Top Things to Do in Bologna, Bologna, Italy

Bologna is one of the most underrated cities in Italy. It offers a rich range of things to do, reflected in its many nicknames - la rossa (the red one - both in politics and, well, literally); la dotta (the learned - home of the western world’s oldest university and plenty of museums); la grossa (the fat one, for its unmatched cuisine) and la torre (for its many, many towers).

It’s a unique, fascinating city which, compared to many towns in Italy, goes under the radar. Here are the 20 top things to do.

For us, this was Bologna’s most uniquely interesting sight. If there’s one thing Bologna is famous for across the globe (except for, of course, bolognese…) it’s its university: the oldest in the Western world, dating back almost 1,000 years. From the 16th to the 19th century, the Palazzo dell’Archiginnasio was the university’s main building.

It’s free to enter, and quite a sight to behold. As well as being a marvellous palazzo, the walls and ceilings are covered in coats of arms. Each one represents the city or country of a real student at the university, and their name.

These coats of arms were added continuously until the 18th century, and you can find coats of arms commemorating students from every corner of Europe. It gives a real sense of the international importance of the city. You feel a real connection to the history, knowing these marks were left by those who once walked, and studied, in these halls. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).