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Published: October 25th 2013
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Bologna the capital of Emilia-Romagna Region Italy 21 October 2013
After it rained on and off during the night, we headed off into Bologna. It was very overcast and foggy. Thus area of Italy is as flat as you can get it and so virtually sits in a hollow with mountains all around. This continues as far north as Treviso, north of Venice.
We were staying at the Citta Di Bologna camping village which has a hotel attached, plus many bungalows, chalets, a restaurant and shops.
Bologna is one of Italy’s most prosperous cities. We learned that it has a rich cultural heritage, ranging from medieval palaces and churches to leaning towers. Celebrated in the Middle-Ages for its universities – believed to be the oldest in Europe, founded in 1088 – Bologna came under Papal rule in 1506 and a large part of the city was given over to monasteries and convents. This is why there was so many religious buildings and piazzas are seen in Bologna now. It is also said to be the best preserved old city centres in Europe.
We packed up and decided to drive into the city rather than catch a bus
– always a risk with the camper in big cities but let’s go!
Just as we were leaving the camp site Tom noticed our back tyre was a little flat, even though we tested the pressure the day before. SO we decided to chase up a tyre supplier 1
st. The 1
st place we went to, did some pressure testing and then sent us to another outlet who fixed the leak. Both places were so helpful and despite the language difficulty, we understand each other.
We then drove into the city; hit the ring route which formed a boundary around the CBD. We could see this was a partially walled city but the most marked remains of it was several impressive gates (porto). We then looked for a park and it wasn’t until we almost completed the circle around the CBD that we spotted a park. We were nearly ready to leave Bologna without seeing it.
For the next couple of hours we walked around the city. We found it was University orientation week and there were people everywhere, particularly in the Piazzas around the universities. Some were dressed up, others had ceasar-like crowns on their heads. Some
were playing music which they were dancing and singing to. All good fun.
There were ancient buildings everywhere. We grabbed some lunch and headed off.
We then headed north towards the Dolomites. On the way we popped into Ferrara which is another town with a citadel which we wanted to see. We were glad we did. It was a fully moated castle and in excellent condition.
We then drove a further 200kms to the foot of the Dolomites. The further north we drove, the clearer the sky became. We had been driving in fog most of the day. It wasn’t until we started climbing, did the sky clear. Fingers crossed for a clear day tomorrow. We have noticed that autumn is here. The trees in the base of the Dolomites are beautiful.
Our camp site for the night was in Nevegal which is at 900metres so their snow season starts later and sometimes they need man-made snow to get their season going. It was a fantastic camp ground with many onsite cabins and caravans. It is open all year round and facilities were good. The shower blocks had heated floors so it was very warm. WiFi
wasn’t working though. We went for a walk into the town before our G&T and dinner. It was a cold night but the camper is pretty cozy.
We were off to the Dolomites the next day.
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