2 days in Bologna

Day by day

1. Day 1: Piazza Maggiore and the Neptune Fountain and Basilica of San Petronio

   Piazza Maggiore and the Neptune Fountain, Basilica of San Petronio, Quadrilatero market streets and Santa Maria della Vita, then Piazza Verdi and Via Zamboni in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Piazza Maggiore and the Neptune Fountain

      Giambologna's bronze Neptune, made in the 1560s, stands in the adjoining Piazza del Nettuno. Under the Voltone del Podestà archway, a whisper into one corner carries clearly to the diagonally opposite one.

   2. Late morning

      Basilica of San Petronio

      Inside, a meridian line laid out by the astronomer Gian Domenico Cassini in 1655 runs about 67 metres across the floor, and the Bolognini Chapel has early 15th-century frescoes of heaven and hell by Giovanni da Modena.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Tagliatelle al ragù

      Traditional trattorie and osterie across the centre; Sunday lunch is when locals eat it most.

   4. Afternoon

      Quadrilatero market streets

      Via Pescherie Vecchie, Via Drapperie and Via Clavature are lined with fishmongers, greengrocers, historic salumerie selling mortadella and Parmigiano, and pasta shops where sfogline roll tortellini by hand, while wine bars set out tables for aperitivo.

   5. Late afternoon

      Santa Maria della Vita

      The adjoining oratory has a second terracotta group by Alfonso Lombardi showing the death of the Virgin.

   6. Evening

      Piazza Verdi and Via Zamboni

      The student heart of the city, with low-cost bars, crowds spilling into the square and late nights on weekdays as well as weekends.

2. Day 2: Two Towers (Asinelli and Garisenda) and Sanctuary of the Madonna di San Luca

   Two Towers (Asinelli and Garisenda), Sanctuary of the Madonna di San Luca, Santo Stefano (Seven Churches) and Archiginnasio and Anatomical Theatre, then Via del Pratello in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Two Towers (Asinelli and Garisenda)

      They stand together at Piazza di Porta Ravegnana, where several old roads meet, and are the city's symbol; Dante compared a giant to the leaning Garisenda in the Inferno.

   2. Late morning

      Sanctuary of the Madonna di San Luca

      The view from the top takes in the city's red roofs and, on clear days, the Apennines.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Tortellini in brodo

      Every trattoria; pasta shops in the Quadrilatero sell them fresh by weight to cook at home.

   4. Afternoon

      Santo Stefano (Seven Churches)

      Visitors pass through the Church of the Crucifix, the octagonal Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the Courtyard of Pilate and a Romanesque cloister, all opening off the triangular Piazza Santo Stefano.

   5. Late afternoon

      Archiginnasio and Anatomical Theatre

      Upstairs, the Teatro Anatomico, a wood-panelled dissection theatre from 1637 whose canopy rests on two carved 'skinned men', was rebuilt after Second World War bombing.

   6. Evening

      Via del Pratello

      A street of osterie and bars with an alternative local crowd and lower prices than the centre.

Before you go

If it rains

• Swap in Pinacoteca Nazionale (University Quarter (Via Zamboni)): Combine it with Palazzo Poggi further along Via Zamboni for a half-day in the university quarter.
• Swap in Palazzo Poggi Museum (University Quarter (Via Zamboni)): The anatomical waxes are graphic; older children tend to prefer the ship and map rooms.
• Swap in Basilica of San Domenico (San Domenico): Look closely at the two kneeling, candle-bearing angels at the base of the Arca: one of them is by Michelangelo, carved when he was about 20.

Where to stay for this itinerary

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 8–10 hours of visiting over 2 days, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 8.8 hours in December to 15.5 hours in June, so in winter start early and keep museums for the afternoon.

Getting between stops: Walking. Porticoes line most streets, so walking is pleasant in rain or sun; few central sights are more than 15 minutes apart.

More or fewer days

• One day in Bologna
• 3 days in Bologna

Questions travellers ask