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.
Monument in Bologna
Two Towers
The Two Towers (Due Torri) are the leaning medieval towers at the heart of Bologna: the taller Asinelli Tower and the shorter Garisenda Tower. The Asinelli Tower climb (498 steps) is paid at a modest price and offers the best view in the city. The Garisenda leans more dramatically but is closed to visitors. Budget travelers pay the small fee for the Asinelli climb and look out over the terracotta rooftops that give Bologna its nickname, “La Rossa.”
Practical
Before you go
- Address
- Piazza di Porta Ravegnana, 40100 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