🗺️ 30 Places in Bologna: city center route, prices and hours

Bologna can genuinely be walked in two days. The historic center is compact, and thirty main sights lie within a couple of kilometers of Piazza Maggiore.

Entry to most churches is free. You mainly pay for museums, towers, and palazzo halls. We've put together thirty of the city's most interesting places with photos, addresses, and opening hours. Where prices change, you'll find a link to the official source.

One spot can't be visited right now: Torre degli Asinelli is closed for restoration (as of 09/2026, official Bologna tourism office website). The rest of the sights are open, and some of them are free.

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What to see in Bologna

💡 In short: Bologna is small, and you can walk half of this list in one day.

Squares, palazzos, and towers are within a fifteen-minute walk of Piazza Maggiore (on the map).
Free: all basilicas, squares, gardens, gates, and Biblioteca Salaborsa.
Paid: museums, Teatro Anatomico, and the Torre dell'Orologio viewpoint.
Prices and opening hours: 09/2026, verified on the official Bologna tourism office website.

If you're short on time, pick a starting point from the table below.

If you need	Go here	Why
First impression	Piazza Maggiore and Fontana del Nettuno	everything is nearby
A view from above	Torre dell'Orologio in Palazzo Comunale	panorama of the center
Art	Pinacoteca Nazionale and Museo Morandi	painting from the 13th to 20th centuries
With kids	Museo della Musica and Museo Ducati	technology and music
Free	Basilica di San Petronio and Giardini Margherita	no entry fee
Architecture	Le Due Torri and Palazzo della Mercanzia	brick Gothic

Below we go through the list and give you a photo, address, and practical details for each spot.

1. Piazza Maggiore

Piazza Maggiore in Bologna with tower and arcades

Piazza Maggiore is Bologna's main square and the center of city life since the 13th century. Market trading, knightly tournaments, and public festivities were held here. Death sentences and new laws were read out from the balcony of Palazzo del Podestà.

The space is made up of two adjacent squares: Piazza Maggiore proper and the smaller Piazza del Nettuno. The northern side of Piazza del Nettuno was laid out in the mid-16th century by order of Cardinal Cesi. Today the perimeter is lined with Palazzo Comunale, Palazzo d'Accursio, Palazzo del Podestà, and Palazzo Re Enzo.

How to get there: from Bologna Centrale station along Via dell'Indipendenza, about twenty minutes on foot (on the map).
Cost: entry is free, the square is open around the clock.
Who it's for: those who want to see the city's main palazzos in one place.
Not for: those seeking quiet, it's always crowded here during the day.

2. Fontana del Nettuno

Fontana del Nettuno is a 16th-century bronze fountain that locals call "the Giant." The statue of Neptune, about three meters tall and weighing over two tons, was cast by Giambologna. The figure of the god calming the waves hinted at the power of Pope Pius IV.

The fountain was installed by 1563, commissioned by Cardinal Borromeo. Water is brought here by a dedicated aqueduct from the Remonda spring, and jets shoot from dozens of pipes. Over five centuries the sculptures have been repaired many times, and the last major restoration returned them to their original appearance at the end of the 20th century. Plaques with the names of the craftsmen stand next to the figures of sirens and dolphins.

How to get there: a stone's throw from Piazza Maggiore, next to Palazzo Comunale.
Cost: entry is free, the fountain runs around the clock.
Who it's for: those photographing the city's main symbols.
Not for: those hoping for a quiet corner, the spot is always busy.

3. Palazzo dell'Archiginnasio

Courtyard of Palazzo dell'Archiginnasio in blue twilight

Palazzo dell'Archiginnasio was built in the 16th century by order of Pius IV as a single home for Europe's oldest university. Before that, Bologna's "studium" occupied scattered buildings across the city. The design was carried out by architect Antonio Morandi, known as Terribilia.

The palace is two stories high, with an enclosed courtyard and two wide staircases. The walls of the corridors and lecture halls are covered with the coats of arms of students and professors: about seven thousand in total. Irnerius lectured here, and Copernicus and Dürer are among its alumni. Since the early 19th century the complex has served as the university's seat.

Address: Piazza Galvani, 1.
Cost: entry to the courtyard is free, a tour of the halls is paid. An audio guide and a tour of Teatro Anatomico are sold from €10 (as of 09/2026, Bologna Welcome).
Who it's for: those interested in the history of European education.
Not for: those who came for painting, there are no pictures in the palace.

4. Teatro Anatomico

Wooden anatomical theater with marble table and statues

Teatro Anatomico is a 17th-century wooden amphitheater on the second floor of the Archiginnasio. Public dissections for medical students were held in the hall. Representatives of the Inquisition observed the procedure through a hidden window.

The hall is paneled in carved wood and crowned with figures created by Antonio Levante. You'll see statues of "flayed" atlantes and busts of famous physicians by Ercole Lelli. Light falls from above, so the lectern and table are clearly visible from any row.

Address: Piazza Galvani, 1, second floor.
Cost: only with a ticket or a guided tour; you can't enter the hall itself without a ticket.
Who it's for: those who love rare interiors and the history of medicine.
Not for: those expecting a quick walkthrough, the hall is small.

5. Le Due Torri

Two medieval towers of Bologna above a city street

Le Due Torri, meaning Torre degli Asinelli and Torre della Garisenda, is the defining silhouette of Bologna. In the 12th and 13th centuries the city had over a hundred such towers; about twenty survive today. They were named after the noble families who lived here around 1120.

Torre degli Asinelli rises nearly a hundred meters, but it is currently closed for restoration (as of 09/2026, Bologna tourist office website). Torre della Garisenda leans more severely; it has been reinforced and was never open to visitors. The towers were once connected by a wooden bridge, and the Asinelli tower held prisoners and served as an observation post for the astronomer Riccioli.

Getting there: Piazza di Porta Ravegnana, five minutes from Piazza Maggiore (on the map).
Cost: access to the viewing platform used to be ticketed and time-slotted; visits are currently suspended.
The catch: Torre degli Asinelli is closed for restoration; check the tourist office website for the reopening date.
Who it's for: those who want to see the city's defining silhouette from the ground.

6. Palazzo Comunale

Facade of Palazzo Comunale with clock tower

Palazzo Comunale, also known as Palazzo d'Accursio, has served as Bologna's city hall since the 14th century. The first building was laid at the turn of the 13th and 14th centuries, and wings from different eras were added later. The palace got its Accursio name from the jurist Francesco Accursio, who lived and taught here.

Inside, it's worth stopping by the Collezioni Comunali d'Arte: Piero della Francesca's "Resurrection of Christ" hangs there. Next door is the Museo Morandi, opened in 1993 with a collection donated by the family. On the facade you'll see a bronze monument to a native of the city, Pope Gregory XIII.

Address: Piazza Maggiore, entrance from the square.
Cost: the gallery and Torre dell'Orologio cost around 10 EUR per ticket (as of 09/2026, Bologna tourist office).
Who it's for: those who want to combine the city hall, paintings, and a viewing platform.
Not for: those visiting a museum for large collections; the holdings here are modest.

7. Palazzo Re Enzo

Brick medieval palace with tower and battlements

Palazzo Re Enzo was built in the 13th century and served as a prison for a long time. Enzo, King of Sardinia and son of Emperor Frederick, was held here for more than twenty years. The palace was built to expand the neighboring Palazzo del Podestà, which the city commune had outgrown.

Later the building became a military facility: the ground floor housed armories, and the Sala del Trecento was used as a courtroom. The palace has now been restored, and inside you can see prisoner cells, a medieval courtroom, and the Cappella della Madonna. Above it stands a tower with a bell that called citizens together in times of alarm.

Address: Piazza Maggiore, 1.
Cost: interior visits only with a paid guided tour of the center.
Who it's for: anyone interested in medieval history and judicial proceedings.
Not for: those who want to walk in freely from the street, this is not a walk-in museum.

8. Palazzo del Podestà

Palazzo del Podestà with tower on the square

Palazzo del Podestà is a medieval palace where the city administration met. In Bologna, the podestà was the head of city government. The building is decorated with swallowtail battlements and statues of Saints Petronius, Dominic, and Francis.

Market stalls once ran through the courtyard, and later the building housed a theater and a courtroom, which is why the palace was called the Palace of Justice for a time. Today the ground-floor halls host photography and painting exhibitions. In summer, you can watch old films outdoors in front of the palace.

Address: Piazza Maggiore, next to Palazzo Re Enzo.
Getting there: bus 29B goes to the square, and you can walk through the center.
Cost: exhibitions in the halls are free or ticketed depending on the show.
Who it's for: those who want to see a historic palace given a second life.

9. Palazzo della Mercanzia

Facade of Palazzo della Mercanzia with Gothic arches

Palazzo della Mercanzia is a Gothic merchants' palace built in the late 14th century on the site of a customs house. Disputes between merchants were settled here, and trade records were kept. Later the city's Chamber of Commerce moved in.

Postwar damage was only fully repaired by the mid-20th century. The red-brick facade features a Doric portico, a frieze with medallions, and a small white balcony from which sentences were read aloud. Merchants convicted of fraud were tied to a pillory by the wall. Today the building houses the university's law faculty.

Address: Piazza della Mercanzia, at the junction of Via Santo Stefano, Via Castiglione, and Via Caprarie.
Cost: free to view from outside; interior access is by guided tour only.
Who it's for: those walking along Via Santo Stefano who want to see brick Gothic architecture.
Not for: those expecting museum halls, this is an office building.

10. Museo Civico Archeologico

Courtyard with arcades and fountain in a Bologna museum

Museo Civico Archeologico occupies a former 16th-century hospital on Via dell'Archiginnasio. The collection grew out of the "Room of Antiquities," opened in the second half of the 19th century. The core of the collection came from excavations in Bologna and its surroundings.

The exhibition is divided into eight sections, from the Etruscans to Ancient Egypt. The Egyptian collection is considered one of the best in Europe, and the numismatic cabinet holds tens of thousands of coins and medals. The oldest objects are hundreds of thousands of years old, while the most recent were found in Etruscan necropolises on the site of Giardini Margherita.

Address: Via dell'Archiginnasio, 2.
Cost: paid ticket; check the museum website for opening hours.
Who it's for: those who want to understand where Bologna came from.
Not for: those looking for paintings, this is antiquities and coins.

11. Museo di Palazzo Poggi

Museum hall with wax anatomical models in display cases

Museo di Palazzo Poggi is located in a 16th-century palace built for the noble Poggi family. The hall frescoes were painted by Niccolò dell'Abbate and Tibaldi. Since the 18th century, the building has housed the university rectorate, which remains there to this day.

The main reason to stop by is the astronomy collection: historic instruments, sundials, and star charts. On the ground floor is the Sala d'Ercole with an 18th-century statue of Hercules. Nearby is the lecture hall where the poet Giosuè Carducci, a Nobel Prize laureate, lectured for forty years.

Address: Via Zamboni, 33.
Cost: paid ticket; check the website for opening hours.
Who it's for: those who love science and old instruments.
Not for: those chasing Renaissance paintings, the museum's focus is different.

12. Museo Civico Medievale

Museo Civico Medievale occupies the 15th-century Palazzo Ghisilardi. The collection was assembled from private holdings and church foundations in Bologna. Most of the exhibits tell the story of city life in the Middle Ages.

You'll see 12th-century engraved ivory pieces, bronzes, glass, funerary monuments, and an 8th-century gilded cross. Among the rarities are a 13th-century jug from Syria and 17th-century Turkish arrows. A separate room houses a 13th-century fountain with four atlantes.

Address: Via Manzoni, 4.
Cost: paid ticket; check the museum website for opening hours.
Who it's for: those interested in displays of craftsmanship and weapons.
Not for: those looking for large painting galleries.

13. Pinacoteca Nazionale

Evening portico in Bologna with a bicycle

Pinacoteca Nazionale is Bologna's main picture gallery. Its collection began under Napoleon, when churches and monasteries were being closed and stripped of their assets. What remained was brought to the Monastery of San Vitale, and in the second half of the 19th century the paintings were opened to the public.

The gallery shows painting from the 13th to 18th centuries: works by Raphael, Guido Reni, and the Carracci brothers. The pride of the collection is its Italian icons and the Bolognese school. The halls are organized by school and period, so it's easy to follow the chronology.

Address: Via delle Belle Arti, 56.
Cost: paid ticket; check opening hours before your visit.
Who it's for: those who want to see the Bolognese school of painting as a whole.
Not for: those coming only for Raphael, there are few of his works here.

14. Teatro Comunale

Auditorium of Teatro Comunale in Bologna

Teatro Comunale di Bologna opened with Gluck's opera "The Triumph of Clelia." Later Rossini, Bellini, Wagner, and Verdi were performed on this stage. The 18th-century building was designed by architect Antonio Galli, and over time the auditorium acquired its familiar horseshoe shape.

The theater remains one of Europe's leading opera houses. During the season from November to April, it stages dozens of opera productions and hundreds of concerts. The theater's international reputation was built in large part on the long tenure of conductor Arturo Toscanini.

Address: Via Ottorino Respighi, 1.
Cost: performance tickets should be booked in advance; prices vary by seat.
Who it's for: those planning an evening at the opera.
Not for: those visiting in summer, the main season doesn't open until late autumn.

15. Biblioteca Salaborsa

Interior of Salaborsa Library with glass floor

Biblioteca Salaborsa is the city library in Palazzo d'Accursio on Piazza del Nettuno. It opened at the turn of the 21st century in the former stock exchange hall. Under the glass floor of the main hall you can see actual archaeological excavations.

The library is free and open to everyone: it offers internet access, workspaces, a children's area, and a cafe. The cafe hosts literary evenings and meetings with writers. There are dedicated rooms for schoolchildren to do homework and listen to music.

Address: Piazza del Nettuno, 3.
Cost: free entry; no registration needed to look around.
Who it's for: those who want to relax in the center and see excavations under glass.
Not for: those expecting museum-like quiet, it's busy and lively here.

16. Basilica di Santo Stefano

Brick facade of the Basilica of Santo Stefano in Bologna

Basilica di Santo Stefano is a complex of several churches known as the "Seven Churches." Construction began under Bishop Petronius on the site of a pagan temple to the goddess Isis. Four churches connected by courtyards have survived to this day.

Among them are San Sepolcro, with an altar that is a replica of Jerusalem's Holy Sepulchre, and the Church of Saints Vitale and Agricola. The complex stands on the square of the same name, and admission is free. During services, some areas are closed to tourists.

Address: Piazza Santo Stefano.
Cost: free admission, donations welcome.
Who it's for: those who want to see one of the city's oldest church ensembles.
Not for: those expecting a grand facade; the walls here are austere.

17. Santuario della madonna di san luca

Sanctuary of the Madonna di San Luca on the hill

Santuario della Madonna di San Luca stands on Guardia Hill south of the center. Inside is an icon of the Madonna and Child, which tradition says was painted by Luke the Evangelist. Since the late 19th century, the sanctuary has been a national monument.

The church is reached by one of the longest porticoes in the world: nearly four kilometers of arches and more than six hundred bays. The gallery begins at Porta Saragozza and runs through fifteen chapels to the basilica itself. Pilgrims walk under a roof, so you can make the journey even in the rain.

Address: Via di San Luca, 36.
Cost: church admission is free, the portico walk is free.
Who it's for: those willing to take a long walk for a view of the city.
Not for: those who find uphill walking difficult; a bus goes to the sanctuary.

18. Basilica di San Petronio

Basilica of San Petronio with unfinished facade

Basilica di San Petronio is Bologna's main church and one of the largest in Europe. Construction began in the late 14th century in honor of Saint Bishop Petronius, who lived in the city in the 5th century. The cathedral was consecrated only in the mid-20th century.

The basilica is over a hundred meters long and can hold tens of thousands of people. It contains the world's longest meridian line of a sundial, once used to check the time. Astronomer Giovanni Cassini worked in the basilica. The facade, however, remains unfinished.

Address: Piazza Maggiore.
Cost: cathedral admission is free; only certain areas are paid.
The catch: the facade was never completed, and visits are limited during services.
Who it's for: those who want to see the city's main church and its sundial.

19. Basilica di San Domenico

Brick facade of the Basilica of San Domenico in Bologna

Basilica di San Domenico grew up on the site where the preacher Dominic de Guzmán arrived in the 13th century. He first lived at the small church of Mascarella, then moved to San Nicolò and was buried there. The current basilica was built over his grave.

The main chapel holds the saint's remains, and the square in front of the church features his sculpture. Masters of the era worked on the facade and interiors. Mozart played the historic organ here. This place is considered the birthplace of the Dominican order.

Address: Piazza San Domenico, 13.
Cost: free admission.
The catch: access inside is limited during church services.
Who it's for: those interested in the history of monastic orders.

20. Cattedrale di San Pietro

Aerial view of San Pietro Cathedral in Bologna

Cattedrale di San Pietro is Bologna's cathedral, founded in the late 12th century on the site of an earlier church destroyed by fire. The facade features figures of the apostles Peter and Paul, with a tall bell tower beside it. The church received metropolitan cathedral status in the late 16th century.

The interior is Baroque. Among its treasures are the wooden group "Crucifixion with the Virgin Mary and John the Evangelist" and "Lamentation of Christ" by Alfonso Lombardi. Holy water basins are held by 12th-century marble lions, and the bells are rung by twenty-three bell ringers.

Address: Via dell'Indipendenza, 7.
Cost: free admission.
The catch: tourists are not allowed inside during services.
Who it's for: those walking along Via dell'Indipendenza from the station to the center.
Not for: those who want to get inside at midday, when masses are held.

21. Certosa di Bologna

Church with bell tower and gravestones of Certosa cemetery

Certosa di Bologna is a historic cemetery on the outskirts of the city, founded in the early 19th century. Archaeologists have found traces of an ancient Etruscan necropolis here. Today it is an open-air museum with arcades, family tombs, and private chapels.

Politicians, artists, and prize winners are buried here, and Byron and Stendhal walked its avenues. The grounds include a columbarium, a Jewish cemetery, and a mass grave of soldiers from the world war. The cemetery became a major artistic ensemble of its kind in Europe.

Address: Via della Certosa, 18.
Cost: free admission; the gates are open on a schedule.
Who it's for: those who love sculpture and quiet historic places.
Not for: those who came only for the center; you need to travel to get here.

22. Giardini Margherita

Pond with fountains in Giardini Margherita park

Giardini Margherita is Bologna's main park, designed by Count Sambuy. The city council commissioned the project, and the land was purchased from wealthy landowner Tattini. The park welcomed its first visitors five years after work began.

The gardens were named after Queen Margherita, wife of King Umberto I. An Etruscan necropolis from the turn of the 6th and 5th centuries BC was found on the grounds, and a reconstructed Villanovan hut was placed along the paths. Today there are greenhouses where you can grow your own vegetables and herbs.

Address: Piazza di Porta Santo Stefano, entrances on several sides.
Cost: free admission.
Who it's for: those who want a break from the city and are visiting with children.
Not for: those expecting a formal park; this is more of an urban meadow.

23. Basilica di santa maria dei servi

Brick facade of the Basilica of Santa Maria dei Servi with portico

Basilica di Santa Maria dei Servi was built in the 14th century for the Servite order. Andrea da Faenza began the project but did not live to finish it, and the work was completed in the 15th century. The facade remains plain: brick walls without plaster.

Inside is another level entirely: 14th-century frescoes by Vitale da Bologna, a marble altar by Montorsoli, and an image of the Madonna enthroned by Cimabue. The basilica still has a historic organ that local experts consider one of the best in Europe. In December, a Christmas market is held in the courtyard.

Address: Strada Maggiore, 43.
Cost: free admission.
Who it's for: those walking along Strada Maggiore toward the towers.
Not for: those who judge a church by its facade; the brick walls outside are modest.

24. Museo internazionale e biblioteca della musica

Interior of the music museum with harpsichord and portraits

Museo Internazionale e Biblioteca della Musica is a music museum that helped put Bologna on the UNESCO list as a "city of music." The core of the collection is the holdings of friar and music historian Giovanni Battista Martini. Bach, Handel, and Gluck sent him their portraits.

Martini helped the young Mozart prepare for an exam, and in gratitude the composer's father sent his portrait. The collection includes Mozart's exam work with Martini's corrections. The museum occupies the 16th-century Palazzo Sanguinetti, with interiors by masters of the era.

Address: Strada Maggiore, 34.
Cost: paid ticket; check opening hours on the website.
Who it's for: those who love music and old instruments.
Not for: those indifferent to notes and scores.

25. Basilica di San Giacomo Maggiore

Nave of the Basilica of San Giacomo Maggiore in Bologna

Basilica di San Giacomo Maggiore grew up alongside an Augustinian monastery in the 13th century. The monastery flourished thanks to support from the city's noble families. The church interiors were painted by Francia, Costa, and Aspertini, and some of their work has survived.

Over time, the church fell into neglect: under Napoleon the monastery was closed, and part of the buildings was handed over to the conservatory. A 16th-century renovation, when the windows were replaced with large square ones and the walls were plastered, erased the original interiors. What did survive is the Cappella Bentivoglio, with its dome, reliefs, and sculptures by Francia, where Anton Galeazzo Bentivoglio is buried.

Address: Piazza Rossini, 1.
Cost: free entry.
Who it's for: anyone interested in the Bentivoglio Chapel and Renaissance sculpture.
Not for: anyone expecting untouched medieval interiors, they have been altered.

26. Basilica di San Francesco

Facade of the Basilica of San Francesco in Bologna

Basilica di San Francesco is an active church whose construction began in the 13th century and took more than a hundred years to complete. Pope Innocent IV himself oversaw one stage of the work. The foundations incorporate the remains of earlier buildings.

The stone walls were left without marble cladding, as befits a mendicant order. The layout resembles Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris: an elongated nave with side aisles. The marble altar was made by Jacobello and Masegne. In the 20th century the basilica was damaged by bombing, but it was restored.

Address: Piazza Malpighi.
Cost: free entry.
Who it's for: anyone who wants to see a mix of Romanesque and Gothic styles.
Not for: anyone expecting a richly decorated facade, the exterior is austere.

27. Museo Ducati

Ducati racing motorcycle No. 04 in a museum display

Museo Ducati tells the story of the factory the Ducati brothers opened in the 1920s. It all started with radio receiver components, but the company moved into sports motorcycles and bicycles. The exhibition was opened to a limited audience only a few years ago, and to the general public even later.

The displays feature custom-built models and replicas of race-winning machines. A separate area is dedicated to the engineers and riders, with drawings and working documents on show. There is a cafe and a souvenir shop nearby, and part of the factory floor is open to visitors.

Address: Via Antonio Cavalieri Ducati, 3.
Cost: paid ticket, check the museum website for opening hours.
Who it's for: anyone who loves motorcycles and machinery.
Not for: anyone indifferent to engines.

28. Museo Morandi

Facade of Palazzo d'Accursio with flags above the portal

Museo Morandi is dedicated to the artist Giorgio Morandi and his Bolognese collection. The exhibition was assembled with help from the artist's sister, Maria Teresa, who made a major donation. In the late 20th century the museum was run by Marilena Pasquali, and that was its golden period.

After a change of director, the collection was split into three parts, and the works were dispersed across different buildings. The permanent exhibition now shows nearly a hundred works out of more than two hundred. The rooms are organized by theme: landscapes, still lifes, prints, and composition.

Address: Piazza Maggiore, 6, in Palazzo d'Accursio.
Cost: paid ticket, often included in the general Palazzo Comunale ticket.
Who it's for: anyone who wants to see 20th-century Bologna without the crowds.
Not for: anyone coming only for classical painting.

29. Giardino della Montagnola

Giardino della Montagnola is Bologna's first public park, laid out on an artificial hill sixty meters high. It welcomed its first visitors back in the 17th century. Instead of wild trees, ornamental ones were planted, flower beds were laid out, and paths were built.

Part of the historic decoration has been lost: the pond was drained, and some statues are covered to protect them from the weather. What remains are centuries-old trees, a playground, and a small garden for toddlers. Dog owners have a separate area for walks.

Address: Via Irnerio, entrances on several sides.
Cost: free entry.
The catch: the pond is drained, and some sculptures are covered with netting.
Who it's for: anyone who wants a quiet green corner near the center.
Not for: anyone expecting a well-manicured park, the paths are rarely lit.

30. Porta Saragozza

Brick gate of Porta Saragozza in Bologna

Porta Saragozza is a 13th-century gate, the last notable fragment of Bologna's city wall. The San Luca portico passes through it, connecting the center with the sanctuary on the hill. After the gallery was built, pilgrims nicknamed the gate the "Holy Gate."

In the 19th century the gate was rebuilt by architects Rodatti and Mengoni: the passage was widened for traffic, and turrets and a portico were added. The new passage carried the horse-drawn tram line to Casalecchio and Vignola.

Address: Piazza di Porta Saragozza.
Cost: free entry, it is an active entrance to the center.
Who it's for: anyone walking along the portico to San Luca.
Not for: anyone expecting a museum inside, there is only the gate itself.

Bologna sights on the map

All thirty points are marked on the map below. Open it on your phone when you plan your route for the day.

Landmarks of Bologna

Places on the map

1Piazza Maggiore Bologna's main square since the 13th century, the heart of city life
2Fontana del Nettuno Bronze fountain from the 16th century by Giambologna, the "Giant"
3Palazzo dell'Archiginnasio Home of Europe's oldest university, with students' coats of arms
4Teatro Anatomico 17th-century wooden amphitheatre for public dissections
5Le Due Torri Torre degli Asinelli and Torre della Garisenda, the city's main silhouette
6Palazzo Comunale Bologna's town hall since the 14th century, also known as Palazzo d'Accursio
7Palazzo Re Enzo 13th-century palace where King Enzo was held for over twenty years
8Palazzo del Podestà Medieval palace of the city administration
9Palazzo della Mercanzia Gothic Palace of Trade from the late 14th century
10Museo Civico Archeologico Collection ranging from the Etruscans to Ancient Egypt
11Museo di Palazzo Poggi Antique astronomical instruments and star charts
12Museo Civico Medievale Medieval ivory, bronze and glass works
13Pinacoteca Nazionale Bologna's main picture gallery, paintings from the 13th–18th centuries
14Teatro Comunale 18th-century opera house, one of Europe's leading stages
15Biblioteca Salaborsa City library with archaeological excavations under a glass floor
16Basilica di Santo Stefano The "Seven Churches" complex on the site of a pagan temple of Isis
17Santuario della Madonna di San Luca Hilltop shrine reached by a portico almost four kilometres long
18Basilica di San Petronio Bologna's main church, with the longest meridian sundial line
19Basilica di San Domenico Birthplace of the Dominican order, where Saint Dominic is buried
20Cattedrale di San Pietro Bologna's cathedral, founded in the late 12th century
21Certosa di Bologna Historic open-air cemetery-museum from the early 19th century
22Giardini Margherita Bologna's main park, with an Etruscan necropolis
23Basilica di Santa Maria dei Servi Frescoes by Vitale da Bologna and an image of the Madonna by Cimabue
24Museo Internazionale e Biblioteca della Musica Museum of music, the reason Bologna was added to the UNESCO list
25Basilica di San Giacomo Maggiore 13th-century monastery church with the Bentivoglio chapel
26Basilica di San Francesco 13th-century temple in Romanesque-Gothic style
27Museo Ducati History of the Ducati motorcycle factory
28Museo Morandi Collection of works by the painter Giorgio Morandi
29Giardino della Montagnola Bologna's first public park, on an artificial hill
30Porta Saragozza 13th-century gate, the last remaining fragment of the city walls

The center is easy to cover on foot, while San Luca and Certosa are worth reaching by bus.

Tours and tickets in Bologna

Guided tours, skip-the-line tickets and activities — most offers can be cancelled free of charge.

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⁉️🤔 Frequently asked questions

How many days do you need for Bologna?

Two full days on foot are enough for the main thirty points. On the first day you can cover Piazza Maggiore, the towers, and the churches in the center. Leave the second day for the museums, Giardini Margherita, and the climb to San Luca. If you are in a hurry, half the list can realistically be done in one day.

What can you see in Bologna for free?

All the basilicas and squares, the gardens, Porta Saragozza, and Biblioteca Salaborsa are free. You will have to pay for the museums and Teatro Anatomico. Visiting Palazzo Comunale with the Torre dell'Orologio viewpoint costs about 10 € (as of 09/2026, Bologna tourist office website).

What to see in Bologna with kids?

Kids usually enjoy Museo della Musica with its old instruments and Museo Ducati with its motorcycles. Giardini Margherita has playgrounds and space to walk, and Biblioteca Salaborsa has a separate children's entrance. Plan your visit for the first half of the day, when you and the kids are less tired.

When is the best time to visit Bologna?

The city can be visited year-round, but in summer the squares get hot, so mornings are more comfortable for walking. The main opera season at Teatro Comunale runs from November to April. In December, a Christmas market takes place in the courtyard of Santa Maria dei Servi.

Does the Bologna Welcome card work?

Bologna Welcome Card gives access to a number of museums and discounts, and it pays off if you plan to visit several paid attractions (as of 09/2026, Bologna tourist office catalog). A single visitor for one day usually doesn't need it: most sights are free anyway. Do the math for your own list in advance.

In short: what's worth booking

Bologna is easy to explore on foot, and most of the list costs nothing. Paid attractions are best planned in advance so you don't waste time at the ticket office.

If you have one day: walk the center from Piazza Maggiore to Le Due Torri and climb Torre dell'Orologio.
If you have two days: add Pinacoteca Nazionale, San Luca, and Giardini Margherita.
If you're traveling with kids: start with Museo Ducati and Museo della Musica.

Book a hotel in central Bologna on Trip.com and city tours.

And it's convenient to arrange Bologna airport transfer in advance so you don't have to find a car on the spot.

What to see in Bologna: 30 places with prices and hours