What is the Finestrella in Bologna? Its other name is La Piccola Venezia which might give you a clue. It is a small window onto a hidden Bologna which gives you a view reminiscent of La Serenissima.
The window is on Via Piella and is behind a small wooden shutter under the portico. The river you can see is the Canale delle Moline, an extension of the Canale di Reno. When the waterways of Bologna were build over this was the only one that remained open.
When we visited, a renegade knitter was creating a warm winter coat for the shutter. The window is worth making the effort to find, but easy to miss, especially if the shutter is closed. You will get a sense of how Bologna used to be, with houses butting onto canals and the sound of water babbling. A completely free and unexpected experience, except you will be expecting it now. But it will still be memorable.
Location: Via Piella, Bologna.
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