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Bologna

Bologna: the learned, the fat, the red

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The guide

Nicknamed « the learned, the fat and the red », Bologna holds Europe's oldest university, supreme cuisine and ochre brick rooftops. Its heart beats on Piazza Maggiore, dominated by the unfinished San Petronio basilica and Neptune's fountain. Around it spreads the Quadrilatero, a historic market piled with mortadella, parmesan and fresh pasta. Look up at the leaning Due Torri, survivors of the dozens of medieval towers. The university district around Via Zamboni hums with bars and cheap osterie. Walk the porticoes up to the San Luca sanctuary for the view. On the plate, this is the birthplace of tagliatelle al ragù (the real thing, not « bolognese »), tortellini and mortadella.

« Lavorare con lentezza » (2004) by Guido Chiesa retraces the story of Radio Alice, Bologna's free radio station of 1976-77, filming the streets and squares of the historic centre beneath its famous porticoes. The film revives the city's student ferment, capturing the atmosphere of its arcades and cafés.

The portico climbing the hill to the San Luca sanctuary is the longest in the world: 3.8 kilometres and 666 arches. Legend says the number symbolises the devil's serpent crushed by the Madonna at the summit. Bologna's full network of arcades, nearly 40 km, has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2021.

To dodge the tourists, settle in at the Osteria del Sole, a tavern with no kitchen where you bring your own food to go with the wine, a tradition since 1465. With no wifi there and a dense maze around it, a data eSIM will keep you from getting lost in the medieval grid.

Must-see

Basilica di San Petronio

One of the largest brick churches in the world, with a façade left unfinished. Inside, a meridian line drawn on the floor by Cassini in the 17th century once measured solar time.

Due Torri (Asinelli and Garisenda)

The city's emblematic leaning towers. The Asinelli is climbed via nearly 500 steps for a sweeping rooftop view; booking is advised and access is sometimes restricted.

Quadrilatero

A web of medieval lanes near Piazza Maggiore, Bologna's foodie heart with stalls of cured meats, cheeses, fish and fresh pasta. Perfect for a quick standing aperitivo.

Portico and Santuario di San Luca

The world's longest portico, 3.8 km and 666 arches climbing the hill to the baroque sanctuary. The walk up is a local rite; bring good shoes and water.

Good to know

Spring and autumn are ideal; summer is muggy and winter often foggy. The centre is walkable and almost entirely sheltered under porticoes, handy in rain or heat alike. The station links Bologna to Florence in under 40 minutes and Milan in an hour, making it a central base for northern Italy. Skip the car: much of the centre is a limited-traffic zone. As for coverage, 4G/5G is excellent across the city and the arcades don't block the signal; café and library wifi is decent, but a data eSIM remains the simplest way to navigate the maze without dropouts.

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