Fine dining and wine tastings in the center of Bologna
La Ghiacciaia is a place of ancient, vivid charm at the heart of Palazzo Maccaferri: born in the 14th century, over time it has acquired multiple souls, now separated only by a glass floor. Below, the stone vault houses the prestigious wine cellar of Ristorante I Portici. Above, an intimate, evocative space gives shape to the experience. It is here that you may enjoy weekend fine-dining lunches, be guided through a wine tasting in the center of Bologna, or organize an exclusive, tailor-made event.
Between these two levels, an ongoing dialogue unfolds: between past and present, silence and conviviality, wine and signature cuisine. A place where the history of Bologna meets a contemporary idea of sensory pleasure.
The 14th-century La Ghiacciaia’s moments
Located beside the ground floor of I Portici Hotel, the 14th-century La Ghiacciaia has many different souls, all welcoming and captivating.
On Fridays and Saturdays from 12:15 PM to 2:15 PM, the 14th-century La Ghiacciaia welcomes you with the fine dining of Ristorante I Portici, in a more intimate and evocative setting.
A journey in depth, through space, time, and taste. The visit begins with a welcome sparkling wine and continues however you wish, between discovery and sensory pleasure.
For groups of up to 12 people, the 14th-century La Ghiacciaia may be reserved for a private fine-dining dinner, in an exclusive space designed to impress.
Lunches, aperitifs, dinners, and special occasions find a rare dimension here, with customized proposals for those who desire a freer, more convivial experience.
The 14th-century La Ghiacciaia may be experienced in two ways.
The first is open to everybody, on Fridays and Saturdays from 12:15 PM to 2:15 PM, through the fine-dining lunches signed by Ristorante I Portici.
The second is exclusive and tailor-made: you may reserve this space for private fine-dining dinners or personalized events.
Two different ways, the same extraordinary allure.
In the 14th-century La Ghiacciaia, wine is a journey in depth in every sense. In the sense of space, because it is in an underground vault in the heart of Bologna that the cellar of Ristorante I Portici is kept, with more than 900 labels and 3,500 bottles. In the sense of time, because, just like the space that houses it, the selection tells of waiting, evolution and nuance. And in the sense of taste, because it is in the meeting between wine and food that sensory pleasure multiplies and intensifies.
Consulting the wine list is already a first entry into this dimension.
The story of the 14th-century La Ghiacciaia
La Ghiacciaia was created in the 14th century as the great storage chamber of the Rocca di Galliera, the grand papal fortress commissioned by Pope John XXII and built with the contribution of important craftsmen of the era, including ng Giotto. Here, ice, beverages, and foodstuffs were preserved among straw and snow, thanks to a sophisticated conservation system that anticipated the principle of refrigeration by centuries. Its underground chambers extend toward Parco della Montagnola and tell a story intertwined with that of the Rocca: a fortress built and destroyed several times over the centuries, symbol of the relationship between Bologna and papal power.
Even today, a plaque along the portico of Via Indipendenza recalls its history, and just beyond the hotel, some remains of the structure are still visible. Today, after a careful restoration, it has been returned to the city of Bologna as a fascinating underground witness, capable of uniting the site’s medieval roots with the Liberty elegance of the palazzo, in a continuum of history, architecture, and hospitality.
When experience becomes a visual story
Signature cuisine, beyond the 14th-century La Ghiacciaia
The gastronomic experience of I Portici continues in other spaces within Palazzo Maccaferri, between starred cuisine, daily pauses, and artisanal sweetness.
