Italy · Heritage Walks

2-Hour Bologna Heritage Walk with University and Medieval Market

2 Hours Round trip from Piazza Maggiore Easy pace

Explore the beautiful medieval statues of Bologna

Walk around the historic squares of the city

See the seat of the University of Bologna

Visit an authentic market in the Medieval Town of Bologna

The journey

Trip highlights

01 Visit Piazza Maggiore and the Basilica of San Petronio
02 See the historic seat of the University of Bologna at the Archiginnasio Palace
03 Explore the medieval market's narrow alleys and tempting food options
04 Discover the Seven Churches complex, where spirituality meets art and history

This 2-hour tour will show you how the porticos and towers define the skyline of Bologna, and how the oldest university in the Western world was founded here in 1088. Visit the city's most important landmarks, including Piazza Maggiore and the Basilica of San Petronio, see the Anatomic Theatre in the Archiginnasio Palace, and explore the Seven Churches complex. Along the way, learn how the famous "Boloni Sandwich" was invented in the time of the Roman emperor Tiberius and why "spaghetti bolognese" does not really exist.

Begin the walking tour at Piazza Maggiore, the heart and soul of Bologna since Roman times, where the history of the city is written onto its buildings.

From the itinerary

At a glance

What this trip includes

Duration 2 Hours

Tour type Shared

Activity level Easy

Accommodation Not included

Transport Not included

Wheelchair access Yes

Languages English

Day by day

The itinerary

Day 01

Piazza Maggiore, San Petronio and Bologna's Medieval Heart

Begin the walking tour at Piazza Maggiore, the heart and soul of Bologna since Roman times, where the history of the city is written onto its buildings. Learn about the origins of the city as you walk through this picturesque square.
Head to the Basilica of San Petronio, one of the largest churches in Christianity and known as a "masterpiece of the unfinished." This is also the site where the largest sundial ever created has been preserved.
Visit the Archiginnasio Palace, the historic seat of the University of Bologna. Here, you will have the chance to see the Anatomic Theatre, where dissections once took place.
Walk through the narrow alleys of the medieval market in the old town, and explore its tempting food options and historic inns.
Continue to the Seven Churches complex, one of the most beautiful squares in the city, where spirituality meets art and history.
End the tour at the Two Towers of Bologna, symbols of the city's long history and the defining markers of its skyline.