Basic HTML Version
Bologna
Italy
Birmingham
UK
DIALLING CODE
+39
CURRENCY
€
FLY FROM
London (LGW),
Paris (CDG)
FROM THE
AIRPORT
Pre-bookyour taxi
at easyJet.com.
A local taxi costs €20
TheAerobus
runs from6am
tomidnight.Tickets:
€6 single.
BON APPETIT
UP TO €30
Da
Bertino
(55Via Lame,
tel: 051 522 230)Take
a step back into the
Bologna of the past at
this simple, family-run
trattoria. Bertino
himself continues to
slice the boiled and
roastmeats – the
house speciality – as
he has done since 1957.
EXCLUSIVE
Osteria de’ Poeti
(1
Via de’Poeti, tel: 051
236 166) Atmosphere
and fantastic food
in a warm, historic
setting – the Osteria
de’Poeti dates from
the 17th century.
Choose fromhearty
Bolognese specialities
such as lasagne, as
well as more refined,
creative dishes.
There’s a great wine
DIALLING CODE
+44
CURRENCY
£
FLY FROM
Geneva,Grenoble
FROM THE
AIRPORT
Pre-bookyour taxi
at easyJet.com.
A local taxi costs £20.
Trains leave
every 10minutes
for the centre.Tickets:
£3.10 single.
BON APPETIT
UP TO €30
The
Warehouse Café
(54–57AllisonStreet)
Thai red curry, hearty
soup and toffee-apple
crumblewill helpward
off thewinter chill.This
fantastic vegetarian
restaurant is one of the
city’s best-kept secrets.
EXCLUSIVE
Purnell’s
(55Cornwall
Street, tel: 0121 212
9799) Faultless service,
an elegant dining room
and innovative cooking
ease diners through
theirmeals.Michelin-
quality fooddoesn’t
have tobreak the bank:
the two-course lunch
costs just £22, or treat
yourself to the eight-
course tastingmenu.
AFTER DARK
LOW KEY
The Bell
(11 Old Church Road,
TAXI
TAXI
list and occasional live
music, too.
AFTER DARK
LOW KEY
Enoteca
Zampa
(127AVia
Andrea Costa, tel:
051 432 931) This
fabulous wine store
and wine bar near
Bologna’s football
stadium is worth the
short stroll out of the
centre. Open till the
early hours, it also
serves intriguing and
tasty snacks.
LATE & LIVELY
Matis Dinner Club
(10Via Rotta, Borgo
Panigale) This club
has been going strong
for over two decades
and continues to be
the place to go for
music, dancing and
plenty of people.
THIS MONTH
GO
On Sundays,
visit the small town
of Cento, just north
of Bologna, for one of
Italy’s liveliest carnival
celebrations. Superbly
decorated floats
parade the streets and
there are lots of side
events (5, 12, 19, 26
February and 4March,
carnevalecento.com).
NOWAY!
During the recent
edition of Cioccoshow,
an annual festival
dedicated to
chocoholics,
Bologna presented
the world’s largest
bar of chocolate. It
measured 15m in
length and weighed
more than 300kg.
Sarah Lane
tel: 0121 428 4609)
Housed in a centuries-
old coaching inn, this
cosy, old-world pub
oozes charmand is a
great place for a drink
in the early evening.
LATE & LIVELY
Town Hall
(Victoria
Square, tel: 0121
780 3333) Apacked
calendar brings
everything from
classical, jazz and
Motown to pop and
hip hop to this grand,
neoclassical venue.
THIS MONTH
SEE
Seize the
opportunity to see
the reinvented classic
SouthPacific
at the
NewAlexandraTheatre.
You’ll be humming
“Wash thatManRight
OuttaMyHair”for
weeks (StationStreet,
tel: 0121 2309070).
NOWAY!
Cadbury started out as
a humble grocery shop
onBull Street in 1824.
Jenny McKelvie
and with the league
hotting up, this is a
lively place to watch
a game on a large
screen. Get there
on an Athletic Club
Bilbao match day!
LATE & LIVELY
K2
(10 Calle Somera,
tel: 94 416 3450)
A big pub in the old
part of the city. Open
almost around the
clock with a sandwich
menu of more than
90 combinations.
K2 is popular with
young people – and
anyone interested
in mountains!
THIS MONTH
SEE
Carnival
processions take
place between 17
and 21 February. The
main procession
comes down the Gran
Via and ends up at
the Town Hall. Check
posters for starting
times. The Old
Quarters will
be buzzing all through
Carnival week
with parties, music
and dancing.
NOWAY!
On 3 February, San
Blas, in the Old
Quarters, is filled
with stalls selling
coloured laces which
have been blessed
by San Blas. The
tradition is to tie the
lace around your neck
and leave it there for
nine days. The lace
is burnt on removal,
guaranteeing a
winter free from
sore throats.
Katherine Bilsborough
Bilbao
Spain
DIALLING CODE
+34
CURRENCY
€
FLY FROM
Ibiza, Geneva,
London (STN),Madrid,
Manchester, Rome
FROM THE
AIRPORT
Pre-bookyour taxi
at easyJet.com.
A local taxi costs €35.
Buses leave every
30minutes.
Tickets: €1.50.
Visit the Europcar
desk for special
easyJet rates.
BON APPETIT
UP TO €30
Ortua
(18Alameda de
Mazarredo, tel: 94 424
5102) A simple eatery
with no elaborate
trimmings, just
tasty, freshly cooked
vegetarian lunches.
EXCLUSIVE
Zero
(3 Calle de Henao,
tel: 94 435 4116) This
exclusive restaurant,
serving the best-
quality Basque
cuisine, only opens
on Sundays. Book
a table in advance.
AFTER DARK
LOW KEY
Dime
que Sí
(1 Calle
Lersundi, tel: 94
424 1257) Bilbainos
love their football,
TAXI
Overlooking
Centenary Square,
this hotel is a stone’s
throw from the all
attractions of the
UK’s second city.
From€55, book at
hotels.easyJet.com.
COPTHORNE
HOTEL
★★★★
★
"Alizonnehastransformedmylife!"
preventative&cosmeticmedicine
(uk)
Sharon
Lost6st1lbs
with 30weeks
of treatment
Sharon
before
treatment
Clinics Nationwide
www.alizonne.co.uk
0844 8001209
WeightReductionSkinRetraction&
ContourShaping
WITHOUTSURGERY
ARevolutionaryMedicalTreatmentProgramme
ej_guides FEB SECTION_01 TEMPLATE.indd 122
18/0