A Culinary Adventure from Mantua to Bologna

Hello, fellow travelers,

As usual, I'd like to make this a habit and tell you about how I spent my weekend, where I went, and, unfortunately (but also fortunately), what I ate. Technically, I should be on a diet to stay competitive on the bike, but I just can't resist good food.
On Sunday, I didn't go biking. Sometimes, I just want to do something different, especially when I'm with dear friends. We wanted to go somewhere interesting, but we weren't exactly sure where to go. I wasn't in the mood for a lake, so after about an hour of indecision, we decided to take a trip to Mantua.

I have to say, I really like Mantua as a city. You know I'm not a big art enthusiast, but Mantua feels a bit more intimate as a city. Unfortunately, places like Milan are too hectic, with probably too many things to do and see.

So in the morning, we took a stroll around the city, admiring the architecture of this important cultural site. I was really impressed by how clean the city was, given that it's a tourist spot and experiences a lot of tourist traffic. I found it impeccably clean, which was quite a pleasant surprise.

But you know how it is—after all that walking, you start to get pretty hungry. So, looking around, I noticed several places serving traditional food, but they were quite busy, as there were a lot of people around, as you can see from the photos I've shared here.

Fortunately, while wandering through some streets a bit away from the historic city center, I spotted this little tavern where I could enjoy a good plate of tortellini. The owner told me they were made fresh by hand that very morning, and you could definitely taste the difference compared to store-bought tortellini.

We also tried a fantastic plate of local cured meats because this region is known for raising pigs for these products. I must say, they were absolutely delicious.

After this meal, we didn't know what to do in the afternoon, but one of my friends who was with me wanted to visit a bookstore in Bologna. So, we drove to this important city in Emilia-Romagna. It had been ages since I visited Bologna, but for a time, I had attended the University of Bologna, a prestigious university in Italy. It was a great chance to walk around its beautiful historic center and admire its iconic leaning towers.

I read on a sign near one of the towers that they are working to stabilize it to prevent it from collapsing. Its tilt is increasing, much like what happened to the Tower of Pisa, so they're considering installing a structure to prevent it from falling.

Naturally, before heading back to Milan, I couldn't possibly return on an empty stomach, especially since the drive would take several hours. So, we stopped at another traditional trattoria because I believe that's where you can taste authentic local dishes, avoiding typical touristy restaurants.

There, I had another plate of pasta, and I must say that day was quite a carb-loading feast—a kind of bolognese-style pasta, but with a unique twist. I really enjoyed it, and it wasn't heavy at all.

Thank you for following along with my day’s journal. I hope the photos conveyed the emotions I felt that day. See you in the next post, and hopefully, with a new adventure on my bike!