Considered the Culinary Capital of Italy with 42 Km of UNESCO-Enlisted Arcades
Table of Contents
A. About Bologna
Nickname: The Red (la rossa)Bologna, the capital and largest city of the Emilia-Romagna Region in Northern Italy is the birthplace of Bolognese sauce, tortellini, and Mortadella. The city is considered the culinary capital of Italy.
Moreover, Bologna is famous for its towers, churches, and lengthy porticoes. Home to the oldest university in the Western world, the city has a large student population that gives it a lively and cosmopolitan character.
Bologna seems not very touristy and feels more authentic than other more famous Italian destinations.
➕ The Good
While Bologna does not score seven in any category, the city still scores well in most of the important ones.
The city features many interesting and unique sights and is clean and safe.
With 42 km of UNESCO-enlisted arcades (porticis) and numerous pedestrian zones, Bologna is a unique city.
Furthermore, with plenty of bars, nightclubs, and cafés, the nightlife is great.
➖ Negative Aspects
Fortunately, Bologna features no category with a low rating.
B. Best Things to Do in Bologna in 2024 (Detailed List with Photos and Information)
In total, we count more than twenty sights in Bologna. The following sights contribute to a score of 6.40/10 in this most important category:
# Basilica of St. Petronius 6
Stretching 132 meters long, 66 meters wide and 45 meters high the impressive Basilica of St. Petronius with its unfinished front facade is one of the largest churches in the world.
Inside, don’t miss the Chapel of the Magi with its remarkable fresco decoration, painted by Giovanni da Modena circa 1410.
# National Art Gallery of Bologna (Pinacoteca Nationale) 5
The Pinacoteca Nationale displays a rich collection of paintings by artists who have worked in Bologna and the Emilia-Romagna region, especially from the 13th to the early 19th centuries.
This is our selection of the five best paintings from the National Art Gallery of Bologna:
1) The Ecstasy of St. Cecilia, Raphael (c. 1518)
by Wikimedia / Public Domain
2) Massacre of the Innocents, Guido Reni (1611)
by Wikimedia / Public Domain
3) The Annunciation, Lodovico Carracci (1584)
by Wikimedia / Public Domain
4) The Last Supper, El Greco (1568)
by Wikimedia / Public Domain
5) Triumph of Samson, Guido Reni (ca. 1611–1619)
by Wikimedia / Public Domain
Museum Gallery Space: 2,000 m2 [21527 ft2] | Galleries: 30 | Artworks on Display: ca. 300 | Established: 1802 | Visitors [2018]: 76,058
(Click on images to open in lightbox)
# PORTICO DI SAN LUCA and Sanctuary of the Madonna di San Luca 5
With a length of 3.5 kilometers and 666 arches, Portico di San Luca is the longest of Bologna's famous arcades (porticis).
It leads from the city to the hilltop Sanctuary of the Madonna di San Luca.
666 Arches and Hilltop Sanctuary 🌍 World Heritage Site: since 2006 as a part of the "The Porticoes of Bologna"
# St. Stephen Basilica (Santo Stefano) 5
The Basilica of Santo Stefano (mostly known as the complex of Seven Churches) is a complex of several churches from the 5th to 13th century. A former temple of the Egyptian goddess Isis was transformed into the burial place of the first Christians.
# Archigymnasium Palace (Palazzo dell'Archiginnasio) 5
This former university building is home to a remarkable library and an impressive wooden Anatomical Theater, where professors dissected cadavers and lectured from a desk under a decorative canopy.
#10 | Church of Saint Dominic (Basilica di San Domenico) 5
Considered one of the most beautiful churches in Bologna, Basilica di San Domenico is home to the Ark of St. Dominic – a magnificent marble shrine created by Nicola Pisano and Niccolò dell’Arca and three statues by the young Michelangelo Buonarroti.
C. Other Notable Sights and Attractions in Bologna
#11 | San Michele in Bosco 4
San Michele in Bosco is a historic church and former monastery located on a hill in Bologna, Italy, offering panoramic views of the city.
E. Top 10 List of the Best Things to Do in Bologna (including close-by excursions)
To sum things up, these are the ten best sights we recommend to you when visiting Bologna for at least two entire days.
Main Square and Neptune Square 6
Basilica of St. Petronius 6
Asinelli Tower and Garisenda Tower 6
National Art Gallery of Bologna 5
🌍 PORTICO DI SAN LUCA and Sanctuary of the Madonna di San Luca 5
Fountain of Neptune 5
St. Stephen Basilica (Santo Stefano) 5
Archigymnasium Palace (Palazzo dell'Archiginnasio) 5
MAST (Museum) 5
Church of Saint Dominic (Basilica di San Domenico 5