Suggestions for What To Do in Bologna or Surrounds on May 1
Apr 18th, 2015, 10:15 PM
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 1,480
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Suggestions for What To Do in Bologna or Surrounds on May 1
We will be in Bologna on May 1 and try as I might I have not been able to get too much information regarding :
1) What will be open / closed on this day, i.e. will the markets be open?
2) Are there any special festivities / parades / activities on this day?
3) Suggestions for what to do for the day?
Many thanks in advance
1) What will be open / closed on this day, i.e. will the markets be open?
2) Are there any special festivities / parades / activities on this day?
3) Suggestions for what to do for the day?
Many thanks in advance
Apr 19th, 2015, 12:51 AM
#3
Join Date: Feb 2014
Posts: 6,534
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Bologna, long a communist-governed city, will be filled with celebrations and musical events staged by the mayor and the labor unions, with most of the activities centering on the piazza Maggiore. If you have a hotel right near there, expect a late night. Here's a link, and you can use Google translate if you don't speak Italian
http://www.bolognatoday.it/eventi/1-...e-bologna.html
Most restaurants will be open but I doubt the markets will be open and it may be that local public transportation (buses) run on an extremely limited schedule and taxis are rather scarce. Churches should be open, so if you are interested in art and history, visiting Santa Maria della Vita (closes at noon, statues in the far right chapel), the complex of Santa Stefano and the church of San Domenico (be sure to see the choir stalls behind the altar) is one possibility. You can either spend some time Googling the individual museums to what is open (I doubt may will be). I might simply e-mail or call the Bologna tourist office (they might not be open May 1).
It is possible that private walking tours, pasta making classes, etc are available. Some people like hiking up to the Santuario di San Luca.
If you want to go out of town, Budrio is having its 8th annual Ocarina festival. The instrument was invented in Budrio, and it is an international event that has always appeared to me to be a lot of fun. There are people from all over the world walking around this medieval town, playing ocarina, plus some pros who do concerts. And you can buy an ocarina! You can take the train there.
http://www.ocarinafestival.it/come-r...gerci/?lang=en
http://www.bolognawelcome.com/en/eve...ina%20Festival
http://www.bolognatoday.it/eventi/1-...e-bologna.html
Most restaurants will be open but I doubt the markets will be open and it may be that local public transportation (buses) run on an extremely limited schedule and taxis are rather scarce. Churches should be open, so if you are interested in art and history, visiting Santa Maria della Vita (closes at noon, statues in the far right chapel), the complex of Santa Stefano and the church of San Domenico (be sure to see the choir stalls behind the altar) is one possibility. You can either spend some time Googling the individual museums to what is open (I doubt may will be). I might simply e-mail or call the Bologna tourist office (they might not be open May 1).
It is possible that private walking tours, pasta making classes, etc are available. Some people like hiking up to the Santuario di San Luca.
If you want to go out of town, Budrio is having its 8th annual Ocarina festival. The instrument was invented in Budrio, and it is an international event that has always appeared to me to be a lot of fun. There are people from all over the world walking around this medieval town, playing ocarina, plus some pros who do concerts. And you can buy an ocarina! You can take the train there.
http://www.ocarinafestival.it/come-r...gerci/?lang=en
http://www.bolognawelcome.com/en/eve...ina%20Festival
Apr 19th, 2015, 04:23 AM
#6
Join Date: Feb 2014
Posts: 6,534
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
You can find videos of the event on Youtube. It looks sweet. Budrio is only a few minutes train ride outside of Bologna. (It may even be a part of metropolitan Bologna officially.)
The concert in piazza Maggiore in Bologna at night is usually fairly loud, so heading off to Budrio for some light ocarina tunes might be pleasant (check return train schedules). Or one could visit some sights in Bologna in the morning and have lunch, head to Budrio for the afternoon, and still be back in Bologna in plenty of time for the Primio Maggio festivities in the piazza Maggiore. They probably really won't hit their stride until about 9 or 10pm.
The concert in piazza Maggiore in Bologna at night is usually fairly loud, so heading off to Budrio for some light ocarina tunes might be pleasant (check return train schedules). Or one could visit some sights in Bologna in the morning and have lunch, head to Budrio for the afternoon, and still be back in Bologna in plenty of time for the Primio Maggio festivities in the piazza Maggiore. They probably really won't hit their stride until about 9 or 10pm.
