Bologna and Arezzo

Florence is incomparable. No doubt about that.

But.

Taking nothing away from the greatest art treasury in the world, there are also great pleasures to be had in two small cities that are very nearby. My favorite thing about Bologna and Arezzo is that unlike the international tourist mecca that is Florence, these two seem one hundred percent Italian. Not that they are lacking in artistic wonders, to be sure, but their vibe is local, focused.

Bologna is red. From the brick and paint on its stately buildings, to the liberality of its democratic politics, to the mouthwatering tomato-y richness of its Tagliatelle alla Bolognese. Only half an hour by fast train from Florence one finds delights for the eye, the taste buds, the soul. In the heart of the city are two adjoining piazzas often thronged with students at its famous university—along with Paris, one of the two oldest in Europe. In the center of Piazza del Nettuno, is a fountain graced with a wonderful muscular Neptune by Giambologna.

On this recent visit, we were privileged to attend an opening at our friend Tiziana Sassoli’s Galleria Fondantico. Tiziana is a world-class expert in the paintings of her region of Italy from the fourteenth to the eighteenth century. For the launch of her latest exhibition, she recreated a still life. Amazing.

Take a look at the full exhibition by visiting the gallery at www.seleart.com/fondantico. Don’t miss the painting I wanted to take home (if only!), Donato Creti’s splendid Minerva. When you get to the website click on “Galleria” to see the show.

Arezzo is a totally different sort of town: as peaceful as Bologna is bustling, as Tuscan restrained as Bologna is voluptuous. In the church of San Francesco is one of the greatest masterpieces of the Renaissance: Piero della Francesca’s “Legend of the True Cross.” Here is a self-portrait he placed in one of the panels of the fresco. Read the legend in Piero’s pictures at http://www.casasantapia.com/art/pierodellafrancesca2.htm.

Arezzo has a long and glorious artistic and literary history that includes Guido of Arezzo who invented the system of musical notation, Petrarch (who was born there in 1304), and the painter and art historian Giorgio Vasari. The modern-day genius Roberto Benigni the writer/director of “Life is Beautiful” is also an Aretine and you may recognize his native city’s Piazza Grande from the scenes of the movie shot there.

On the train back to Florence from Arezzo, I got to thinking about going home to New York this coming Saturday. As we sped through the Tuscan countryside of acres of vineyards and olive groves, villas surrounded by midnight green cypresses, and hills topped by castles and monasteries, I wondered how I could leave all this beauty. Nor can I stay here and do without my dear ones in New York any longer. I have long said that when I am in Italy, the people here consider me American. When I am in the States, people think of me as Italian. Whether I am here or there, a part of me is far away from home.

Foreign Travel

My best friend is off to Italy next week to see her daughter get married. She's a little nervous about this adventure, not having flown to Europe in a long time, perhaps not since 9/11. Everyone gives her advice. My advice was to let the AAA set it all up. That worked great for me the time I went to Italy, a trip I took with another friend in pursuit of her art history research.

I must have mentioned it to you, the time I went to Italy; I never shut up about it, my lone experience of European travel. It was a couple of years ago, and I thought it was divine. But instead of the AAA my friend let her daughter make the arrangements, which involved a 13-hour layover in the Munich airport on the way to her Italian destination. This was unacceptable to her, so she changed it to a much shorter stop. I tell you what, I could live in the Munich airport, although somewhat more comfortably if I had money for luxurious perfumes and clothes, and if there were no restrictions on my diet. My word, the food. I could just do a vacation in the Munich airport. I love that airport. But chaque'un a son gout, as they say.

Anyway she is now engaged in pulling together the minutiae for this trip. Her beloved hair mousse is out, since it will look like a bomb to the TSA. I like to fly with a tiny bottle of jojoba oil to keep my hair in line, and it's good enough for me, but Lesley is better-looking than I am and requires more upkeep. Also I have no daughter to criticize my looks.

So what's good? I want to throw this open to you world travelers out there. Annamaria, help me out. What do you need to know to get successfully from here to Italy and back? What needs to go in the one-quart plastic baggie? What needs to be in the carry-on? If you check baggage through, will you ever see it again? If it were me, I would make sure to carry on the dress I planned to wear to the wedding. I still remember the night of the Malice Domestic banquet, when the lock broke on the door to our hotel room, trapping Robin Hathaway and me on the outside of the door and our beautiful evening clothes on the inside.

Leave a comment at your earliest convenience. It's time for her to start packing.

Kate Gallison