What to See in Bologna
Discover the charm of the city of porticoes
Bologna is a city to be discovered on foot, walking beneath its famous porticoes and looking up at the medieval towers that dot the sky. From the beating heart of Piazza Maggiore to the contemplative silence of the Santo Stefano Complex, from the extraordinary artistic heritage of the Pinacoteca Nazionale to the hidden canals that flow silently beneath the city, every corner tells a story.
Our recommendations on what to see in Bologna will guide you through the must-see landmarks and lesser-known treasures of one of Italy’s most fascinating cities.
The Two Towers: Asinelli and Garisenda
The Two Towers are the undisputed symbol of Bologna and one of Italy’s most iconic medieval monuments. Built between the end of the 11th and the beginning of the 12th century by the most powerful Bolognese families as a symbol of prestige and power, the Asinelli Tower and the Garisenda Tower still dominate the Bolognese skyline today, watching over Piazza di Porta Ravegnana for nearly a thousand years.
The Asinelli Tower, at 97 meters tall, is the taller of the two and is open to the public: climbing its 498 steps offers one of the most spectacular views over Bologna and the city’s red roofs, with a view that reaches all the way to the Apennines on clear days.
The Garisenda Tower, shorter and with a characteristic lean that even captured the imagination of Dante Alighieri—who mentioned it in the Divine Comedy—is currently closed to the public for structural reinforcement work.
Strolling at the foot of the Two Towers, in the medieval heart of the city, is an unmissable experience: the atmosphere in Piazza di Porta Ravegnana, with porticoes radiating in every direction, offers an authentic and unforgettable step back in time.
The Historic Center and the UNESCO Porticoes
The historic center of Bologna is one of the best-preserved in Italy, and in 2021 it saw its famous porticoes officially join the UNESCO World Heritage list.
With over 40 kilometers of porticoes winding through historic buildings, churches, and squares, walking through the center of Bologna is a globally unique experience: whatever the weather, you can always cross the city keeping dry, through a succession of arches, columns, and vistas that change with every step.
The 12 groups of porticoes recognized by UNESCO tell the story of centuries of urban history, from the medieval portico of Santo Stefano to the famous colonnade that climbs up to the Sanctuary of San Luca.
Getting lost among Via Indipendenza, Strada Maggiore, and Via Galliera means immersing yourself in the authentic heart of a city that has turned welcoming people under its porticoes into a philosophy of life.
Piazza Maggiore and the Basilica of San Petronio
Piazza Maggiore is the beating heart of Bologna, one of the most beautiful and best-preserved medieval squares in Italy.
Surrounded by historic palaces of extraordinary elegance—Palazzo d’Accursio, Palazzo dei Banchi, Palazzo del Podestà, and Palazzo dei Notai—the square has been the hub of the city’s civic, cultural, and social life for centuries.
At its center stands the majestic Basilica of San Petronio, one of the largest Gothic churches in the world, whose unfinished facade in white and pink marble is itself a masterpiece suspended in time. Inside, the soaring naves house artworks of priceless value and the famous astronomical meridian line, the longest ever built indoors.
Just a few steps away, in Piazza del Nettuno, Giambologna’s Fountain of Neptune completes one of Europe’s most evocative urban settings.
The Santo Stefano Complex
Known by locals as the “Seven Churches” (Sette Chiese), the Santo Stefano Complex is one of the most fascinating and mysterious places in Bologna.
Nestled in the splendid Piazza Santo Stefano—one of the city’s most beautiful squares, with its triangular shape and embracing porticoes—this extraordinary ensemble of overlapping and interconnected religious buildings spans over fifteen centuries of history, from the early Christian era to the Middle Ages.
Among silent courtyards, Romanesque cloisters, and history-laden chapels, the complex includes the Church of the Crucifix (Chiesa del Crocifisso), the Basilica of Saints Vitale and Agricola, and the evocative Pilate’s Courtyard (Cortile di Pilato).
A visit to the Santo Stefano Complex is a journey through time that surprises with its intimate atmosphere and the extraordinary historical and artistic stratification it preserves.
Palazzo dell'Archiginnasio and the Anatomical Theatre
Built in 1563, the Palazzo dell’Archiginnasio was for over two centuries the main headquarters of the University of Bologna, the oldest in the Western world.
Today it houses the Archiginnasio Municipal Library, one of the most important in Italy, but it is its interior that leaves visitors breathless: the porticoes and corridor walls are completely covered with hundreds of heraldic coats of arms and commemorative tablets of the families of students and professors who studied and taught here over the centuries.
The absolute jewel of the palace is the Anatomical Theatre, a carved wooden hall of rare beauty, reconstructed after being damaged in World War II, where public anatomy demonstrations were once held before audiences of students and onlookers.
A unique place, capable of powerfully evoking the atmosphere of learned, Renaissance Bologna.
National Gallery of Bologna (Pinacoteca Nazionale di Bologna)
The National Gallery of Bologna is one of Italy’s most important art museums and the primary treasure trove of the extraordinary Bolognese painting tradition.
Housed in the former convent of Sant’Ignazio, the collection traces seven centuries of art history, from the Middle Ages to the 18th century, with a special focus on the great Emilian school of painting.
Among the masterpieces on display, notable works include those by Vitale da Bologna, the first great Bolognese painter, works by Francesco Francia, and, above all, the canvases of the Carracci family—Ludovico, Agostino, and Annibale—who revolutionized European painting from the late 16th century onward by founding the Accademia degli Incamminati.
The collection also features works by Guido Reni, Guercino, and Domenichino, making the Pinacoteca an essential stop for anyone wishing to understand the depth and richness of Bolognese artistic culture.
MAMbo – Museum of Modern Art of Bologna
MAMbo, the Museum of Modern Art of Bologna, is the city’s primary hub for contemporary art and one of the most vibrant and innovative museums on the Italian cultural scene.
Located in a former bakery (ex forno del pane) within the Manifattura delle Arti district, the museum houses a permanent collection documenting Italian art from the post-WWII period to the present day, featuring works by Giorgio Morandi, Lucio Fontana, and many other key figures of 20th-century art.
In addition to its permanent collection, MAMbo offers a rich calendar of temporary exhibitions, events, performances, and cultural initiatives, making it an essential point of reference for contemporary art enthusiasts.
The museum is part of the broader museum network of the Fondazione Museo Civico di Bologna, which also includes the Morandi Museum and several other exhibition spaces across the city.
Archaeological Civic Museum
The Archaeological Civic Museum of Bologna (Museo Civico Archeologico di Bologna) is one of the richest and most comprehensive archaeological museums in Italy, with collections ranging from prehistory to the Roman era, offering an extraordinary window into the history of the Bolognese territory and human civilization.
Located in the heart of the historic center in an elegant building on Via dell’Archiginnasio, the museum houses one of the most important Etruscan collections in the world, testament to the extraordinary flourishing of this civilization in Felsina—the ancient name of Bologna—between the 6th and 4th centuries BC. Also of great significance is the Egyptian section, featuring one of the most important collections of artifacts in Italy, alongside sections dedicated to prehistory and the Roman age.
A visit to the Archaeological Civic Museum allows you to retrace thousands of years of history in a single, fascinating journey.
La Certosa of Bologna, Historic Monumental Cemetery
La Certosa of Bologna is much more than a cemetery: it is an open-air museum, a place of history, art, and memory that surprises everyone who steps foot inside for the first time.
Founded as a Carthusian monastery in 1334 and transformed into a municipal cemetery in 1801, the complex is now one of the most beautiful and evocative historic cemeteries in Europe.
Among its cloisters, galleries, and chapels are funerary monuments of extraordinary artistic value, works by sculptors such as Alfonso Lombardi and Giacomo De Maria, and the graves of illustrious Bolognese figures, including the composer Ottorino Respighi and the singer-songwriter Lucio Dalla.
Strolling through the Certosa means immersing yourself in a silence steeped in history, amidst neoclassical sculptures, frescoes, and architecture that tell the story of two centuries of Bolognese culture and civic pride.
The Finestrella of Via Piella and the Hidden Canals
Few people know that before being called “La Rossa” (The Red), Bologna was “La Turrita” (The Towered) and later even “Little Venice” (Piccola Venezia): a dense network of canals and locks once crossed the medieval city, powering the mills, workshops, and dye-works that drove Bologna’s economic fortune during the Middle Ages.
Today, nearly all of these canals flow hidden beneath the streets, invisible to most, but in a few places, it is still possible to catch a glimpse of their magic. The most famous is the Finestrella of Via Piella: a small window looking out over the Canale delle Moline, offering one of the most romantic and unexpected views of the city, beloved by photographers from all over the world.
Not far away, the Canale Navile—the longest of Bologna’s canals—can be explored on foot or by bicycle along a scenic, green itinerary that leads from the city gates out into the countryside.