Home of mortadella and Maserati, Bologna is routinely ranked among Italy’s top 10 most liveable cities and has one of the most extensive food markets I’ve ever seen.
Bologna is famous for its porticos (covered walkways), all 62 kilometres of them, some dating back to the 11th century. Forty two kilometres of them are within the historic centre, making this most foodie of cities a very comfortable place to walk around in any weather. Here are the things I love most about the city nicknamed ‘La Dotta, La Grassa e La Rossa’ (the learned, the fat and the red), for its ancient university, rich cuisine, and terracotta buildings and roofs.
Stay in Bologna Art Hotel Commercianti
Start with a base right beside the imposing Basilica di San Petronio in a building that dates back to the 11th century. Rooms on the top floor have balconies from which you can almost reach out and touch the red bricks of the church’s looming side wall. The breakfast buffet includes delicious local specialties and guests on my Bologna food tour love staying in this gorgeous art hotel.
Eat in Bologna Caminetto d’Oro
This simple restaurant serves fresh local ingredients that shine beyond the traditional dishes while still respecting the heritage of Bolognese cuisine. Salumi, salads, fresh pasta (especially the tortellini in crystal clear, flavour-packed beef and capon brodo) and delicious desserts, like simple house-made gelato with Bologna’s iconic amarene cherries. There’s friendly service and an impressive wine list too.
Drink in Bologna Gran Bar
Gran Bar, just around the corner from Piazza Duomo, is a fascinating mix of caviar and champagne alongside lottery tickets and disposable cigarette lighters (as every real Italian bar sells). It’s unpretentious, full of locals (especially inside), and great value with complimentary mini mortadella panini and a bowl of crisps arriving with a glass of local wine.
Bologna Food Market Quadrilatero
The highlight of any Bologna food tour is walking around this collection of small, packed-to-the-rafters shops lining narrow laneways off Piazza Maggiore. It’s the ideal place to shop for special souvenirs and an afternoon aperitivo or lunch at one of the ancient delis, like La Baita inside Vecchia Malga – surrounded by local wines, salumi and cheese – is a definitive Bolognese experience.
Shop in Bologna Corte Isolani
I love this arcade between Strada Maggiore and Via Santo Stefano created by the restoration of two 13th century noble houses and the courtyards and hallways that connected them. Walking through it is a journey from medieval Romanesque-Gothic architecture to Renaissance as you exit under the porticos of Palazzo Isolani on Piazza San Stefano. Today it houses a collection of shops, restaurants and galleries.
Bologna Art Terracotta Sculptures
Hidden beside the altar of an unassuming church in the Quadrilatero is a spectacular group of life-size terracotta figures depicting the Lamentation Over The Dead Christ. Sculpted by Niccolò dell’Arca in 1463, the six figures gathered around the body of Christ include Mary Magdalene, the Madonna and the disciple John, all displaying the most intense and lifelike grief. The interior of the church of Santuario di Santa Maria della Vita is beautiful too.
Bologna History Archiginnasio
Founded in 1088, Bologna University is Europe’s oldest continuously operating university (the second oldest in the world), and the organisation which coined the name. The Archiginnasio is a wonderfully ornate 16th century building, with panels of students’ coats of arms and a wooden anatomy theatre. It was the uni’s first unified seat, classes previously being scattered around the city.
Out of Town Ristorante Nuova Roma
This casual restaurant about 20km from the city centre, in the Bolognese Apennines, celebrates local cuisine. The menu features seasonal ingredients like wild porcini and valeriana, alongside classics such as fettuccine Bolognese. I love that the wine list has five pages of Bolognese wine before even getting to the rest of Emilia-Romagna. Warm, friendly service from Marinella and her son Omar, the fourth-generation to host guests here.
Updated 22 Jan 2026
