Bologna, famous for its medieval towers, historic churches, endless porticos, and incredible culinary scene, is an absolute delight to explore. 1 to 2 days in Bologna is just enough time to get to know this underrated city.
Bologna is often overlooked by many first timers (and even second or third timers) on a visit to Italy, with Rome, Florence, and Venice topping the must-see list. We were no different.
It took us multiple trips to Italy to finally set foot in Bologna. Once here, Tim and I were instantly captivated by the busy, bustling Quadrilatero, with its wine bars and shops selling fresh pasta, the kilometers of beautiful porticos that wind their way through the city, and the amazing medieval city center.
We spent three days in Bologna, touring its top attractions, taking a cooking class, trying as many wine bars and restaurants as possible, and day tripping to the Ferrari, Lamborghini, and Pagani museums. We learned a lot, which we will share with you in this guide.
Welcome to the amazing city of Bologna.
How Many Days Do You Need in Bologna?
On a visit to Bologna, there are really just a few must have experiences (you can see the full list in our Top 10 Things to Do in Bologna article):
- Immerse yourself in Bologna’s food scene, whether that is on a food tour, in a cooking class, or a stroll through the Quadrilatero
- See the beautiful porticos, which are a UNESCO World Heritage Site
- Go for a stroll through the medieval city center
- Climb a tower or two, for an aerial view of the city
These all can easily be done in one day, even if you are visiting Bologna on a day trip from another Italian city.
With more time, you can either explore more of Bologna’s city sights (there are quite a few churches and museums to visit, if you like that sort of thing) or you can take a day trip to the luxury car museums (Ferrari, Lamborghini, Pagani, and Ducati all have museums near Bologna) or to Parma and Modena for parmesan cheese and balsamic vinegar tastings/tours.
One Day in Bologna Itinerary
This one day itinerary focuses on the medieval city center of Bologna. It can be done as a day trip from Florence, if you arrive early in Bologna.
Highlights: Piazza Maggiore, the Basilica of San Petronio, the Quadrilatero, the Complex of Seven Churches (the Santo Stefano Complex), the Archiginnasio and Anatomical Theater, Asinelli Tower, and a food tour or cooking class
Note: The times listed are rough estimates, just to give you an idea about timing throughout the day. Your times may differ, based on queues and how much time you decide to spend at each place. I did my best to anticipate waiting times and visiting times, but on very busy days (or very quiet days) these times can differ.
I have also provided links to official websites, so you can check times and pricing before your visit to Bologna.
Below is a map with things to do in Bologna, recommended restaurants and hotels, plus a walking route for day 1 of this Bologna itinerary.
How to Use This Map: Click the tab in the top left corner of the map to see a list of the points of interest and to turn layers on/off. Click the icons on the map to get more information about each point of interest.
To take this map with you, click the star next to the title of the map which adds it to your Google account. Next, within your Google Maps app, select ‘Saved’ and then select ‘Maps’. This map title will now appear in your list.
9:00 am: Piazza Maggiore
Piazza Maggiore is Bologna’s main square. This is the perfect starting point for a visit to Bologna, as several of the city’s most interesting places to visit are located right here, or just a short walk from this spot.
If you do a 360° spin in Piazza Maggiore, you will see some of the most important buildings in the city: the Basilica of San Petronio, Palazzo Comunale, Palazzo del Podestà, and Palazzo dei Notai.
Piazza Maggiore and the Basilica of San Petronio
This early in the day, Piazza Maggiore is a rather quiet spot. But that will quickly change, as you’ll see.
Sitting next to Piazza Maggiore is Neptune’s Fountain, aka Fontana del Nettuno. This statue has a rather interesting story. It was commissioned by Pope Pius IV in the 16th century and sculpted by Giambologna. Once finished, the pope was not happy with size of Neptune’s genitals, so he asked Giambologna to downsize them. Giambologna grudgingly agreed but got his revenge by changing the position of Neptune’s arm. If you look at the statue from an angle, the arm looks like something else…
Neptune’s Fountain
9:15 am: Basilica of San Petronio
This basilica sits right on Piazza Maggiore. It is the largest Gothic church in the world made from brick. Marble adorns its bottom half but it was never completed, which is why there is still exposed brick on the top half of the basilica’s façade.
The basilica is free to visit. Inside, you can see the famous meridian line, which helped Cassini prove that the Earth’s orbit is elliptical. Midday is the best time to visit the basilica if you want to see the sunlight on the meridian line, so you can return later in the day if this is something you want to see.
Meridian line
Chapel of Re Magi
For a small fee, there are three side chapels that are very interesting to visit. The Chapel of Re Magi has amazing Dante-like frescoes representing Heaven and Hell, plus a beautiful stained-glass window that dates back to the 15th century.
The Chapel of Sant’Abbondio was the site of the basilica’s first Holy Mass in 1392. And the Chapel of San Petronio holds the head and body of Saint Petronio.
For updated hours of the basilica, visit the official website.
10:00 am: Clock Tower (Optional)
This is optional, because if you only climb one tower today, Asinelli Tower gets our vote, as it is the tallest medieval tower in Bologna. However, it is currently closed (get updates about its reopening here, just in case it reopens before I update this article) and it is a massive 498 steps to the top, so it is not for everyone. The Clock Tower is a much shorter climb (just over 100 steps), and the view is still very nice.
The Clock Tower (Torre dell’Orologico) is part of Palazzo Comunale (which is also called Palazzo d’Accursio). It is located right on Piazza Maggiore. To visit the Clock Tower, you will have to book a time slot in advance. The tower opens at 10 am, so we recommend booking the first time slot of the day. Your ticket also includes a visit to the Municipal Art Collections.
From the Clock Tower, here is the view over Piazza Maggiore.
10:45 am: The Complex of Seven Churches
This complex of churches, also called the Santo Stefano Complex, is one of the most important religious sites in Bologna. The churches and chapels are all built right next to each other, connected by doorways and outdoor courtyards, so even though it sounds like a lot to see here, a visit can still be rather quick.
The oldest building here is the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, which dates back to the 5th century, and is a smaller version of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. Two churches (the Church of Saint Stephen and the Church of the Saints Vitale and Agricola) are also very old but have since been rebuilt. Also part of the complex is the Church of the Trinity, the Chapel of the Bandage, and the Courtyard of Pilate.
The Santo Stefano Complex is free to visit. Get hours here before you go (it is open in the morning and afternoon but closes for a few hours midday).
Getting Here: To walk here from Piazza Maggiore, you’ll walk through the Quadrilatero. You can quickly explore this area, but you’ll be back later today, so no need to linger too long, although it may be tempting. It is a 7-minute walk to get from Piazza Maggiore to the Santo Stefano Complex.
12:00 pm: Asinelli Tower (Optional)
Asinelli Tower is Bologna’s tallest tower. It is a leaning medieval tower and during our visit, it was closed for maintenance, with a planned reopening sometime in 2025. If it is open, you can climb the 498 steps to the top for panoramic views over Bologna.
Get hours, pricing, book your tickets, and updates about its reopening here. This is a 5-minute walk from the Santa Stefano Complex.
12:45 pm: The Quadrilatero
The Quadrilatero is a small grid of narrow streets that are lined with small grocery stores, shops, outdoor cafes, and wine bars. This was once the old market of Bologna. Now, it is a bit touristy, but it is also a lot of fun to explore.
Cases of fresh pasta and aged Parmesan cheeses sit on display. Wine bars overflow onto the city streets. Small grocery stores, with cured meats hanging from the rafters and shelves of gourmet condiments are just waiting to be explored. There are also shops selling fresh fish, colorful flowers, and all your kitchen needs, whether it be new knives (check out Antica Aguzzeria del Cavallo), cookware, or ceramic dishes.
Several streets make up the Quadrilatero, with the most interesting being Via Pescherie Vecchie. There are two restaurants here that are perfect for lunch or a quick snack. Salumeria Simoni gets slightly better reviews, but it can be harder to get a table here. Zerocinquantuno is located right next to it and it also gets great reviews.
If you want a less overwhelming experience (the wine bars on Via Peschieri Vecchie can be crowded and you and your food will get ogled by the hundreds of people walking up and down this street), Osteria Angolo degli Orefici is a restaurant in the Quadrilatero with table service and a less overwhelming atmosphere.
2:30 pm: Piazza Cavour & Bologna’s Porticos
After lunch, go for a very short stroll along Via dell’Archiginnasio, which runs alongside the Basilica of San Petronio, out to Piazza Cavour. There is a portico that runs along Piazza Cavour that is one of the prettiest in Bologna. It’s worth the short walk and the short detour.
2:45 pm: The Archiginnasio & the Anatomic Theater
This is a hidden gem in Bologna and one of our favorite experiences here.
The Archiginnasio is a palace that was built in the 16th century as the seat of the university. Now, it is a library and has a few historic rooms to visit.
The entrance is on Via dell’Archiginnasio, which is to the left of the Basilica of San Petronio. Look for the Biblioteca dell’Archiginnasio sign, walk through the small hallway, and you will be in the courtyard. Lining the courtyard are porticos and adorning the walls are many colorful coats of arms. Climb the steps to the second levels for more views of the coats of arms (I thought these were amazing!).
It’s free to see the porticos and coats of arms. The library is not open to tourists.
To enter the Anatomical Theater and Stabat Mater Room, it costs just a few euros. This can be purchased in the palace but if you are here on a Saturday, advance reservations are recommended. The Archiginnasio is CLOSED on Sunday.
The Anatomical Theater was designed in 1637 and numerous statues decorate the room. The two statues that sit on either side of the demonstrator’s chair are skinned, called Pellati. This room suffered extensive damage during WWII but it was immediately rebuilt using the original wood.
Anatomical Theater
The Stabat Mater Room is the auditorium where law students gathered. The fresco of the Virgin and Child dates back to 1569. From this room, there is a window with a view into the library.
The view into the library from the Stabat Mater Room
4:00 pm: Cooking Class or Food Tour
Spend the afternoon and evening taking a cooking class or a food tour of Bologna.
We took this cooking class, which starts at 4 pm. You’ll learn how to make a spritz and then you’ll make your own tagliatelle pasta, which you will enjoy with freshly made ragu sauce (made by the staff). This laid-back cooking class is lots of fun and well worth it if you want to learn how to make homemade pasta.
There are also quite a few food tours in Bologna. Many start in the afternoon, although some are offered at lunch, so if you decide to take one of those, you will have to adjust this itinerary.
This food tour has start times of 4 pm and 5 pm and gets near perfect reviews on GetYourGuide.
Food Tours in Bologna
2 Days in Bologna Itinerary
For your first day in Bologna, follow the itinerary above.
With a second day in Bologna, you can either explore more of the city sights or take a day trip to Parma, Modena, and/or the luxury car manufacturers. Staying in the city is perfect for those who want to visit a few museums or those looking to take another cooking class or food tour of the city, if you didn’t do that yesterday.
Option #1: Another Day in Bologna
If you like the idea of spending your second day in Bologna, take a look at our Things to Do in Bologna article, which lists several museums and interesting places to visit in the city ↓
Top 10 Things to Do in Bologna, Italy
Best things to do in Bologna, plus a few more experiences for those with 2 to 3 days in the city.Top things to do today include walking the Portico di San Luca to the Sanctuary of the Madonna di San Luca (at 3.8 km/2.4 miles, it is the longest portico in the world), visiting the Bologna Cathedral and the Basilica of San Domenico, and visiting the National Art Gallery of Bologna.
Portico di San Luca
Option #2: A Day Trip from Bologna
There are three popular day trip options from Bologna:
- Tour the luxury car museums (Lamborghini, Ferrari, Ducati, and Pagani)
- Visit a Parmesan cheese factory
- Taste balsamic vinegar in Modena
These can be done independently or on a tour. If you plan to do this independently, consider renting a car, as it can be very challenging to get to some of these museums and factories using public transportation. If you have no desire to rent a car, then take a tour that handles your transportation.
Luxury Car Museums
We chose to tour the luxury car museums (Lamborghini, Ferrari, and Pagani) although Ducati is also popular. It took us 6 hours, which included driving time to and from Bologna.
It was interesting but got repetitive by the time we got to the third museum. You really have to be a car enthusiast to spend a full day doing this, in my opinion.
Lamborghini
We started at Lamborghini, which has a rather small museum. On display are cars that were produced over the past several decades. There’s not much information on display about each car and a visit here is more about seeing the cars and taking a few selfies with them. You have the option to take a tour to see the production line, but this is best reserved in advance.
Get more information, pricing, hours, and the link to make a tour reservation on the official website.
Lamborghini Museum
Horacio Pagani Museum
The Horacio Pagani Museum was the second car manufacturer we visited and it was our favorite. Pagani is more of a boutique luxury car manufacturer, compared to Ferrari or Lamborghini. The museum is very small, with just a few cars on display, but there are a lot of exhibits around the room that tell the history of Pagani and why each car is unique.
Get pricing, hours, and schedule your factory tour on the official website.
Pagani Museum
Ferrari Maranello
Ferrari is the biggest, busiest museum we visited. The entry fee is the highest of the three museums we visited, but the museum is a lot larger with many displays about the Ferrari brand, history, and facts about the cars on display. Taking a factory tour here would be very interesting.
There are also private companies throughout the town that offer rides in Ferrari cars, if you like the idea of riding in one or driving one.
Get more information on the Ferrari website.
Museo Ducati
Ducati produces high end motorcycles. The museum is located just outside of Bologna, making it easy to add on to the car museums already listed. Learn more on the official website.
Tours of the Luxury Car Museums
If you don’t have a car, this small group tour includes Ferrari, Lamborghini, and Pagani, plus lunch.
Parmesan Cheese Factories & Balsamic Vinegar Tastings
Taking a tour of a Parmigiano Reggiano cheese factory may be even more popular than a visit to the luxury car museums.
Bertinelli is located right outside of Parma (about an hour and a half drive from Bologna). They have a restaurant, offer guided tours of the factory, and even have an inn where you can spend the night.
Caseificio Bio Reggiani is closer to Bologna (about an hour drive) and near the Pagani and Lamborghini Museums. They also offer guided tours of their cheese factory.
Modena is where balsamic vinegar is produced and taking a day trip to Modena to tour a balsamic vinegar factory is also an option.
Day Trips from Bologna
Best Time to Visit Bologna
The best time to visit Bologna is the spring and fall, when the weather is pleasant and crowds are not at peak levels. Our visit was in early November. It was chilly in the mornings and evenings but crowds were relatively low.
Summers are hot and crowded. Make your tour, dinner, and hotel reservations in advance and be prepared for midday crowds.
How to Get Around Bologna
Aside from the day trips, everything we listed in the Bologna itineraries are located within the city center, making it extremely easy to get around on foot. This is a very compact, flat city center and you will do less walking here than in a city like Venice, Rome, or Florence.
Where to Eat in Bologna
Even if you don’t eat in Quadrilatero, it’s worth walking through it at least once. Salumeria Simoni Laboratorio and Zerocinquantuno are two wine bars on Via Pescheiri Vecchie right in the middle of the action. Osteria Angolo degli Orefici is a restaurant in the Quadrilatero that isn’t quite as immersed in the chaos. The pasta here is very good.
Pasta Bolognese
For pasta, our favorite restaurant in the city is Marsalino.
For pizza, check out Gallery Pizzart Food & Drink. This gourmet pizza restaurant creates pizzas that are a work of art. We had the Polpetta (meatballs on pizza…yum!) and the Patanegra e Tartufo (black truffle cream with Iberian ham) and both were delicious.
Medulla Vini is a casual wine bar. It is the perfect place to have a glass (or two) of wine, with sommeliers who go the extra mile to ensure you find a wine you truly love.
Where to Stay in Bologna
The best location is in or near the city center, as everything will be in walking distance of your hotel.
Highly rated mid-range hotels include Cuore di Bologna Suites (studio and two-bedroom apartments in the Quadrilatero), Hotel Cavour (double, triple, and quadruple rooms with an excellent location), Suites Indipendenza 58 (this property gets rave reviews and is located just outside of the city center), and Galliera Residence B&B (also gets fantastic reviews, is located between the city center and the train station).
If you prefer a two-bedroom apartment that can accommodate four people, take a look at Panorama Apartment, which has an excellent location in the city center.
For luxury travelers, the Grand Hotel Majestic gia’Baglioni is located on Via Indipendenza, right across the street from the Bologna Cathedral.
For budget travelers, Dopa Hostel is located within walking distance of the city center and gets great reviews by prior guests.
If you have any questions about how to spend 1 to 2 days in Bologna, let us know in the comment section below.
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