Tourist information on Bologna, Italy

Bologna is the capital city of the Emilia-Romagna region of northern Italy and is situated in the Po Valley, between the River Po and the Apennine Mountains. It is famous for its cuisine and its university, which is the oldest in the western world. It is also a thriving centre of industry, culture and tourism, considered by many to be one of the most beautiful cities in Italy. Bologna has one of the largest and best preserved historic city centres in Europe and its terracotta-coloured buildings give it a distinctive character. The high student population brings a youthful and vibrant ambiance to the city, whilst the university's many museums provide much to interest the culturally minded visitor. There is far more to Bologna than its famous ragù alla bolognese.

Bologna is believed to owe its name to a Gallic tribe known as the Boi who settled in the area in around 350 BC, before integrating with the local Etruscan population. The Boi put up a fierce resistance against the Romans but were finally defeated in around 190 BC. This is when the Romans established the colony of Bononia (later known as Bologna), which developed into an important centre of trade and communications after the building of the Via Aemilia. As Rome fell, Bologna's decline was temporarily reversed in the 5th century AD by Bishop Petronio, who reinforced the city's fortifications to make it less vulnerable to attack. In 727, the city was conquered by the Lombards and remained under their control until 774, when it was surrendered to the papacy. Over the centuries that followed, various factions fought for control of Bologna, including the Catholic Church and several of the city's leading noble families. This was also a period of renewal. The city walls were expanded to accommodate a growing population; the municipal institutions were born; and the Studio was founded (in 1088), now the oldest university in Europe. By 1294, Bologna was one of the largest and most socially advanced cities in Europe, although it experienced a period of decline in the next century. In the 15th century, Bologna flourished as a major cultural centre under the rule of the powerful Bentivoglio family. Papal rule was reinstated in 1505 and the city would remain a papal possession until the 18th century, by which time it was a very prosperous city, thriving through its agriculture and textiles industries. In the Napoleonic era, Bologna was made the capital of the Cispadane Republic, but returned to papal control after the fall of Napoleon. Bologna was annexed by the Kingdom of Sardinia in 1859 and subsequently became part of a united Italy. Over the next century, Bologna rapidly grew to become an important hub of commerce, industry, communications, culture and education, and remains so to this day.

Although Bologna was extensively bombed during World War II, most of its historic monuments remain intact and provide some of the best examples of Renaissance and Baroque architecture in Italy. A good place to begin a tour of Bologna is the Piazza Maggiore, a large pedestrianised square at the heart of the historic city centre. This is surrounded by some of the city's finest monuments, including: the Palazzo Comunale (now the City Hall), the Palazzo del Podestà and the Portico dei Banchi. The Fontana di Nettuno, a large fountain with a bronze figure of Neptune, is to be found in the adjacent Piazza Nettuno. There are also plenty of bars, cafés and restaurants in this area, and it is a pleasant place to sit, have a bite to eat, and watch the world go by. Nearby is one of Bologna's most visible landmarks, the San Petronio Basilica, an enormous church dedicated to the city's patron saint, St Petronius. Dating back to the 14th century, this is the fifth largest church in the world, 132 m in length, 60 m in width and 50 metres in height. The basilica was to have been built on an even grander scale, but Pope Pius IV vetoed this so that it would not eclipse the basilicas of Rome. It houses several important treasures, including Cassini and Guglielmini's famous sundial.

To the northeast of the old city centre, on the Piazza di Porta Ravegnana (off the Via Zamboni) are two of Bologna's most recognisable landmarks, the Torre degli Asinelli (Tower of the Asinelli) and Torre dei Garisenda (Tower of the Garisenda), both built in the 12th century. The taller of these is the Torre degli Asinelli, 97 metres in height with 498 steps that lead to the best view of the city. This area is on the edge of Bologna's more modern district, the University Quarter. This is a busy social hub that is filled with bars and cafés. The main tourist attraction in this area is the Pinacoteca Nazionale di Bologna, the city's national art gallery. Housed in an old Jesuit novitiate, the gallery has a large collection of paintings, predominantly from the 13th to the 18th century, by artists who are connected with Bologna and its region. There are important works of art by several well-known painters, including Giotto, Titian, El Greco and Raphael. Nearby is the city's Archaeology Museum, which houses numerous artefacts from Etruscan and Egyptian civilisations. Of the many small but interesting museums owned by the university, there are: the Naval Museum; the Museum of Military Architecture; the Museo Aldovrandi (with work by the Renaissance naturalist Ulisse Aldovrandi); and the Museo della Specola, housed in the Specola, an 18th century astronomical tower. Other museums in the university district include: Museo di Antropologia, with human relics from prehistoric times; and Museo di Mineralogia, with rocks, precious stones and rare minerals.

Another important monument is the Santuario della Madonna di San Luca (St Luke's Basilica), a basilica situated on Monte della Guardia, a wooded hill to the southwest of the city centre. It can be reached on foot via a 3.5 km long roofed arcade (Portico di San Luca) consisting of 666 arches. Also of interest is the Santa Maria della Vita, a church hidden away in the Via Clavature - this houses Bologna's finest Renaissance masterpiece, Niccolò Dell'Arca's The Lamentation, a life-size terracotta group sculpture. For those whose interests are more up-to-date, there is the Ducati Museum, which traces the history of the famous Bologna-based motorcycle company, and the Lamborghini Museum, sited at the headquarters of the luxury car manufacturer in Sant'Agata Bolognese, 34 kilometres to the northwest of Bologna.

Bologna's main park is Giardini Margherita, in the south of the city centre. Created in 1875, this has landscaped gardens, a wooded area, a small lake and a chalet which serves as a busy nightclub in the evenings. Another attractive park is Parco Montagnola, in the north of the city centre off Piazza VIII Agosto. The University Botanical Gardens (Orto Botanico dell'Università di Bologna) are to be found in the northwest of the city centre, on Via Irnerio in the University district. This was established in the mid-16th century to cultivate medicinal herbs but it now contains over a thousand plant species. Its attractions include a tropical greenhouse with orchids and palm trees and a carnivorous plant hot house. There is also a small forest, a pond, and attractive front and rear gardens.

The nearest airport to Bologna is Guglielmo Marconi Airport, which is 6 km northwest of the city centre. This is operated by several low cost and full service airlines, such as RyanAir, Alitalia Air France and British Airways, which offer flights to several destinations in Italy and Europe, including Naples, Palermo, London, Madrid, Paris, Prague and Moscow. There is a special bus service from the airport to the city centre. Bologna is a major rail hub and is linked to many other Italian cities, including Milan, Rome, Florence and Venice. There is a high speed rail service to Milan, the journey time being just over an hour. An extensive bus service operates within the city centre.