This trip to Italy was entirely different. I’m in my 30s and seem to possess a confidence that I didn’t have all those years ago. Or, I’m too old to be of interest to lewd Italian men. Either way, it’s all good with me and I’m pleased to say I had the best time in Italy and now I get what the hype is all about!

Here’s a little photo tour of our short 24 hour stay in Bologna. Come here for great eats, cool vibes, charming architecture, and a general “warm belly, happy heart” feeling.

The Food

I discovered two of my favourite drinks in Bologna; the Aperol Spritz and the short macchiato. Gamechangers that are both good for a little “pick-me-up”

We also hunted out Tortellini al Brodo, a pasta specialty of the region. This humble meal is the definition of “warm belly, happy heart” food and I can feel the warm blanket of broth in my stomach just writing about it.

We noticed that the locals of Bologna are very friendly and even nice to peddlers in the street. In this square, we saw several peddlers get a nice welcome from locals with either a fist bump, chit-chats, and the boisterous “Ciao Bello!”

Nightlife is fun in Bologna with lots of opportunity for nice cocktails or wine and lots of snacks. Mmm, snacks.

You won’t be hard-press to find a delicious lunch either.

Did I mention that I gained close to 10 lbs on my honeymoon? Worth it.

The Sights

There are so many things to do and see in Bologna. Billy and I were focused on eating but we did a lot of walking through the city. We also climbed the tower (all 498 wooden steps) and felt like we earned the lunch seen above.

While we were walking around, I thought a lot about a connection I’ve noticed between Japan and Italy. While we were planning our trip to Japan Billy and I saw Porco Rosso, a Hayao Miyazaki film. Once I arrived in Northern Italy, more of this movie made sense to me in terms of setting and some lifestyle commentary. I find that Japanese and Italian cultures both value tradition, artisan craftsmanship, and beauty. 

I fell hard for the beauty of Bologna and would return in a second.