quarter

Why go now?

Located just north of the Centrale train station, Bolognina neighbourhood is more than just a Little Bologna. It is a completely different world from the medieval maze of palaces, churches and towers that define the city’s “Centro Storico”, which is increasingly filled with crowds of tourists as Bologna joins the big league of Italian getaway destinations.

There is an immediate visual difference as narrow cobbled lanes give way to wide, tree-lined avenues, pastel-coloured low-rise apartment blocks, spacious parks and piazzas. Bolognina sprang up at the beginning of the 20th century, initially to house families of workers from the railway, then from nearby manufacturing industries.

Today, the quarter is home to a diverse multi-ethnic population and remains a stronghold for militant leftwing politics, with the local community committed to avoiding gentrification. Tourists are certainly made welcome, and it is a delight to feel part of genuine local life.

Where to eat and drink

Eating out here makes a refreshing change from the city centre. Of course there are still spots serving traditional freshly made tagliatelle al ragù such as the atmospheric old-school trattoria La Golosità di Nonna Aurora. But you can also sample Georgian cuisine at Pane Georgiana, a sharing plate of Ethiopian and Eritrean dishes at Ristorante Africano Adal, spicy Sichuan cooking at Ba Hot Pot, or handmade tortellini and tortelloni stuffed with halal meat at the innovative Brodellini.

For vegetarians, the perfect spot is Piazza Martino, a cantina and deli owned by a nearby farm in the Bolognesi Hills that practises a “first we grow, then we eat” philosophy, transforming their organic produce into delicious aubergine parmigiana, vegan pepperoni lasagne, and courgette and potato polpette (balls).

Bolognina’s prime foodie street is Via Luigi Serra, symbolised by the fiercely independent Trattoria di Via Serra. The restaurant’s three small, rustic salons are always packed and getting a reservation isn’t easy as they don’t take bookings through social platforms and rarely answer the phone or emails. Chef Tommaso Maio and co-owner Flavio Benassi used to have a restaurant up in the hills nearby, but 13 years ago decided to come to the city, choosing Bolognina rather than the city centre for their new venture. “Our aim then, and still today, is to offer the locals here an old-fashioned neighbourhood trattoria where they can still order a comforting bowl of tortellini in capon broth, lasagne and freshly baked crescenti biscuits,” they explain.

If there is no free table at the Trattoria, then the street offers plenty of options, from hearty plates of cold cuts and cheeses at the deli-diner La Vecchia Bottega, cocktails, spritz and craft beers at the hip Fermento bar, or local wines at La Petite Enoteca. To finish the evening, there is often live music at the bars in Piazza Lucio Dalla, named after Bologna’s local hero, an iconic Italian singer-songwriter.

Cultural experiences

Leave historic Bologna behind by walking from the central train station across the Matteotti bridge and you immediately come face to face with a striking Holocaust memorial, an austere, minimalist monument of two narrowly separated 10-metre high steel walls. Just opposite stands the massive Chiesa del Sacro Cuore di Gesù, dating back to 1912 when Bolognina was first being built. It is worth visiting just to marvel at the soaring 60-metre-high dome.

Hidden away in the backstreets in a former tram shed, La Memoria di Ustica Museum is a unique homage to a commercial flight between Bologna and Palermo that was mysteriously shot down in 1980 with no survivors. French artist Christian Boltanski has meticulously reconstructed the wreckage of the downed airliner and assembled the personal items belonging to the victims, creating an immense, intensely moving installation.

Checkpoint Charly is a thriving alternative art and artisan cooperative occupying a former lingerie warehouse. Workshops include ceramics, printmaking, photography, graphics and music, with a dozen cultural events presented each year. The DLF – Dopo Lavoro Ferroviario – is a sprawling park behind the station originally created in the 1920s for after-work activities for railway workers. This green lung has been saved from abandonment and now houses the laid-back all-day Kinotto Bar, the Vecchia Orsa DLF craft brewery and beer garden, a pizzeria, the Puccini concert arena and the Locomotiv Club, a live indie music venue.

Where to shop

Although this essentially residential neighbourhood may not be a shopping paradise, bargain hunters should plan to visit on the first Sunday of the month when the Piazza Lucio Dalla is transformed into a huge flea market. Over in the daily Mercato Albani, Ilario di Lorenzis has recently opened Intelligenza Artigianale, an atelier showcasing his funky hand-crafted bags, T-shirts and caps, while cycling fans should head for Bolognina Bike Shop, whose friendly owner, Dario Brunetto, repairs bikes and recycles vinyls, retro decor and collectible vintage cycling jerseys.

Don’t miss

Since opening in 1934, Mercato Albani has been the beating heart of Bolognina. Running down the middle of a shady tree-lined avenue, locals gather each morning for their daily shopping from bustling stalls selling Bologna’s speciality mortadella (pork salami) and prosciutto, fish, cheese and organic veggies. Then there is a complete change of personality from 5pm till around midnight when shuttered stands open up as lively cocktail and craft beer bars, the natural wine enoteca, Vineria Punk, plus casual diners serving pizza and pasta, vegan dishes and Greek cuisine. Giuseppe Agrello the owner of Bollore, a cool vermouth bar, explains that “when we were invited to open in the mercato, we insisted that during the day it should stay as it is and not become just another tourist food court. So we only begin in the evening and also organise concerts, art exhibitions and cultural events for the community.”

Where to stay

Hotel Il Guercino is a delightfully quirky, family-owned hotel, extravagantly decorated with a mix of baroque and Asian influences, with a spa featuring sauna, hot tub and steam bath. Doubles from €150.

This trip was provided by Bologna Welcome and Emilia Romagna Turismo

That was a strange game. There were 22 accepted flags for 211 yards in penalties, fumbles galore and three turnovers in total. There was a safety and a missed field goal. Ultimately, Mater Dei (4-0) won 10-9 over Corona Centennial (1-2) in a game where it only converted two out of 10 third down attempts.

Beyond the weirdness, however, a solution at the quarterback position might have emerged for the Monarchs — in the form of a freshman, no less. Head coach Raul Lara has cycled through three players in the position so far this season, and the standout against Corona Centennial on Friday was Paytyn Guess.

“The young kid is dynamic, no doubt,” Lara said before the game. “But he’s young and he’s still learning the program and playbook. Once he learns, we’ll get him in the game a little bit more.”

Friday night’s game showed that Guess might be ready to be the starter.

Santa Ana Stadium has played host to Mater Dei football games for many decades, but the fans in its stands might not have seen a better pass than what the freshman conjured during the second quarter. Running away from oncoming rushers, Guess threw the ball back against his body — something most coaches advise against — and found heavily recruited senior wideout Gavin Honore at the one-yard line.

It was a dot. Right on the money. Professional players 10 years Guess’ senior would be excited to make that kind of play.

Mater Dei High freshman quarterback Paytyn Guess.

(Caleb Otte / For The Times)

The only hesitation to not start Guess was shown on the very next snap. Under center, Guess fumbled the snap and Centennial recovered the ball in the end zone. It was an unfortunate low after such a triumphant high.

Ultimately, though, Guess made the key throw after being entrusted to lead the final drive. With Mater Dei in their own half of the field on a third down, he found Honore along the sideline to pick up a first down and effectively end the contest.

That came after Mater Dei junior quarterback Russell Sekona tied the score, 9-9, midway through the fourth quarter with a one-yard touchdown plunge. Jerry Shifman converted the point-after kick for the winning margin.

Centennial had a chance to reclaim the lead with 2:30 left in the game, when its last drive ended in a missed field goal.

As far as Guess, he can make plays and had multiple downfield passes that fell just incomplete. But in that moment, the kid showed true composure. There might be growing pains, but the raw talent is on display.

Guess finished the nightcompleting four of nine passes for 56 yards, while rushing for 19. Lara had no worries about putting the freshman in the fire and letting him secure the victory.

“Coach Lara’s trust in me means everything,” Guess said after the win. “It shows me what I can accomplish on the field.”

He has a lot of time to develop, but aGuess said he needs to acclimate to this new stage.

“High school football moves quicker,” Guess said “I also need to be louder in my cadence because this was my first game in front of a big crowd.”

His skills directly resembled that of his counterpart on the night, senior Jaden Jefferson. The Hawaii commit might be ending his high school career just as Guess is starting, but both have a slippery and slinking style of play that excites fans just as much as it moves their teams down the field.

Jefferson had a solid game, going 14 for 23 through the air with 205 yards and tacked on 65 on the ground. The play that defined the night, however, was a blemish on his record. Backed behind its own 10-yard line, Centennial looked to Jefferson for another magic moment. His flip pass to a running back bounced off his teammate and into the waiting arms of a Mater Dei defender, setting up Sekona’s run.

Centennial’s defense was top notch all night, only allowing two third-down conversions. Mater Dei’s run game was shut down, gaining less than 100 yards, and it looked like the Monarchs would be stifled for the entire four quarters.

The game started out with a jet sweep touchdown from Kennie Leggett, a former Mater Dei player, and it seemed as though Centennial would beat the Monarchs as it did twice last season when building a 9-0 lead in the first quarter. The home team’s defense ratcheted up the pressure, however, not giving up another score. The Huskies only scored again on the freak safety in the first quarter.

Centennial has dealt with a lot of injuries to the offensive line this season, which allowed Mater Dei to get multiple sacks and hurries on Jefferson. Before the game, head coach Matt Logan said that his team has been treating every game in the same way regardless of the opponent. Three tough Trinity League matchups to start the season, however, have left them with a losing record.

Centennial played better, and Logan was right by saying it can go toe-to-toe with any opponent, but the scoreboard favored Lara’s men on a weird night in Santa Ana.