City Info

Bologna offers a chance to rest and savour before joining the masses of tourists in Florence and Venice. Surrounded by hills, the city's centre is still much as it was during the Renaissance: dusky red-coloured buildings, wide piazzas and covered walkways with floors laid with marble.

Bologna is best explored on foot, starting with the two piazzas at the centre of town: the Piazza del Nettuno and Piazza Maggiore. Most of the churches and galleries are within walking distance of here so you won't need to take buses or taxis. The Via dell'Indipendenza leads south from the train and bus stations into Piazza del Nettuno and Piazza Maggiore.