Archive for 'Emilia-Romagna'

If you are interested in a picture-perfect historic setting, excellent eateries and an especially rich culinary tradition, pretty boutiques and streets, and art and culture, then the incredibly lovely city of Bologna makes for an ideal holiday destination. However, if you have found a vacation rental in Emilia Romagna and are planning trips to Bologna to experience the history and tradition then be sure to also keep an eye for the contemporary gems on offer in the city as well. For while the streets still reflect Medieval roots and the museums are generally filled with great works of art from times gone by, there are some incredible places to see the most cutting-edge and engaging works of art that deal with the most important issues of our times. One such place to see contemporary art in Bologna is Fondazione MAST, an international cultural and philanthropic institution that brings exhibitions focusing on art, technology and innovation to the city.

The MAST (or Manifattura di Arti, Sperimentazione e Tecnologia) Foundation was established in 2013 to encourage creativity and entrepreneurship among younger generations and to work in collaboration with other institutions in order to support economic and social growth in Bologna. In addition to a diverse and rich cultural program of events including art exhibition, conferences, presentations, film screenings, musical events, and educational workshops for children and teenagers that are open to the general public, there are also a variety of corporate welfare services, including a corporate restaurant, nursery school and wellness centre that are integral to the foundation’s mission statement of making an open place in which every citizen can access learning and the arts. This is not some elitist cultural institution but, rather, a space for the growth and well-being of all people.

In the previous post, we mentioned the incredible city of Bologna and all that it has to offer a visitor who has found a vacation rental in Emilia Romagna and wants to explore her capital. Not only is it a foodie’s paradise with an impossibly rich and delicious culinary tradition, it is also a cultural hotspot where both past and present bring fascinating things to the table. Bologna is home to amazing churches, architectural gems, art galleries, museums, and more and is an excellent place to take in beautiful objects both manmade and natural and to learn more about the world that we live in. One particularly fascinating place in which to do so is the Giovanni Capellini Museum.

Located on via Zamboni, the Giovanni Capellini Geological Museum, or Museo Geologico Giovanni Capellini, is connected to the university museum system Alma Mater Studiorum of the famous and ancient University of Bologna and reflects the incredible legacy of the university by being a rather excellent and special gem. As the university is one of the oldest in the world, it has also allowed this museum to accumulate a rather extraordinary collection over a long period of time, almost five hundred years. This collection boasts more than one million items including rocks, plants, fossils, giant dinosaur skeletons, a Mammoth skeleton, other prehistoric animals, and more.

Emilia-Romagna is a Northern region of Italy that is among the most developed regions of the country but is also steeped in history and boasts an incredibly rich culinary heritage. The capital of Bologna is home to Europe's oldest university, San Marino boasts scenic coastal views, Modena is home to a beautiful cathedral and famous museums with rich collections and the region has given the world Parmesan, Bolognese sauce, Lambrusco wines, Balsamic vinegar, and more. The landscapes are lush, the cities chic and metropolitan, the towns historic and pretty, and the heritage well worth diving right into. So, if you’re looking for a holiday destination in Italy, a vacation rental in Emilia-Romagna is a great idea.

For those among you that are particularly interested in pretty views and nice walks, if you were thinking on heading on a day trip to the lovely city of Bologna, then you need to head to the Villa Ghigi Park. Located on a hill slope just south of the city, just outside Porta San Mamolo, the park is made up of 28 hectares and boasts some of the most extraordinary views over Bologna. Opened to the public in 1975, the Villa Ghigi Park perfectly typifies the hilly landscape of Emilia Romagna and captures a taste of what you can expect of the geography of the whole region.

This week, in preparation for the spooky season that is swiftly descending upon us, and as people consider planning last-minute mid-term break, half-term, or Hallowe’en getaways, we have been looking at some of the spookiest places, attractions, and destinations in Italy. If you wanted to pay a visit to Bologna, after you have found a vacation rental in Emilia Romagna, then you’re in luck as it is home to the Villa Malvasia, often known as the Villa Clara, which is said to be one of the most haunted places in Italy. Come take in the history, culture, and heritage of Bologna, and her creepier aspects on a once-in-a-lifetime spooky and seasonal trip to Italy!

Located on via Zanardi 449 the Villa Malvasia immediately stands out as a creepy and dilapidated shell of an abandoned and formerly beautiful mansion. Like a lot of castles and old mansions in Italy, it is steeped in local legends and, in this case, a rather disturbing one.

The villa is also known as Villa Clara due to one of the supposed former residents of the building, who is said to stay on as a ghost. Clara was said to have been the daughter or stepdaughter of an owner of the villa who was born with an especially strong gift of clairvoyance. Any dream or vision she had was more than sure to come true. Her father feared her gift and is said, in local mythology, to have locked her away and allowed her to die.

If you have found a vacation rental in Emilia-Romagna and you are a foodie, you’re in luck as there are lots of delicious local treats, eateries, products, and more to get acquainted with over the course of your stay in the area. However, if you are seriously into food and you are looking for a rather unique foodie experience in Italy then you might want to head 20 minutes out of Bologna to FICO Eataly World, a food theme park located just outside of town on a 20-acre plot that was previously home to a fruit and vegetables market.

None of this, however, has to be simply passive. This is a theme park and there are various “rides” involved. Attend one of the 30 events or 50 classes per day that are held in various classrooms, theatres and learning facilities dotted around the park, ride around on three-wheeler bikes specially designed for the park by the Italian bicycle company Bianchi to explore the grounds, meet and pet the animals in their pens, take the mini train around, watch dogs go truffle hunting, go on a guided tour with one of the park’s “biodiversity ambassadors”, sample products, and much more besides. There is lots to do!