Day-Trips from Bologna - Part 3: Ravenna's Byzantine Treasures

Picking one favorite church from a 23-day tour of Italy is somewhat like asking a glutton to choose his favorite condiment from the pantry of the Ritz.

For us it could be San Marco in Venice, Santa Croce in Lecce, perhaps the World Heritage designated cathedral of Modena, or at the opposite end of the spectrum, an anonymous weathered wooden chapel in the alpine Dolomites. While there is certainly no bad choice -- like shaved truffles versus Sicilian anchovies -- I do have one clear favorite in mind.



There is something about the mystique of early Christian churches that fascinates me immensely, from the shadowy Roman arches to the archaic religious icons to the uncomplicated expression of doctrine. My favorite choice of Basilica di San Vitale in Ravenna should surprise no one -- after all this is arguably the most impressive early Byzantine church outside of Byzantium, a rare 1500-year-old specimen from the Dark Ages. And dark may be a fair description of the atmosphere until one's eyes are brightened up at the first sight of the glorious ceilings.



Absolutely breathtaking Byzantine mosaics such as these, hailing from the same era as Hagia Sophia of Constantinople, are the world-class attractions at this otherwise anonymous town near Italy's northeastern coast. As sleepy and unremarkable Ravenna may appear to the uninitiated, in its 5th Century heyday this was the capital of the Western Roman Empire, which made it one of the world's most important cities in Late Antiquity.



For several hundred years from the fall of the Roman Empire until the rise of Charlemagne, cultured Ravenna, instead of dilapidated Rome, served as the political centre of Byzantine Italy. Emperor Justinian himself became immortalized in mosaic in this basilica, commissioned not in the same grandiose scale as Hagia Sophia but a majestic place of worship nonetheless. Even after one and a half millennia the ceiling mosaics continue to convey its biblical messages from Abraham to Isaac to Moses to Isaiah to the Evangelists.



Most visitors, myself included, were so awed by the sacred ambience that the basilica remained relatively quiet for the steady stream of multi-national tourists it justifiably deserves. 45 minutes was not enough for me to enjoy this hallowed temple of early Christian worship, from an era of simpler faith and less schism on doctrines.



The stunning mosaic alone would have made San Vitale my favorite church among sixty or so on a trip spanning from the Austrian border to the heel of Italy's boot, and these photogenic Byzantine columns and frescoed cupola were just the cherry on top. The only thing missing was a congregation of worshippers, and a choir, to bring this ancient basilica to life.



This was our third and last day-trip from our homebase in Bologna, visiting Emilia-Romagna's three UNESCO World Heritage Sites and sampling their own unique local cuisine. With all due respect to Modena's medieval architecture (and Balsamic Vinegar!) and Ferrara's renaissance castle and squares, nothing compared to this absolutely unmissible excursion to Ravenna in its Byzantine glory.



But the gold-inlayed mosaics at San Vitale aren’t even the oldest surviving ones in this ancient capital of a crumbling but still massive and influential empire. A short distance from the Byzantine basilica stands an even older monument from Roman times, a small but regal mausoleum covered entirely in magnificent mosaics fit for an empress.



Entrance to the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia was strictly controlled at about 20 or so visitors at a time for this slightly claustrophobic but intimate audience with the finest of Roman mosaics, extravagantly detailed and vividly colorful even after nearly 1600 years.



Windows of alabaster dimly illuminated this ancient burial chamber for the most powerful and storied women of her time, Empress Regent of the Western Roman Empire and a central character in Roman politics for decades leading up to Attila the Hun’s invasion of Italy.



From angels and apostles venerating a gold cross in a starry blue sky to this image of the good shepherd sitting among his beloved flock, religious mosaics hardly left any corner of the room undecorated in sublime craftsmanship. While our visit was kept short by the constant flow of tourists, at least non-flash photography was allowed inside the mausoleum, unlike our later visit to the Archbishop’s Chapel where photography of any form was prohibited.



Even larger scale mosaics awaited us among Ravenna’s wealth of World Heritage designated monuments, the oldest being the gorgeous spherical dome of Battistero Neoniano adorned with a 5th Century depiction of the Baptism of Jesus, encircled by larger-than-life images of his twelve apostles.



Perhaps the most amazing aspect of the baptistery was the free entrance policy -- we’re talking about a 1600-year-old national treasure that would be closely guarded, ticketed and possibly climate-controlled in most countries. Yet here in Ravenna the abundance of Roman and Byzantine relics has effectively relegated this building to secondary significance, which also allowed us to get up close and personal to admire the artistry of the 5th Century masters.



Equally breathtaking, and unguarded, was the slightly newer Arian Baptistry constructed after Ravenna had been passed from the Romans to the Goths. Repeated here were the common themes of John the Baptist, the twelve apostles, and Jesus who was depicted as brown haired and clean shaven as opposed to blonde and bearded at the Baptistry of Neon.



Ravenna proved to be an ideal day-trip with so many worthwhile sights all contained within a small and partially pedestrianized historic centre, conveniently accessible by train especially coming from nearby Bologna or perhaps as far as Venice or Florence. One word of caution though: plan to arrive no later than 10:00 in the morning if you have luggages in tow, as the number of lockers available at Cooperativa San Vitale (just south of the train station) was quite limited.


RESTAURANT REVIEW

Having time for only one meal in the region of Romagna, we took advantage of our lunchtime here to sample arguably the best loved Romagnolo culinary invention, the simple and filling peasant favorite of Piadina. In Ravenna this crusty flatbread seemed ubiquitously served at every street corner from tiny Baracchino stands to sit-down Trattorie, which created a minor dilemma in picking just one.

PIADINA CUPIDO
Via Cavour 43/a; located on the main pedestrian road just south of Basilica di San Vitale.


While we could have picked any random streetside Baracchino, we took the safe route and chose an eatery confident enough to call itself a Piadineria. Like Gyros stands in Athens or Kushiyaki stalls in Osaka, there’s probably no such thing as a substandard Piadineria as long as one avoids train stations and obvious tourist traps.



Piadineria Cupido focused on two main products: the essential staple of Piadina, and stuffed pasta freshly handmade behind the counter. Here the daily special happened to be Ravioli ai Funghi.



After 15 anxious minutes came the star attraction, a freshly toasted Piadina in the classic combination of creamy Squacquerone cheese, crispy arugula and of course, the Emilia-Romagna's famous Prosciutto Crudo. I still remember the scrumptiousness of the dough combined with the complex flavor of this luscious Prosciutto in probably our best sandwich of the trip.



Adding some fresh Ravioli ai Funghi and a green salad for my wife, we made it a full meal in case we would get stuck en route to our next destination. Later in the afternoon we would take a short train ride to Rimini before hopping on a bus, technically leaving Italy, to what would turn out to be my wife’s favorite destination on our trip -- the Republic of San Marino.

Bill for Two Persons

Piadina with Squacquerone, Arugula and Prosciutto Crudo	5.5 Euros
Ravioli ai Funghi	6.5 Euros
Green Salad with Tuna and Cheese	5.0 Euros
Can of Moretti	2.4 Euros
Can of Peroni	2.4 Euros
TOTAL	21.8 Euros (CAD$30.5)

Day-Trips from Bologna - Part 2: Renaissance City of Ferrara

Our second excursion from Bologna took us to this highly underrated destination, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the birthplaces of Italian Renaissance. After 40 minutes on the regional express train, traveling northeast in the general direction of Padova and Venice on a day of brilliant blue skies, we arrived at the elegant provincial capital of Ferrara.



This refined city, once a cultural and artistic powerhouse during Renaissance, may just be the most unknown destination on our 3 week journey. While it's true that most Canadians aren't very knowledgeable in foreign geography, it disappointed me that none of my friends had actually heard of Ferrara. "Ferrari?" they asked. Close, but Ferrari hails from nearby Modena while Ferrara has little to do with supercars.



Confusion of names aside I cannot understand why this historic city, conveniently situated on the Florence-Bologna-Venice rail line and thus easily accessible to most visitors, gets barely any international attention. Domestically it is somewhat well-known and we did run into Italian-speaking tour groups in front of the Duomo, though it is almost impossible to imagine Ferrara ever being overrun by tourists given its relative anonymity and composed ambiance.



The few travelers arriving would naturally gravitate towards Ferrara's most impressive landmark, the magnificent medieval fortress of Castello Estense, dressed in red bricks from bottom to top and defended by an evocative green moat complete with still-functional drawbridges. From its claustrophobic dungeons to the stately banquet rooms to the handsome roof terraces, this was by far our favorite attraction in town.



For more than 600 years the castle has survived numerous calamities from innocent fires to WWII bombings to the devastating double earthquakes in 2012. During our visit many of the ceiling frescoes were still under a major restoration project for damages from the 5.8 magnitude quakes, an endeavour that will likely take years to complete.



From the castle, more precisely along the adjacent Via Cavour, the city divides into a medieval quarter of narrow cobblestone alleyways to the north and arguably Italy's best-preserved Renaissance cityscape to the south with splendid 15th Century Palazzi, wide boulevards and spacious open squares. This immaculate early example of modern urban planning has remained fairly unmodified for the past 500 years, complete with massive defensive walls still encircling this former medieval city state.



At the heart of the Renaissance quarter was Piazza del Municipio and the magnificent facade of its imposing former cathedral, half Romanesque and half Gothic, with market stalls curiously protruding from the side as a vestige of medieval pragmatism. Seven centuries later the marketplace still comes to life in the morning with offerings of locally grown Fiori di Zucca and Pomodorini along with cheap blankets and t-shirts from China or Eastern Europe.



The Duomo's ceiling apparently suffered substantial damage from the 2012 earthquakes and remained half-veiled by scaffolding at the time of our visit. Nevertheless the cool and dark interior still offered us much needed respite from the sweltering 33 degrees heatwave outside.



From the Duomo we headed south towards the incredibly photogenic Via delle Volte, a 13th Century alley of endless medieval stone arches widely advertised as the most romantic street in Ferrara. My word of advice for guys is to make sure your wife or girlfriend isn't wearing heels, as a twisted ankle from negotiating this archaic paving of pebbles and cobblestones could really foil the romance.



Curious travelers can follow the east-west course of Via delle Volte and escape from the main tourist circuit of the Castello and Duomo, finishing at the eastern quarter of the walled city where a fascinating but lesser-known Palazzo, also built by the d'Este dynasty of rulers, still stands. Palazzo Schifanoia's claim to fame is its fanciful 15th Century frescoes on the second floor featuring the pagan themes of Olympian gods, zodiacs and exotic beasts, inappropriate perhaps for an official residence but apt for a holiday mansion at the periphery of the Renaissance city.



Visitors were so few at Palazzo Schifanoia, and staff members were so enthusiastic to see foreign tourists that one of them took the effort to usher us down the street towards the free-entrance Museo Lapidario. The near absence of tourist traffic also made this the perfect neighborhood for exploring the street corner Trattorie, catering not to foreigners but mainly to university students and local workers on their lengthy lunch breaks.


I LAUREATI
Via Carlo Mayr 187; 6 minutes walk southwest of Palazzo Schifanoia.


This is an authentic Ferrarese establishment for the Ferrarese, a neighborhood Trattoria located far, far away from most tourist itineraries at the southeast corner of the Renaissance city. While the 20 minute detour from the Castello serves to keep non-locals away, it's only a short walk if you're already planning on visiting Palazzo Schifanoia.



The popularity of I Laureati (i.e. The Graduates) among students from the nearby University of Ferrara should become apparent once you see their incredible lunchtime Fixed Menu -- in fact one of the best lunch deals we came across anywhere in Italy. We're talking 12 euros for Primo, Secondo and Contorno, plus 1/4 litre of house wine. And plus, the Coperto was already included in the price. You simply can't possibly ask for anything cheaper without bankrupting the owner.



That said, at just 12 euros for a multi-course meal with wine one shouldn't expect any groundbreaking gastronomic highlights. Our Primo of Gramigna Panna e Salsiccia, Secondo of Braciole alla Griglia and Contorno of Verdure Grigliate were all authentic family favorites but nothing spectacular. It was when we ordered the a la carte regional specialties, still at very reasonable prices, that the skill of the chef was really allowed to shine.



This was simply the best dish of filled pasta of our Italy trip.

Ferrara's contribution to Italy's dinner table rarely sparks any discussion especially in the shadow of Emilia-Romagna's long list of culinary heavyweights -- Parma for Prosciutto Crudo, Bologna for Ragu Bolognese or Modena for Aceto Balsamico, just to name a few. But there is one illustrious dish passed down from the medieval kitchen of the d'Este court that nobody should miss, the famous Cappellacci di Zucca.



The magic here was a sweet velvety filling of the local variety of Zucca Marina, wrapped in al dente egg pasta and sauteed in the traditional sauce of butter and aromatic sage. The grated Ricotta Salata and crunchy poppy seed added yet another delicious dimension to the mouthfeel, and while the price of this one dish wasn't much cheaper than the 3-course Fixed Menu, it was certainly worth every cent.



We finished with another local invention known as Torta Tenerina, resembling somewhat of a flat chocolate brownie on first glance but came out unexpectedly soft and creamy beneath the slightly crusty exterior. Our final bill came to a ridiculous 25 euros considering our feast of two Primi, one Secondo, one Contorno, one Dolce and 1/4 litre of house red. I really don't recall any other sit-down restaurant being this cheap anywhere else in Italy, with the exception of another Trattoria we would soon come across in San Marino ... which technically isn't Italy anyway.

Bill for Two Persons

Menu Fisso	12 Euros
Cappellacci di Zucca	10 Euros
Torta Tenerina	3 Euros
Coperto x 1	1 Euros
Discount	-1 Euros
TOTAL	25 Euros (CAD$35.0)

Day-Trips from Bologna - Part 1: Ferrari Museum and Aceto Balsamico di Modena

From our homebase in Bologna we took three separate day-trips to Emilia-Romagna's three UNESCO World Heritage Sites, starting with a quick and cheap (25 minutes and a measly 3.75 euros!) train ride to the neighboring historic city of Modena. Make no mistake -- this is THE Modena of Balsamic Vinegar fame, though this compact ancient city packs a lot more than just condiments.



While foodies know Modena best for its heavenly rich vinegar or possibly its Prosciutto or Lambrusco, and car aficionados know it as the birthplace of Enzo Ferrari and the namesake of Ferrari 360, to architecture fans it is synonymous with one of the world's greatest Romanesque masterpieces, a grand 12th Century Duomo with its gleaming white Campanile gracing a medieval square aptly named Piazza Grande.



Showcased throughout the external facades and internal naves is a perfect symbiosis between architecture and decorative art, the intimate collaboration between the ingenious architect with one of the period's greatest sculptors. There were simply too many details, such as the 700 year old golden crucifix overhanging the altar, to appreciate in one visit.



My favorite area of the cathedral was the elegant and tranquil crypt hosting the sepulchre of San Geminiano, the city's patron saint credited with saving Modena from the marauding hordes of Attila back in the 5th Century with a miraculous dense fog. I normally don't care for legends and relics, but the solemn atmosphere -- and the coolness of the basement -- was the perfect refuge from the 33 degree heat on this unseasonably hot September day.



We wrapped up our visit of Piazza Grande with the obligatory climb of 200 or so steps up the 12th Century bell tower of Ghirlandina, reopened in time for our visit after four years of restoration efforts. Through a slightly obtrusive chain fence one could appreciate the modest skyline of the historic centre, which probably hasn't changed very much since the Renaissance.



No disrespect to Modena's rich historical heritage, but we almost skipped it for Mantova until I was seduced by a much more modern attraction that would make any big boy's heart race. A short seven minute walk from the train station leads to the new Museo Casa Enzo Ferrari (note: not Museo Ferrari in Maranello), a 2500 square metre showroom filled with so many of the world's greatest driving machines, classic or brand new. In case you're wondering ... yes, that is a 950hp LaFerrari in the foreground.



On prominent display of course was the city's namesake, the popular 360 Modena which, although no competition to the LaFerrari in terms of horsepower, goes 0 to 100 in a respectable 4.3 seconds.



There were also rare one-of-a-kinds such as this F512M from the 1971 Le Mans showdown. And if you're inclined to take a spin on the racecourse yourself, there was an F1 simulator with its extremely complicated steering wheel and replica cockpit.



Just as interesting as the main exhibition hall was the 19th century warehouse that belonged to Enzo Ferrari's father, now an annex of the museum hosting a dream stable of Italian classics.



For Ferrari fans there is hardly anything more classic than this gorgeous 1947 125S, the first car to ever carry the Ferrari label.



Other extraordinary specimens include this 575 GTC that competed at Le Mans, as well as Michael Schumacher's record setting F2001. You can see why I was more fascinated with the exhibits inside this unassuming warehouse than with the brand new museum building.



Then there are the monster engines such as this fearsome 6260cc, 660hp V12 from a F140, a testimony of the popular joke that one buys the Ferrari for its engine and the rest of the car come free.



As we left we paid tribute to Enzo himself, immortalized as a wax sculpture inside his old office. For us Modena was an easy and rewarding day-trip, a Primo of UNESCO World Heritage architecture followed by a Secondo of exceptional driving machines. And plus, the best is yet to come in one of the most memorable lunches of our trip.


TRATTORIA IL FANTINO
Located at Via Donzi 7; 3 minutes walk east of Modena Cathedral


It's almost impossible not to eat well anywhere we traveled in bountiful Emilia-Romagna, especially here at one of Italy's agri-food capitals. Located at the historic heart of Modena was this little trattoria that we found totally packed at lunchtime, and understandably so when we saw their offering of fantastic regional cuisine at very affordable prices, exemplified by a 15 euros set lunch of Mixed Salumi with Tigelli and Gnocco Fritto Modenese.

At this point I had only the faintest idea what Gnocco Fritto was, but the Antipasto of Salumi Misti was absolutely top quality with Salame di Felino, Mortadella and best of all, some of the moistest and most succulent Prosciutto di Modena, certainly among the best Prosciutto we've ever tasted.



Arriving with the Salumi was a basketful of fresh-from-the-oven Tigelli served with a range of traditional fillings for our picking, including the local invention of Pesto Modenese, a seriously thick spread of flavorfully cured lard and rosemary. Also available of course was the classic combination of creamy Squacquerone with arugula.



After experimenting with multiple combinations we had to concur with the conventional wisdom of the locals -- Squacquerone does go best with Arugula and either some Prosciutti or Salami. I don't think we finished the entire mountain of Tigelli as we had even better things waiting for us.



Introducing one of the best dishes of our entire 23-day trip -- Bocconcini di Pollo all'Aceto Balsamico, nuggets of chewy free-range chicken braised in unquestionably the best balsamic vinegar reduction, in fact the deepest, fullest-flavored vinegar of any nationality we've ever tasted. At the bargain price of 10 euros this surely couldn't be Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale, but this reduction was magical enough that I would gladly return to Modena in a heart beat, just for this one dish alone.



But there was more to come. At last arrived the enigmatic local favorite of Gnocco Fritto Modenese, which turned out to be the lightest, most pillowy fried dough ever. While our neighboring diners seemed to love their Gnocco with Prosciutto or Salame, we discovered what we experimented to be the most delicious use of the puffy dough -- to mop up the remaining balsamic vinegar reduction! The complex acidity of the syrupy thick sauce was simply the perfect match for the oiliness of the Gnocco, much better than the fatty and savory salame IMHO. At roughly 30 euros this was one of our most satisfying sit-down meals in terms of price-quality ratio, yet another reason to love Modena.

Bill for Two Persons

Gnocco e Tigelli con Salumi Misti	15 Euros
Bocconcini di Pollo all'Aceto Balsamico	10 Euros
Bottle of Water	2 Euros
Coperto x 2	4 Euros
TOTAL	31 Euros (CAD$43.4)

A velvety cup of traditional vanilla gelato from Gelateria Bloom provided the ideal icing on the cake for our excursion to this mouthwatering and oft neglected destination in North Central Italy. The next day we would continue our tour of Emilia-Romagna's World Heritage Sites, at the even more underrated gem of Ferrara.