🏛️ “Where Red Brick Breathes: A Pause in Piazza Maggiore”

#summervacay In the heart of Bologna, the Piazza Maggiore doesn’t demand attention—it earns it slowly. I arrived just before noon, when sunlight stretched across the terracotta buildings like an invitation to linger. Framed by the Basilica di San Petronio, the Palazzo d’Accursio, and rows of medieval arcades, the square feels timeless—worn smooth by footsteps and centuries. There’s no rush here. Just the shuffle of locals, a violinist in the corner, and the smell of espresso drifting from hidden cafés. Inside San Petronio, silence wraps around you like a cloak. It’s unfinished, unpolished, and somehow perfect. I stood before the sun dial etched into its floor and felt completely grounded—time told by light. I wandered to Archiginnasio nearby, where faded frescoes and whispering halls told the story of the world’s oldest university. Knowledge and revolution linger in the air here, quietly proud. Lunch was a simple tagliatelle al ragù in a tucked-away trattoria. No frills—just flavor that felt like it had simmered for generations. I returned to the piazza before leaving. This time, I sat at the base of Neptune’s Fountain, watching Bolognese life pass by: students laughing, lovers lingering, elders reading newspapers folded just so. Bologna doesn’t put on a show. It just exists—authentic, unshaken, and red as a well-loved book. ⸻ Want to pair this with a day in Modena, or expand it into a “Slow Cities of Italy” series? Just say the word, Hammie’s ready!