Things to Do in Bologna
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• Enjoy entry to the Lamborghini Museum, giving you access to a remarkable lineup of classic icons, modern supercars, rare prototypes, and the brand’s evolving design story.
• A great choice for car lovers and curious travellers who want to experience the evolution of Lamborghini up close in a city deeply rooted in automotive culture.
• Upgrade your visit with optional access to the Enzo Ferrari Museum in Modena, featuring heritage-rich exhibits, Enzo Ferrari’s story, and beautifully restored workshop spaces.
Discover Bologna through its flavors, stories, and symbols, seen through the eyes of those who live it every day... and through details that often go unnoticed.
In this free walking tour, I will lead you into the vibrant heart of the city: the narrow streets of the Quadrilatero, the ancient arcades, and authentic places tied to Bologna's rich gastronomic tradition.
We will explore historic shops, markets, and characteristic corners, where food tells the story of the area better than any book.
This is not a typical guided tour, but a relaxed and authentic walk, designed as an introduction to the city, among curiosities, hidden symbols, and small details that most people do not notice when they pass by.
Bologna should be savored slowly, with curious eyes... and with the right appetite.
During your stay in Bologna, I will also provide you with useful tips on what to see and where to eat.
If there are no more spots available, don't worry: write to me and I will try to find a solution. I will be happy to welcome you and share a lovely moment together.
P.S. This tour is an introduction to the city: no tastings or samples are included, but during the tour, I will share tips on what and where to eat to best experience Bologna.
• Visit the Ferrari Museum in Maranello and the Enzo Ferrari Museum in Modena, exploring legendary road cars, Formula 1 highlights, interactive exhibits, and Enzo Ferrari’s engineering legacy.
• Explore the Automobili Lamborghini Museum in Sant’Agata Bolognese and the Ferruccio Lamborghini Museum in Funo, featuring historic and modern models, rare concept cars, and the visionary story of Ferruccio Lamborghini.
• Choose this option for the most complete Motor Valley experience, with access to all four Ferrari and Lamborghini museums included in one seamless booking.
Let's discover together the most beautiful and evocative squares in the center of Bologna!
From piazza Maggiore with San Petronio and the Palazzo Comunale, passing through the piazza dell'Archiginnasio where the seat of the ancient University is located.
We will visit Piazza Santo Stefano and admire the complex known as the "seven churches".
Did you know that in the heart of Bologna there are some monumental trees that exceed 45 meters in height?
In Piazza Minghetti, next to the famous Quadrilatero and its typically Italian food shops, there is the large centenary plane tree that embraces us with its branches.
And in Piazza San Giovanni in Monte, a rarity, a church with a Venetian-style facade surrounded by houses in pure Bolognese style.
Our stages:
- Piazza del Nettuno (departure)
- King Enzo square
- Piazza Maggiore
- Piazza Luigi Galvani or of the Archiginnasio
- Piazza Cavour
- Piazza San Domenico
- Piazza de 'Calderini
- Minghetti Square
- Piazza San Giovanni in Monte
- Piazza Santo Stefano
- Piazza della Mercanzia
- Piazza di Porta Ravegnana
- Due Torri (end of tour)
• Trains run frequently throughout the day with multiple daily departures, ensuring flexibility to match your schedule and onward plans.
• Travel in comfort with air-conditioning, power outlets at every seat, and generous luggage space for a smooth, relaxing journey.
• Arrive at Modena Centrale Station within 5-10 minutes of walking distance of the Museo Casa Enzo Ferrari with shuttle buses to Maranello's Ferrari Museum.
On the Hunt for the Towers!
Did you know that in the Middle Ages Bologna had almost 100 towers? Some nearly 100 meters high, like the Torre degli Asinelli, others lower and used as fortified houses.
Today we can admire about 23 towers, incorporated into the modern city.
We will hunt down a dozen of these, and explore the historic center with our noses in the air!
At each stage, we will see 1 or more medieval towers.
Where we are going to go:
- Piazza del Nettuno
- Main Square
- Galileo Galilei Square
- Piazza dei Celestini and Catalani Tower
- Court and Galluzzi Tower
- Galvani Square and Archiginnasio
- Via Marchesana (mezzo market)
- Minghetti Square
- Santo Stefano Square
- Piazza della Mercanzia
- Asinelli and Garisenda Towers
- Vicolo Mandria
- Piazzetta Prendiparte
- Altabella Tower
- Piazza del Re Enzo
- Voltone del Podestà
- Main Square
Bologna is called the Red, the Learned, the Fat…but above all, Bologna is the city of porticoes.
Since the Middle Ages, these structures, first made of wood and then of masonry, have characterised the urban evolution of the city.
Present from the 11th century until today, they are a private space but open and public at the same time.
About 45km of porticos just inside the city walls and about 60km in total, make Bologna the city with the most porticos in the world.
Bologna is officially the "City of Porticoes" with the nomination of UNESCO World Heritage , arrived on July 28, 2021, directly from Fuzhou in China. The inscription constitutes a new recognition by UNESCO for the city of Bologna which, in 2006, was declared Creative City of Music .
In this tour, we will walk together to admire the most significant examples of Bolognese porticoes.
Where we will go:
- Neptune Square
- Porticoes of the Palazzo del Podestà
- Porticoes of the Town Hall
- Archiginnasio porticoes
- Main Square
Arcades on Farini Street
- Arcades of via Ugo Bassi
- Porticoes of Galliera Street
- Porticoes on Independence Street
The places that we are going to see are all placed in the center of Bologna. We will talk about food, lifestyle, history, some people and how Bologna developed itself.
Bologna offers much more then just tasty food and wines.
City its full of resturants, bars and beautiful spots.
Places where we will have a walk in town:
-Archiginnasio (First University in Europe) and Square Galvani
-Piazza Maggiore
-Quadrilatero district (Food area)
-Square Santo Stefano
-2 Towers
Lets discover it together and lets have some fun!
Tour just in English and only with direct booking!
Discover Bologna through its stories
Bologna is a vibrant, cultured city full of contrasts. Known for its towers, arcades, and university, it is also a place where history, tradition, and mystery coexist in every corner.
At first glance, it may seem accessible and familiar, but it is in the details where it truly reveals itself.
In this free tour, we invite you to go beyond the surface and discover a city that has been a key intellectual, political, and cultural center in Italy for centuries.
Accompanied by a professional guide, you will tour the historic center while connecting monuments, symbols, and curiosities to understand the true identity of Bologna.
The 7 secrets of Bologna
During the tour, you will also discover a selection of unique details we call “the 7 secrets.”
They are not just curiosities: they are a selection of elements we use to explain the city in a clearer and more memorable way.
Bologna is full of hidden symbols, little-known stories, and small mysteries that go unnoticed if you don't know where to look.
It's our way of going beyond the traditional explanation and offering you an experience that combines history, culture, and those details that make a place not just visited, but understood.
Why choose this free tour?
Because it's not just about seeing Bologna, but about understanding how it works.
Our goal is for each stop to make sense, for each story to connect with the next, and for you to have a complete and coherent vision of the city by the end of the tour.
A well-crafted, dynamic experience designed not only for you to enjoy Bologna but to take it with you.
📷 What will we see during the tour?
- Throughout the tour, we will explore some of the city's most emblematic places:
- Piazza Galvani – a corner full of history and university life
- Archiginnasio – home to the oldest university in the Western world
- Santa Maria della Vita – where the famous Compianto is located
- Santo Stefano – the complex known as the “Seven Churches”
- Corte Isolani – and the mystery of its hidden arrows
- The Two Towers (Asinelli and Garisenda) – unmistakable symbol of the city
- Palace of King Enzo – medieval history in the heart of the city
- Basilica of San Petronio – one of the most important churches in Italy
- Finestrella del Canale di Reno – Bologna's “little Venice”
Useful information
The free tour does not have a fixed price. At the end of the tour, each person can evaluate the experience with a free contribution according to their satisfaction.
For greater convenience, we accept card payments 💳
Taste the delicious cuisine of Emilia-Romagna with this food tour of the Quadrilatero Market, one of the most important markets in Bologna. Don't miss it!
