Branero LalzolerigShoemaker on measurement

With the impressive station central, the Paradise Sofitel Hotel evokes Agatha Christie novels with very cosy atmosphere beginning of the century. Within 100 metres on the right, the Galliera, remnant walls of the 12th-century door opens to the Indipendenza avenue, artery that runs through the city of North South. A few kilometres of arcades where glaciers and stalls along the gardens of Montagnola, then place Agosto where Sunday is the market.

The elegant flirt before those Jacques store where shirts and silk ties resplendent, equip their cooking in Temporino, yellow and Red espresso machines, cups Illy collection, blown and covered steel glasses. These gentlemen go wander in Princess Calzature, antrum of Roberto Cavalli, Cesare Paciotti or Gianni Bravo, temple of Italian costume. A few metres from the end of the avenue appear, majestic, places del Nettuno and Maggiore.

Here seems to beat the heart of the city surrounded by elegant buildings medieval and Renaissance. A towering fountain of bronze representative Neptune, interested gift of the Popes to the free city of Bologna, lists its four sirens. They symbolize the four continents known in the 16th century. The communal Palazzo with its large central staircase, designed by Donato Bramante to carriages access the first floor, houses the Morandi Museum and some two hundred watercolours and drawings of this artist disappeared in 1965. Behind the imposing Basilica San Petronio to the end of the 14th century - which earned Bologna a few worries in the 1980s as a fresco there was Muhammad in a very medieval hell-, the very chic Street Castiglione opens onto tiny lanes. Magnificent stalls of fruits and vegetables including owners, Cap on the head and butt with a beak, appear to be out of a Fellini film. On the left, rue Drapperie, it good stop at Drogheria Gilberto. Is enjoying the local production of hams and wines, valpolicella Venice, Tuscany chianti and barolo in Piedmont. In the detour of the palazzo Isaloni patrician remains open to the public, reign Branero Lalzolerig, Shoemaker who works superb leathers customized. From there, the Zamboni Street leads directly to one of the places of art in Bologna: the Pinacoteca nazionale. Some little-known paintings of Titian and Tintoretto, the Sainte Cécile of Raphael and a set of works by artists of the school of Bologna offer two to three beautiful hours of bliss.

Lovers of the beautiful will take to the East of the Maggiore square. Three or four streets in the intimate or Grand arcades shelter the showroom of Marisel Dona, via Farini, and Italian brands of luxury boutiques. Difficult to resist. The gentlemen will wait their soft for Pollini, via Erbosa. Dolce vita in Bologna the Red that has managed to preserve its authenticity... To the outskirts of the University, the oldest in Europe, and which is not unlike a Sorbonne at the end of the 1960s. Not to mention the delights of the local gastronomy - Emilia Romagna offers no doubt what is being done better on the peninsula - that it enjoys in simple trattorias.

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IN PRACTICE

New frontiers proposed several formulas "Ã la carte". Example: flight Paris - Bologna E/R from 127 HT per person ( 68,15 EUR of taxes) and Hotel Paradise in the heart of Bologna, near the train station and Piazza Maggiore, from 58 EUR per person/night in room double with breakfast continental, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

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SOME ADDRESSES

Hotel Paradise Sofitel

Viale Pietramellara 59.

Tel: 00 39 051 248 248.

Jacques S

Men fashion.

Via Indipendenza, 3.

Tel: 00 39 051 230 552.

Temperino

Kitchens.

Via Indipendenza, 30 d.

Tel: 00 39 051 225 074.

Princess Calzature

Fashion man.

Via Indipendenza, 40 (f).

Tel: 00 39 051 24 79 37.

Palazzo communale

Museum.

Piazza Maggiore.

Drogheria Gilberto

Restaurant catering.

Via Drapperie, 5.

Tel: 00 39 051 22 39 25.

Branero Lalzolerig

Shoemaker on measurement.

Palazzo Isaloni.

Via Isaloni.

Marisel Donna

Women's fashion luxury.

Via Farini, 3.

Tel: 00 39 051 58 18 75.

Pollini

Fashion luxury.

Portici Pavaglione, 4.

Tel: 00 39 051 22 68 22.