We stayed two nights in Bologna. This city can trace human habitation back to the 3rd millennium BCE with the Etruscans, Celts and Romans having all left their marks. It was one of the largest of the European cities during the Middle Ages and today is an important economic and transport hub. We won’t be ‘doing’ Bologna.
Of course, John had done some research and could actually remember what he had read, and we explored a few markets, a couple of squares, a couple of churches and a portico or two.
Then we happened upon a city tour by ‘train’. An opportunity to sit and just take it all in. Well, we were surprised. It took us all the way to San Luca beside the longest arched walkway in the world- the Portico di San Luca -3.8km long with a total of 666 arches. We learned of the history dating back to the Middle Ages; that there was a total length of 62km of them; that they were designed to add more living space (building above them) and that they were initially regulated to be high enough to allow a man on a horse with his hat on, to ride beneath. UNESCO ‘world heritage’ listed they are marvellous and definitely worthy of exploring.
Niko, our host, arranged a taxi for us to pick up our car near the airport. At 127km away, Bologna airport is one of the closest to the Moto GP at Misano which was on this weekend and we just happened to be picking up a car along with lots of others. Fortunately, we were early. Possibly because our taxi driver drove like a complete lunatic, but we did arrive stirred but not too shaken. We had been to Italy before. However we were shaken enough to convince us to take out exorbitant insurance. We’re getting old. Why risk what precious time we have left?
When he heard where we were going the rental agent insisted that we should visit Ristorante La Cavallina in Barberino. ‘You must! It is amazing. You may have to wait but it is worth it.’ And who are we to argue? We arrived at peak hour -2pm. We did wait but just five minutes. We were just ahead of Giovani with his girlfriend and their two dogs. It’s a new world. Now, we eat with dogs. They shared a beefsteak ‘Florentine style’ (not with the dogs- well not at the table anyway. The pets did get titbits under the table though.) It’s a T-bone usually one to one and a half kilograms!!! This is not for the feint-hearted! We had pasta.
Our destination? Stia. And I can hear a chorus of …Why Stia? My response…John found this place… It was a boutique hotel with pool, spa and a restaurant featuring all locally sourced produce. The first night John had steak, and I had trout. After eating pasta at La Cavallina our meals were a perfect size, but had we been hungry maybe not so, especially considering each dish was equivalent to our total bill at the preceding eatery.
We were in a bit discombobulated. Our research was scant and as a result things were not quite working out. The Castello Museo was closed. We felt totally dejected when we ventured into the town square for lunch to be directed to a corner table access to which required pole vaulting. We declined. The drive into Riserva Naturale Campigna which was very beautiful, failed to provide us with a well-deserved coffee as the only café was closed and even later when we were directed by the beautiful Elisa to the Canto alla Zana we faced disappointment. Lastly, we found sustenance at a local restaurant, and I ordered Oso Buco. OMG fortunately it tasted so much better than it looked. Then we accidently ordered an unfiltered Chianti -(I thought she meant organic) so we ended up sucking on whole squashed grapes wondering whose foot jam we may have inadvertently ingested. So, to the Coop for a sandwich for tea. Even that was a mission. We arrived at 1530 to discover it opened from 1600 to 2000.
Not our best travel day.
