Archiginnasio
The Palazzo dell'Archiginnasio is the oldest building of the University of Bologna (the oldest university in the Western world, founded 1088). Free to enter the courtyard and library.
Church in Bologna
Santo Stefano
Santo Stefano is a complex of seven interconnected churches and courtyards on Piazza Santo Stefano, dating from the 5th century and including a reproduction of the Holy Sepulchre. Free (donations appreciated). The complex is one of the most atmospheric religious sites in Italy, a maze of chapels, cloisters, and archaeological layers that most visitors never find because they stop at the Piazza Maggiore. Budget travelers walk five minutes from the main square and discover a place that feels like it belongs in Jerusalem.
Practical
Before you go
- Address
- Via Zamboni 33, 40126 Bologna
- Good to know
Nearby
More in Bologna
Other places worth the walk, and what each one costs.
Biblioteca Salaborsa
The Biblioteca Salaborsa is Bologna's central library in the Palazzo d'Accursio on Piazza Maggiore, with a glass floor revealing Roman archaeological ruins in the basement below. Free.
Mercato delle Erbe
Mercato delle Erbe is Bologna's covered food market, a mix of traditional produce stalls and modern food counters. Free to enter.
Neptune Fountain
The Fontana del Nettuno (Neptune Fountain) is a monumental 16th-century bronze fountain by Giambologna on the Piazza del Nettuno, adjacent to Piazza Maggiore. Free.
Piazza Maggiore
Piazza Maggiore is the central square of Bologna, surrounded by the Basilica di San Petronio (one of the largest churches in Italy, free to enter), the Palazzo d'Accursio, and the Palazzo del Podesta. Free.
Portico Walk to San Luca
The Portico of San Luca is the longest covered arcade in the world, stretching 3.8 kilometers from the Saragozza gate uphill to the Sanctuary of San Luca. Free.
Working out what Bologna costs?
The whole of Bologna