Bolognese cuisine.

Run by three generations of local women, the pocket-sized Pasta Fresca Naldi serves hand-rolled doughy treats, including tortelloni stuffed with ricotta cheese, lasagne and the classic tagliatelle al ragu bolognese.

Perched on a stool inside the shop, I enjoy these thick noodles, drenched in a meat-based sauce flavoured with herbs, onions and tomato paste, and think this definitely trumps your bog-standard spag bol.

And when you see Bolognese, of all ages, coming in for their lunchtime fix, you know you're on to a winner.

FACT FILE

Set inside a lavish 18th century palace, the Grand Hotel Majestic is Bologna's swankiest place to stay. Rooms cost from 264 euros ($377). grandhotelmajestic.duetorri hotels.com.

Gothic, Renaissance and contemporary flavours seep through Art Hotel Corona d'Oro. Rooms cost from 134 euros. See hco.it.

Pasta Fresca Naldi is on Via del Pratello, 71.

For more information on Bologna tourism, including alternative accommodation options, see bolognawelcome.com and bologna.use-it.travel.