World City Guide

Sport

Throughout Italy, the national passion (before food, religion or politics) is football (il calcio). The Bologna Football Club 1909 (tel: (051) 611 111; website: www.bolognafc.it) may not be one of the best-known teams outside Italy but as a Serie A (premier league) team, it still excites a good deal of noisy discussion, even though they have not won Serie A since 1964. Their home ground is the Stadio R. Dall’Ara, Via A Costa 174, to the northwest of the city. The ticket office sells seats starting from ¬15.50 and rising to ¬125. Carisbo (tel: (051) 421 1342), the Bolognese bank and team sponsor, also sells tickets.

Basketball (il basket) is the only other sport that maintains any sustained level of interest among the Bolognese. Kinder Virtus (website: www.virtus.it), the local team, is among the best in Europe and won the Euroleague in 1998. Their home court is at PalaMalaguti, Via Cervia 1, in Casalecchio di Reno (tel: (051) 758 758). Tickets cost between £15 and £85 are available for purchase at the stadium, two hours prior to a match or from EBC, Burgnoli 7 (tel: (051) 555 504) and cost between ¬35 and ¬85.

Fitness centres: These can be found at almost all the four- and five-star hotels in the city. The Gym, Via della Grada 13 (tel: (051) 551 539), affiliated with the Centro Studio Danza, Via Azzo Gardino 50 (tel: (051) 649 0476), is an excellent option. Other good centres are The Atles Club, Via Vezza 22 (tel: (051) 251 122), and Body Planet, Via delle Armi 12 (tel: (051) 494 155).

Golf: The best greens within easy reach of the city are Golf Club Bologna, Via Sabattini 69, Monte San Pietro (tel: (051) 969 100; website: www.golfclub.bo.it), or the nine-hole Golf Club Molino del Pero, Via Molino del Pero 323, in Monzuno (tel: (051) 677 0506). Both are closed on Monday and visitors should expect to pay ¬30-45 for a round of golf. Membership is not required.

Swimming: All Bolognese public swimming pools are provided by Sogese (tel: (051) 519 109; fax: (051) 514 054; website: www.sogese.com). Pools are normally open from about 1000-1500, usually with a late night opening on Wednesday. Entrance is in the region of ¬5-6. Pools near the city centre include Piscina Comunale Vandelli, Via Corticella 180/4 (tel: (051) 375 130), Piscina Comunale Cavina, Via Biancolelli 36 (tel: (051) 404 312), Centro Sportiva Record, Via Pilastro 8 (tel: (051) 503 311), Piscina Comunale Stadio, Via dello Sport (tel: (051) 615 2520), and Piscina Sterlino, Via Murri 113 (tel: (051) 623 7034).

Tennis: Public tennis courts, both indoor and outdoor, are located at the Centro Sportivo ‘Record’, Via Pilastro 8 (tel: (051) 503 311). Courts cost ¬5.50-14 per hour, depending on the time of day.