guided visits in BOLOGNA

Enjoy Bologna and its art!  

Follow the expert designed self- guided walking tours to explore  Bologna on foot at your own pace or discover the beauties of the city on your own by pointing your smartphone's camera and pressing the camera symbol to identify  buildings, monuments and art. 

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APP GUIDA DI BOLOGNA

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The most important works and monuments to visit by walking in one day.

Our day can start from the Montagnola park a stone's throw from the station. ; remember that on Fridays and Saturdays there is held the homonymous vintage market that will allow you to find antiquities and curiosities at competitive prices. Alternatively, start your walk to the city center starting from Via Indipendenza, the one of the shops, the shopping street and the locals.
The journey up to Piazza Maggiore takes place under the arcades that have made Bologna famous throughout the world.
You will cross the Arena del Sole theater, whose statues you can admire from the statue of Garibaldi that stands out in front. . before arriving in Piazza Maggiore you will meet the Cathedral of San Pietro, to admire both outside and inside.
At the end of Via Indipendenza you will see the square with the fountain of Neptune, the Sala Borsa opposite and the Palazzo di Re Enzo, all adjacent Piazza Maggiore with the Palazzo del Comune or Accursio, the Palazzo del Podestà and the Basilica of San Petronio .
Little secrets: for the statue of Neptune ask a bolognese to show you the tile where you can see a finger of the statue through the perspective of shame; for the Voltone del Podestà, try the special acoustic effect by putting a partner in two opposite corners to talk to each other in a low voice.
Behind the Basilica under the arcades you will find the Archiginnasio and Piazza Galvani. At this point, take a break and enter the Quadrilateral market, in one of the streets overlooking Piazza Maggiore, to browse but also to have a snack in one of the many local restaurants in the area.
Then go to the 2 towers and the Palazzo della Mercanzia and from these continue on the left towards Piazza Santo Stefano with the Basilica of the same name.
Finish the day by returning under the two towers to enter the Jewish Ghetto and take a trip to the Canale delle Moline in via Piella to see the water channels and enjoy a tasty aperitif in one of the many bars of the Quadrilatero or the University area or at the herbal market of Via Ugo Bassi.

1 day:
Our itinerary starts from Piazza Maggiore to the Statue of Neptune with the Palace of King Enzo on his left and on the right the Library of Sala Borsa. Next to this the Palazzo del Comune or Accursio, to visit inside the most significant works and halls.
Back in Piazza Maggiore you could admire the Palazzo de 'Notai and at its side the Basilica of San Petronio, with important works and chapels inside. Opposite, the Palazzo del Podestà where you can admire, just behind the Tourist Office, the Voltone with an extraordinary acoustic effect.
Back in Piazza, head left to the Basilica of San Petronio to get to Piazza Galvani where you will find the entrance to the Archiginnasio, with the Chapel of Santa Maria dei Bulgari on the ground floor and the Library inside.
Leaving the Archiginnasio turn right and take one of the streets on the right: you will enter the area called Mercato del Quadrilatero where you will find, in an atmosphere of other times, shops and clubs where you can enjoy a break. In this same area, in via Clavature, you will find the Sanctuary Museum of Santa Maria della Vita, where in addition to the temporary exhibitions there is the famous Lying On the Dead Christ by Niccolò dell'Arca. Now go to Piazza della Mercanzia and the 2 Towers: visit the Palazzo della Mercanzia and if you want the Torre degli Asinelli. Then head to the left of Palazzo della Mercanzia and you will be in Piazza Santo Stefano, one of the magical places in Bologna. Here you can admire the Basilica of Santo Stefano, also called the seven churches. At the center of the square, turn left into via de 'Pepoli and continue up to Piazza Minghetti and then turn left into Piazza San Domenico where you will visit the Basilica of San Domenico and its chapels. Then come back and enjoy a little shopping passing through Piazza Cavour, Via Farini 
The tour may continue  with a visit to the Basilica of San Francesco and then head to the University area where you can visit the Basilica of San Giacomo Maggiore and its chapels. Nearby you can also visit the Jewish ghetto area and its museum, then the Canale delle Moline with the little window of via Piella. Compete around the Historic Center with a visit to the Montagnola Park and via Indipendenza. At this point you just have to visit one of the symbolic places of Bologna, the Sanctuary of the Madonna di San Luca.

Recommended route

Piazza Maggiore
Statue of Neptune
Palazzo Re Enzo
Sala Borsa Library
Palazzo Accursio - Works and internal halls
Palazzo de 'Notai
Basilica of San Petronio - Works and Chapels
Palazzo del Podestà - Voltone
Archiginnasio - Library - Chapel of Santa Maria dei Bulgari
Piazza Galvani
Mercato del Quadrilatero (via Foscherari, Via de 'Musei, Via Clavature, via Pescherie, via Orefici)
Sanctuary of Santa Maria della Vita -
Tower of Garisenda
Torre degli Asinelli
Palazzo Mercanzia - internal rooms
Piazza Santo Stefano
Basilica of Santo Stefano or of the seven churches
Basilica of San Domenico - Chapels
Piazza Cavour
Casa di Lucio Dalla
Basilica of San Francesco
Basilica of San Giacomo Maggiore - Chapels
Jewish ghetto
Canale delle Moline
Via Indipendenza - Montagnola Park
Sanctuary of the Madonna di San Luca

An itinerary for those who have little time and want to take home the memory of the most important places in Bologna.

The visit begins in Piazza Maggiore with the Statue of Neptune, the Palazzo di Re Enzo, the Palazzo del Comune, the Basilica of San Petronio and the Palazzo del Podestà. Do not miss a walk to cross the market area of ??the Quadrilateral to reach Piazza della Mercanzia with the homonymous palace and especially the two towers. Following a dip in the medieval Bologna with a visit to Piazza Santo Stefano with the Basilica of the Seven churches, then the return to the center and take a walk to the Moline canal with the famous little window of Via Piella.
Piazza Maggiore
Fountain of Neptune
Palazzo Re Enzo
Palazzo Accursio
Basilica of San Petronio
Palazzo del Podestà - Voltone
Mercato del Quadrilatero (via Foscherari, Via de 'Musei, Via Clavature, via Pescherie, via Orefici)
Tower of Garisenda
Torre degli Asinelli
Palazzo Mercanzia
Piazza Santo Stefano
Canale delle Moline - Finestrella of Via Piella

Self-guided walking tour, about 2 hours:

The tours start from Piazza Maggiore with the Torre degli Accursi or the clock; then continue towards Piazza Galileo Galilei with the Torre degli Agresti and the Torre dei Lapi in the town hall. Turn left and head towards Corte Galluzzi with the Torre dei Galluzzi. From Corte Galluzzi, go out through Piazza Galvani, go left along Via dell'Archiginnasio, up to the intersection with Via dei Musei from where you turn right into Via Clavature and then right into Via Marchesana. Here is the Torre dei Carrari. Going back on Via Clavature, turn right and proceed until you reach Via Castiglione to reach Piazza della Mercanzia, where Palazzo della Mercanzia is located, and then right again onto Via Santo Stefano, you reach the Torre degli Alberici. Following Via Santo Stefano, you arrive in Piazza di Porta Ravegnana where there are the Two Towers, symbol of medieval Bologna. On the opposite side of the square take Via dei Giudei and then Vicolo San Giobbe up to Vicolo Mandria. Here is the Torre degli Uguzzoni. Continuing until via Oberdan, turn right and immediately left into via San Nicolò, then right into via degli Albari and left again into via Albiroli to find the Casa-torre dei Guidozagni.
On the right on Via Sant’Alò is the Torre dei Prendiparte, known as the Coronata. Arriving as far as Via Altabella you come across the Torre degli Azzoguidi. From Via Altabella follow Piazza del Nettuno and passing under the Voltone del Podestà to Piazza Re Enzo is the Torre dei Lambertini. Leaving the side on Piazza del Nettuno you see the Torre dell'Arengo.

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