Bar Volare

Ancient, learned and majestic, the Red City belies its imposing facade with an exuberant, vibrant soul hummed along ancient alleyways and rust-coloured brickwork. Today we guide you through the streets of our beloved Bologna, past the Quadrilatero and the Quartiere Ebraico, strolling beneath the shade of the porticoes to number 10d Via Belvedere. It is tucked just off the busier Via Guglielmo Marconi where you will find the retro heart of the city’s nightlife: Bar Brillante Volare.

Expectations? Exceeded with flying colours. Volare is Italy, reflecting the country’s economic boom and the colourful pro-American wave in the rear-view mirror of a Fiat 600 with whitewall tyres, yet with a thoroughly modern creative spark—much like the tonic water the Bolognese cocktail bar mixes into its drinks, Acqua Brillante. Step inside and it seems hard to believe that Giuseppe Doria, alongside partners Fabio Tiberio and Giuseppe Montanaro, opened this window into the Italian past just two years ago, as everything from the sage-green paint to the terrazzo floor and wood panelling feels as if it has been here for decades. A closer look instantly reveals an enduring love for the warmth of the neighbourhood bar: red tablecloths, wicker chairs where locals and university students catch up over light-hearted conversation, a mirrored back bar, and an eye-catching jukebox playing hits from the roaring 60s. The staff look the part too, smartly turned out in shirts, waistcoats and bow ties—and just wait until you see them in action.

This is where to enjoy a proper Italian aperitivo, fuss-free and far removed from overblown gourmet notions: a few olives, a handful of salted peanuts and crisp bruschette topped with fine Bolognese mortadella. To wash it down, the bartenders at Volare have crafted an old-school cocktail list of great classics and signatures that celebrate the bitter tradition. Caterina (Rosolio, lemon juice, tonic and black pepper), Lento (Brandy, Amaro Nonino, lemon juice and sugar), Boogie (gin, Rosolio, lemon juice and sugar) and Galante (Calvados, Blu Curacao, lemon juice and sugar) are just some of the drinks created here: simple, easy-drinking serves made with few reassuring, high-quality ingredients, a quality that ‘Peppe’, Fabio and ‘Il Bosse’ have elevated with the unmistakable taste of Acqua Brillante.

Bar Volare is a comforting haven, but also the centre of a welcoming, modern drinking culture, embodying the values of tradition, authenticity, unpretentiousness and Italian spirit at the heart of Tonica Brillante. It is an exciting spot to catch guest shifts regularly hosted by the owners with big names in contemporary mixology. Whether you are feeling nostalgic for bygone decades or simply looking to dive into Bologna’s energetic nightlife in the heart of one of Italy’s most beautiful cities, at Volare you are right where you need to be.