During our 2-hour walking tour, you will discover bustling squares, picturesque places and the beautiful buildings of the city. With our guide, you will immerse yourself in the medieval quarter where different architectural styles have been assembled, ranging from Gothic to Baroque, and from the Renaissance period to the classic style. Bologna is home to the oldest university in the world, and is also known for its food, science and art that you will surely see in some buildings in the historic center. We will start at the Archiginnasio Palace, the main building of the University of Bologna, then continue to Piazza Maggiore, where the Basilica of San Petronio is located.
Then we will head towards Piazza del Nettuno, where you can admire the Palazzo d'Accursio, the current town hall and offices of government, as well as the Morandi Museum, on one side. On the other side, we will observe the Palazzo del Podestà, which has become the Bargello museum due to its insufficient capacity to host citizens' civil life. It was replaced with the Palace of King Enzo, which gets its name from the king, son of Emperor Frederick II, who was captured during the battle of Sardinia. We will also discover the palace of the Captain of the People. These 3 buildings are formed together to create an administrative center.
After, we will head to Piazza Ravegnana to find two of the most famous towers: the Asinelli tower and the Garisenda Tower. The first was a prison, a place of scientific experimentation, an observation post during the last war and a TV transmitter. Today it offers an exceptional panoramic view of Bologna. But above all, as the tallest tower in the city, it challenges you on more than 400 steps. The Garisenda tower, known as the most inclined, is not open to the public. Formerly, they were part of a complex of several towers but, currently, only 23 remain standin. Each of these towers had a meaning and a function, whether it was for glory, love, power, humiliation or prison. All these towers recall the opposition of the Guelfe and Gibelline families. For the record, the Guelphs supported the pope and the Ghibellines supported the king in the function of the throne. However, your guide will definitely provide more information and add tons of anecdotes. A little further on is the wooden arch of "Corte Isolani” and on via Zamboni is the oratory of Santa Cecilia and the church of "San Giacomo Maggiore", the university museums.
Available days: Every day
Bookable Starting Time: From 9:00 am to 5:00 pm
Duration: 2 hours
Available Languages:
All, on reservation
Adult rate: The rate of the tour depends on the number of people. CALCULATE YOUR OWN RATE!
Child rate: Children free until 17 years old (accompanied by an adult)
Meeting Point: Piazza Galvani 1, Bologna Palazzo dell' Archiginnasio