As much as I love the gorgeous old buildings and courtyards of Bologna, I also find great delight in the little unimportant details that make this city so interesting.

Like the community bulletin board plastered with all sorts of notices for concerts and films and classes.

Bologna bulletin board

Some of my favorite such sights are the painted murals on the garage-type doors that protect the shops of Bologna after hours and during afternoon siesta.

hair salon in Bologna

They are supposed to represent what is sold inside. Some of them are easy to decipher, but others??

Bologna shop door

Methinks this might be a Bolognese watering hole.

Bologna pub

Perhaps a bakery? Shelves lined with warm loaves of fresh white bread?

Bologna bakery

And this one? Umm, no idea whatsoever. 🙂

Bologna food shop

After wandering under the cool porticoes of Bologna in late afternoon, my friend Maddalena and I headed out into the hot September sunshine. It didn’t take long before we were both craving gelato. Maddalena took me to one of her favorite spots and I got a scoop of the very darkest of dark chocolate. Delish.

gelato in Bologna

What’s your favorite thing to eat on a hot sunny day?