Romance with la dolce vita

This is a tale of two cities in Northern Italy: Bologna, capital of the Emilia-Romagna region, and Veneto’s Verona. Both share impressive tourism credentials of rich histories, cultural significance and architecture – from medieval, Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque to eye-catching modern styles.

But the world knows Bologna is all about food. So, in anticipation of a city-wide gastronomical feast, I decide to first work up an appetite with an inspiring walk through history – from arches and porticos to cathedrals and churches, fountains and piazzas. The Basilica Di San Petronius (built in 1390) that dominates Piazza Maggiore, for example, is the oldest and largest in the city, dedicated to the bishop of Bologna in the 5th century.

But you’ll really clock up the steps by trying to find the ‘perfect angle’ for an Instagram-able shot of Asinelli and Garisenda: Bologna’s medieval towers.

In the 12th and 13th centuries, Bologna was Italy’s ‘Manhattan’, when more than 180 towers reached for the sky.

Rival families are credited with building Asinelli and Garisenda (pictured far right) as a sign of power and status, between 1109 and 1119.

Progress and development claimed most of the others in the early 20th century. So, Asinelli and Garisenda have since become the symbols of Bologna.

Garisenda has a steep overhang due to subsidence of the land. It was lowered in the 14th century for fear of collapse. A barrier has now been erected around the 48m landmark that is Italy’s ‘other leaning tower’. With a tilt of 4 degrees, it is at an even greater angle than the Leaning Tower of Pisa at 3.9 degrees. Experts hope the equipment and know-how that was used to stop the Pisa tower from collapsing also will help curb any movement and cracking of Garisenda.

The Asinelli Tower, the taller of the two at 97.02m, has become a major tourist attraction for its breathtaking views up 498 internal steps to the top.

This city walk is a great first course for ‘tasting Bologna’ – an ideal accompaniment to our apartment, called ‘Un Gioiello sotto le Due Torri’ (‘A Jewel Under the Two Towers’). Our host Filippo had recommended Trattoria Gianni among his favourite eateries. So, we booked. And of course, for my first meal in Bologna, I had to sample the dish the city gave the world.

We know it as Spaghetti Bolognaise. But in Italy, the authentic rich, meat-based sauce simmered with vegetables and wine is ‘ragù alla Bolognese’ – traditionally served with tagliatelle, not spaghetti. Trattoria Gianni did Bologna’s culinary heritage proud. Honourable mention also must go to nearby Ristorante La Capriata’s Tagliatelle Con Ragu – said to be made according to the city’s oldest recipe, slow-cooked for six hours.

But it was Ela, from Devour tours, who truly brought out the flavours of the region for us. Booked through GetYourGuide, Ela’s foodie walking tour introduced us to the best of Mercato delle Erbe market, designed in its current form in 1910, where Bologna producers and chefs give a nod to history and time-honoured traditions, while also offering a modern twist to authentic tastes.

They proudly present their vibrant shopfronts and stalls overflowing with light pastries, handmade tortellini, mortadella and Parma prosciutto, Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, pistachio gelato and the quirky lasagna verde (with colours honouring the Italian flag), to name a few. And we savoured some of this ‘slow food’ smorgasbord at the oldest osteria in Bologna (Osteria del Sole, 1465). This is a medieval place lost in time, where you can BYO any of the delicious local delicacies and eat around big wooden tables, talking with newfound friends over a glass of beer or wine – recreating scenes of merriment across the centuries.

What Bologna is to food, Verona is to romance. And while there is no evidence to suggest Shakespeare ever visited the ‘fair Verona’ of his tragedy Romeo and Juliet and comedy The Two Gentlemen of Verona, he lived in a time when travellers’ tales could conjure up desire and longing to visit – as they still do today.And like many tourists in Verona, I wanted to see the cobblestoned courtyard with its statue of Juliet (pictured left) and her balcony.

Yes, I know the balcony was added in 1936 as part of a restoration project to enhance the historical site, which was acquired by the Municipality of Verona in 1905. Yes, I know the Nereo Costantini statue was erected in the courtyard in 1972.

But Juliet’s House (Casa di Giulietta) at Via Cappello 23 is still among the most visited places in Verona (the long line of tourists one Saturday afternoon, spilling through the alleyway and out into the street of shops, attested to that!).

Also in the courtyard is one of Verona’s red mailboxes where love-lorn pilgrims from all over the world can hand deliver their letters seeking guidance. Visitors also can volunteer their time to The Juliet Club to become her ‘secretaries’ – even for a day – to answer some of the 50,000 letters they receive each year (julietclub.com/en/) .

The medieval tower house, documented since 1351, originally drew visitors as an inn. Visit Verona (visitverona.it) reports that this place was first associated with the story of Romeo and Juliet by Luigi da Porto in 1531, immortalised by William Shakespeare in 1596, and identified as the house of the Capulets in the 18th century (Montecchi/ Montagues and Cappelletti/Capulets lived in the city in the 16th century). Inside, paintings, engravings and sculptures recreate the tragedy of Romeo and Juliet (including the bed used in Franco Zeffirelli’s 1968 film among the exhibits).

If you find all that a little underwhelming, all is not lost in the love stakes. In fact, Verona has a countryside custom built for long, romantic walks.

And the story of the deep bonds between star-crossed lovers is in the back of my head as hubby and I set out to explore ‘The City of Love’ over two days.

First, we plotted a course from our Hotel Mastino, through the medieval, arched Portoni della Bra (the primary gateway to the ancient city) and Piazza Bra (the largest public square in Verona), around the Roman Arena, to Castelvecchio.

The strategic location of this square, red-bricked ‘Old Castle’, built between 1354 and 1376, meant it served as fortress and residence for the powerful Lord of Verona, Cangrande II della Scala, allowing the Scaliger dynasty to control access to the city in the Middle Ages. Within its walls is housed the Museo di Castelvecchio. The museum has impressive paintings by Veronese and Tintoretto, for example, along with armour, weapons and sculptures through the ages.

Like us, visitors can while away hours wandering the castle walls, courtyards and ramparts, taking in the sweeping views of the historical city centre and photographing the fortified bridge, Ponte Scaligero, across the Adige River.

But don’t stop there. We were rewarded with a walk across Ponte Scaligero to Giardini Sandro Pertini: a green space with gardens and reflective water feature that recharged us enough to head back into the open-air markets of Piazza delle Erbe for some people watching at Bistrot della Scala.

After beating the crowds with an early Sunday morning stroll around Juliet’s House, past Casa di Romeo (you guessed it: Romeo’s House), and the Dante Alighieri statue in Piazza dei Signori (erected in 1863 to celebrate the 600th anniversary of the Italian poet, writer and philosopher’s birth), we headed once again to the Adige River over Ponte Garibaldi (named after the hero of the unification of modern Italy).

The river promenade led us to the funicular for Castel San Pietro and its Austrian fortifications on San Petro Hill.

Lying 70m above the river, this 19th century military fortress once held the most important strategic position in the city but now offers visitors a comprehensive view of the medieval historic centre. No wonder it is the most photographed panorama of Veneto.

We weren’t the only couple being swept away for hours, spotting the Roman Arena, bell tower of the Verona Cathedral and the dark, pointed spire of the Gothic Basilica di Santa Anastasia (the largest church in the city), historic bridges and the Scaliger towers – with a backdrop of vineyards in the Valpolicella viticultural zone.

A return meander over Ponte Pietra (the oldest stone bridge in Verona, originally built in 100BC) to Piazza dei Signori for dinner at Impero Trattoria Pizzeria (an ‘open-air living room’ in one of the oldest pizzerias in Verona) was almost all the romance I could take for one day.