If you want to plan a day trip to Emilia-Romagna and are wondering what to visit in Bologna on foot, you are in the right place. From the Two Towers of Bologna to the wonderful porticoes, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the historic center of the city can be easily visited without the need for a car.
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Asinelli Tower and Garisenda Tower
The Asinelli Tower and the Garisenda Tower, built during the Middle Ages. The most impressive is the Asinelli Tower, 97.20 meters high and with 498 steps to climb to reach its top and enjoy a unique view of Bologna.
Unfortunately, the project to build a lift in the Asinelli Tower never materialized and the only way to visit it remains the uphill walk. It is not possible to climb the Garisenda Tower, which is 47 meters high and has been leaning since its construction.
Fountain of Neptune
Starting from Bologna Central Station, or from the nearby parking lot of Piazza VIII Agosto for those arriving by car, the first stop to discover the Rossa is the Fountain of Neptune, one of the symbols of the city. It is he, the God of the sea, who dominates the large Piazza del Nettuno in the heart of Bologna from the pedestal in the center of the fountain designed by Giambologna and Tommaso Laureti as a symbol of papal power in the second half of the 16th century.
From a height of 3.20 meters, the statue of Neptune stands out in front of the entrance to the Palazzo di Re Enzo, surrounded by 4 cherubs representing the rivers of the continents known in those years: the Nile, the Ganges, the Amazon River and the Danube.
Piazza Maggiore
After admiring the beauty of the Fountain of Neptune, turn the corner to find yourself in front of the majestic Piazza Maggiore around which stand the most important buildings of medieval Bologna, starting with the Palazzo del Podestà built in 1201. The ancient building, born together with the square, is dominated by the Torre dell'Arengo, the civic bell tower of Bologna inside which is housed the Campanazzo that for centuries marked the times of the public life of the city.
Walking around the square you can admire the Palazzo dei Notai and the Palazzo Comunale, known as Palazzo D'Accursio, home to the Municipal Art Collections of Bologna. What else is there to see in Piazza Maggiore? The Palazzo dei Banchi, built after 1400, and the red Basilica of San Petronio in Italian Gothic style, the imposing Church of Piazza Maggiore.
Porticoes of Bologna
After exploring the magnificent Piazza Maggiore, it's time to discover another of Bologna's symbols, a meeting and social point in the heart of the city for centuries. The Portici di Bologna date back to the period of the city's expansion starting from the Middle Ages and extend for 62 kilometers, 40 of which are in the historic center.
The Portici di San Luca in Bologna is undoubtedly the longest and most famous in the city and you can start exploring it from Piazza Maggiore, after walking along Via dell'Archiginnasio and passing the Basilica di San Petronio. If you don't want to go too far, just walk around the area to find yourself surrounded by porticos of all shapes and sizes, including some of the groups of porticos of Bologna that UNESCO has included among the World Heritage Sites.
Here, in the heart of the historic center, it's time to choose one of the many trattorias for a well-deserved lunch break.
Lasagna Bolognese
They are now a traditional dish of Italian cuisine. It is a dish composed of alternating layers of thin and porous egg pasta and exquisite ragù alla bolognese with béchamel. All enriched by the savory note of Parmigiano Reggiano. Ragù alla bolognese is the undisputed protagonist of the dish, with its aroma and slow cooking, it gives creaminess and flavor to this masterpiece of Emilian cuisine. Typical of the holidays and Christmas lunches, lasagna alla bolognese is not just a recipe, but a true celebration of being at the table, a dish that sends the palate into ecstasy and warms the heart.
The Basilica of San Petronio
The Basilica of San Petronio is the most important and imposing church in Bologna as well as being the fifth largest church in the world.
Construction work on the Basilica began in 1390 but continued for centuries.
To make room for this temple, a symbol of the city's civic pride, it was necessary to demolish towers, private homes and eight churches. It is the last great Gothic work built in Italy, with a Latin cross plan with three naves and chapels. Don't miss the Bolognini Chapel frescoed with the Stories of the Three Wise Men, the Last Judgement, Paradise and Hell below with an extraordinary and gigantic figure of Lucifer and the representation of the prophet Mohammed in Hell.
The Basilica of San Petronio belonged to the Municipality for a long time and was used for a variety of purposes: as a place of ceremonies, a courthouse, a public meeting place; only in 1929, following the Lateran Pacts, did it become property of the Diocese.
Discovering Bologna means finding yourself in a city with centuries-old tradition, with architecture of different styles and eras still there to testify to it. Traces of ancient Rome, medieval palaces and churches are irrefutable witnesses to how lively both the public life and the economic activity of the city have been. A liveliness that has survived time unscathed, remaining an absolute peculiarity of Bologna. At the foot of the famous hills, dotted with many medieval gates and towers, the historic center of the city truly offers a warm embrace to its guests. Proof of this are the magnificent porticoes that wind for over 38 km in the center alone, part of which has been recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, or the suggestive Piazza Maggiore, an open-air city lounge.
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