When Bologna was named European City of Culture in 2000, vast sums of money was spent on developments geared mainly at young people, including museum of Jewish culture new arts facilities, and an extensive new library in the former stock exchange building.
The city centre is full of pastry shops, pubs, ice cream parlours and small restaurants which serve up traditional dishes.
Bologna is a shopper's paradise for every thing from food and clothes to antiques and bric-a-brac. All of Italy's famous fashion designers and of course the local firms such as Furla and La Perla have typically stylish branches here, with prices still cheaper than outside Italy. La Piazzola is a historic flea market which has been in Bologna since 1219 and is famous throughout the Emilia Romagna region
There are a lot of discos night clubs and live music venues, with some remaining open until about 0400 hrs. The Irish pubs are among the most popular in the city, serving everything from the ubiquitous Guinness to camomile tea. Popular areas for night life are the student quarter, Old Town and in the streets around the main square. There are no casinos in Bologna
The Giant of the Fontana del Nettuno as the Bolognese people call him, dominates the square and stands proudly in front of both the Palazzo Comunale and the Palazzo Re Enzo. The fountain is the work of artist Jean de Bologne. The artist managed to create his Baroque master piece in Bologna in 1566. The muscular bronze Neptune is armed with a trident, while four mermaids straddling dolphins spurt water from their breasts
The Torre degli Asinelli standing in the centre of the Piazza di Porta Ravenna. It is the highest tower in Bologna, an emblematic symbol of the towered city. It stands 97 meters into the sky, undisputed queen of the Bolognese rooftop panorama. Legend says that this tower was built by the Asinelli family at the beginning of the twelfth century. It has a strong foundations and it is surrounded by a protective railing. The 498 steps take you to the very top, from where you can enjoy a really incredible view.
The City Of Culture
Valencia is the third largest city in Spain. It is a melting pot of the traditional and the modern, and home to a very friendly and warm population. From a tourist's perspective, the city and its outskirts have lots of tourist attractions, stunning beaches, museums, culture and arts, and in short, everything that one would expect to see and experience in a vacation hotspot. Reaching there is quite easy as Valencia is well connected by air and road to all major towns and cities in Spain as well as other European countries.
One of the major highlights of Valencia is its festivals, most of which are celebrated in the summer months, starting February to June. This includes February carnivals, the Las Fallas festival in the following month, Holy Week and Easter celebrations, Corpus Christi in the month of June, and the San Juan bonfires in June end. The 'Tomato Warfare' in Bunol every summer and fireworks in Paterna in August are other notable festivals.
Regarding other must-visit places, the first on the list is the magnificent Valencia City of Arts and Science, which includes the L'Hemisfèric Planetarium, the leisure complex Palacio de las Artes Reina Sofia, the artificial marine world Parque Oceanográfico, and the treasure cove of information and artifacts, the Museo de las Ciencias Principe Felipe. Also, it is worth visiting the Miguelete Tower, offering a panoramic view of the city, Nicolau Primitiu Library, Palacio de la Música, the music palace, and Palacio de Justicia.
Historic edifices of interest include Antigua Universidad de Valencia, the 18th century hall - Ayuntamiento - the World Heritage Site of Lonja, Puente del Mar - the 400 year old sea bridge - and the main port, Puerto de Valencia. The small town of Sagunto, on the northern outskirts of Valencia, has some ancient Roman edifices and ruins.
For shopping, Plaza Redonda and Plaza de la Virgen would be ideal. Also, it'll be a nice experience to walk around the historic square at the heart of the city's Old Quarter, Plaza de Manises, or to savor the sight of Plaza de Toros, the 19th century Valencia bullring.
No visit to Valencia would be complete without a visit to the city's some extraordinary museums, especially if you are somebody who loves history and archeology. The famous museums in the city include Museo de Ciencias Naturales, Museo de Prehistoria y Arqueologia, Museo de la Ciudad, Museo Taurino, and San Pious V Museum.
For those who love sea, the beaches, and water sports, there are plenty of those along the Valencia coastline. The coastal resort of Benidorm, the charming Alicante - to the south of Valencia - and Balearic Islands - east of Valencia - including the island of Ibiza with its 50 beaches, offers more than one would expect from a beach tourist destination.
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