Travel: BOLOGNA, ITALY

*check out my last Italian (foodie) adventures to Bergamo here!*

What do you think of when you think of Italy? If you're anything like me, you probably think art, designers, famous landmarks, and above all else, food. Lucky for me, there's plenty of cities famous for food that I have, and will, visit, but one that was recommended to me again and again was Bologna, home of the bolognese! 

I arrived on a rainy afternoon to Bologna Centrale train station, and walked first to my accommodation for the night, a small hostel called Il Nosadillo. The hostel only has three rooms - one male, one female, and one mixed, and is quite possibly the quietest hostel I've ever stayed in (definitely not complaining!) 

Bags dropped off, it was time to get out and explore, and most importantly, find something to eat. I checked the internet for recommendations, and above everything else was one restaurant, Sfoglia Rina. The reviews spoke of it's delicious tortellini, a pasta famous in Bologna, and one that I had been told I had to try while I was there. One slight problem - everyone else wanted it too. The queue when I arrived stretched around the corner - I didn't feel like queuing for two hours in the cold, so decided to cut my losses and try somewhere else. 

My choice: Bonelli Burgers, a bold decision for a vegetarian, particularly when the menu didn't seem to suggest that there was anything non-meat related on the menu, bar chips. But still, a plate of chips wouldn't be a bad option, would it? Nonetheless, I asked the staff if they had any veggie options, and was surprised to find Bonelli has a 'secret menu' including a grilled cheese burger which may well be the best grilled cheese I've ever had (and I've had Five Guys grilled cheeses!) A soft bun, perfectly melted cheese, fresh crispy lettuce, and the most delicious caramelised onions I have ever eaten in my life, dripping with flavour that you couldn't help but dip your bread into. Amazing. 

Bologna is a city full of culture, and I'd be damned if I wasn't going to take advantage of one type of culture that you just can't get living in a smaller city like I do - English language films. My Italian leaves a lot to be desired, and if I wanted to see something on the big screen, there was nowhere better than Bologna. 

On the outskirts of the city, I found Cinema Lumiere, a large round building which, as it turned out, was not where I would be watching my film that evening. Part of the same company was Sala Cervi, a one-room cinema not too far away. I actually really enjoyed it - just four rows of seats, a big screen, and a great movie (in English with Italian subtitles). Honestly, a great way to spend the evening. 

After a quiet night in the hostel, it was time to carpe the diem. Breakfast was included - breads, yoghurts, cheeses, and juice - not a bad way to set yourself up for the day. I certainly needed 'setting up', because I was off for a hike! My destination? Santuario Madonna di San Luca. My route? A steep one. 

From my hostel, the sanctuary was a good hour's walk away, up hundreds and hundreds of steps. It was a drizzly morning, so I was pleased that most of the route was under covered walkways, with ample stops along the way showing the Stations of the Cross. 

At long last, I had made it up to the sanctuary, renowned for offering beautiful views across Bologna. That is, on days not like the one I'd come on. As luck would have it, everything was covered in a thick fog meaning I could see little beyond the trees right in front of me, reminding me greatly of my time in Innsbruck. I'm sure everyone else is correct that the view really is good, but alas for me, it wasn't meant to be. 

Thankfully, I hadn't come all that way for nothing, as the sanctuary itself was a large and beautiful church. Inside, huge domed ceilings lifted the eye upwards, before it was drawn back to the beautiful altar with colours straight out of a night sky. You can actually go right up to the altar to admire the dappled marble walls, expertly painted images, and gilded sculptures. Absolutely beautiful. 

Happy with my trip to the monastery, I took the long walk back, opting for a scenic route to return me to the centre of town. I'd picked up a walking tour map the night before, and it was now time to use it. My journey began at Piazza Maggiore, with it's famous statue of Neptune overlooking the plaza, trident in hand. The piazza is wide and surrounded by important buildings like the city's town hall, the Basilica of San Petronio, home to the largest sundial in the world. 

I walked onwards along Via dell'Archiginnasio, full of exclusive shops just a tad out of my price range (although they did look very nice!). This took me to Palazzo dell'Archiginnasio, part of the University of Bologna. A quick detour inside allowed me to admire the architecture and intricately painted walls, and see why Bologna is such a popular city for students to come and study at. 

The tour notified me that we were now moving from 'Bologna The Learned' to 'Bologna The Fat' - that sounds more like it! I ended up back in the narrow streets of the Quadrilatero, the old city market, with bars and restaurants spilling onto the street that you have to weave your way around. This is also the area where I'd tried to find dinner the night before, so just for good measure decided to check again. Alas, the queue for the restaurant was just as ridiculous as the day before, so my tortellini would have to wait. 

My next stop was Piazza Santo Stefano, home to what seems like a large church, but is in fact four (previously seven!) and a very interesting place to explore for a while and see how the architecture of the city and it's religious buildings have changed over the centuries. 

Passing through the covered passageway of Corte Isolani (which also looked like a very pleasant place to stop for something to eat), I found myself at the foot of the Two Towers, the tallest of the twenty still standing towers in Bologna. There is a possibility to climb the 498 steps to admire views over the city, but after my failed attempt that morning, I thought I was better off doing something else. 

There's honestly nothing better than finding some good food to pass the time, and I was ultra determined that I would not leave Bologna without having tried some of it's famous tortellini. Fancy restaurants out of the question (queues? No thanks), Bottega Portici seemed like a good choice. This busy place off of Via dell'Indipendenza is essentially a fast food joint - you go in, order your food on touch screens, receive a buzzer, and wait for your food to be ready. I picked tortellini with a tomato and basil sauce, and headed outside to secure the last available table. 

Then, I faced a problem. I didn't want to leave my table unattended and risk losing it whilst I went inside to pick up my food, but I couldn't leave my bag there to mark it and risk it being stolen in the busy city. I decided to ask the two girls at the table behind me to watch my stuff, which probably ended up being the best decision I made in my whole time in Bologna. 

As I came back out with my tray, the two girls asked if I'd like to join them. Sure! I had a lovely time chatting with them for about an hour - about their hometown, university life in Bologna, my experience growing up in London and, of course, food. It was such a simple but uncommon gesture - to invite a stranger to join you for lunch - but it really was such a highlight of my trip, and truly reflects the hospitality of Italians. If these were the only two people I met in my whole time in Italy, I'd go home thinking how lovely the people were. 

I couldn't have asked for a more pleasant way to round up my time in Bologna. Overall, I wouldn't class Bologna as my favourite city in Italy to have visited - honestly, I'd expected there to be more to do (although the weather might have had something to do with that). However, there were some real highlights - I had a damn good burger, had a very nice cinema experience, saw a beautiful church, and met some lovely people. A resounding success in my books. 

Tips for visiting Bologna:

- If I were you, I'd go in Spring or Summer. From my brief trip there, it seems like two of the major attractions (Santuario Madonna di San Luca and the Two Towers) are really ones best enjoyed with good weather, and if you head in darkest winter like I did, you're probably not going to get that

- Further to this, I'd also recommend visiting on a weekday. I was there on a holiday weekend when places were busier than usual. I'd have loved to have tried some of the best rated restaurants or stayed longer in the narrow streets, but the number of people there put me off, so I imagine it's a more enjoyable city when it's less busy. 

I hope you enjoyed reading about my culinary adventures in Bologna! If you've visited, I'd love to know what the best thing you ate was (and indeed what cities you think are best for foodies like me!) Drop me a message on Twitter @CiarasCountry or in the comments below - thanks so much for reading! 

Interview: AVERY ANNA (Part 2)

 

*check out Part 1 of my interview with Avery here!*

 

CC: We’re speaking a little while after you performed at C2C Country 2 Country in London. I was there, and I knew you were going to be fantastic, but I'm going to totally fangirl on you now and say that I was absolutely blown away by your performances, your confidence, your range and how you somehow even sounded better live than on your records. It was such a highlight of the festival, and I think you were one of the my favourite artists that I've ever seen at C2C.

 

AA: Thank you so much, that’s so sweet!

 

CC: What was it like performing at C2C?

 

AA: I’m just now starting to get into show, so it was amazing. I can't even describe it to you, especially the last night on the Spotlight stage - being able to watch people have a reaction and feel those emotions as I'm singing is the most amazing feeling in the entire world. I love it so much. I could literally cry! And some people out there knew the words to my songs too, that was so cool.

 

CC: I can safely say that all 20,000 of us were completely enraptured by you on the Spotlight stage. There were so many amazing artists on the C2C lineup, yourself included - were there any that you were particularly excited to see?

 

AA: Oh, definitely Ashley McBryde. When she was singing Girl Goin’ Nowhere, I literally started crying. It was so good. She's one of my favourites. I really liked watching Breland too - he brought such good energy to the stage, and he's just such a cool dude.

 

CC: Speaking of Ashley's song Girl Goin’ Nowhere, it's all about those people who say you’re never going to make it, no matter how hard you try. Did you ever get any of that when you were starting out?

 

AA: Honestly, the most negative talk that I've ever received is from my own self. I honestly had never really believed that this could happen for me until other people started believing in me, but I feel like this past year, I've really proven to myself that I should be a little bit more gracious and believe in myself, because I could take it to the next level and really reach some people. It’s more fighting with my own head instead of other people.

 

CC: Sometimes all it takes is somebody pointing it out for you to release what you’ve got! There’s loads of talented people in country and other genres too - is there anybody you’d love to record a duet with or perform with?

 

AA: Hmm… This is an impossible duet since she's no longer with us, but my dream would have been to sing with Patsy Cline. She's got such a unique voice and she's amazing. Right now, I’m really into Zach Bryan and Kelsea Ballerini, so those would be great.

 

CC: I can really see those duets happening.

 

AA: I hope they do!

 

CC: How did you enjoy your time this side of the pond in London?

 

AA: It was so awesome. I only had one day to tour the city, but it was so amazing. Everyone was so nice, and you all sound really smart because your accents are beautiful. The city is so pretty too - I love all the old buildings and the colourful doors. Everything's awesome.

 

CC: Did you do anything specifically British while you were here?

 

AA: I did have tea and finger sandwiches, which I've never done before. I did have a macaron for the first time too, but I feel like that's a French thing!

 

CC: Can we get your tea order?

 

AA: It was a black tea with vanilla. I'm not much of a tea drinker, so I got the sweetest one I could think of.

 

CC: I'm really glad you were able to have tea, and so many more places for you to try when you come back.

 

AA: I hope so!

 

CC: We spoke a little earlier about the tracks that you've already released – what’s next?

 

AA: I've been writing some really deep songs, and I did go into the studio yesterday – that’s all I can say! Hopefully new music soon.

 

CC: Well, all I can say is that when you do a full European tour to promote the songs you've already got and the ones that you're telling me about, I can assure you, I'll be there in the front row. As you know, you’ve become one of my favourite artists of the last few years - I love discovering new and up and coming artists and I think one of the best ways to do that is by asking artists that I love who they recommend. Avery, are there any underrated or new artists that you think everyone should be listening to?

 

AA: I don't know how new I can call him, but I really admire Zack Bryan and his songwriting. He seems very true to himself. Newer artists – Jenna Raine. She's not country but she’s a great songwriter, and such a happy soul. She’s very underrated and I think she's going to go places with her light and her happiness.

 

CC: I’d love to see a songwriting session with you and the two you just mentioned.

 

AA: Yes, hopefully!

 

CC: Our interview is coming to an end, but I have one last question for you - what is one question you've never been asked in an interview, but would love to be?

 

AA: Oh, my goodness! Maybe my favourite song to sing in church? That would probably be Amazing Grace or How Great Thou Art.

 

CC: I think we definitely need some kind of church album from you at some point then.

 

AA: Yeah, I love when artists cover church hymns and songs. It's so awesome so hopefully I can do that one day.

 

CC: I hope so too! I think there'll be a lot of fantastic things to come from you. Avery, I cannot thank you enough for taking the time to talk with me, giving my listeners and readers an insight into who you are, and finding out that you are just as lovely in person as I expected you to be.

 

AA: Thanks! Next time I come to London, hopefully we can do this again but in person.

 

CC: You bet. See you then! 

 

This was without a doubt one of my favourite interviews I've ever done - I can't wait to catch up with Avery again sometime soon, and look forward to seeing what's still to come from her! If you'd like to stay up to date on all of my future reviews and interviews, make sure to drop me a follow on Twitter @CiarasCountry. Thank you so much for reading!

Interview: AVERY ANNA (Part 1)

It's not every day you get to interview one of your favourite artists, but that happened to me when the phenomenal Avery Anna (who I absolutely loved seeing perform at C2C) joined me for a chat - we spoke about getting into music, going viral on TikTok, sharing such personal songs, and so much more. I hope you enjoy! 

 

Ciara’s Country (CC): I am absolutely delighted to be joined by one of my favourite country stars of the past few years - none other than Avery Anna. Welcome Avery!

 

Avery Anna (AA): Thank you so much. I love that I get to talk to you. This is awesome!

 

CC: It's such a privilege for me as well so thank you for taking the time! So, I know you as the girl in the bathtub, whose songs made their way into my heart and onto my playlists. However, some of my listeners and readers might not know you quite so well - could give us a brief overview of how you got into music?

 

AA: I got into music when I was really young. My grandpa used to pull out his guitar, and he would play and I would sing, and we started with really old classic country music. Ever since then, I've just loved singing, loved writing - just loved it all.

 

CC: And what was it about your grandfather's love of music that passed on to you?

 

AA: That's a good question. He's a very quiet guy, and as a kid, just watching him be passionate about something, hearing him talk so much about the stories of him playing, and watching him light up when he played, made me really happy. Then I started to love it and light up when I played as well, and I loved watching our family reactions to us play too!

 

CC: You went from playing with your grandfather to posting videos on Tiktok, which then went viral, and here we are today! I always think it's so brave for people to get vulnerable and share their talents online - what was it that made you post that very first video?

 

AA: You know, I always would sing in the bathtub, not on camera, just because it was so awesome. I love the acoustics and I used to get up at like 5am in middle school so that I could sing before I went to school. It was just a burning passion that I always had. That Say Something song that I first posted, it just felt right. I didn't have any followers at the time, but it did really well, and I feel like the fans then gave me the confidence and the reassurance that I should just keep posting.

 

CC: It must have been crazy to see those views start to grow. When was it that you realised ‘Oh, maybe something big is happening here?’

 

AA: Probably when my managers reached out - they DMed me on Instagram, we signed a little contract, and they started helping me produce the songs that I was writing. It was so fast that I don't remember a specific moment, it all felt insane!

 

CC: Does it feel real now?

 

AA: No, every day feels like I'm at Disneyland!

 

CC:  That's such a great analogy to give - I think everyone would love that experience of feeling like they're at Disney every day!

 

AA: Absolutely!

 

CC: So your first cover was A Great Big World’s Say Something - how do you choose what songs to cover for your videos?

 

AA: It's always the songs that make me feel something. Something I felt, even when I was very young, singing in church, was if I can't feel it, then whoever I'm singing to won't be able to feel it either. I only ever post songs that really resonate with me and make me feel something, so that it can maybe resonate with somebody else too.

 

CC: Are there any songs that you’re afraid to post because you’re not sure how they’ll turn out or be received?

 

AA: Usually, it's my own songs that I write because those are the most vulnerable for me. I've definitely been very hesitant to post a couple of those because they're just so deep - so personal and I write such sad songs sometimes!

 

CC: So far we've had four phenomenal tracks from you: Just Cause I Love You, Can’t Miss You Anymore, I Love You More, and Narcissist. As you said, they are such deeply personal songs, and at C2C, you even described them as coming straight out of your journal. That's a lot to give to us - what was it like sharing them with the world?

 

AA: It's so intimidating. It’s a very vulnerable thing, but it's a strong thing to do to be that vulnerable in front of that many people. However, it's a price I'm willing to pay because it helps so many people – reading the YouTube comments for Narcissist, I found it insane that so many people can relate. It makes me very sad, but it helps me have the confidence to keep on writing the real stuff. It's very honest.

 

Avery had so much more insight into her life and music to come - make sure to stay tuned for Part 2 of my interview, where we chat about performing at C2C, dream duets, Ashley McBryde, and so much more! Be the first to know when that drops by following me on Twitter @CiarasCountry - thanks so much for reading!