Newsgroup: it.hobby.viaggi
Titolo: Forlì (Bologna) secondo Ryanair (o quasi)

ROTFL :-) A Guazzaloca non ci son arrivati... come nel dire che palle
arrivare a Forlì alle 21 e passa di sera per andare a Bologna... eheh
http://www.ryanair.com/dest/forli.html
There are three faces to Bologna - Bologna la rossa (the red), famed for her
rusty rooftops, rich hues of terracotta and left-wing leanings; Bologna la
dotta (the scholarly), so-called because the city is home to the oldest
university in the world; and Bologna la grassa (the fat), the cradle of
Italian gastronomy. Founded by the Etruscans on the Po Plains in 600BC as
Felsina, the northeast Italian city was renamed Bononia by the Gauls, whose
French overtones can still be heard in the local dialect. Bologna came to
worldwide attention with the founding of the university in 1088, when two
thousand students from all over Europe poured into the medieval commune.
Porticoes supporting additional lodgings sprung up all over the city to
house the influx of newcomers and Bologna's leitmotif was born. Today, 40km
(25 miles) of ochre-coloured arcades still shadow the streets - covered
walkways that give Bologna its unique style. Under these arches, lovers
shelter from prying eyes, elegant Bolognese ladies take refuge from the rain
and North African immigrants proffer lighters and bogus Gucci wallets.
Bologna has always maintained a homespun realism and attention to detail,
even in its architecture, disdaining marble in favour of bricks. From Piazza
Maggiore, the cobbled streets spread outwards towards the city gates, like
spokes on a crumpled bicycle-wheel. This is the heart of Bologna, a handsome
square sealed on all sides by medieval palazzi and the half-finished bulk of
San Petronio. Here, amid the pigeons, the Bolognese come to shop, to pray,
to chat and to demonstrate. Politics excites a good deal of passion in 'Red
Bologna', famous for being the first city to elect a Communist council. When
the Bolognese professor and former prime minister, Romano Prodi, lead the
Olive Tree coalition to victory in the 1996 elections, he gave the Communist
Party their first legitimate role in government. The PDS have long been
considered the least corrupt local government in Italy. However, sometimes
the politics have turned nasty. Every year, a commemorative service is held
on 2 August, to honour the 84 people who died when Bologna's train station
was bombed by right-wing terrorists in 1980. But this proud and solid
community will not be bullied. Only at mealtimes do the Bolognese fall
silent. In Bologna, a social conscience goes hand in hand with a hearty
appetite. The Mercato dell'Erbe, just off Piazza Maggiore, is a riot of
sounds, smells and colours. Shop windows are laden with succulent hams and
spicy salamis, while scores of restaurants devote hours to pummelling,
stretching and stuffing fresh pasta.
Although summers are hot and generally dry, winters on the Emilia-Romagna
plains can be as cold, if not colder, than in Britain, with January being
particularly inhospitable. The climate is moderate in spring and autumn,
with a general lack of tourists, these are the best times to visit. In
comparison, July and August are generally hot and crowded.
Progressive, wealthy and cosmopolitan - with an excellent quality of life
akin to Sweden's - the city is one of Italy's leading centres of industry
and business. The fairground district, built in the 1960s by the Japanese
architect Kenzo Tange, echoes the medieval towers of Bologna. As the fifth
largest exhibition centre in Europe, it plays host to major international
trade fairs and dictates the ebb and flow of city life. In 2000, Bologna was
one of nine European cities of culture, enjoying a huge programme of music,
cinema, theatre and public spending to open the city up to foreign visitors.
Improved accessibility to the city's russet charms promises to draw tourists
from afar, while the sheer abundance of food and hospitality means that some
may never leave.
From WorldTravelGuide.net copyright © Columbus Publishing Ltd 2002

 ROTFL :-) A Guazzaloca non ci son arrivati...
[CUT]
E' un complotto dei comunisti irlandesi :-)