Bologna, Italy – A Traveler’s Triathalon

If you worry that your fitness regimen may be challenged when you travel, fear not.  On one beautiful day in Italy, my girlfriends Helene, Sara and I managed to create and conquer our own Bologna Triathalon.

Helene monkeying around on the Bologna tower

First we climbed the 500 steps of the ancient Asinelli tower (barefoot) and monkeyed around on top while taking in the high altitude views of the ancient city center of Bologna.  In my new math, this equates to one serving of gelato, which we of course procured.  This tower is one of the iconic Due Torri of Bologna and the only one open to the public as it’s partner, Garisenda, is leaning precariously. In a pre-trip interactive travel post, my friend Miriam had insisted I visit these towers. I can cross that off the list!

“As when one sees the tower called Garisenda

from underneath its leaning side, and then a cloud

passes over and it seems to lean the more,

thus did Antaeus seem to my fixed gaze

as I watched him bend…”

Dante Alighieri, Divine Comedy, Inferno

View from Asinelli Tower, Bologna

Barefoot climbing, Asinelli Tower, Bologna

A trio of friends atop the Asinelli Tower, Bologna, Italy

Another view from the top of the Asinelli tower. Bologna, Italy

Me and Helene indulging in very "cool" gelato, Bologna

After this exertion, we made a mad dash on the main street (still barefoot), past a rollicking parade, to catch a bus down to the Reno river for a date with a rafting tour. (Mad dashing until you’re breathless earns one a fine dinner including the best salumi selection.) My sincere thanks and grazie goes out to the fabulous people at Walks of Italy for arranging this tour – which is not on their ordinary repertoire – for me and Helene.

A zany parade in Bologna

Well deserved plate of salumi and a fresh salad

We met up with our guide at the Centro Sportivo who nicely waited for us as we slid into home plate just in time. The three of us shared one raft and a guide who was forced to tolerate both our giggling and our insistence on helping to paddle down the lazy, serene river.  In the past, this same company has had rafting tours that go under the city in old tunnels and waterways, regaling riders with classic tales of Bologna and reading Dante’s Inferno.  With the city’s blessing, they hope to resume this segment in the near future, and I would certainly keep an ear out for that one!

Gliding down the river, Bologna

Me, trying on the "river pants"...

Glamorous in rubber river pants

The walk back up through a park-like setting was equally rewarding, and if the raft ride was mild, the car ride back offered more of an adrenaline rush when we kept begging our guide to race around the rings faster and faster.

A walk in the park beside the Reno river, Bologna

Tim cooking up some risotto goodness in the blogville apartment, Bologna

Our cool down was a walk back through town to our blogville flat where we were treated to a ‘farewell Bologna’ dinner (we earned it!), crafted by master chef Tim, of A Cook Not Mad fame and his dear wife and sous chef Natalie.  The smells of the rich asparagus risotto cooking up in the cucina promised to sate the hunger we had worked up during our active day.  And Tim fulfilled the promise.  Sara and I had to dash out and bring back some of the Da Cesari panna cotta for a final savor, knowing it was our last chance to indulge. And we had earned it!

I’ve climbed the Eiffel Tower (no small feat!) and the La Giralda tower in Sevilla in an effort to stay fit.  I’ve gone hiking in the Italian Dolomites, swum “laps” along the coast of Ko Thao in Thailand, and climbed a frozen glacier in New Zealand.

In addition to tower climbing and other pursuits, I’ve also enjoyed bike tours when I travel, as they keep you “in” the city and the surrounds but covering more ground than the usual walking tours.  We hopped on bikes several times on this visit and I’m sure we annoyed the pedestrians with our over zealous bell ringing.

A popular mode of transportation.

More stairs at Basilica San Luca. Worth the climb!

What triathalons have you conjured on your travels to earn your foreign food fix? I’d love to hear them, share them and try them! Thanks for reading and traveling with me.

All Photos by Gina Stark unless I’m IN them! Then, thanks to Sara and Helene or the occasional random kind stranger.

*Special thanks to the amazing team of people at Emilia Romagna Blogville (especially the dynamic, amiable and uber capable Nicholas Montemaggi ) and also at Walks of Italy who invited me to savor the delights of Bologna and Italy at my own pace – whether harried or lazy. Stay tuned for more…