Bologna: Italy’s Best-Kept Secret

The city

Bologna is, according to many, one of Italy’s best-kept secrets: It’s a small and vibrant city (thanks to the 100,000 students who make up a quarter of its population), rarely visited by tourists, and is said to be the gourmet capital of the country. The city has three nicknames: La Dotta (“The Learned”) because it’s home to one of the oldest universities in the world, founded in 1088; La Rossa (“The Red”) due to the red bricks and tiles found throughout the city’s architecture; and, the one that interests us the most, La Grassa (“The Fat”) for its exquisite cuisine.

Its specialties 

In Emilia-Romagna, there’s no need to search for a plate of spaghetti Bolognese – it doesn’t exist, except for everywhere else in the world! Instead, you’ll find tagliatelle al ragù on the menu, one of the region’s specialties that features broad fresh pasta noodles coated in a very meaty sauce. The area is also renowned for its tortellini (and their larger version, tortelloni), mortadella, Parmesan cheese, and authentic balsamic vinegar. As an appetizer, crescentines (or tigelle, as referred to by the locals), traditional small breads from the Modena region, are a must-try alongside charcuterie, cheeses and, of course, wine.

Other attractions 

Other than its food, the Emilia-Romagna region is also famous for its Motor Valley, given that it’s home to several big names in the sports car manufacturing world, such as Ferrari, Lamborghini, Mesarti and Ducati. Also worth noting are Bologna’s 62 kilometres of unique porticoes, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2012. Rain or shine, you can stroll throughout the city sheltered from the elements and in the shade come summer. You can even walk to the Sanctuary of the Madonna di San Luca, which is located 300 metres above the city, by staying under the porticoes, whose arches were built between 1674 and 1793, for more than three kilometres.

Balsamic vinegar production 

Modena is the birthplace of balsamic vinegar, which used to serve as a remedy for coughs. Aged between 12 and 25 years, true balsamic vinegar holds a “Protected Designation of Origin” label and sells for between 40 and 100 euros per bottle. Its only ingredient? Boiled grape juice. Lambrusco or Trebbiano grapes are pressed and their juice is boiled for 24 hours. The reduction is then stored in barrels in a cellar, where the vinegar will sweat in the summer and shiver in the winter. Only a linen cloth covers the opening, to allow for air circulation. The vinegar is then transferred from barrel to barrel until the final result, where only 30% of the initial quantity is retained. Expert connoisseurs taste it using a porcelain spoon and bottle it for producers, who are in charge of labelling. Traditionally, it was women who were responsible for making balsamic vinegar. Today, Modena is home to 305 manufacturers, who produce a total of almost 1.9 million litres each year.

Wine region 

There’s nothing quite like the local wines to accompany the culinary specialties of the region. Emilia-Romagna is said to be the third-largest wine-producing region in Italy. Sangiovese grapes are primarily grown at the Umberto Cesari Winery. Since its founding, the grapes have been harvested in the mornings and pressed on site to keep them from the pollution and dust of transportation. Unfortunately, the effects of climate change have been strongly felt on the vines in recent years. With high temperatures day and night, winter and summer, and little rain, the grape harvest takes place in early August rather than the usual October, as used to be the case 20 years ago. 2022 was reportedly the hottest year ever recorded in Italy and also the year when the winery lost more than 40% of its grape production due to drought. Despite these issues, over 4 million bottles are sold worldwide, with Canada being the largest buyer.

Want to cook like an Italian? Here are four recipes that highlight the flavours of Bologna:

pasta

Tortellini in Broth (Tortellini in Brodo)

Italian Cuisine

Ricotta Tortelloni (Tortelloni Alla Ricotta)

Savoury breads

Crescentines (Tigelle)

Dips and salty spreads

Rosemary Lard