Category Archives: Photographs: Urban/Street

Bar Ristorantino

This photograph captures the comfortable yet ssometimes-cruffy character that we saw in Bologna. A couple of people sit at outside tables located under on of the ubiquitous porticos, between old, weathered columns. Racks hold bicycles, also common here, and an impromptu string of lights is ready for the evening hours.

Some Italian cities that we’ve visited, especially some smaller ones, have a sort of quaint charm. Others, perhaps like Milano, can present a kind of sophistication. In others, like Florence, history seems to be at the forefront. To me, Bologna feels a bit more rough-edged and unpretentious, but in an altogether pleasing way.


G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist. His book, “California’s Fall Color: A Photographer’s Guide to Autumn in the Sierra” is available from Heyday Books, Amazon, and directly from G Dan Mitchell.

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Bologna Portico

We do a lot of wandering when we travel, including “random walks” in the cities we visit. On this day we simply headed out, picked a direction, and walked until it fell like time to turn around and head back. We stayed in central Bologna, the old part of the city, and an area without much vehicle traffic. On much of the walk we followed these porticos, which travel under extensions of the buildings.

The porticos are a characteristic feature of Bologna, and I understand that they have a very long history. Centuries ago, as the population of the city increased, residents extended the upper floors of buildings over the streets. Eventually the structures needed the support of the columns. Today, what began as a way to produce more living space makes the street more livable, too, since the porticos provide shelter from the weather, in particular the heat of Italian summer.


G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist. His book, “California’s Fall Color: A Photographer’s Guide to Autumn in the Sierra” is available from Heyday Books, Amazon, and directly from G Dan Mitchell.

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Links: Articles, Sales and Licensing, my Sierra Nevada Fall Color book, Contact Info.

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Market, Arezzo

As I have mentioned in posts accompanying previous photographs from this town, Arezzo is one of the “off the beaten tracks” Italian towns we visited during summer 2023. I don’t mean to say that it is an uninteresting or unimportant place — just that it isn’t a typical tourist destination. That was clear during our visit, when we often felt like we might be the only tourists in a restaurant or other venue.

The photograph features a look through the doorway of a small store where locals shop. The cases feature a remarkable assortments of cheeses, beans, pastas, wine, and more. On our walks through this town we were more likely to encounter such places or other local businesses and less likely to see the usual tourist shops.


G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist. His book, “California’s Fall Color: A Photographer’s Guide to Autumn in the Sierra” is available from Heyday Books, Amazon, and directly from G Dan Mitchell.

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Links: Articles, Sales and Licensing, my Sierra Nevada Fall Color book, Contact Info.

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Street Scene, Via Pescherie Vecchie, Bologna

There are, of course, narrow streets like this in almost every city, and they are abundant in old sections of Italian towns. This one extends from the main plaza in central Bologna. It is lined with small shops, restaurants, and fish markets.

I suppose these streets are narrow partially because they were originally created in an era before automobiles. But they still have advantages today. Obviously, they are very intimate and walkable, and restaurants and bars spill out onto them. Because they are narrow and the buildings are tall, they provide respite from the Italian summer sun and heat — and here awnings provide almost complete coverage.


G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist. His book, “California’s Fall Color: A Photographer’s Guide to Autumn in the Sierra” is available from Heyday Books, Amazon, and directly from G Dan Mitchell.

Blog | About | Instagram | Flickr | Facebook | Threads | PostEmail

Links: Articles, Sales and Licensing, my Sierra Nevada Fall Color book, Contact Info.

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All media © Copyright G Dan Mitchell and others as indicated. Any use requires advance permission from G Dan Mitchell.