Bologna’s towers and domes loom large on the horizon as one draws up on this great capital from any direction. Bologna, because of its easy access, is one of the popular tourist points of Italy, and for that reason it is omitted from nobody’s itinerary, though most hurried travellers remember the mortadella better than they do the cathedral, which in truth is nothing very fine so far as architectural masterpieces go.
The roads in and out of Bologna are quite the best to be found neighbouring upon a large city in Italy. They shall not be described further, the mere statement that this is so should be taken as sufficient praise.
The streets within the gates too, though paved, are splendidly straight and smooth, though encumbered at one or two awkward corners with tram tracks.
The visitor to Bologna may take his ease at the Hotel Brun, quite the most distinguished hotel in all Italy, not even excepting Daniellis or the Grand at Venice, each of them a palazzo of long ago.
The Hotel Brun is a red brick palace of imposing presence, with a delightful courtyard where you may stable your automobile along side of those of most of the touring nobility of Europe at a cost of two and a half francs a night. The hotel in spite of this is excellent in every way.
Bologna is surrounded by a city wall pierced by twelve gateways and thus well preserves its mediæval effect in spite of its theatres, cafés and restaurants, which are decidedly modern and unlovely.