Chapter 2: To Bologna with Piadinas!

Day 2

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Happily lost in Reggio Emilia

It’s time to wake up ladies and gentlemen!

After a good breakfast based of 2 cups of tea and 2 muffin, we were ready to pedaling towards Bologna.

But first we want to give a look to Reggio Emilia ’cause the first day we were too tired to do it.

“Reggio” is a little & cozy town that can be visited for one dayGet lost in alleys and lead in pleasant squares is something to try once in life.

Its inhabitants are so kind! A lot of people stopped us to speak about our journey and support us.

This is the kind of people that we mostly appreciate, always ready to spread happiness! 🙂

Once you visit this town, you must see:

–the museum of Tricolore: You need to know that Reggio is where the italian flag born!

 What’s better than a museum to celebrate it and its story? Get lost in the charming italian history!

–First italian murales: It was made in the ’40s and although it is faded, you can read: the right people want snow, a slogan against poverty and the fascist regime.

–City center: A lot of squares and monuments like S.prospero square with its homonymous basilica and Camillo Prampolini square with the Dome of Reggio Emilia, Santa Maria Assunta cathedral.Get lost in the italian architecture.

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Say Cheeeeeeese!

Time to reach Modena. Once again the route was partly cicleable, anyways It’s pleasant ’cause the stretches alternate between flat and gentle descents.

In the previous chapter we said that this region is scattered with gastronomic traps and our decision to move away from the via emilia to follow the country roads led us to buy 250g of grana padano.

OH WAIT, it was Parmiggiano Reggiano! Please be careful to don’t confuse these cheeses otherwise you might unleash the wrath of local vendors! 😀

Reggio Emilia is the house of Parmiggiano Reggiano and local sellers want to underline the uniqueness of their product . 😛

Follow the railway.

do you know when your instinct tells you not to rely on the navigator but to ask for information to the only passerby in a very small village? Exactly.

We’re still searching for the road that would have allowed us to reach Modena following a non-existent railway, saving kms and an underpass that we have crossed 4 times.

the railway had not existed for years and the road we were told was more like a jungle.

That’s why we decided to go back on the main road.

Finally Modena.

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Modena: Between Piadinas & Beauties

Modena is a very nice town, a man-sized town. Getting lost in the little streets of the city center, enjoy the Rhytm of the city and its pastel-coloured houses is something you must do when you visit this part of Italy. This town is full of beauties: the heart of the city, Piazza Grande, hosts the Dom and its tower “La Ghirlandina” (Unesco Heritage)

Bruno &

Ghirlandina

The city is also full of museums among which there is one dedicated to Enzo Ferrari.

Lunch time: never never never visit Emilia Romagna without trying a Piadina, a flat brad filled with cold cuts and vegetables or cheese: basically one of the seven wonders! Time to have a coffee and we were back on the road to stop again 2 km later for an ice cream.. We are a little bit greedy 😀 😀 Back on the road, as we were saying, toward Bologna, last 38 kms left only with a stop for another coffee and to take some photos… mm more then some photos 😀 Luckily the weather was perfect and the road was all on a cycle path. Despite the second day is the most tiring we managed to get to Bologna before night so we could enjoy a spectacular We were not tire and when we arrived at the hotel but Arthur knee was hurting due to an old problem and for the fatigue of the day.

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 Bologna “La Dotta”

We stayed at Hotel Maggiore, a cozy hotel that we would like to spend a few words to thanking them for their hospitality.

The hotel could seems a common flat from the outside but inside it is very welcoming.

The rooms are very comfy and probably are recently renewed.

Furthermore is one of the very few bike friendly hotels of the city: you can also repair and do minor maintenance for free.

Once we arrived, we left our bicycle in the private garage and it was a great surprise to find more than 10 e-bikes parked there for the guest of the hotel.

A good way to reach the city center, just 2kms away, and explore the less beaten track.

It’s also a beautiful way to visit the city for families.

they love so much the cyclists that they make dedicated discounts for all those who are traveling in Italy by bike. If you are interested check their website: http://www.hotelmaggiore.net/en/

Love

For

Details!

If you guys of Hotel Maggiore are reading us we really would like to thank you for the support and for the ice for Arthur’s knee. 😀

What’s better than an hot shower and a night tour of the city?

First of all we took our bicycles and once reached the center we stopped to eat in a typical Bolognese restaurant: a NEAPOLITAN PIZZERIA 😀 😀

We’re joking…no, we’re joking again. Trust us, we can’t live without pizza.

After dinner we met Arthur’s cousin who he hadn’t seen for years.

Few drinks and back to the hotel.

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The following day, after the visit of Bologna which we will talk about in the next post, we should have pedaled on the Apennines but Arthur dancer-meniscus played us a bad joke.

In the next chapter we will talk about the stunning Bologna and Hokito, the cycling misfortune and a very bizarre hotel populated by crazy people. VERY CRAZY. 😀

Stay tuned,

Arthur & Bruno – BikesPhilosophy

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