See The 8 Best Of Bologna In A Day

The city adorned with red rooftops and colonnades, served with tasteful dishes, is one of the places that can represent the North Italian spirit. It will take much more time to discover all the historical must-see attractions of this Italian city but you will be able to get to know some of the most popular places in Bologna if you properly arrange your tour. Below is a one-day plan that would enable one to capture the 8 most phenomenal sites in this energetic city.

Piazza Maggiore is the first place you should visit in Bologna in the morning.

The Piazza Maggiore is the first stop on the fast-moving tour of Bologna, and it is indeed one of the largest squares in the city. This square which was established in as early as the 13th century has arcades, a café, and fine medieval and renaissance buildings such as the Basilica di San Petronio, Palazzo Comunale, and Neptune Fountain among others. Take an hour just walking around in this interesting and historic public space and take pictures of the buildings considered architectural gems while feeling the pulse of the city.

Take your Espresso at Caffè dell’Accademia

After spending time around the Piazza Maggiore, move a little north to Caffè dell’Accademia, which has been serving as an excellent spot to enjoy a cup of coffee and interact with artists, writers, and several famous personalities since 1796. Sample a perfectly brewed cappuccino or espresso and feast your eyes on the rich interiors of the café and perfectly placed people-watching standing tables on Via Castiglione. This café is located close to some of the most famous sites in the city, including Teatro Comunale di Bologna and Archiginnasio of Bologna, and is the ideal place to grab a cup of coffee and a snack mid-morning while touring.

Visit Anatomical Waxes in Palazzo Poggi

To see some gruesome relics of the past, visit the Palazzo Poggi on the Via Zamboni and view the week-long long exhibit of 18th-century anatomical waxes. These very realistic wax castings of the human body organs and systems were employed in the teaching of anatomy in the eighteenth-century Enlightenment Period. Spend time in this beautiful palace and also check out some other scientific items and curiosities of the museum and then get out to Via Zamboli which is a very busy road.

Go to the oldest university area.

The small, covered corridors of the buildings are situated along the modern Via Zamboni and mark the oldest university in the world, the University of Bologna, which was founded in 1088. Immerse yourself in student life and look out for the Neptune symbols in the form of tridents mostly hidden on walls, which were used to point students to the nearest bar to get a drink! Take a look at the imposing and famous anatomical theatre and the magnificent 20000-volume library in the first building that the University of Bologna ever owned, the Archiginnasio.

See a play at the Old Vic Theatre Have lunch at the Tamburini Wine Bar.

By this time, you will certainly not mind a good Bolognese lunch. Located a few steps from Piazza Maggiore is Tamburini, a salumerias-wine bar offering impressive selections of cured meats, cheese, panini, and wines. Sit down at an outdoor table in the Quadrilatero district to taste the specialties from this area, including mortadella, parmesan, and production modenese (jamon), while enjoying the bustle of the city on Via Drapperie.

Climb the Asinelli Tower

In the afternoon, take a stroll into the Bologna’s famous Asinelli Tower the second of the two leaning towers in Bologna which has nearly 500 steps to climb. Take a deep breath when you reach the top of the tower 97 meters up in the air and be ready to feast your eyes with glorious vistas over the sea of red rooftops to the rural area in the distance. Attempt to identify familiar places you had visited previously such as Palazzo Poggi and Basilica di San Petronio from this vantage point.

Take a casual walk through the beautiful Via Indipendenza and shop till you drop!

Continue west for approximately 1km along Independence Street, a commercial pedestrian zone enticing with cute shops and cafés. After a walk to the western end of this street, one will find other great places of interest such as the Piazza del Nettuno, the large San Petronio Basilica, and the Palazzo d’Accursio which will lead back to the Piazza Maggiore. For a casual stroll, walk up and down the block, get some postcards from a native artist, or, better yet, have a cup of coffee at one of the trendy coffee shops.

Sunset Base of Operations – Giardini Margherita

But before the night befalls you, take a 10-minute walk from the city center towards the Giardini Margherita Park and end your day with relaxation on the green lawns. Enjoy a walk by the artificial ponds and beautiful gardens until one gets to a vantage grassy land where the Asinelli Tower is viewed in the background. Watch the spectacular view of the sun setting behind Bologna’s skyline where the sky is painted orange and pink during the golden hour. What a great crowning moment to an epic one day in this colorful, ancient city we’ve just explored!

By being smart about it with this tightly scheduled 24-hour itinerary, the traveler can truly and easily get the very best of Bologna. Of course, you will fall in love with the city and its enchanting features and will enjoy the tastes and vices represented only here which call for you to return and continue the discovery here. Which site or experience you will include in the hypothetical one-day in Bologna?

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