Before going home for December break, we had a long weekend. What’s the best way to decide where to go? Scroll around on the Google flight map and see which tickets are the cheapest. Bologna, you win!
Our first lunch at Ristorante È Cucina Leopardi. A three-course lunch with wine for only 10 euros each!
Church and a tree
Terrible photo of a really good meal. Tagliatelle al ragu and tortellini with artichokes at Drogheria della Rosa.
While hanging in the lounge at the airport, we did all of our Bologna research by talking to a teacher friend who had actually planned ahead for this trip. She recommended visiting 4 Madonne Caseificio dell’ Emilia to see how Parmigiano Reggiano cheese is made. The tour is about 1 hour followed by a tasting. I highly recommend doing this! Read about how the cheese is made here.
Trillions of dollars worth of cheese. A little over 33,000 wheels are stored in here. Check out pictures of the damage done by an earthquake in 2012.
The Parmigiano Reggiano tasting consisted of various cheeses aged between 18-36 months, butter, ricotta, balsamic, and some different mustards and jams. The cheese on the far left is a sample of what it looks/tastes like without aging or salt. We purchased a big chunk of 24 month aged cheese that we are still working through.
After our cheese-filled morning, we headed into Modena for a walk and some lunch. Before lunch, we did a bit of driving in the car we rented for the day on pedestrian-only roads and sidewalks in downtown Modena. Lots of cursing followed. A delicious lunch at Trattoria Aldina made everything better. Pictured above is Gramigna alla Salsiccia, Tortellini en brodo, and a bottle of Lambrusco, the sparkling red wine made in the Emilia-Romagna region.
On the way back to Bologna, we stopped at Villa San Donnino to see how balsamic vinegar is made. You can learn about it too. After the tour, we tasted a few different types and even had some put on foir di latte ice cream which was delicious. We picked up a bottle of white vinegar and a bottle of traditional balsamic vinegar aged 6 years.
Back in Bologna taking pictures of other peoples bikes. BIKES. We loved the covered walkways which are called porticos. Looks like Bologna is home to the longest portico in the world!
Morning snack, cannoli and something delicious with pistachio.
Wandering the streets
Final meal and meat shopping at La Baita Vecchia Malga. Bologna is the best and we can’t wait to go back!
Eat here too:
- Pizzeria Due Torri for giant pizza by the slice
- Fabrik in Righi for paninis and wine
Once the big V is over, I’d like to go there!