A few days before the new edition of Europavox Festival in Bologna, who received a powerful line up of artists at Giardini di via Filippo Re on the 23rd and 24th of June, local band Altre di B told us about their favourite spots in the city. Altre di B, with their guitar-based indie rock, have been holding Bologna’s name high for over 15 years now, not only in Italy but also abroad : the perfect guides to discover this lovely city !
Elbo
Elbo, which today has changed its name to Silver Skatepark and is run by the BSS skateboard school, is one of the largest skateparks in Europe and a daydream for all the ‘regaz‘ (“youngsters” in bolognese slang – ed.) who grew up like us with the myth of the movie “Lords of Dogtown” and the empty swimming pools of Santa Monica.
Freakout Club
A unique venue not only in the city, but also on the international music scene. From Monday to Sunday, come rain or come snow, every night here there’s a band playing. Freakout is basically a small square room – which includes a bar, a dressing room and a mixing desk – through which the cream of the world music scene has passed by virtue of its authentic and inimitable DIY and underground appeal.
Blq Spotter
Altre di B drummer Andrea is a big fan of civil aviation and knows a corner of Bologna that’s almost unexplored, a plane spotters’ paradise. Indeed, at the end of the runway at Bologna’s Marconi Airport, on the east side, there is a sort of staging area, complete with chairs, for watching arrivals and departures, day and night. Once a year, the spotters arrange a watermelon party through the website Volabologna.it to get to know each other and watch the planes flying over the city together.
Certosa Monumental Cemetery
If there’s one place in Bologna where you can feel alive, it’s Certosa Monumental Cemetery, which lies in the shadow of the iconic Sanctuary of San Luca, an artistic gem of extraordinary beauty. In this ancient maze of statues, tunnels, trees, ravines, and funerary monuments rest actress Laura Betti, poet Giosuè Carducci, singer-songwriter Lucio Dalla, artists such as Magnus and Giorgio Morandi and partisan Irma Bandiera. The great uncle of our singer and guitarist Giacomo also rests in the partisan ossuary, and so this place has a deep significance for us.
MAST
MAST is a multipurpose center within walking distance of downtown Bologna, with its large number of exhibition events. The Manifattura of Arts, experimentation and technology is a place to get lost in, or to drop in on even just to have a coffee on the beautiful concrete terrace, amongst zen gardens, fountains, glass and steel. Entrance is free, reflecting the altruistic vision of its founder, philanthropist Isabella Seragnoli.
Osteria del Sole
The city’s oldest osteria, founded in the mid 1400s, is a hidden gem in the intricate maze of the Quadrilatero, the center of downtown Bologna. A large room with long wooden tables and walls overflowing with photographs, drawings, poems and antiques, Osteria del Sole serves exclusively drinks, while food can be bought and brought in from outside shops. It’s common to find tables here festively set for a toast and a chat. At 9 p.m., no matter what, the host passes among the tables with a bell to invite people to clear out.
Cineteca di Bologna
Renowned throughout the world for its futuristic film restoration center and for film festivals such as Cinema Ritrovato and Sotto le stelle del cinema attracting movie lovers from all over the planet, the Cineteca includes not only movie theaters but also a rich library, archives and laboratories. Here you may happen to meet Wes Anderson presenting his latest film, Martin Scorsese indulging in a chat with his admirers or Isabella Rossellini strolling through the halls of the library.
Disco d’Oro
Disco d’Oro is the city’s Mecca of music, located in the center of town. Here you can meet Bologna’s musicians (some come to stick up a poster to promote a concert, some for a chat, some looking for rarities). It’s a mandatory stop in town, with Disco D’oro is about to celebrate 50-years of history.
