Bologna 🍝

The Torre degli Asinelli, almost a hundred meters tall, can be climbed for a panoramic view of the city. The leaning Torre Garisenda is not visitable but is equally iconic.

The main square, surrounded by Palazzo d'Accursio, Palazzo del Podestà, and the Basilica di San Petronio — the meeting point for the whole city.

One of the largest brick churches in the world, with a facade left halfway between marble and raw brick due to lack of funds in the 1500s.

The first unified seat of the University of Bologna, with the 17th-century wooden Anatomical Theatre — the walls are covered with coats of arms of students from centuries past.

The network of medieval streets behind Piazza Maggiore, now full of shops selling cured meats, cheeses, and fresh pasta made in view.

Almost four kilometers of covered portico, with six hundred sixty-six arches, climbing from the center to the Sanctuary of the Madonna di San Luca on the hill.

At the top of the hill, with a view that on clear days reaches the Apennines — and a bike descent much loved by local sports enthusiasts.

The large 19th-century public park, the Bolognese's place for running, reading, or having a picnic on Sundays.

The university street, among historic faculties, murals, and venues open late — the heart of student Bologna.

The most important Emilian art collection, with works by Raphael, Titian, and Guido Reni, inside the Academy of Fine Arts building.

The Museum of Modern Art of Bologna, in a converted former bread factory — international temporary exhibitions.

The city's signature dish — fresh egg pasta with a meat ragù cooked for hours. Beware of those who call it "spaghetti alla bolognese": it doesn't exist here.

Small parcels of pasta stuffed with meat, served in capon broth — the holiday dish, available year-round in every real trattoria.

Italy's most famous cured meat, born right here — to be tasted sliced thin at the Quadrilatero market, not the packaged kind.

Establishments with decades or centuries of history, where you eat at the same wooden table for generations — look for them away from the most touristy streets of the center.

Homeland of traditional balsamic vinegar and the UNESCO Romanesque cathedral — half an hour by train, with visits to historic vinegar attics.

Cradle of Parmigiano Reggiano and Prosciutto di Parma, with an elegant historic center and the Teatro Farnese.

Perfectly preserved Renaissance city, ideal for exploring by bicycle — less than half an hour by train.

Since 2021, the climb has been limited entry with hourly booking — check availability before you arrive, especially on weekends.

Over forty kilometers of covered porticoes in the center: you can get around almost the whole city even in the rain without needing an umbrella.

In the most central streets, tourist spots with photographed menus abound — the real osterie are often just a few steps away, without flashy signs.