Thanksgiving in Italy 2021 (Day 3 – Churches, Museums, and Jazz!)

Basilica Sanctuary of Santo Stefano – Complex of the Seven Churches

Another full day in Bologna. We got an early start. After coffee and pastries at Pasticceria Santo Stefano, we explored the Basilica Santuario Santo Stefano – Complesso delle Sette Chiese (Basilica Sanctuary of Santo Stefano – Complex of the Seven Churches), a cluster of chapels, crypts & vaults built over several centuries, displaying remains of medieval frescoes and other items. It’s quite large, and includes a museum. (This is the church/complex in the piazza below our bedroom window.)

An altar inside Basilica Santuario Santo Stefano

An older altar inside Basilica Santuario Santo Stefano

Courtyard of Basilica Santuario Santo Stefano

Another altar inside Basilica Santuario Santo Stefano

Wood model of Basilica Santuario Santo Stefano

Enoteca Storica Faccioli

After the church we explored more areas, including Piazza Maggiore (one of the main historic piazza’s in Bologna), then had lunch at a wonderful wine bar serving organic wines – Enoteca Storica Faccioli. We had wine plus focaccia with mortadella. The mortadella was so silky and thin it melted in our mouths. Delicious!

Wine glass from Enoteca Storica Faccioli

Platter of focaccia topped with mortadella

Piazza Maggiore

Piazza maggiore is sometimes called the “heart of the city”. Dating back to 1200, Piazza Maggiore is the result of centuries-old transformations that gradually enriched it with important buildings: the Basilica of San Petronio, the Palazzo dei Notai, the Palazzo d’Accursio, the Palazzo del Podestà and the Palazzo dei Banchi.

Museo Civico Archeologico Bologna

More exploring, including the Civic Archaeological Museum of Bologna, which had a great Egyptian exhibition as well as numerous Gallic, Greek, Roman, and Etruscan artifacts. The museum is housed in a palazzo from the 1400s.

A sarcophagus opened up to show the inside of the bottom half

Statue of two Egyptians, a man and a women, holding hands

Hieroglyphics on the side of a stone box

The “Three Arrows” of Casa Isolani

If you look closely at the photo below, you’ll three arrows stuck in the underside of the upper storey of Casa Isolani. One is pretty easy to spot, the other two are more difficult. Casa Isolani (not to be confused with Casa Isolani Santo Stefano, which is the building where we’re staying) is an impressive 13th century house, with wood beams reaching 29 feet in height to support the third storey of the house.

Stuck in the bottom of the wood structure are three arrows, with several legends as to how they get there. The first legend says the arrows are from assassins hired to kill a nobleman (or, in some versions, a noblewoman accused of adultery by her husband). Just as the assassins were poised to take their shots, a woman noticed them and exposed herself to distract them. The assassins were so shocked, they missed their target entirely. Another legend says the arrows are from a battle between two nobles and their guards. The third and final legend says while the house was being renovated (painter and engineer Raffaele Faccioli, in 1877), some students from the university decided to shoot arrows into the building for fun.

Sfoglia Rina

Dinner was at Sfoglia Rina, a very popular pasta place that has a store selling fresh pasta in the front, and a restaurant in the back. The line was out the door, but it was worth the wait! They make all their pasta fresh daily, and it shows. The menu options were different than your typical tourist fare, which was nice. Judging from the conversations happening around us, the place was filled with Italians, so that was another good sign.

A wall with numerous mattarelli (Italian pasta rollers) as decoration

A metal sign outside the restaurant/shop that says "PASTA" — A metal sign outside the restaurant/shop that says “PASTA”

Busy Christmas Shopping Night

The last weekend in November kicks off the Christmas shopping season in Bologna, so the main shopping street (via Rizzoli) was closed to traffic and was bustling with holiday shoppers. They call the weekend “Black Weekend” (instead of Black Friday like we have in the U.S.). I bought Teresa a coat for Christmas, but had to be sneaky. First I bought a new roller suitcase to “fit all our souvenirs” – it was on sale, and made from recycled water bottles. Then, we split up to look at different shops. I bought some pants and a sweater for myself, then picked up the coat for Teresa and hid it inside the new luggage.

An artist making a chalk drawing of Santa Claus

Via Rizzoli, full of shoppers, with Christmas lights strung from one side to the other.

New suitcase with the hidden coat inside

Camera Jazz & Music Club

After dropping our purchases off at the room, we headed to a local jazz club in the basement of a building just a few steps from our apartment, for a wonderful night of music and some delicious cocktails. (Have I mentioned how centrally located our rental was? It seemed like everything was just a few steps away!) We got there early, so were able to get our first round of drinks without having to fight the crowd at the bar.

Playing that night was Deborah J. Carter, a jazz artist from Hawaii, backed by an “Italian 4tet”. They were great! We chatted with the band in-between sets.

Upright bassist and drummer playing a tune

Back to Fra Diavolo

After the jazz club (and a few cocktails), we were ready for some late-night eats. Turns out the pizza place we went to yesterday is open late! There’s nothing better than good Italian pizza, beer, and dessert (including a delicious rum baba) late at night after a full day exploring Bologna. La Dolce Vita, indeed!