Things to do in Bologna

If you are wondering what you can see in Bologna and what is so special about this Italian city, don’t stop reading. This northern Italian city is best known in Spain for being an Erasmus city. But Bologna has much more to offer than that. It is one of the best-preserved historic cities, and is home to the second largest medieval old town in Europe.

It boasts some of the best food in Italy, and that’s more than enough reason to check it out. In addition to its Bolognese, the city is easy to explore in a weekend, making it perfect for a city break. Bologna is a city worth discovering, to delve into its culture, have fun and be surprised at every turn. Do you want to know more?

Things to do in Bologna

Asinelli and La Garisenda Towers

Located right in the centre, these towers are one of the symbols of Bologna. Also, it is an essential stop to see in the city. They are named after the two families who ordered their construction between the 12th and 13th centuries. Commonly called the towers of Bologna, they stand at the entrance to the city from the Via Emilia.

The Asinelli tower is the only tower that can be entered and climbed. Also, it is accessed by a staircase that climbs up to the highest part of the tower. From where you can enjoy panoramic views of the city. Because of its importance and the privileged view, it is well worth climbing the steep and long staircase. To access the towers, it is advisable to go along via Rizzoli. This is the street that offers the most beautiful perspective. Also, it is a very popular area for cafés and bars.

Piazza Maggiore

Piazza Maggiore is the most important square in Bologna. It concentrates most of the city’s religious buildings and medieval palaces. It is home to the Palazzo Comunale, the Palazzo dei Bianchi, and the Basilica di San Petronio. Also, Palazzo del Podestà, and the impressive Fountain of Neptune.

Basilica of San Petronio

The Basilica of San Petronio, is located in the main square. It is dedicated to the patron saint of Bologna, after whom it is named. This basilica was intended to be the largest church in the world. However, the papal authority stopped its construction when they saw that it was in competition with the one in Rome, and it ended up being the fifth. The building stands out for its structure, Gothic architecture and polychrome stained glass windows. In addition, inside the Basilica you can find several renowned works of art. Such as, the Mystical Marriage of Santa Caterina and the frescoes of Giovanni of Modena.

Piazza and Basilica of Santo Stefano

The Piazza de Santo Stefano is one of the best preserved medieval corners and an essential place to see in Bologna. Also, this pedestrianised area has become for many the most beautiful thing to see in Bologna. Perhaps, this is the most elegant square in the city. In addition, the most imposing feature of this square is the Basilica of Santo Stefano known as the 7 churches. Formed by the union of 4 churches, this basilica is a very important religious complex of the city that cannot be missed in your route. As points of interest of this basilica, we find:

• Church of the Crucifix
• The Basilica of the Holy Sepulchre
• Basilica of San Vitale and Sant’Agricola
• Courtyard of Pilate
• Church of the Trinity or Martyrium with the most ancient crib
• The medieval cloister
• The Museum of Santo Stefano
• Viewpoint of San Michele in Bosco

San Michele in Bosco is a church in the south of Bologna which is situated on the top of a mountain overlooking the whole city. However, most visitors come to this church as a vantage point for its spectacular view of Bologna. Also, it has a stone wall where you can take a break and sit and admire the views.

The Porticoes of Bologna

Bologna is famous for its porticoes. There are approximately 40 km of porticoes running through the entire city. It is said that when it rains you can cross the whole city through them without getting wet. The widest portico in the city is the four-sided portico of the basilica of Santa Maria dei Servi on Strada Maggiore. The tallest is on via Altabella at the seat of the Archdiocese of Bologna, which has a portico measuring 10 metres. On the other hand, the narrowest, at 95 cm, is in via Sanzanome, formerly known as the street where the brothels were located.

Sanctuary of San Luca

It is situated on the top of the Guardia hill, in the open air and surrounded by a small wood, very close to the old town. It is one of the essential things to see in Bologna and a different environment of the city. Here, there is the longest portico in the world, starting from Porta Saragozza and reaching this sanctuary. The portico, which is 4 km long, houses 15 small chapels along its length. Moreover, this sanctuary is one of the most remote points of interest in the city. We recommend that you set aside a whole morning just to see and enjoy this monument and its natural surroundings.

Archiginnasio Palace

The Archiginnasio Palace is located between the Basilica and Piazza Maggiore in Bologna, in the city centre. It is one of the most representative and historical palaces of the city. Moreover, this palace was the seat of the ancient University of Bologna and has one of the largest libraries in Italy, the Biblioteca Comunale dell’Archiginnasio. Built in the 16th century by Cardinal Carlo Borromeo, the palace has paintings and frescoes of great artistic value on its walls. In addition, the arches that invade the outside of the building are what will first catch your attention. When you enter and deserve some time for observation and a photo that captures their beauty.

The Quadrilatero Market

This is an area located in the heart of the historic centre of Bologna, bounded by four streets; Via degli Orefici, Portico del Pavaglione, Via Clavatura and Via Castiglione. Also, in these streets you will find a wide variety of restaurants.

The Quadrilatero market is a market that is home to top quality local produce. Here, you will find all kinds of food, but especially typical Italian products such as tortellini, mortadella Bolognese, Bolognese sauce or crescentine bread. Also, during weekends, the area between Piazza Maggiore and Via Castiglione is pedestrianised, making it an interesting and original walk that immerses you in the culture of this Italian city. In addition, In these streets you will find a wide variety of restaurants.

Mercato delle Erbe

Mercato delle Erbe is the largest covered market in the city centre. Also, this market represents the essence of the Italian way of life and mentality. Moreover, this market is not one of the most touristy stops in the city, so it is a place that captures the cultural and gastronomic tradition of Bologna. In addition, you can eat at its street food stalls.

Travel Tip: To organize your trip we recommend using Passporter totally free. You can be inspired by the experiences of other travelers, choose the places that interest you most, create the travel route with a geolocated map, upload all important documents such as reservations and invite your friends so that everyone can participate in the organization of the trip.

Where to try Bologna’s Gastronomy

The Bolognese of Bologna is a symbol par excellence of the city and you can’t leave without trying one. Tortellini is one of the most representative products of this city, the most typical ones are the ones served with chicken broth, in Trattoria di Via Serra you can try them in this way, and eat the authentic bolognese of the city. Also, the sausage and especially the mortadella is also one of Bologna’s most characteristic dishes.

If you are not vegetarian, you can try the sausages of the Salumeria Simoni or the mortadella of Mo mortadella lab. However, if you are a pasta lover, you can’t miss the Gessetto Ristorante, and Mercato di Mezzo (the latter located in the Quadrilatero) with an incredible quality-price ratio. Also, you won’t find better wines than those of L’Osteria del Sole, the oldest osteria in the city.

What to see in and around Bologna

The city of Bologna has a unique charm, but in its surroundings you will find new territories to discover and investigate, with the same spirit as Bologna and great photographic value.

A very worthwhile excursion to spend one of the days of your trip is to visit the towns of Parma or Ferrara. In addition, these two towns are very close to the city of Bologna and can be reached by train in about 40 minutes for about 6€ per trip.

Parma

This city is world famous for its Parmigiano Reggiano and prosciutto di Parma, reasons enough to visit it. But it also has several buildings of great historical value that make it one of the favourite destinations for Italians. Moreover, in Parma you can see the Piazza del Duomo where the Duomo of Parma is located, the baptistery of Parma, and the Palazzo della Pilotta. Also, enjoy the atmosphere of the Piazza Giusseppe Garibaldi, and as an original and curious plan you can visit the Parmiggiano Museum.

Ferrara

Ferrara was once one of the most important seignories of the Renaissance; artists and intellectuals from all over Europe came to its court. Thanks to this, today it is recognised by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. According to all these reasons, it is a very interesting city to visit. Also, you can see the Estense Castle of Ferrara, walk along the city walls of Ferrara, as well as the arches of via delle Volte, the medieval street, the Palazzo dei Diamanti and the Duomo.

What to see in Bologna in 1 day

It’s hard to decide what to see in the city of Bologna in just a 1-day itinerary. But we’ll organise a route that will capture the essence of the city and you’ll feel like you haven’t missed a thing.

Firstly, the Asinelli Towers and La Garisenda, later stroll through Piazza Santo Stefano and enter the Basilica of Santo Stefano. Then, it is a good time to have lunch in the streets of the Quadrilatero and then browse the products of the Mercato delle Erbe (it is an 8 minute walk from the Quadrilatero). Finally, the afternoon can be completed by going up to the Mirador San Michele in Bosco to watch the sunset.

What to see in Bologna in 2 days

Visiting Bologna in a weekend is the ideal opportunity to get to know it well and enjoy its essence and tradition.

Day 1: First of all, start the route in Piazza Maggiore, and enter the Basilica San Petronio. Then, take a picture of the Neptune Fountain, and go to the Quadrilatero for lunch. Finally, go up to the Mirador San Michele in Bosco to see the sunset.

Day 2: Firstly, go to see the Asinelli Towers and La Garisenda, and climb the Asinelli Tower to see the views. Then, enter the Archiginnasio Palace, later visit the Mercato delle Erbe for lunch. Finally, in the afternoon stroll around Piazza Santo Stefano, and enter the Basilica of Santo Stefano.

What to see in Bologna in 3 days

If you want to know how to organize your trip to Bologna in 3 days, here are some ideas.

First day: First of all, start the route in Piazza Maggiore, enter the Basilica San Petronio, take a picture of the Neptune Fountain. Then, go to the Quadrilatero, and finish the day going up to the Mirador San Michele in Bosco to see the sunset and enter the church.

Second day: Firstly, go to see the towers of Bologna along via Rizzoli, and take the opportunity to browse the shops and stalls. Then, climb the Asinelli tower to see the views, the Archiginnasio Palace, and later visit the Mercato delle Erbe. Finally, in the afternoon stroll through Piazza Santo Stefano, and enter the Basilica of Santo Stefano.

Third day: Firstly, you can go up to the Sanctuary of Our Lady of San Luca, to admire the views and enjoy the natural environment that surrounds it. This visit will take you practically the whole morning. Afterwards, visit the longest portico in the world, and the most representative porticoes of the city. In addition, you can return to the Quadrilatero and enjoy its streets, craft shops and local products.

How to organize what to see in Bologna

If you don’t know how to organise your trip, or where to start to visit all the points of interest in Bologna, download the Passporter App and we will help you.

• First of all, get inspired by the experiences of other travellers.
• Then, create your own itinerary and add to it the suggestions of the app.
• Also, add the stops that interest you most, as well as the restaurants and bars where you want to eat (you can use the points of interest that we indicate in this post as a reference).
• Organise your itinerary by days of the route according to its location on the map (you can be inspired by the routes we present in the post).
• In addition, check the travel budget that the app calculates according to your travel stops, restaurants and leisure activities.
• Also, you can make the modifications you need and you’ll be all set for your trip.
• Finally, share your experience. Upload photos of each of the places you have visited on your trip to the app to inspire other users.

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