A city of Bologna, in Italy, is officially the one with the food hottest in the world, according to readers of the international magazine specializing in tourism “Condé Nast Traveler".
Since 1987, the publication's global audience has annually chosen the best in global hospitality through its award Readers' Choice Awards, which is currently based on a questionnaire whose answers are also analyzed by editors and experts of the House.
In 2022, the destination that has a reputation as the “gastronomic capital of Italy” won the honor of international gastronomic “hotspot” in the competition, highlighted by travelers themselves for its qualities. See why:
According to “Condé Nast Traveller”, Bologna – which has already won the title of “one of the most tourist-friendly cities in Europe“, is in the heart of the Emilia Romana region, which gave the world delicacies such as Parmesan cheese, Parma ham, mortadella and balsamic vinegar. It was also there that lasagna, tortellini and bolognese sauce were first prepared.
However, what would make the city stand out would be the passion of its native chefs to use only the best and freshest ingredients, coming from its many street markets, where it is also traditional to indulge in mortadella sandwiches.
For this reason, “Condé Nast Traveller” classifies as “surprising” the fact that the city is not among the most visited and best rated among Italian tourist destinations, as it loses out in interest to trendy metropolises whether for their fashion, romance or story like Rome, Milan and Venice – which receive around 10 million tourists per year.
Bologna, in comparison, is a city of young students. It was there that the first university in the world, the University of Bologna, in 1088.
Not surprisingly, it received 1,5 million visitors in 2019, a portion of them interested in technology, an area that is growing in the region.
The prize tip for those who want to explore the delicious restaurants in the porticos is to always book in advance. If there are fewer tourist sites, there is also a need to cultivate relationships with the house teams to obtain a good service, as there is not always the capacity to serve those who arrive without warning – especially during peak hours, at 21pm.
To enjoy dinner later, as is customary there, the ideal is to enjoy a drink, as the bars start to fill up around 18pm, most of them also located on the porticos, walkways that are considered UNESCO World Heritage Site and which provide a tour to explore the development of medieval and Renaissance architecture.
The following houses are also recommended by “Traveller”: Mother's Trattoria, run by women and a true rarity in the city's predominantly male gastronomic scene; Osteria Bartholini, already highlighted by the Michelin guide as a “Bib Gourmet“, that is, a good and cheap seafood restaurant; or the star I Portici, at the Eden Theater, for a luxury experience. (Per Our/Uol)
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