Beautiful Bologna

There's no city like it. Bologna, the capital of the Emilia-Romagna region in Italy, isn't nearly as popular a travel destination as Rome, Naples, Florence, Venice, or Milan, but I can't see why. It's home to the oldest university in the world, it's recognized as the gastronomic center of Italy, and it's pretty ... very pretty. Bologna may not be a polished city -- it's full of cracks and imperfections -- but the fact that Bologna looks its age is part of the charm.

I was attracted to two of the city's aesthetic features in particular -- the colors and the porticos. Bologna has been nicknamed la rossa (the red one) for its many red roofs and buildings. The entire city is painted in earthy hues of red, orange, and yellow, colors I associate with warmth. As for the porticos, Bologna's historic center contains nearly 40 kilometers (25 miles) of them. For someone who can never get enough archways (me!), Bologna is a kind of heaven.

While my photos don't do Bologna justice, it's impossible for the camera lens not to capture the distinctive look of the city.

For more pictures of my trip to Bologna, visit my photo gallery.

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