Learn how to make fresh pasta and Bolognese sauce, climb a tower or two, immerse yourself in the sights, smells, and flavors of the Quadrilatero, and take a day trip to see the Ferrari and Lamborghini museums…these all top the list of things to do in Bologna.
Bologna, the capital of the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy, is famous for its historic university, amazing food scene, medieval towers, and kilometers of porticoes that wind their way along the city streets.
We are frequent visitors to Italy, but Bologna didn’t make it onto our itinerary until the 6th trip. And once here, we kept asking ourselves, “why did it take us so long to visit this amazing city?”
If you are a foodie or pasta lover, Bologna is not to be missed. The cooking class and the time we spent exploring the Quadrilatero were unforgettable experiences.
Add in the beautiful porticoes, hidden gems like the Archiginnasio, and the bird’s eye views from the towers, and Bologna is an underrated city to visit in Italy.
We can’t wait to share this amazing city with you. In this guide, we start off with the top 10 things to do in Bologna, perfect for those planning a quick visit to the city (1 to 2 days). We then go on to list more things to do in Bologna, for those with more time.
Top 10 Things to Do in Bologna
1. Piazza Maggiore
Piazza Maggiore is the main square in Bologna. This busy, bustling place is surrounded by some of the oldest and most important buildings in the city, including Palazzo Comunale, Palazzo del Podestà, Palazzo dei Notai, and the Basilica of San Petronio.
This piazza is great place to get your bearings. It is centrally located and many food and walking tours will start here. If you have plans to take the San Luca Express to the Sanctuary of Madonna di San Luca, that leaves from here as well.
Palazzo Communale and Torre dell’Orologico
Neptune’s Fountain (Fontana del Nettuno) is a 16th-century fountain that sits next to Piazza Maggiore. It was commissioned to symbolize Pope Pius IV’s power. Pope Pius IV had concerns about the large size of Neptune’s genitals and ordered them to be made smaller. Giambologna, the sculptor, made the change but altered the statue such that if you approach it from behind, Neptune’s arm sticks out in a way that at first, you might think it is something else…
Also of note is that the trident that Neptune is holding served as inspiration for the emblem of Maserati, a luxury car company based in Bologna.
2. The Basilica of San Petronio
The Basilica of San Petronio sits on Piazza Maggiore. This massive basilica is one of the largest in Europe and it is the largest Gothic church in the world built from brick. It’s also unfinished, with marble adorning just its bottom half.
Basilica of San Petronio and Piazza Maggiore
Inside of the basilica, there are a few important things to see.
The Nave
We were amazed at the sheer size of this basilica. It’s enormous, right up there with St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican. The stained-glass windows are gorgeous.
The Sundial
In 1655, Cassini created a meridian line (sometimes referred to as the sundial) inside of the basilica to measure the position and size of the Sun. This line helped him determine that the Earth’s orbit is elliptical. This replaced the original meridian line that was created by Danti in the 16th century.
The meridian line runs at an angle through the basilica. There are markings on the floor that show the position of the Sun throughout the year. The best time of day to visit the basilica is midday, if you want to see the sunlight appear on the floor.
The meridian line
The Chapels
There are numerous chapels in the basilica, but there are three important chapels that require a small fee.
The most notable is the Chapel of Re Magi. This chapel has frescos that date back to the early 15th century, when the basilica was built. Among these is the Last Judgement, with scenes representing Heaven and Hell, resembling Dante’s Inferno. Also in this chapel is a wooden polyptych and a stained-glass window that dates back to the very early 15th century.
Chapel of Re Magi
The Chapel of San Petronio houses the body and head of Saint Petronio.
The Chapel of Sant’Abbondio was the site of the first Holy Mass in the basilica on October 4, 1392. Legend has it that Charles V of Habsburg was crowned Holy Roman Emperor here in February 1530.
PLANNING YOUR VISIT: The basilica is free to enter. There is a small fee to enter the chapels and photography is not permitted inside of these chapels. In the past, visitors were allowed to walk on the upper terraces but in our visit in 2024, we were told they were closed indefinitely. Get hours and pricing on the official website.
3. Explore the Quadrilatero
The best thing to do in Bologna is to eat, and the next two entries embrace the best food experiences in the city.
Strolling the streets of the Quadrilatero was one of our favorite things to do in Bologna. We visited this area several times on each of the three days we were here, and it never got old. It’s a bit touristy but it’s still a very interesting place to visit.
The Quadrilatero is the old market area of the city. A tangle of narrow streets is lined with shops, small grocery stores, wine bars, and outdoor cafes. It is a busy place but so fun to explore, especially for foodies.
Things you will see are display cases filled with cheese, cured meats hanging from the rafters of the grocery stores, SO MUCH fresh pasta, and tables filled with patrons. The wine is flowing and meats, cheeses, bread, and olive oil are the top things to try here.
The most photogenic street is Via Pescherie Vecchie. There are several restaurants here, the perfect place to take a quick break, have a glass of wine, and a charcuterie board.
Via Pescherie Vecchie | Things to do in Bologna
4. Take a Food Tour or Cooking Class
There’s no better way to get to know Bologna than on a food tour or in a cooking class.
We elected to take a cooking class, learning how to make fresh pasta.
We took this cooking class, which is a 3-hour class where you learn how to make a spritz and tagliatelle pasta. It was a fun, laid-back experience, with a lot of the time dedicated to making the pasta.
Dinner is your tagliatelle masterpiece, topped with ragu made by the staff, along with a glass of wine. We did not make the Bolognese sauce, but it was excellent (maybe the best we had in Bologna, and we were on a mission to sample it at as many places as possible), and they provide the recipe at the end of the class.
It’s a fun experience and the tour is held at the end of the day, so you have plenty of time all day to see the sights in Bologna.
If you like the idea of taking a food tour (I would do this on a return visit to Bologna), this food tour gets excellent reviews and looks like a lot of fun.
5. Wine Bars & Salumerias: Our Favorite Restaurants in Bologna
Tortellini, tagliatelle, Bolognese sauce, mortadella, lasagna…there are so many great foods to try in Bologna. Here are a few of our favorite restaurants.
The Gallery Pizzart Food & Drink. This gourmet pizza place creates pizzas that are a work of art. The menu is extensive, with simple cheese pizzas to unusual creations (Wagyu, duck breast, truffles are all toppings here). We ordered the Polpetta (meatballs on pizza…yum!) and the Patanegra e Tartufo (black truffle cream with Iberian ham) and both were delicious.
Salumeria Simoni Laboratorio and Zerocinquantuno. These two restaurants sit side by side on Via Peschieri Vecchie. Salumeria Simoni gets slightly better reviews but it can be harder to get a table here. On the menus are meat and cheese boards, meatballs, and cestino (the typical hot bread of Bologna). Wash it down with a glass or two of wine.
Marsalino. This tiny restaurant serves really good pasta. Make a reservation in advance.
Osteria Angolo degli Orefici. This restaurant is located in the Quadrilatero. It feels a lot more touristy that Marsalino but the pasta is very good.
Medulla Vini. We loved this small, casual wine bar. The staff are super friendly and take quite a bit of time with you, to make sure you get a glass of wine you really enjoy.
Enoteca Storica Faccioli. This cozy wine bar has a very local feel. It has a great atmosphere but lacks the personal touch that Medulla Vini has.
Fior di Sale. We had cocktails here one evening. This bar and restaurant is beautiful inside and a nice spot for an aperitif or after dinner drink.
6. Climb Asinelli Tower
Asinelli Tower is one of the Two Towers (Le Due Torri). It is Bologna’s tallest medieval tower and one of the city’s most famous landmarks. Climbing this leaning tower is one of the best things to do in Bologna.
Asinelli Tower | Things to do in Bologna
It’s a big stair climb, 498 steps to the top…the perfect way to walk off the pasta and mortadella you may have been eating. The view from the top is extraordinary.
Asinelli Tower was closed during our visit for maintenance, and is currently closed, the last we checked (you can get updates here). Once it does open, tickets must be purchased online in advance. Until it reopens, the Clock Tower (Torre dell’Orologico) is also very nice.
Get hours, pricing, book your tickets, and updates about its reopening here.
7. Photograph the Porticoes of Bologna
The Porticoes of Bologna (Portici di Bologna) are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. 40 km of these colonnaded walkways line the buildings in the city center. These covered passageways are beautiful, some with painted ceilings and others decorated with fancy columns or lighting.
One of the prettiest in the city is next to Piazza Cavour, just a short walk from Piazza Maggiore.
Portico next to Piazza Cavour
Portico at Libreria Nanni | Things to do in Bologna
Portico di San Luca is the longest, and this very long portico leads to the Sanctuary of the Madonna di San Luca (we go into more detail about this portico later in this guide).
8. Archiginnasio of Bologna & the Anatomical Theater
This is amazing! This is one of the most beautiful buildings we visited in Bologna, with its porticoes, coats of arms, and historic rooms.
The Archiginnasio was built in the 16th century. This palace was the seat of the university and now has several historic rooms that visitors can see.
When you first enter the Archiginnasio, you are greeted with views of its amazing porticoes and the coats of arms that adorn the walls. There are two levels here, so be sure to take the stairs to the upper level to get the full experience. And this part of the Archiginnasio free to visit.
Coats of arms in the Archiginnasio
The Biblioteca (the library) is only open to students and residents, not to tourists. But there are two other very interesting rooms to visit. These two rooms require a ticket, but at 3 euros, it’s one of the best deals in Bologna.
The Anatomical Theater was designed in 1637. Statues of famous doctors 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.
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.
Stabat Mater Room | Things to do in Bologna
The view into the library from the Stabat Mater Room
Get hours, pricing, and the link to purchase a ticket in advance here. On our visit, there was a sign that said advance tickets were mandatory for Saturday visits.
9. The Complex of the Seven Churches
The Santo Stefano Complex is where several churches, chapels, and courtyards form one of the most important religious sites in the city.
Altogether, this complex of buildings has the designation of a minor basilica.
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.
These churches and chapels are all built next to each other and are quick and easy to visit, as they are all connected.
It 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).
Piazza Santo Stefano
10. Take a Day Trip
There are quite a few great day trips to take from Bologna, ranging from tours of the high-end luxury car brands to parmesan cheese and balsamic vinegar tastings.
Italian Super Cars
We spent a day touring Lamborghini, Pagani, and Ferrari, although Ducati is popular as well. To do this, you will either need to rent a car or take a tour that handles your transportation. We had a rental car.
We thought this would be interesting, but by the time we got to Ferrari (our third and final museum of the day), these visits felt repetitive. Parking was challenging, even in November, the off season. Taking a factory tour would make it more interesting, but these should be scheduled in advance, as tour times are very limited.
It took us about 6 hours to visit all three museums, including driving time to and from Bologna. We did not take a factory tour at any of the museums.
If you don’t have a car, this small group tour includes Ferrari, Lamborghini, and Pagani, plus lunch.
Lamborghini
Lamborghini has a rather small museum and on display are cars that were produced over the past several decades. There’s not much information on display about each car, so a visit here is more about seeing the cars and taking a few selfies with them. Honestly, I found it to be a bit boring.
You can take a tour to see the production line, which is worth it for Lamborghini aficionados. It’s best to set this up in advance, as tour times are very limited throughout the day.
On our visit, we had to park roughly 800 meters away and walk to the museum, as they do not offer parking.
Get more information, pricing, hours, and the link to make a tour reservation on the official website.
Horacio Pagani Museum
Of the three car manufacturers we visited, Pagani was by far the most interesting. Pagani produces high-end super cars and they are more of a boutique 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.
If you only went to one car museum, this one would get our vote.
Horacio Pagani Museum
Parking was much easier (there is street parking next to the museum) and there were only a few other visitors while we were here.
Get pricing, hours, and schedule your factory tour on the official website.
Ferrari Maranello Museum
This is the biggest, busiest museum we visited. Ferrari has a small parking lot, with overflow parking throughout town, but midday in November, we circled these parking lots for 15 minutes until we could find a spot.
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. Altogether, it is a very well-designed museum. 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. We did not visit this museum. Learn more on the official website.
Parmesan Cheese & Balsamic Vinegar
Taking a tour of a Parmigiano Reggiano cheese factory is just as popular, maybe 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.
PRO TRAVEL TIP: If you like the idea of doing a balsamic vinegar tasting but don’t want to travel all the way to Modena, in Bologna visit the Giusti Boutique store. We tasted the Giusti Modena balsamic vinegar (who knew there were so many flavors?!) and bought some to take home.
Here are several day trip tours from Bologna:
Go Deeper: More Things to Do in Bologna
1. Visit the Sanctuary of the Madonna di San Luca
One of the most unique things to do in Bologna is to walk the Portico di San Luca. This is the longest portico in the world, 3.8 km (2.4 miles) long with a total of 666 arches.
Sanctuary of the Madonna di San Luca | Things to do in Bologna
Portico di San Luca
This walk starts at Porta Saragozza, which is located outside of the city center (a 20-minute walk from Piazza Maggiore). It takes about an hour and a half to walk the entire portico one way. The portico ends at the Sanctuary of the Madonna di San Luca, a basilica with a hilltop setting a nice, distant view of Bologna.
To do the walk out and back, you are looking at a 3-to-4-hour experience in total, which can use up quite a bit of your time. If you are in Bologna for just a day or two, it may not be worth investing so much time into this, especially with so many things to see and do.
There is also a tourist train, the San Luca Express, which starts at Piazza Maggiore and travels to the Sanctuary of the Madonna di San Luca. This experience takes about an hour.
2. Cathedral of Saint Peter
The Bologna Cathedral is located on Via dell’Indipendenza, just a short walk from Piazza Maggiore. The bell tower, “La Nonna,” is the second tallest tower in Bologna. The cathedral is free to visit. On our visit here, we were told that you can climb the bell tower, but only between 2 and 4:30 pm on Saturday and Sunday.
3. The Clock Tower
Palazzo d’Accursio (aka Palazzo Comunale) is Bologna’s Town Hall. It is located on Piazza Maggiore. On a visit here, you can climb up to the Clock Tower (Torre dell’Orologico) for a view over Piazza Maggiore. The ticket also includes the Municipal Art Collections, which has paintings, furniture, and ceramics from the Middle Ages to present day.
The view of Piazza Maggiore
Another view from the Clock Tower. Off in the distance is the Sancturary of the Madonna di San Luca.
On our visit to Bologna, several of the towers were closed for maintenance, so this was the only one we climbed. A time slot must be booked in advance, which makes this quick and easy to do, because you simply show up at your scheduled time, climb the tower, and enjoy the view. The entire experience takes 30 to 45 minutes.
It’s not a huge stair climb (Tim counted a total of 106 steps), but they make you sign a waiver, since some of the staircases are very narrow and steep.
Overall, we really enjoyed the experience and liked the view overlooking Piazza Maggiore. However, if Asinelli Tower is open and you only have the time and desire to climb one tower, that one would get our vote.
Get hours and pricing and book your tickets here.
The courtyard of Palazzo Comunale
4. Torre Prendiparte (Sky Experience)
This tower, also called Coronata Tower, is a medieval tower that was built in the 12th century. From the top floor, you get panoramic views over Bologna. If Asinelli Tower is not open, this is a good one to add to your itinerary, if you want to climb one of Bologna’s medieval towers.
Learn more on the official website.
5. University of Bologna
The University of Bologna was founded in 1088, making it the oldest university in the world that has been in continuous operation. The Archiginnasio, mentioned earlier, was the main seat of the university from 1563 to 1803. Now, the campus sits to the east of the city center, but still easily within walking distance.
There are a few places open to visitors. We visited the Museum of Zoology, which was free to visit but not very interesting. Musei di Palazzo Poggi is a collection of museums, with exhibits on human anatomy, geographical maps, obstetrics, physics, and natural history.
6. Finestrella di Via Piella
A series of canals runs through Bologna. Most of these are now covered by buildings and roads, but a few can still be seen. One of the best places is through the window on Via Piella, with a view of Canale di Reno.
It’s about a 10-minute walk from Piazza Maggiore and not really worth going out of your way for, in my opinion.
7. The Museum for the Memory of Ustica
This museum commemorates the Ustica massacre, a plane crash that occurred in June 1980. On display are the remains of the DC-9 airplane.
8. Basilica of San Domenico
This basilica is famous for its Ark of Saint Dominic, which contains the remains of Saint Dominic. A portion of the Ark was built by Nicola Pisano, who was also the builder of the Opera del Duomo in Pisa and the Siena Cathedral. Michelangelo created some of the statues that sit on the Ark.
9. Biblioteca Salaborsa
The Salaborsa library is a public library located in the city center. What makes it unique are the Roman ruins located under the glass floor of the library. Fitting this into your schedule can be difficult, as the archaeological excavations are only open 2 days a week (Monday and Tuesday). Learn more here.
10. National Art Gallery of Bologna
The Pinacoteca Nazionale di Bologna is an art gallery that has on display paintings by Emilian artists from the 13th to the 18th century. Learn more on the official website.
Best Things to Do in Bologna: On a Map
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.
Bologna Welcome Card
The Bologna Welcome Card is a tourist card that includes the museums, a visit to the Clock Tower, and a walking tour, plus additional experiences such as the San Luca Express or a city bus tour. There are two options to choose from, easy or plus, that differ in price and the experiences that come with the card.
Visit the official website for more information and how the card works. If you plan to visit many of the museums in Bologna, this card may save you money (add up what you plan to visit and compare that with the price of the card).
Is Bologna Worth It?
Tim and I loved Bologna. We have become big foodies over the past few years and walking through the Quadrilatero, seeing the fresh pasta and aged cheeses, and taking a cooking class made our visit very memorable.
There is a lot to do in Bologna, but if you stick with our top 10 list, you get to see the best of Bologna without a busy sightseeing schedule. Our favorite thing to do was simply explore the city center, strolling along the porticos and past the gourmet food shops, and taking lots and lots of photos. Our second favorite thing to do was to eat, and there’s no shortage of great restaurants in Bologna.
The Quadrilatero
How to Plan a Trip to Bologna
With one day in Bologna, you have just enough time to explore the historic city center, take a food tour or cooking class, photograph the porticos, and climb a tower for a view over the city.
With two days in Bologna, the additional day gives you enough time to either take a day trip OR spend more time in the city center.
For those who want to do both, thoroughly explore Bologna plus take a day trip, plan on spending 3 or more days in the city.
We cover how to plan your itinerary, plus where to stay and where to eat, in our Bologna Itinerary (coming soon).
If you have any questions about the best things to do in Bologna, or if you want to share your favorite experiences, let us know in the comment section below.
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