The Top Things to Do in Bologna

Anyone who’s been to Bologna will be familiar with its porticoes: colonnaded, covered walkways, with stone entrance archways, vaulted ceilings and marble floors. They were built in order to create extra housing above ground level, without losing pavement space for pedestrians (and, at one time, people on horseback). Once timber, the porticoes were almost all replaced with stone or brick following a 1568 edict, although some medieval examples in wood survive to this day. Head to Via Clavature to see a fascinating succession of portico styles, from simple overhangs to decorative colonnades. Some, including in Piazza Cavour, have delicately painted ceilings. The city’s widest portico, at the Santa Maria dei Servi church, hosts a traditional Christmas market each winter.

Though they’re less well-known than the wines from neighbouring areas, Bologna’s local wines are by no means inferior. Crisp and fruity whites, like Albana and Pignoletto, hold their own against rich, savoury reds like Sangiovese – and taste particularly good one of the city’s historic wine bars. Osteria del Sole, dating from 1465, is the oldest by far, but Enoteca Storica Faccioli (open since 1924) is worth a stop for its specialist natural wines. At Antica Drogheria Calzolari, bottles line the walls from floor to ceiling, leaving standing room only for a tasting.

The countryside surrounding Bologna is rich with green-carpeted hills, mountain villages, fertile vineyards and historic fortresses – perfect for escaping the city for some fresh air and inspiring views. Of the country parks in the hilly area south of the city, Villa Ghigi is the easiest to reach – it’s an easy walk from the Porta San Mamolo city gate. Elsewhere, Parco Cavaioni (a short trip on bus 52) offers a rustic farmhouse restaurant complete with its own kitchen garden, Ca’ Shin. Head west of the city for vine-covered hills and wineries, which turn out regional Colli Bolognesi wines such as the fresh and fruity white, Pignoletto.

Join the steady stream of walkers, runners and pilgrims on an uphill trek along the 2.2mi (3.5km) paved portico to the Sanctuary of San Luca, a towering terracotta basilica on the Monte della Guardia hill, southwest of Bologna proper. Alternatively, hop on bus 20 from central Bologna to the striking Parco della Chiusa in Casalecchio, dotted with faded villa ruins, before taking the Bregoli footpath from there to San Luca. Once at the top, relax and refuel at the Vito bar and restaurant, just a few minutes’ walk from the church and open all day.

Need time out from tramping around tourist sites in the midday heat? Take a breather in one of Bologna’s green lungs, such as the lush Orto Botanico, the university’s botanical gardens founded in 1568 – filled with some 5,000 plants in cavernous greenhouses. Much larger is the Giardini Margherita, which stretches between the Porta Castiglione and Porta Santo Stefano city gates and comprises extensive lawns with plenty of shady trees, a lake populated by turtles and a couple of bars for an aperitivo, including at the former municipal greenhouses.

Medieval Bologna was one of Italy’s top producers of silk – some 37mi (60km) of canals were built in the 12th century to bring water into the city to run silk mills. Though the canals are largely covered nowadays, you can still catch a glimpse here and there, including through the tiny window that peeks over the canal on Via Piella. Hosted in a former canalside brickworks, the Industrial Heritage museum has interesting displays about the city’s historic industries (take bus 30), where you’ll learn more about the canal’s importance in Bologna’s past.

Bologna’s colourful food markets are the best place for tasting delicious, regional grub in buzzing surroundings. The deli-style tables of the Quadrilatero market, just off the main square Piazza Maggiore, should be your go-to place for platters of mortadella sausage and other local charcuterie, while Mercato delle Erbe is the locals’ choice for uber-fresh seafood and crusty panini oozing with mozzarella cheese. If you’re in Bologna on a Saturday morning (or a Monday evening in the summer), don’t miss the Mercato Ritrovato farmers’ market, where over 50 local producers sell and serve authentic regional specialties.

So you think your spaghetti bolognese is pretty good? Prepare to be humbled at a pasta-making class in Bologna, the birthplace of this world-famous ragù. Many of the city’s restaurants have their own specialist sfoglina (fresh pasta chef), who rolls out and fills the deep yellow dough by hand – and watching them at work will make you want to ditch dried pasta packets for good. Two of the many places offering pasta-making courses are Bottega del Cappello – whose chefs make pasta for the historic Osteria del Cappello restaurant next door – and out-of-town farmhouse Podere San Giuliano.

While 10 of the dozen 13th-century city gates remain from the last set of walls to be built around Bologna, only a few from earlier eras are still standing – such as those in Via Castiglione and Via Piella. The arrow-straight Via Emilia road, built in Roman times to link Piacenza to Rimini, is still a fundamental route through the region, passing right through the centre of the Emilia-Romagna region’s most important cities: Bologna, Modena, Reggio Emilia and Parma.

While the Asinelli and Garisenda double act remain Bologna’s best-known medieval towers –and a much-loved city symbol – there are actually over 20 towers still standing in the historic centre. At 60m (197ft) tall, the well-preserved Prendiparte tower is the second-highest, after the Asinelli which measures 97m (318ft). The Galluzzi tower, meanwhile, was once the scene of a tragic, Romeo and Juliet-style love story. Book for a towers tour at the Bologna Welcome tourist office in Piazza Maggiore to see the towers and their stories.