San Francesco area tour

Let’s discover a really peculiar area of Bologna, starting from (A) Mondo di Eutepia, a unique herbalist’s shop with a tea room and desserts. From via Testoni go in piazza Malpighi and admire, near the San Francesco church apse, the three funeral monuments of the glossators and continue towards the façade of the church consecrated to San Francesco of Assisi. The square is a meeting point for the evening “polleggio” (relax) for many young people – if you visit it in the spring evenings you will get its uniqueness. From there go towards via Sant’Isaia and visit (B) Simone Righi’s gold workshop, the city’s only dealer of Ethical Diamond and Ethical Gold. We suggest a stroll in via del Pratello, which 40 years ago was still avoided even by Bologna’s citizens, whereas now it is center of the night life thanks to the several bars, pubs, beer shops and restaurants; his dynamic citizens committee promotes several events around April 25th, National Liberation Day and celebration of Pratello R’Esiste. Have lunch at (C) Il Rovescio and stop by at (D) Salviamoci la pelle, in via della Grada. (If you want to reroute out of the city center, it is worth a visit to (E) La Bottega di Silvia, in via Vittorio Veneto, ten-minute walk from Porta San Felice, westwards in the suburbs). Continue in via San Felice, where you can stop by (F) Medicamenta, a Bio&Fair herbalist’s shop, and (G) Libreria delle Donne, established as a women’s association, now proposing well-conceived books and cultural meetings. Finish the stroll with a drink at (H)Senza Nome Bar, an establishment entirely managed by deaf people, in a juvenile milieu, just behind Mercato delle Erbe – for dinner we suggest to take a little detour out of the area until via Galliera and eat at (I) Bio’s Kitchen.