The vibrant student
community of Bologna fuels a lively nightlife scene
that can be every bit as radical as the city’s politics. There
are a profusion of nightclubs, discos
and live music venues, with some remaining open
until about 0400 hrs. Irish pubs are among the most popular watering
holes in the city, serving everything from the ubiquitous Guinness
to camomile tea. Pupular areas for nightlife are the student
quarter, Old Town and in the streets around
the main square.
The Bolognese are often considered natty dressers but there is no
pressure to get glammed up, seeing as many of the younger residents
are lovers of ‘grunge’ fashion. Nevertheless, some nightclubs
will refuse entry to people wearing jeans. Most late-night venues
charge an entrance fee which usually includes one drink and females
are often let in for free, while male companions must pay. Look
out for promotional evenings which are advertised around the university
area. The minimum drinking age is 18 years and
the average price of a beer is €3-5.
Talkabout
offers English listings of nightlife, sports and other events. For
the latest information on what’s on, clubbers should pick
up a copy of the free magazine, 051, available
in most bars, hotels and from the tourist office.
Bars
Osterias are pub-like venues that have been
the mainstay of Bolognese drinking for centuries. For an authentic
glimpse of an ancient Italian watering hole, in existence since
the 15th century, plunge into the Osteria del Sole,
Vicolo Ranocchi 1d. It is open 0800-1400 hrs and again in the evening
1900-2000 hrs – just long enough for the old men of Bologna
to have a quick row about politics. Buy a picnic lunch from the
nearby market and eat it here, providing this is accompanied by
a glass of wine purchased on the premises.
The
Olindo Faccioli, Via Altabella 15b, founded in 1924, serves
over 400 wines and is a great place to relax over delicious antipasti.
Of the many pubs, Birreria Il Druido, Via Mascarella
26b, is one of the most likeable. Run by a veritable Italian druid
with a passion for beer, it has a cavernous interior with long wooden
tables and benches. The Irish pub, Celtic Druid,
Via Caduti di Cefalonia 5c, is owned by the same team and serves
excellent Irish brew while refraining from the kitsch shamrock excesses
so common to theme pubs. Another Irish-style bar, Cluricaune
Irish Bar, Via Zamboni, is located at the heart of the
university district and buzzes with drunken action all week long.
For a break from beer and wine, join the Latino trail and grab a
margarita at Piedra del Sol, Via Goito 20, where
the fajitas are as good as the queue suggests (closed Tuesday).
Casinos
There are no casinos in Bologna.
Clubs
Soda Pops, Via San Vitale, is a designer
dance bar that is popular with the hip young crowd. In the winter
months, students flock to Matis, Via Rotta 10,
Casteldobole, for techno, hip hop and the very latest music trends.
Kinki, Via Zamboni 1, is a long-time favourite,
founded in the 1950s. The club has re-emerged from being an exclusively
gay club back into the mainstream, with regular big domestic and
international guest DJs. The JAM Club, Via Mascarella
2a, is where everybody with nowhere else to go ends up at midnight
– a standard Italian discotheque with plenty of mirrors for
posing. All three have a cover charge ranging from €10 to €20,
which usually includes entrance and one drink.
During the summer, the action moves outdoors. The City Council encourages
open-air raves and subsidises Made in Bo, Parco
Nord, Via Stalingrado, a massive and free outdoor disco, which takes
place under the starry sky in July and August (closed Monday). Link,
Centro Sociale, Via Fioravanti 14, is open daily 2200-0500 hrs,
featuring avant-garde art and live bands early on, then ambient
or techno music late into the night.
Comedy
The Ruvido Club, Via del Roncrio 10,
hosts some of the best-known names among Italian comedians and Italian
stand-up.
Dance
The ballet season is organised by the Teatro
Comunale, Largo Respighi 1 (telephone number: (051) 529 999;
while Teatri
di Vita, Via di Pratello 90/92 (telephone number: (051) 523
113), holds performances of contemporary dance and often hosts visiting
dance companies from overseas.
Film
Bologna is a city of students and, inevitably, cinema is the paramount
art form. Films usually reach Italy before the UK, so visitors can
enjoy a sneak preview of the latest Hollywood blockbuster or take
in an arthouse picture in its original language. The
Nosadella, Via Nosadella (telephone number: (051) 331 506),
shows films in their original language and the Adriano, Via San
Felice 52 (telephone number: (051) 555 127), shows films in English
on Mondays, while Tiffany, Piazza Porta Saragozza
5 (telephone number: (051) 585 253), has a showing on Wednesday.
Films are shown outdoors at the Arena Puccini,
Via Serlio 25, during the summer.
Music
Live music
Cantina
Bentivoglio, Via Mascarella 4b, is something of a Bolognese
institution. A cross between a wine bar and a restaurant, it hosts
live jazz from September to June. There is no cover charge and it
is nearly always packed, so it is advisable to book (closed Monday).
The Chet Baker
Jazz Club, Via Polese 7a, is another popular Bolognese venue
for quality live jazz. The atmosphere is reminiscent of the smoke-filled
clubs of New York and indeed the club can boast performances by
top-level jazz musicians, such as Tommy Flanagan and James Moody.
Those looking for a more local flavour may prefer the Osteria
de’Poeti, Via dei Poeti 1b. The restaurant, established
in the 1400s and retaining many original features, serves traditional
Bolognese food to the strains of local folk music (closed Monday
and 15 July to 25 August). Expect to pay at least €30 per person
for a meal. Jazz is featured twice a week at the Osteria
dell’Orsa, Via Mentana 1, and reggae, ska and hip
hop is featured at the Officina
Estragon, Via Calzoni 6. Bar Wolf, Via Massarenti
118, is a hotbed of experimental and eclectic live music, with everything
from classical quartets and jazz, through to rock and trip hop.
Opera
The
Teatro Comunale, Largo Respighi 1 (telephone number: (051) 529
999, is the primary venue for opera and classical music in Bologna.
Since 1763, the theatre has welcomed some of the world’s greatest
composers, including Rossini, Verdi
and Wagner. The opera season, reckoned to be second
only to Milan’s La Scala, begins at the end of November and
continues through to the end of June. Tickets start at €13
for a place in the gods but are often difficult to come by. The
Teatro Comunale organises prestigious concerts, both in the theatre
and in local churches from September to June. Music is also featured
at the Accademia Filarmonia, Via Guerrazzi 13 (telephone number:
(051) 222 997) and the Basilica di Santa Maria dei Servi, Via dei
Borsaglieri 1 (telephone number: (051) 261 710).
Theatre
Bologna has 14 theatres in total, offering a wide selection
of drama, from Shakespeare to experimental theatre. All performances
are conducted in Italian and often include dialect, so a good understanding
of the language or a selfless interpreter is vital. Tickets are
available at the respective box offices. The Teatro
Duse, Via Cartoleria 42 (telephone number: (051) 213 836, is
the most traditional of the playhouses and, from November to May,
attracts Bologna’s middle class with its popular repertoire
of classical drama.
The recently renovated Arena
del Sole, Via Indipendenza 44 (telephone number: (051) 291 0910,
offers a more diverse programme, ranging from the conservative to
the avant-garde. Teatro
Dehon, Via Libia 59 (telelephone number: (051) 342 934 or 344
772, is the top spot for comedy. The Teatro
Testoni, Via Matteotti 16 (telephone number: (051) 377 968,
specialises in shows for children every Saturday and Sunday afternoon.
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