Tourism: Piazza Maggiore, porticoes, Two Towers under restoration, Motor Valley
Piazza Maggiore and San Petronio, the UNESCO porticoes up to San Luca, the Archiginnasio, the Seven Churches of Santo Stefano and the Quadrilatero; the Two Towers are fenced off for the restoration of the Garisenda until at least 2028. Cinema Ritrovato in June, trade fairs in autumn; day trips to Modena, Ferrara, Ravenna and the Motor Valley.
Sections: Attractions · Museums · Nature · Itineraries · Excursions · Accessible visits
- Piazza Maggiore and around: the basilica of San Petronio, Palazzo d'Accursio (city hall, with the Municipal Art Collections), the Neptune Fountain, Palazzo Re Enzo, Salaborsa with Roman excavations visible under the glass floor.
- Two Towers: the leaning Garisenda is under restoration with works lasting until at least 2028; the area and the Asinelli tower are closed to the public. They can be seen from outside on via Rizzoli.
- Porticoes: almost 40 kilometres in the historic centre, UNESCO World Heritage since 2021; the longest climbs to the San Luca sanctuary on the hills (666 arches, about 3.8 km), an hour's walk.
- Churches and museums: the Archiginnasio with the Anatomical Theatre, the Santo Stefano complex (the Seven Churches), San Domenico, the Pinacoteca Nazionale, MAMbo and the Morandi Museum, the Civic Archaeological Museum, the Museum of the History of Bologna in Palazzo Pepoli, the Ducati Museum in Borgo Panigale.
- Quadrilatero and Finestrella: the medieval market streets between via Clavature and via Pescherie Vecchie; the "little window" on via Piella over the Moline canal.
When and how
Bologna is less crowded than Florence and Venice, but the centre fills at weekends, during the big trade fairs (Cosmoprof, Cersaie, EIMA, Bologna Children's Book Fair) and in June, when the Cineteca's Cinema Ritrovato brings eight days of free screenings to Piazza Maggiore, followed by the summer open-air season. State museums are free on the first Sunday of the month; the Bologna Welcome Card covers the main civic museums and the climb to San Luca. December and January are the quietest months, with fog.
Day trips and UNESCO
By regional train in under an hour: Modena (UNESCO cathedral, Ferrari and Pavarotti), Ferrara (UNESCO Renaissance city), Ravenna (UNESCO Byzantine mosaics), Parma; the Lamborghini museum at Sant'Agata Bolognese and Ferrari at Maranello form the Motor Valley together with Ducati. Dozza with its murals and the Rocchetta Mattei in the Apennines are trips by car. UNESCO heritage in Bologna: the Porticoes (2021).
Sources
Updated: 2026-10-14
Updated: 2026-10-14
Updated: 2026-10-14
Updated: 2026-10-14
Updated: 2026-10-14
Reviewed: 10/20/2026 · by piero.avolio · rev. 1 · Period: → 2027-10-31
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