Tourist guide: what to do and see in Bologna
Bologna the Fat awaits you with open arms
Bologna the Fat and its red roofs is a city full of Old World charm. Known throughout the world for its culinary excellence (spaghetti Bolognese, anyone?), it's much more than that, of course. It's a lively university town amidst whose bustle you will find one of the oldest historic centers in all of Europe. Set in the north of Italy between Milan, Venice and Florence, its history, its love of life, and its countless medieval towers will utterly charm you.
- Sights
- Shopping
- Leisure
- Dining
- Open air
- Museum
- Sights
- Shopping
- Leisure
- Dining
- Open air
- Museum
Windows to 'Little Venice'
A peek at an aquatic past
Perhaps unique in the world!
Bologna may be located well inland, but back in the day it was known as Piccola Venezia (Little Venice) because it has several canals, built during the 12th century to transport goods faster than they could be transported through the narrow, clogged medieval streets. As the city grew, though, these channels were largely relegated to the underground and became sewers. One, though, is still visible via little windows (dubbed la finestrella) on Via Oberdan, Via Malcontenti and Via Piella. Very cool indeed!
Day Trip to Modena
A handsome city of equally ancient vintage, lately known especially for cars and condiments
Vinegar and beyond
Just 50 kilometres (31 miles) from Bologna is another handsome city that's the home of Luciano Pavarotti; carmakers Ferrari and Maserati; another of the world's oldest universities (1175); Italy's military academy; and last but not least, balsamic vinegar. Local highlights include a beautiful, Romanesque, UNESCO World Heritage cathedral dating back to 1184 with a tower 90 metres (295 feet) high; the triple-nave interior includes the tomb of the bishop responsible for its construction - with the twist that it's opened annually to ensure he hasn't gone anywhere. Another is the Baroque Ducal Palace (now part of Italy's aforementioned military academy), which played an important role in the politics of both the region and the country.
Day Trip to Parma
Ham, cheese, opera, history, and much, much more. Bellissima!
Simply charming.
Another major Emilia Romagna city 98 kilometres (61 miles) northwest of Bologna, this urb of 150,000 inhabitants at the feet of the Appenine Mountains dates back to the Bronze Age, and today also can give Bologna a run for its money in terms of this region's culinary crown, with the jewels of said crown being its prosciutto cured ham as well as the famous cheese named for it. Food for the soul is amply provided, as well, as with its Teatro Farnese, the world's oldest opera house (not to mention that it gave the world the immortal composer Giuseppe Verdi). Its compact Old Town centres around the Piazza Duomo, whose cathedral includes a baptistery which is one of Italy's medieval glories and stars frescoes by 16th-century master Correggio. The best time to see it is sunset; when you view this, you'll understand why Parma is one of Italy's best kept secrets.
Neptune Fountain
The Roman god of the sea is a symbol of the city which has developed its own local lore
Ocean's Eleven (Or Is It Twelve?)
Fondly dubbed "the Giant" by locals, the imposing statue of the Roman god of the oceans in the Piazza Nettuno is adjacent to the Piazza Maggiore, facing the Palazzo d'Accursio and the Palazzo del Re Enzo. The 1567 work of a Flemish sculptor known as Giambologna, it has long been something of a symbol of the city and even a good-luck charm for University of Bologna students - who, it's said, will pass their exams if they circle it counterclockwise twice. And finally, there's an erotic quality about the statue (let's just say there's another reason it's called the Giant) that at one point led the women of the city to avoid it - at one point, bronze pants were even added.
University Botanical Garden
The world's third oldest botanical garden, with more than 5,000 plants
Vegetable Kingdom
A park of more than two hectares (five acres) on the outskirts of the city, the Orto Botanico dell'Università di Bologna located near Via Zamboni harbours more than 5,000 plants from some of the world's most diverse ecosystems. In fact, the world's third oldest botanical garden (opened 1568), it's become among the most important, as well as a major botanical/biological research facility. If you can visit in the spring, even better.
The City of Towers
Once packed with towers, there are still quite a few handsome ones that lend Bologna's Old Town so much of its character
Old-time skyscraper race
Bologna is known as the city of towers and porticoes, and it was the former which defined the city in centuries past - built by wealthy families to demonstrate their power and financial wherewithal and competing with each other to greater and greater heights. The best known are the towers of Asinelli (open to visitors) and Garisenda, but others are well worth your attention as well, such as the Accursio Tower (aka the Clocktower) in the pIazza Maggiore, as well as Prendiparte and Galuzzi, two of Bologna's loveliest landmarks.
The Two Towers: Bologna's Skyline
Once known for its towers, Bologna stilll has several left - and these are the most famous
Medieval skyscrapers
Of the hundreds of towers for which medieval Bologna became famous, fewer than 20 remain, and these two are the best known, thought to be named after the families which built them as part of a centuries-ago display of power and wealth, and now unmistakable symbols of the city. The Torre di Asinelli is open to visitors, and you can climb to the top of its 98-metre (322-foot) height - keeping in mind that the climb can be dark, cramped, and otherwise challenging. But at the top, you'll be richly rewarded with an awesome view over most of Bologna - and on clear days, even out to the Adriatic Sea.
The Old City Walls
Dating back to Roman times, with some bits still extant
Standing tall
Back in the day, Bologna, like most other European cities from the Roman era through the Middle Ages, was encircled by a doughty stone wall to protect it from invaders. Here, various patches of the city's "selenite circle" - built between the 3rd and 12th centuries - still stand, but the outermost walls were eventually replaced in the 20th century by the ring road which we see today.
Porticoes of Bologna
From the Middle Ages through the Novecento, these arched porticoes give the Old Town its unmistakable look
Bologna's true signature
The towers are terrific, of course, but what really most defines the look and feel of Bologna's historic centre is its arched porticoes, dating back to the middle of the Middle Ages, starting around the 11th century and continuing through the 19th. So while there are subtle differences for those in the know, on the whole, the abundance of porticoes (38 kilometres/24 miles' worth, actually) truly gives the historic centre its particular flavour. The oldest are those of the Palazzo Isolani, while the tallest and perhaps the most impressive are those of the Basilica of Santa Maria dei Servi - nearly 10 metres (33 feet) high. Perhaps the most iconic of all are not even downtown - they're the porticoes of the Sanctuary of the Madonna of St. Luke, up in the hills outside the city.
Piazza Maggiore
Site of most of the Old Town's most important landmarks
Bologna's ground zero
Founded as a public marketplace in the 13th century, the Piazza Maggiore (Main Square) is, as the name implies, the historic centre's epicentre, and as such the place where most visitors to Bologna begin their explorations. Here you'll find the city's top key attractions, including the Basilica of San Petronio, and palazzi such as Notai, Acurssio, Podestà, and Banchi. In the 16th century, the adjoining Piazza di Nettuno with its spectacular and iconic fountain was added.
Bologna Municipal Theatre
Bologna's premier temple of classical music has hosted the greats
Maestro, please
Italian bel canto and classical music are of course among the jewels of Western culture, and Bologna's 18th-century Teatro Comunale, designed by Antonio Galli di Bibbiena, has been its premier local avatar since it was inaugurated with Il Trionfo di Clelia in 1763 and later hosted the likes of Rossini, Bellini, and Verdi. It's become a key player on the Italian theatre and symphony circuit, and figures of national and international reknown pass through here every season. Schedule: www.tcbo.it
Margherita Gardens
Bologna's main park
An enchanted forest
Bologna's other major green space besides Montagnola Park, the Giardini Margherita is considered the city's main publIc park, inaugurated in 1879 and named after Margherita of Savoy, the queen of Vittorio Emmanuele II. Count Ernesto Balbo Bertone di Sambuy was commissioned to design the garden and wanted to make this a sort of "enchanted forest" within the city. And so with its varied, lush vegetation, this park has plenty of hidden corners and truly feels a world away from the streets of the city - much like the English public gardens of that era. The park's various paths all lead to a central lake, where at night a disco keeps the young-'uns hopping until well into the wee hours.
Bologna Festivals
Yearly observances that lend Bologna an extra touch of festiveness
Annual awesomeness
Among its many longstanding traditions, Bologna includes its annual religious and other festivities. A perfect example is the night of San Giovanni (St. John), June 24th, when the city centre is overtaken by processions, street markets, and fireworks (best observed from the bridges over the Arno River). On September 8, another big party is the Rificolona, this festival which celebrates the tradition of farmers coming to the city from the to sell their wares, illuminated by paper lanterns - marked by many markets throughout the streets of Bologna.
The Jewish Ghetto
An old and illustrious history of which not much remains - except for the Sinagoga Ebraica
Tumultuous history
Like many if not most European cities, back in the day, Bologna had a neighbourhood to which Jews were confined every night - in this case, decreed in 1556 by Pope Paul IV, until they were finally expelled in 1593. Today this charming, historic area near the famous towers of Bologna retains relatively little of its Hebraic history, but there is a Via de' Giudei, and you can visit the early-1870s New Synagogue at Via de' Gombruti 9, destroyed and reconstructed after Allied bombing in World War II. Certainly, one of the sadder parts of town.
Outdoorsy Options Near Bologna
The outdoors-minded have many options hereabouts!
Hiking, climbing, skiing, more…
Bologna's natural setting at the edge of the central Apennine range makes it a great base for the outdoors-minded, with superb opportunities for hiking, climbing, and skiing. The nearby Zena and Idice valleys also offer great hiking and mountain biking, and for "extreme" sports, check out Badolo, about an hour south of Bologna, with a rock wall that's famous among the world climbing community. For quite good skiing and winter sports, there's Corno alle Scale, and just to enjoy nature, an indispensable site is Bora di San Giovanni, a reserve some 40 minutes north of the city.
Montagnola Park
A lovely respite from the city streets, with some cool open-air markets, to boot
Bologna's top green space
Near the well-known Stazione Centrale railway station, the Parco della Montagnola is one of Bologna's few large green spaces, an oasis amid the clamour of the city, greatly appreciated by locals who come here to eat their lunches on sunny days, or just have a bit of a respite on the grass. One of its highlights is a statue of Venus over its main fountain, reached via an impressive marble staircase. Fridays and Saturdays there's an open-air market here, and various events take place throughout the year - especially during the month of August.
Sala Borsa Library
Right in the heart of the historic centre, a cultural lodestar with an Etruscan twist
Beyond just books
Right alongside the Palazzo d'Accursio, in front of the dramatic Neptune Fountain on the historic centre's Piazza Nettuno next to the Piazza Maggiore, the region's largest and most important library has halls with historic tomes and exhibitions, but also displays the Etruscan ruins discovered during the building's construction. Check out the cultural calendar including concerts and other performances, all of which help make this one of Bologna's cultural and intellectual hot spots.
The University District
As one of Europe's great university cities, Bologna knows nightlife
Partyville!
As a major university city with not only local but many international students, Bologna is naturally home to a rockin' nightlife, and downtown's Via Zamboni, home to various University of Bologna schools, is also where you can find some of the city's top nightspots; another popular area is Piazza Verdi. The scene thumps all year round, but of course it ramps up when the weather warms up, reaching its peak over the summer.
Montagnola Market
One of Bologna's relatively few green spaces is also home to one of its most interesting open-air markets
Browsing in a park
Bologna is admittedly a city which does not exactly abound in greenery, but one great exception is Montagnola Park, several blocks north of the historic centre. Together with the Giardini Margherita to the south of the Old Town, this is Bologna's main "green lung". Best times to visit are Friday and Saturday mornings for the weekly open-air markets, where you can browse a wide variety of antiques and bric a brac including stamps, records, craft, and artworks. In the vicinity you'll find more distinctly local shopping opportunities on and around the Piazza 8 Agosto.
La Bottega dell Caffè
Italian coffee is among the world's best, and here is Bologna's best
Java hound heaven
Italian coffee is of course among the world's best, and as a foodie destination, Bologna is of course a great place to find the country's best. We'd like to direct you in particular to La Bottega del Caffè at Piazza Medaglie d'Oro 6, a family-owned concern which cultivates its own coffee and will be happy to share the stories behind whichever you choose. Java hounds will most likely find their caffeinated souvenirs here, but as backup, there's also the Mercato delle Erbe and the Mercato del Mezzo (see above).
August 8 Square
North of city centre, the streets around this plaza are packed with small, un-touristy shops where treasures await
Shop like the locals
Several blocks north of the historic centre, alongside Montagnola Park, the Piazza Otto Agosto is another great part of the Bologna shopping route thanks in part to its weekly market featuring antiques, clothing, foodstuffs, and so forth. In addition, the surrounding streets are full of small family-owned shops where you can experience true local shopping, from clothing and shoes to local foods.
Asinelli & Garisenda Tower District
On and around Piazza Ravegnana, small shops with cool local merchandise
Locavore shopping
In the vicinity of the Two Towers, the best known of Bologna's remaining medieval towers, Asinelli and Garisenda, the Piazza Ravegnana is the hub of an interesting shopping district of side streets, with both brand name and particularly local shops. On the main drag, Strada Maggiore, you'll find interesting retailers such as MyDay, which specialises in Italian shoes, and on nearby Via Franceso Rizzoli you'll find various antiques shops, local designers, and second-hand book shops. It's a charming shopping experience focussed on the local.
Regional Wines
With a tradition dating back before ancient Rome, this region's wines rock!
The wine remembers
Vineyards and winemaking in Emilia Romagna date back at least to the Etruscans in the 7th century BC, and although today not as well known as other northern regions such as Tuscany and Piedmont, the local red and white wines have at least 20 'denominations of origin", with the "Colli Bolognesi" mark. Don't know where to start? We recommend the Rosso Bologna extracted from Cabernet Sauvignon grapes, which have won international reclaim, especially their reserve vintages. And the white bianco Bologna is the same on the lighter side. When it comes to sparkling wines, Barbera is the way to go. Start your exploration in the Quadrilatero and surrounding streets.
Food Souvenirs of Bologna
Italy's richest eating city and region offers some tremendous take-home possibilities - and here's the best place to look
Delizioso!
For visitors to "Fat Bologna," there's no more appropriate memento than an edible one - and the choices are many, and easy to transport on your homebound flight. Packages of classic local pasta, cheeses, sausages/cured meats, and wines are perfect examples (check with the authorities back home to make sure you can import your edibles). And of the various gourmet shops you'll find in this city, one of the best is A.F. Tamburini, in the heart of the Old Town at Via Caprarie 1, with the city's best selection of Bologna and Emilia Romagna delicacies.
Street Markets
It's not all high-priced glamour in Bologna; examples of street treasures to treasure
A funkier side of Bologna shopping
Despite its modest size, Bologna is an Italian shopping powerhouse in various areas, from fashion to food. But there's another great side to retail therapy alla bolognese: open-air antiques and flea markets. Top contenders include the very popular Mercato dell'Antiquariato di Piazza Santo Stefano, an antiques market held the second week of the month in, of course, the Piazza Santo Stefano. Right nearby, the weekly Piazza Aldrovani Food Market is a very tasty smorgasbord of local goodies - a perfect end for your flea-marketing.
Via Ugo Bassi
The continuation of Via dell'Indipendenza diversifies its upmarket offerings
The shopping golden mile continues
Running several blocks through the city centre north of Piazza Maggiore, Via Ugo Bassi is the continuation of Via dell'Indipendenza and the "golden mile" of Bologna shopping, continuing the upmarket shops while mixing in a new variety of restaurants, cafés, gourmet shops, and sundry other shops of varying types. It's a great stretch to leave for the end of your shopping outing in order to allow for a stop for a snack, refreshment, or meal. If, however, you're still anxious to truly shop until you drop, you can keep it going along the contiguous Via San Felice with its historic arched porticoes, which happen to be home to the city's most popular shoe shops.
Italian Shoes of Via dell'Independenza
Bologna's shopping "golden mile", but with the affordable mixed with the pricey
Foot fetishes and more
The main thorughfare linking the Stazione Centrale rail station with the city centre, Via dell'Independenza at one of its ends meets Via Ugo Bassi. And its here that you can find another of Bologna's upmarket shopping hubs - its "golden mile", if you will. It's particularly popular for posh Italian shoe brands, but fortunately, amid the fancy, expensive shops you'll also find others that are more accessible and affordable (for example, shops such as Princess, Biba's, and Vanità are venerable names in fashion, but offer merchandise of all kinds. Another fashionista must!
Piazza Cavour
Bologna's poshest shopping, on and around this handsome downtown square
Fashionista alert!
A short stroll south of the Piazza Maggiore, Bologna's high fashion central is Piazza Cavour, whose surrounding streets comprise one of this city's poshest districts (the other two are Via d'Azeglio and the Corte Isolani area). Here you can find not only flagship boutiques of Italian and international brands such as Versace and Tommy Hilfiger, but also workshops of excellent local designers. On the other side of Via Luigi Carlo Farini, you'll find the Galleria Cavour, a modern shopping centre of modest size but packed with relentlessly upmarket shops, especially clothing, jewelry, and accessories of all kinds.
Old Town's Quadrilatero
Markets, street food, wine tastings - this old neighbourhood is a tasty entrée into local life
An Old Town charmer
In the Old Town, one of the historical trading and commercial zones of the city is a warren of small streets bordered by Piazza Mercanzia, Via degli Orefici, Portico de Pavaglione, Via Clavatura, and Via Castiglione. Called Il Quadrilatero, one of its main features is the Mercato di Mezzo street market, but there are also wonderful street food options - a great way of experiencing local food at low prices and without spending a lot of time at table. At various food stands you can sample the classic local tortellini as well as all kinds of other pastas, cheeses, sausages, and more. In the evenings, many establishments on the piazza and nearby streets open their doors to offer Emilia wine tastings in good company. Especially during the warm-weather months, this is truly one of the most appetising districts of Bologna.
Italian Days Food Experience
Go right to the source of the local delicacies of Emilia Romagna
Fab foodie tours
All the gastronomic choice here in Bologna can be a bit overwhelming to the uninitiated, which is why the tour company Italian Days Food Experience can serve as a great introduction to the scene, with routes in the city and throughout Emilia Romagna that include learning about the production of the raw materials which go into the local cuisine. One very popular tour, for example, takes you to a concern which makes Parmigiano Reggiano; a farmhouse specialising in traditional balsamic vinegar; and a factory which turns out the famed cured prosciutto di Parma. Other options include truffle hunting and cooking classes. A delicious way to get to know the area, for sure! www.ItalianDays.it.
Budget Dining in Bologna
A fine pair of spots to eat well in Bologna without breaking the bank
Low prices, high quality
"Bologna the Fat" is rotundly reknowned for its fine restaurants, of course - but the good news for those of you on a budget is that you needn't hemorrhage euros in order to eat well here. For example, right downtown across from San Martino Church at Via Mentana 1, the Osteria dell'Orsa is a local favourite on two floors for its homely, very reasonably priced fare. Up the street and around the corner at Via Augusto Righe 30, the Trattoria del Rosso is another typical local hangout, near Montagnola Park, with red tablecloths, a convivial atmosphere - and even cooking classes!
Gelato in Bologna
Italy's incomparable version of ice cream is done proud by this terrific trio
Frozen (but not too much!)
Northern Italy is where this country's light, creamy, and totally scrumptious take on ice cream first became popular in the first half of the 20th century, and gelato is a firm favourite here in Bologna, as well. One of the best spots to enjoy it is Galliera 49 (because it's at Via Galliera 49), with dozens of flavours of gelato, sorbets, and granita ices. Other opine that the best in town is to be found at Cremeria Funivia, with locations on Piazza Cavour and at Via Porrettana 158. Here, in addition to the classics, you can find some funkier, less traditional flavours such as melon (one of the most popular) and rum chocolate; the granita ices are also popular. Thirdly, there's L'Eclisse at Via Francesco Zanardi 247, which is less well known than the others but is also a giant of gelato. Oh my, how to decide? Well, try all three!
Herb Market
Off the tourist track, a foodie's (and shutterbug's) delight
Bologna's main covered market
For visiting foodies who want to learn about and experience local gastronomy beyond the restaurant plate, a visit to the Mercato delle Erbe, the city's main covered market, is a delightfully untouristy must. In an early-20th-century building on Via Ugo Bassi, rub shoulders with the locals as they shop for fresh produce, meat, and fish. Afterward, have a wander through some of the shops in the surrounding streets. A lovely local experience!
The Apéritif
Little dishes washed down with "spritz" - a delightful Italian favourite
A traditional early-evening snack
The tradition of the apéritif is one of Italians' most ingrained habits - and one of the most appreciated for visitors. It's an early evening custom, around 7 pm, when many eateries will bring out various relatively light dishes such as salads, pastas, and pizzas, to be washed down with an equally light little cocktail called spritz, made from Campari bitter, white wine, and club soda (wines are also common, but the spritz remains the most traditional and authentic form of aperitif). The food is complimentary; you just pay for your apéritifs. Don't know where to start? Try Café Zamboni, at Via Zamboni 6 in the heart of the Old Town.
Papagallo Restaurant
At "the Parrot", Bolognese classics amid Old World elegance plus an extra touch of glam
Lasagna of the stars
In "Bologna the Fat", there's naturally no shortage of restaurants in which to enjoy its exquisite cuisine in ambiance from simple to refined. One extra-special example of the latter is Papagallo (which means "parrot"), on the central Piazza della Mercanzia. An old building converted into one of the city's foremost culinary institutions, its charmingly Old-World décor is given an extra glamorous twist by photos of the many Italian and international celebrities who have broken bread at these tables. The menu is predictable (in a good way, with all the Bolognese/Emilian classics, impeccably executed) and the wine list superb.
Mezzo Market
A warren of lanes in the historic centre where locals still shop the old-fashioned way for typical Bologna ingredients
Bologna's traditional market
Right around the historic centre's main plaza, the Piazza Maggiore, the warren of narrow streets and lanes bounded by Via degli Orefici, the Portico del Pavaglione, Via Clavatura, and Via Castiglione has long been known as Il Quadrilatero, traditionally a centre for Bologna's artisans' guilds and food-sellers. And it's here you'll find the Mercato del Mezzo, where locals still come to shop for their groceries and some household necessaries in little hole-in-the-wall shops (it's especially well known for its salumerie, shops selling savoury sausages and other cured meats). A lovely place to come shop if not for food then for photo ops!
Breakfast at Gamberini
A tasty way to fuel up for the day, with excellent coffee and nibbly bits
Bologna's top bakery/café
For all Bologna and Emilia Romagna's prowess at lunch and dinner, the first meal of the day here is also a delizioso way to start your mornings. One of the best places for a spot of prima colazione (breakfast) is the Café Pasticceria Gamberini at Via Ugo Bassi 12. Bologna's oldest still operating bakery is an institution for caffè latte, espresso, and cappucino with rolls and/or biscuits. It's also a great spot for lunch and libations later in the day!
Eating in Bologna
The culinary capital of Italy serves up some of its most scrumptious and iconic dishes. Mangia!
Why it's called 'Bologna the Fat'
Well, you've no doubt heard of Bologna's most popular nickname, La Grassa (the Fat), and notwithstanding, after you've had a few meals here, you'll see why, discovering the amazing world beyond spag bol. This region's geography and topography are especially favourable to the production of top-flight produce, cheeses, and meats including sausages (famously the home of mortadella; a couple of outstanding local produce specialities are Altedo asparragus and "golden onions").
Pasta invented here or in surrounding Emilia Romagna includes tortellini (which according to legend symbolise the navel of Venus), tagliatelle, capello del prete, and, many claim, lasagna, all typically served with ragú (tomato-and-minced-beef sauce). Other Emilian specialities include ciccioli (pork cakes), Parma ham, Parmigiano and Gran Padano cheese, balsamic vinegar, and the tasty dessert zuppa inglese.
Pack stretch trousers?
Ducati Museum
Museum and factory of one of the world's most prestigious motorcycle manufacturers
Vroom, vroom…!
Turin may have Fiat, but Bologna has Lamborghini and its subsidiary, luxury motorcyle maker Ducati, marking its 90th anniversary in 2016. This museum at the Ducati factory out near the airport is a suitably exciting and interactive look at the brand and its bikes from 1926 to the present day - a mix of historic motorcycles, prototypes, racing bikes, and concept bikes along with various documentations and explanations. You can also visit the factory itself to see the production process, and there's a café for refreshment as well as (naturally) a shop where you can browse and purchase a variety of Ducati merchandise.
International Museum and Library of Music of Bologna
A must for classical music mavens
Dulcet tones
The core of this collection is the donations by 18th-century Franciscan priest Giovanni Battista Martini, a collector who looms large in Italian musical history (among other things, he tutored Johann Christian Bach, composer and youngest son of Johann Sebastian Bach). Located at Strada Maggiore 34, at the Museo Internazionale e Biblioteca della Musica you can trace the history of European classical music from various aspects, including instruments, sheet music, and various forms of documentation about composers, performers, and the impact of music in society.
Museum of History of Bologna
In an innovatively converted palazzo, a multimedia journey going all the way back to the ancient Etruscans
Fascinating history tutorial
Created with the intention of giving a comprehensive picture of Bologna's history, the multimedia Museo della Storia di Bologna in the somewhat austere Palazzo Pepoli (supplemented by modern annexes, à la Louvre of Paris) lays it all out - architecturally, socially, militarily, artistically, and scientifically - from Etruscan times to the present day. Of particular note are the rooms which describe the bombardment which devastated not just the city but much of Italy in World War II, and others about progressive artistic and social movements which have shaped and defined this city and its society. An absolute must to put what you see out on the streets in context.
Museum of Industrial Heritage
Testimony to Italy's transformation from agrarian society to industrial power
You better work
Heading north from the city centre to the area of the old Navile Canal, you'll come across a large former factory, built in 1887, that is an icon of the 19th-century industrial revolution in northern Italy. It produced tiles and terracotta bricks for both domestic and international markets, but as the 20th century wore on, it declined and was finally abandoned. In 1966 it was converted by the city government into the Museo del Patrimonio Industriale to showcase the industrial transformation of the region; a highlight is its original, pioneering Hoffman ovens. While you're here, also take a stroll around the surrounding area, today one of Bologna's prettiest natural settings.
Museum to the Memory of Ustica
Homage to a traumatic event in Bologna's recent history
A mysterious airline disaster
Part of the Gallery of Modern Art, the Museo Per la Memoria di Ustica commemorates a particularly traumatic event in Bologna's recent history: the crash of an Itavia DC-9 on June 27, 1980. After taking off from Bologna Airport, it mysteriously broke apart and crashed in the sea off the Sicilian town of Ustica, killing all 81 passengers and crew. After years of investigation, in 1999 the theory of destruction by missile was finally accepted - and among the most popular speculations (never proven) was that it was a French military plan gone awry, mistaking this aircraft for one carrying Libyan dictator Moammar Ghaddafi in the vicinity that same night. The exhibition space includes the remains of the DC-9, around which French artist Christian Boltanski artfully arranged 81 glasses and 81 lightbulbs, never extinguished, as an homage to the doomed flight and its victims.
Morandi Museum
A treat for modern art and Fellini fans
Bologna's 20th-century Art Giant
Painter Giorgio Morandi (1890-1964) was one of Bologna and Italy's most important 20th-century figures, associated at first with the avant garde and Futurist movements but later evolving a very distinct style and sensibility of his own. Morandi's singular artistic alchemy, converting any mundane object into a fascinating work of art, rapidly made him an icon in Bologna. This exhibition of more than 100 of his paintings is located in the Palazzo d'Accursio (covered above), and includes watercolours, oils, and engravings from 1910 through 1965. If you happen to be a Federico Fellini fan, some of these might look familiar - that's because various Morandi paintings appear in the Fellini film classic La Dolce Vita.
Municipal Medieval Museum
In a remarkable palazzo, a remarkable look at a tumultuous and decisive era of history
Between Julius Caesar and Leonardo da Vinci
Though Italy has perhaps made its most dramatic marks in world history and art especially and famously due to its ancient and Renaissance periods, the Middle Ages here were also pretty dramatic and history-changing, and the Museo Civico Medievale is resounding proof. Located in the beautiful 15th-century Palazzo Ghisilardi Fava (a late-medieval gem in and of itself), its first floor is devoted to historical documentation, a tutorial on the Middle Ages, and putting in context the artifacts and works you're about to see upstairs. That collection includes armour, sculptures, paintings, and tools of various and sundry types; a particularly interesting highlight is the weapons collection, key to a city and region which historically endured so much conflict for centuries.
Archaeological Civic Museum of Bologna
Prehistory, classical antiquity, Emilia-Romagna - a nearly overwhelming treasure chest
Indiana Jones comes to Bologna
One of Italy's oldest and most important museums, established in 1881 in one of the city's most sophisticated and prestigious buildings, the Palazzo Galvani, the Museo Civico Archeologico di Bologna boasts a wideranging collection that can be nearly overwhelming. That includes artifacts and artwork of prehistory; classical antiquity (Etruscan as well as a notable collection of ancient Greek and Roman statuary); the history and art of the local Emilia-Romagna region; and one of the world's most respected collections of ancient Egypt - the tomb of the 14-century-BC Pharoah Horemheb is especially popular.
Archiginnasio of bologna
Historical tomes and coats of arms - a symbol of one of the world's oldest universities
Wisdom central
As of the 11th century, the Archiginnasio of the famed University of Bologna educated thousands of elite students in law, the arts, medicine, and philosophy - one of the oldest institutions of its kind in the world. These students were from wealthy and/or aristocratic families, whose coats of arms you can still see on these walls - more than 7,000 in all, practically works of art in and of themselves. You'll find many in the Common Library, aka the Reading Room, in front of the Aula Stabat Mater - a room which also holds more than 35,000 historic tomes on philosophy, history, political sciences, natural sciences, and more. It's the region's largest library.
National Art Gallery of Bologna
An extraordinary collection of Italian and other European Old Masters
Culture vulture central
Located in the Academy of Fine Arts building, the collection of the Pinacoteca Nazionale di Bologna dates back to around 1712, the fruit of a project of Pope Benedict XIV, who as a cardinal campaigned to open a public gallery to safeguard and display works of the best known artists of his day; this was a particularly innovative notion at a time when most collections were private. This collection covers much of the key periods of European art history, divided by floors according to the historical timeline and geography; the ground floor begins with painters of the local Emilia Romagna region of the 13th through 15th centuries. Other European Old Masters represented include Tintoretto, Raphael, El Greco, Titian, and Giotto.
Sanctuary of the Madonna of San Luca
It's worth a drive to this hilltop church for the Byzantine icon, artwork, and impressive portico
Lady Madonna, pilgrims at your feet
High on a hill southwest of the city, the site of a chapel going back a millennium became a church whose great treasure was a Byzantine icon of the Virgin Mary said to have been painted by the biblical Luke the Evangelist, and to which various miracles have been attributed, including stemming the great floods which ravaged Bologna in 1433. The current structure dates back to 1723, and includes a number of other valuable religious artworks. Pilgrims still flock here, and take shelter under the church's large portico - a passageway with exactly 666 arches (hmmm...).
Galliera Gate
The most prominent of the protective gates in the onetime medieval city walls, it evokes a bygone era
Not that it did much good
Heading out from the city center along the Via Indipendenza (where the Cathedral of St. Peter is located), the Porta Galliera is one of the remaining gates through the now nonexistent medieval city walls, built around 1200 to protect the papal fortress here. It didn't do its job, however, as uprisings against the church periodically ravaged the area anyway; even this gate was destroyed and rebuilt on various occasions - and finally for good in the 17th century. What you see now is a 20th-century reconstruction, and if you stand out in the quiet plaza before it, you can get a sense of what this city was like centuries ago.
St. Peter's Cathedral
Visible from much of the city, the cathedral is particularly famous for its interior frescoes
Towering and old
At Via Indipendenza 7, quite near San Petronio, it's one of the area's oldest churches, documented back to 1028 and built on the foundation of an earlier church. It did go through various periods of renovation and ruin, until reaching its definitive current form in the 17th century. Well known for its gigantic dimensions, from a bird's eye view it towers over the surrounding cityscape and is visible from nearly all parts of the Old Town. Behind its towering Baroque walls are wide naves adorned with famous frescoes including an Annunciation painted by Ludovico Carracci. Another must is the Alfonso Lombardi's terracotta Dead Christ with the Weeping Marys.
San Domenico Basilica
Home to the tomb of the founder of the Dominican order, it draws the faithful from across the globe
Resting place of a Catholic legend
As the story goes, on August 6, 1221 the founder of the great Dominican order, the Spaniard St. Dominic de Guzmán, died in the convent of San Nicolò delle Vigne. By 1233 his canonisation was underway and his remains moved to a grave at a newly constructed, unrelated site. But the fervor that developed around the cult of the saint led to this new tomb growing into a full-fledged basilica - one that, despite its handsome architecture, is considerably more modest than other local churches like San Petronio and Santo Stefano (aka the Seven Churches). The cult is still alive and well, with pilgrims flocking here by the thousands from all parts of the world.
Archiginnasio
A beloved Bologna icon, the university's best known building is an architectural and artistic treasure
Historic school days
Located in Piazza Galvani, the onetime main building and current library of the famed University of Bologna is typical of this city's most gracious traditional architecture, particularly for the arched galleries. The Archiginnasio was built in the 16th century under the auspices of Pope Pius IV and Cardinal Carlo Borromeo, and the walls beyond its porticoes both exterior and interior hold a rich collection of artworks of different periods as well as family crests of many of the illustrious students who passed through here. The interior cloister - site of various events - is also one of rare beauty.
St Stephen's Basilica
A remarkable ecclesiastical complex dating back to the early Middle Ages
'The seven churches'
After San Petronio, San Stefano is perhaps Bologna's most important church, nicknamed "Le Sette Chiese" (The Seven Churches) because it's actually a complex of that many buildings, once independent but now interconnected by gardens, porticoes, and other structures. It's also known as the Sancta Jerusalem Bononiensis, as the complex was established around one 5th-century building (constructed by order of then bishop, later city patron saint Petronio) which contains a replica of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem. The buildings which can be visited include the Church of the Crucifix, Church of the Sepulchre, Church of San Vitale and Sant'Agricole, the Courtyard of Pilate, Church of the Martyrium, the medieval cloister, and the Museum of Santo Stefano.
Asinelli & Garisenda Towers
The most prominent of nearly 20 towers left over from a medieval "arms race"
Bologna's Twin Towers
Pisa's hardly the only Italian city with famous leaning towers. In fact, in the 12th and 13th centuries especially, Bologna was reknowned for its nearly 200 towers. No one knows how it got started, but a kind of towers arms race developed, with wealthy families vying to outdo each other in height as a symbol of their wealth and power. Of the fewer than 20 that remain, Garisenda and Asinelli are the most prominent. The former is 48 metres (157 feet) high, and at the top leans 3.2 m (just over 10 ft), while the latter is quite a bit higher (98 m/322 ft) but with less of a lean (just 1.2 m/four ft). Each comes with its own history, of course; the Garisenda makes appearances in the poetry and Divine Comedy of Dante Alighieri, and the Asinelli among other things served as a World War II lookout for possible aerial bombardment.
Podestá Palazzo
Third of Piazza Maggiore's main buildings, known especially for its arches and tower
Another Piazza Maggiore biggie
Also on the Piazza Maggiore, together with the Palazzo d'Accursio and the San Petronio Basilica, the Podestà Palazzo is the third of the trio of buildings that were historically Bologna's most important. Built in the early 13th century, its Voltone del Podestà is one of the open-air, shop-lined porticoes characteristic of this square. In the mid-13th century, King Enzo's Palace was built alongside, and the bell of its Arengo Tower was used to summon citizens in times of emergency. Fun fact: the gallery under the arches is subject to an odd acoustic effect where you can hear other people talking loud and clear at opposite corners under the arches.
Accursio Palazzo
Birthplace of an eminent jurist, now it’s a distinguished art museum and library
Once the seat of civic power, now a cultural powerhouse
Born here in 1182, Francesco Accursio was historically one of Italy's top jurists and legal experts, as well as one of Bologna's most distinguished humanists. The Palazzo d'Accursio in 1336 became the seat of the city's high magistrates and then the city hall, a position it held until as recently as 2008. Today it's home to the city library and the Civic Art Collection, with works from the Middle Ages through the 19th century. There are two details not to miss: the bronze statue of Pope Gregory XIII and the façade including Niccolò dell'Arca's terracotta Virgin and Child.
San Petronio Basilica
Bologna's main church is the world's fifth largest
Incredible hulk
Looming since 1390 over the city's main square, the Piazza Maggiore, this gigantic Gothic building named after Bologna's patron saint Petronius has been the world's fifth largest church - more than 130 metres (427 feet) long, 60 m (197 ft) wide and no fewer than 45 m (148 ft) high. In fact, the builders' ambition was to make this Christendom's largest, surpassing St. Peter's in Rome - Pope Pius IV put a stop to that, you can be sure. San Petronio has played an important role throughout the history of the city, of Europe, and of the Catholic Church. To cite one example, it was here that in 1530 Pope Clement VII crowned Charles I of Spain as Holy Roman Emperor Charles V. One of the treasures herein is an altarpiece by Giovanni of Modena in which Islam's Prophet Mohammed appears as one of those condemned to hell.
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