Piazza Maggiore (Main Square), Bologna (must see)

At the heart of Bologna lies the city’s main square and the historic center of its civic, religious, and social life for more than eight centuries. Created in its present form during the Middle Ages, the square developed from the late 13th century as Bologna grew into one of Europe’s most important university cities and a major political center of the Papal States. It expanded significantly in the 14th century, while many of the grand buildings surrounding it were added or remodeled during the 16th century.

On a sunny day, Main Square is one of the best places to experience Bologna’s atmosphere, with locals gathering at café tables beneath the arcades or relaxing on the broad steps around the square. Standing on the southern side is the impressive yet incomplete Basilica of Saint Petronius, one of the city’s most cherished landmarks. Around the square are several important historic buildings: the Municipal Palace, the former seat of Bologna’s government and now the city hall; the Notaries' Palace; the Podesta Palace, once the center of medieval administration; and the Palace of the Banks, which closes the eastern side of the square. At the center stands the Fountain of Neptune, featuring the famous bronze statue that has become one of Bologna’s best-known symbols.

A particularly interesting feature is the slightly raised platform in the middle of the square, known as the crescentone because its shape resembles the local flat bread crescente. Today, it becomes the setting for the "Under the Stars of Cinema'' festival in July and August, when more than 3,000 chairs transform Main Square into one of Italy’s largest outdoor cinemas.

Visitors should also explore the Vault of the Podesta, the passage beneath Podesta Palace, where a curious medieval acoustic effect allows two people standing at opposite corners to hear each other’s whispers clearly.