Things to Do and See in Bologna

Bologna, the capital of the province of the same name, is a city rich in history and culture. Numerous peoples have passed through here, leaving behind a wealth of historical traces—from the Etruscans and the Gauls to its days as a Roman colony and municipality. Considered the cradle of culture, the city was home to one of the world’s first universities and still ranks among the top Italian universities globally. Enclosed within its walls, the historic center is truly charming—one of the best-preserved in Europe—and is rich in ancient palaces, churches, and works of art, bearing witness to the cultural significance Bologna has held over the centuries; the porticoes stretch for a total length of about 37 kilometers, so much so that Bologna is considered the city with the most porticoes in the world. Famous landmarks include the Asinelli and Garisenda towers, which rise along the street leading to the very heart of the city—Piazza Maggiore, a large square that was once a marketplace and has always served as the city’s gathering place for civic, religious, and recreational events. Adjacent to it stands the imposing Basilica of San Petronio, with its unfinished façade; however, Bologna’s cathedral is the Cathedral of St. Peter, located a short distance away. Also nearby is Piazza del Nettuno, home to the Fountain of Neptune, featuring Giambologna’s bronze statue of the god Neptune. All around San Petronio, among the secular buildings, we find the Palazzo del Podestà, the Palazzo dei Notai, and the Palazzo dei Banchi. Among the religious buildings worth visiting are the Church of San Domenico on the square of the same name—one of the city’s most prominent monumental complexes— the Santo Stefano Complex, which comprises a series of sacred buildings, including the monastery on the splendid cobblestone-paved square and the Church of San Giacomo Maggiore, with its side portico and the exquisite cycle of frescoes inside. Finally, not to be missed is the National Art Gallery, which houses works by Giotto and his school, Guido Reni, Guercino, and Raphael’s famous *Ecstasy of Saint Cecilia*. Outside the city walls, on the hills, stands the important Sanctuary of the Madonna di San Luca, the most significant in the city’s history, connected to the city by a long portico that starts from Piazza di Porta Saragozza. Elsewhere in the province, in Casalecchio di Reno, you can see the Reno River lock, built around 1100 and later reinforced, which was used to channel the river’s waters, necessary to power the factories in Bologna; in Sasso Marconi, inhabited during both the Etruscan and Roman eras, the aqueduct still stands; while, Marzabotto, in addition to the ruins of the evocative Etruscan city that was rediscovered, is known for the massacre of 1,830 civilians carried out by the Germans during World War II, following which the Memorial to the Fallen was erected. Also not to be missed are the numerous villages, including Pieve di Cento, Castello d’Argile, Imola and its historic center, San Giovanni in Persiceto, San Giorgio di Piano, and the village of Bentivoglio with its imposing fortress.