Time to start thinking nothing but Bologna..whopee

Since I am really determined to go to Bologna, Italy this year, I have to learn as much as I can about the place, primarily its language -- the language of The Godfather :-) No kidding.

But first where is Bologna, Italy? I saw several sites and these were what I gathered.

"Bologna is the largest city in the Emilia-Romagna region, situated between Tuscany and Veneto. Bologna is a jewel of northern Italy, an elegant and sophisticated university town considered by many to be the gastronomic capital of the country. Bologna is a well-preserved medieval city rich with beautiful cathedrals, towers, piazzas and charming narrow streets, painted in dark red and orange colors typical of Northern Italy.

Bologna is home to Europe's oldest university, the alma mater of such classical authors as Dante and Petrarch. It is also a contemporary center of student life, popular with young Italians. With relatively fewer foreign tourists, Bologna is an authentic Italian city. For those who maybe truly passionate about Italian language, culture and cuisine, Bologna is an ideal location for the summer".

"Bologna is a city famous for its university, its rich cultural and social life, its well-preserved city center, its cuisine, the hospitality of its people; and yet it is off the traditional tourist track. This is why it is the ideal place for learning about genuine Italian life in a truly authentic setting".

It is "the most important junction in Italy both for highway and for railway, owing its geographic location. It's 50 minutes by train from Florence, 1.45 hour from Venice or Milan and 2.40 hour from Rome; furthermore, it has an international airport with daily flights to all major European capitals and New York".

Bologna is also known as:

La Dotta (The Learned - it has Europe's oldest University)
La Rossa (The Red - for its colours)
La Grassa (The Plentiful or Fat or Fertile).

"Some say that food itself is a principal subject of study here and is nationally known for its good quality of life. It is easy to get to know and has instant appeal. It is also fast to get into the centre - just twenty five minutes from the airport - making it a wise choice for a short break".

"A chief source of pleasure is simply strolling "within the walls" of this elegant city. There are many fine piazza, churches and palazzi, fine art and contemporary art galleries, and fascinating museums. Bologna has the cultural life of a much larger city and there is always a full programme of cultural events and exhibitions".

Given the local love of the good life - in fact another nickname for the city is "La Godereccia" or the city that likes to enjoy itself - and the presence of 150, 000 University students, Bologna also has a lively night life.

And yes about the language.

I saw several informative and user-friendly 'Learn to Speak Anything' sites, and I have decided that I will learn it from here and here and here.

And I did try this site for actual translations.