Bologna attractions

Don’t be fooled by the simple facade of this oratory tucked beneath the portico along the length of the Church of San Giacomo Maggiore. Inside, the small chapel is decorated with some of the most important works of the 16th-century Bolognese Renaissance, painted by prominent artists in the Bentivoglio court.

Open since 2001, this public library in the center of Bologna is housed inside the historic Palazzo d’Accursio, originally a private residence from the 13th century and later the city’s town hall. Through a glass floor in the library, visitors can get a glimpse of ongoing archaeological excavations, including ancient Roman ruins. Biblioteca Salaborsa also regularly hosts public events.

Step into the world of Nobel Prize winner and radio pioneer Guglielmo Marconi at the fascinating Guglielmo Marconi Museum just outside Bologna. Housed in the imposing Villa Griffone, Marconi’s former home and the site of many of his scientific experiments and discoveries, the museum is devoted to the inventor’s life and works.

Enjoy ancient Bologna at the city’s oldest “osteria” (wine bar), opened in 1465. Hidden along a side street in the gourmet wonderland of the Quadrilatero district, Osteria del Sole does not serve food, but patrons can bring their own and wash it down with a glass of wine, beer, or liquor from the bar.

The largest covered market in Bolgona’s city center, the Mercato delle Erbe (literally, the “Herb Market”) has been a key destination for food lovers for more than a century. Housed in a historic building that was renovated after World War II, the atmospheric market offers dozens of food stalls and dining options all throughout the day.

Anyone curious about the history of science will enjoy stepping back in time at the Palazzo Poggi Museums (Musei di Palazzo Poggi). Vintage laboratories and 18th-century collections dedicated to different branches of the sciences are displayed in the frescoed halls of Palazzo Poggi, which has been the seat of the University of Bologna since 1803.

Important business goes on in this elegantly porticoed, red brick building with Gothic arches and a marble balcony. A hub for Bologna’s mercantile activities for the last 650 years, Palazzo della Mercanzia is currently the seat of the Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Agriculture, and Crafts. Plus, it preserves the official recipes of some of the city’s most treasured dishes.

During the Middle Ages, a series of canals were constructed through Bologna’s city center. The Canale delle Moline—“Canal of the Mills”—helped power the city’s watermills, weave silk, and grind grain to supply Bologna’s bakeries with flour. Few canals are still visible today, but a portion of the Canale delle Moline can be glimpsed from a tiny viewpoint along Via Piella.

The elegant 16th-century Palazzo Albergati, believed to have been designed by Baldassarre Peruzzi, dominates Bologna’s Via Saragozza. The inner courtyard and the richly frescoed, stuccoed interiors are perfect backdrops for the cultural events hosted there.

Part of an ancient Roman road, the historic Strada Maggiore links Bologna’s eastern city gate to its medieval Two Towers. The street is lined on both sides with the city’s signature porticoes—covered walkways that shield people from the elements while guiding them to antique shops, restaurants, and other attractions. Don’t miss Casa Isolani and its oak portico from the 1200s, among Europe’s oldest.

Set in the wooded hills outside Bologna, the Cenobio di San Vittore is one of the city’s premier examples of medieval architecture. Made up of a church and cloister, the 12th-century complex dazzles with original frescoes, a wooden choir dating from the 15th century, and the serene cloister lined by marble columns with carved capitals and other Romanesque architectural details.

Located in a hip, industrial part of Bologna (a stone’s throw from MAMbo, the Museum of Modern Art of Bologna), this small public park provides a green refuge in the dense, crowded city, and plays host to a number of open-air events in the summertime. It was built over the historic Cavaticcio Canal, and parts of the city’s medieval-era industrial past are still visible here.