The 2 1/2 month Blogville project in the Emilia Romagna region of Italy has now come to an end. I was only able to attend one portion of the project while Erin went back two more times to tour Rimini and that part of Emilia Romagna. I am thankful for my time there — I had a great stay in Bologna!
We met some wonderful travel bloggers and members of the local community, and got to experience quite a diverse mix of places and sights across the region.
As Erin prepares to head back to Bologna for BlogVille 2013, here is a brief breakdown of my time at Blogville, broken down in numbers.
ONE — One Apartment at BlogVille
The BlogVille apartment was a fantastic 2 bedroom + 2 loft apartment right in the middle of Bologna, just steps away from the Piazza Maggiore.
EIGHT – Eight Different Craft Beers
Italy may be known for its wine, but we managed to try 8 different craft beers as well, with five of those coming at the Festival dei Birrai Eretici.
NINE – Nine Travel Bloggers
During our stay at BlogVille, there were 9 other travel bloggers, besides Erin and I, who stayed in or visited the BlogVille apartment.
10 – Days at BlogVille
We were to lucky to have the opportunity to spend ten great days at BlogVille in Bologna, from May 7 to May 16, 2012.
12 – Flavors of Gelato
Between the two of us, we managed to taste 12 different flavors of gelato during our stay.
14 – Ducati Riders’ Championships
Over the years, Ducati riders have won 14 Superbike and MotoGP Riders’ Championships. Ducati’s factory and headquarters is in Bologna.
14 – Espresso Shots for Erin
Coffee is an integral part of any visit to Italy, and the best way to consume this in Italy is in the form of Espresso. During our 10 days in Bologna, Erin managed to go through 14 shots of espresso in its various forms.
29 – Operas by Verdi
Giuseppe Verdi was one of the most beloved individuals to come out of the Emilia Romagna region. Over the course of his prolific lifetime, he composed 29 operas! During our stay in the region, we visited Verdi’s birthplace and opera halls in Parma and Busseto.
38 – Wines
While we won’t admit to drinking the entire bottles for ourselves, and in a few cases, we only had a single glass from bottles shared in the house, we did sample 38 different wines during our trip.
42 – Espresso Shots for Brett
If you thought Erin’s 14 shots of espresso was impressive, during our 10 days in Bologna, I managed to enjoy 42 shots of espresso. Some of these were simple solo or double espressos from small cafes, some as part of (double) cappuccinos. More than four shots per day!
498 – Steps in Asinelli Tower
Perhaps the best views of the city can be seen from the top of the Asinelli Tower, the taller of the two signature leaning towers in the center of Bologna. To get to the top, you need to navigate your way up 498 old, narrow steps.
666 – Arches in the Portico di San Luca
A wonderful morning walk from the city center, the 3.5km covered walkway that is the Portico di San Luca leads to some of the nicest views of the countryside surrounding Bologna, including the Apennine Mountains. The 666 arches of the Portico stretch from the Saragozza Gate to the Sanctuary of the Madonna of San Luca.
