Bologna, August 6, 2026 – “The Maestro, that’s what we called him here.” La trattoria da Vito di Bologna, one of the favorite places of Francesco Guccini, is still open today. It raised the shutter at 11:30, shortly after learning the news of the artist’s death who spent an important part of his life in Cirenaica.
From the relationship with Dalla to the house on via Paolo Fabbri 43
From the relationship with Lucio Dalla to the house on via Paolo Fabbri 43, passing through the memorable evenings at trattoria da Vito. Luca, a longtime employee for over 30 years, tells what Guccini represented for this historic place in Bologna. “The last time he came to eat here was before Covid. He was like family,” explains Luca, walking inside the trattoria before the customers arrive.
“A great friend, a great man has died. For us, a family person”
“I’m sorry that a great friend of trattoria da Vito has died, a great man. One of the greatest seen here inside. He entered on tiptoe and left on tiptoe. He never avoided anyone,” continues Luca. The omelette and the Coca Cola pitchers with lemon in summer. The lasagna corner and the Pignoletto. Occasions, gestures, habits.
“He gathered 4 generations: from little girls to grandmothers”
“He came in here and gathered four generations, from little girls to mothers and grandmothers,” continues Luca. Calls come in, reservations, questions “Is it open?”. A death that has caused mourning and sorrow throughout Italy. In the photos inside the trattoria there are signs of the golden years. Guccini together with Dalla and Morandi, the Maestro coach of the local football team. And then the guitar, the drinks until late at night, the relationship with Vito Pagani, the love for Bologna.
In front of the singer-songwriter’s house on via Paolo Fabbri 43 appear the first flowers. People stop, curious, lovers of his songs. ‘L’avvelenata’ resounds in the air, blasted at full volume from a van on site. “With him goes a part of my life,” explains Angela, who passed by the house to leave a note. Manuela, a neighbor at the door of Guccini’s house, tells anecdotes of the evenings spent together. “My father always jokingly told him: ‘Maestro, you are my neighbor, not I Guccini’s neighbor’,” testifying to the bond they had.
Read more The last time we saw Francesco Guccini in public (surprisingly)
The endless evenings: anecdotes and stories
In this house, still owned by him and the family and to which he also dedicated an album of the same name as the street number, Guccini had not lived for several years. But in Cirenaica, and especially at Vito’s (the singer-songwriter loved trattorias, see Osteria delle Dame), “he spent a lot of time, playing cards, drinking, playing music. Whole nights spent here,” added the owner Alice Pagani who represents the third generation of the place, after Vito and Paolo. and has already sent a telegram to the family on behalf of the osteria.
“I fondly remember when they played here, staying late until morning. I remember their wonderful songs, especially how carefree they were. Because you could see how much fun they had,” continues Alice, with walls that recall the times of Guccini and Dalla, with the companies of Morandi, Vecchioni, Carboni, Villotti, Bersani, Stadio and Ron.
“He was a great gentleman, a great poet, of great depth. His loss was a blow to the heart,” insists the owner, who arrived at the trattoria with her partner Alessandro Poli. “A great loss. He was a legend, trattoria da Vito is a historic place,” says a family from Marche who decided to have lunch on via Musolesi to pay tribute to the Maestro.
