What Are the Best Things to Do in Bologna?

The List at a Glance

This table sets the ten side by side with the entry price and hours published by Bologna Welcome and the basilica, euro prices shown in dollars at 1.1052.

Piazza Maggiore and the Neptune Fountain

The centre of the square is the crescentone, a raised pavement of white and pink granite. Under the vault of Palazzo del Podesta, a whisper into one corner carries to a friend in the opposite corner.

Giambologna built the Fountain of Neptune between 1563 and 1566. Four small figures at its feet stand for the Ganges, the Nile, the Amazon and the Danube. The Bologna Walking Food Tour with a Local starts here and runs 3 hours through five shops.

Basilica di San Petronio

Work on San Petronio began in 1390, and the interior opens onto 22 chapels. Entry is free daily from 10:00 to 18:00, last entry 17:50. The 1655 Cassini sundial runs 67 metres across the floor and is free to see.

The paid chapel tour costs $5.53 (€5), or $3.32 (€3) reduced, from 10:00 to 17:30. Cover shoulders and knees, remove hats and leave suitcases behind, since luggage is not allowed inside.

What Is Closed and Why

The area around the Garisenda is fenced for restoration and safety works. The Comune di Bologna plans to tie it to two metal trusses and strengthen its base with injections.

The towers still earn a stop from the street. Bologna Welcome notes that the golden tagliatella, 8 mm wide once cooked, equals 1/12,270 of the Asinelli's height. Its official sample sits in Palazzo della Mercanzia, where the Bologna Street Food Tour begins its 2 hours of tastings.

Where to Get the View Instead

The Clock Tower costs $11.05 (€10), or $7.74 (€7) reduced, with the Municipal Art Collections included. Entries run three times an hour, and children under 8 may not go onto the summit terrace. The free option is the San Luca terrace, opened in 2017 at 42 metres on a hill 300 metres above sea level.

What You See

The Palazzo dell'Archiginnasio was built between 1562 and 1563 as the first single seat for university teaching. Its walls hold the largest mural heraldic complex in the world, and the Municipal Library has filled it since 1838.

Via Zamboni, the main street of today's university district, runs from the Two Towers. The Secret Food Tours Bologna Food and Market Tour meets there.

Tickets and Timing

Online booking is compulsory. The table gives the two ticket types Bologna Welcome lists, with the visit length of each, converted at 1.1052 dollars per euro.

• Audio guide entries run Monday to Saturday, 10:00 to 17:30, every 10 minutes.

On Foot

Building of the San Luca portico started in 1674, and Bologna Welcome calls it the longest in the world. The sanctuary opens daily from 7:00 to 18:00, 30 minutes later from March to October, and entry is free. The walk climbs to Colle della Guardia, 300 metres above sea level, so wear proper shoes.

By Tourist Train

The San Luca Express leaves from Piazza Maggiore and lasts 1 hour, with a same-day return included. It costs $16.58 (€15) full price, $8.84 (€8) for ages 6 to 10 and $3.32 (€3) for under 5s. The Bologna Welcome Card PLUS covers it.

The Quadrilatero and the Markets

The old street names still tell the trade: Via Drapperie for textiles, Via Clavature for blacksmiths, Via Pescherie Vecchie for fish. Mercato di Mezzo at Via Clavature 12 was the first covered market after Italian unification and was redeveloped in 2014. Mercato delle Erbe at Via Ugo Bassi 25 is the largest covered market in the historic centre, in a hall built in 1910.

Mortadella Bologna has held its IGP since 1998.

Tours and Classes Compared

This table compares the food tours and classes that fit a sightseeing day, with the length and group size from each listing. Prices sit on the homepage cards.

The Canal Windows

The Finestrella at Via Piella 16/a to 18/a opens onto the Canale delle Moline, nicknamed little Venice. The same canal shows through small windows on Via Oberdan and Via Malcontenti.

Bologna Welcome publishes a self-guided walk of about 2.5 km that covers the historic centre in around 3 hours. Its office at Piazza Maggiore 1/e opens Monday to Saturday 9am to 7pm, Sunday 10am to 5pm.

Museum Tickets and the Card

The table lists the full prices Bologna Welcome gives for three paid museums and both city cards, converted at 1.1052 dollars per euro.

• Both cards stay valid for 15 days after first use, but the Clock Tower and bike rental must still be booked ahead.

What Works for Families

The San Luca Express charges $8.84 (€8) for ages 6 to 10 and $3.32 (€3) for under 5s, and its 1-hour ride spares small legs the 4 km climb. The Clock Tower bars children under 8 from its terrace.

A pasta class keeps hands busy for 3 hours. The Bologna Pasta Class with Ragu, Spritz and Gelato ends with gelato and offers pesto to vegetarians, but it and several other classes state they cannot cater for gluten intolerance.

A One-Day Plan

The Delicious Bologna Small-Group Food Tour meets at 9.55am at Piazza di Porta Ravegnana and runs 4.5 hours, with breakfast, the Quadrilatero, a pasta factory and a three-pasta lunch.

After lunch, reach San Petronio before its 17:50 last entry and book a 40-minute Archiginnasio slot. End at the Finestrella di Via Piella. A second day takes the San Luca portico and a 3-hour class from the Bologna cooking class guide.