Bologna has three nicknames and all are accurate. La Grassa: this is the food capital of Italy — tortellini in brodo, tagliatelle al ragù, mortadella, Parmigiano, and the quadrilatero food market. La Dotta: the Alma Mater Studiorum (founded 1088) is the oldest university in the Western world — Dante, Petrarch, Copernicus, and Marconi studied here. La Rossa: the red brick porticoes, the red-tiled roofs, and the leftist political tradition. The 40km of porticoed walkways (UNESCO 2021) are unique in Europe — you can walk across the entire city in the rain without an umbrella. The Two Towers (Asinelli, 97m, climbable; Garisenda, 48m, leaning worse than Pisa's) define the skyline. Piazza Maggiore — with the Basilica di San Petronio (the largest brick church in the world, never finished), the Palazzo dell'Archiginnasio (the original university, with an anatomy theater), and the Fontana del Nettuno (Giambologna) — is the most animated public space in Italy. Emilia-Romagna →
Plan my Bologna trip →Piazza Maggiore: San Petronio (the world's largest brick church — inside: a Bolognini Chapel with Giovanni da Modena's Inferno fresco, and Cassini's 1655 meridian line on the floor), Palazzo dell'Archiginnasio (the anatomical theater — 17th-century carved-wood theater where dissections were performed for students, €3), Fontana del Nettuno (Giambologna, 1563). Le Due Torri: Torre degli Asinelli (97m, climbable — 498 steps, panoramic, €5) and Torre Garisenda (48m, leaning 4°, not climbable). The Quadrilatero: The medieval food market district — Via Pescherie Vecchie and Via Drapperie. Buy mortadella, Parmigiano, tortellini. The Porticoes (UNESCO): Walk from the Two Towers to San Luca via the Portico di San Luca — 3.8km of continuous covered arcade climbing to the hilltop sanctuary, with 666 arches. Pinacoteca Nazionale: Raphael's Santa Cecilia, Giotto, Guido Reni, Carracci. €6. MAMBO (Museo d'Arte Moderna): Morandi permanent collection (his studio is reconstructed inside). €6.
Tortellini in brodo: At Trattoria Anna Maria (Via delle Belle Arti — €25-35, the queen), Drogheria della Rosa (€30-40), or Sfoglia Rina (fresh pasta shop — buy tortellini to cook at your accommodation). Tagliatelle al ragù: NOT "bolognese" (nobody in Bologna calls it that). The ragù is MEAT with a little tomato, not the reverse. Mortadella: The real thing — silky, studded with pistachios, sliced paper-thin. At Tamburini (Via Caprarie — the most famous delicatessen in Italy). Gelato: Cremeria Funivia (Via Porrettana) or Sorbetteria Castiglione.
Getting there: Bologna Centrale (Italy's main rail hub — Rome 2h, Milan 1h, Florence 37min by Frecciarossa). Bologna Marconi airport (Ryanair, others). Stay: €60-110/night (the university area for energy, centro storico for elegance). Combine with: Ferrara (30min), Parma (1h), Ravenna (1h — mosaics), Dozza (30min — painted village), Via degli Dei (starts here — walk to Florence).