What to see and do in Bologna in 3 days: a weekend in Italy
Posted: Sun Dec 15, 2024 7:55 am
Bologna is not one of the classic tours of the country of the boot, although more and more tourists are arriving. Even though I cannot speak objectively about it, believe me when I tell you that it is the perfect destination to spend a weekend in Italy . The capital of Emilia-Romagna is not only the seat of the oldest university in Europe or the city with the most kilometres of arcades on the continent, it has a lot to offer, which is why it was so difficult for me to choose what to do and what to see in Bologna in 3 days .
What to See in Bologna Italy 3 Days Piazza Maggiore Salto
And why can't I talk about Bologna objectively? Because of all the sentimental connections that bind me to it. I studied there – not only are there Erasmus in Bologna , but there are also many whatsapp number data students from all over Italy –; it's the place where my parents met – at the Università di Bologna –; it's the city where my grandparents lived… So, forgive me if I get a little "silly" when I talk about it. I could even have been born there if my parents hadn't finally decided on my mother's town, Jesi.
Whether objective or not, let me accompany you on your weekend in Bologna . I have prepared a day-by-day itinerary so that you don’t miss anything, or almost anything. With, of course, some lasagna, some tagliatelle al ragù –not spaghetti bolognese– and some good ice cream. La Dotta –the wise one, for its university–, la Rossa –the red one, for the colour of its buildings– and la Grassa –the fat one, for its cuisine– await you.
Saltaconmyadvice
Before you head to the country of the boot, be sure to take a look at our tips for traveling to Italy . Be sure to read our itinerary for Bologna in one day or what to see in Bologna in two days if you're short on time. But, if you have the chance to spend more than three days in Bologna , read our 60 things to do and see in Bologna and, if you want to take advantage and get out of the city, take a look at our article with excursions from Bologna or the places to visit in Emilia-Romagna .
To resolve any doubts you may have about travelling to Bologna and the rest of the country, we have created a group on Facebook: Tips for travelling to Italy . Join and share.
Index
Bologna in 3 days: day 1
The Nettuno fountain, one of the city's icons
The Salaborsa Library
Piazza Maggiore
The Basilica of San Petronio
The open-air market on Via Pescherie Vecchie
Don't wait any longer to eat ice cream in Bologna
Walk under the arcades
The towers of Bologna
Regaining strength
A weekend in Bologna, day 2: Saturday
The window to the canals
The museums of Bologna
The Church of San Giacomo Maggiore and the Faculty of Law
The Church of Santo Stefano, the Church of the Seven Churches
A piadina and continue
The Archiginnasio
Two more churches: San Domenico and San Francesco
The Bolognese night
3 days in Bologna : the last morning
The walk to the Sanctuary of San Luca
The Giardini Margherita and a magic window
Map with places to see in Bologna in 3 days
How to get to Bologna
Where to eat
Where to sleep
Bologna in 3 days: day 1
You will arrive in the city on Friday afternoon – if you manage to leave in the morning, you will have more time to explore its miles and miles of arcades. We are not going to make you move around much, we will stay in the very centre of the medieval city, within the old walled enclosure.
The Nettuno fountain, one of the city's icons
For almost five centuries, since 1560, the god Neptune has been controlling the waters of Bologna from its fountain , surrounded by mermaids and sea creatures. We are not going to tell you what is underneath, but we are going to tell you about two things you can see with the naked eye.
What to see in Bologna Italy 3 days Nettuno
The first is the shape of Neptune’s trident . Does it sound familiar? Have you seen it anywhere? Maybe on the hood of a luxury car? Exactly! Neptune’s trident was used as the logo of Maserati. The brand was based on the city and made a nod to its icon. The second is that you should look for a darker cobblestone next to the entrance of the Salaborsa library and look at the statue from there. Yes, the perspective will make you see strange things… but it’s the thumb. In the article on curiosities and secrets of Bologna we tell you why this “game” happens.
Corner Jump With Me
Very close to the Neptune Fountain, at the beginning of Via Indipendenza – between 1 and 3 –, you will find a curious reference to cannabis in a fresco on the ceiling of the arcade, which we also tell you about in the curiosities article.
What to see in Bologna Italy 3 days Cannabis Via Indipendenza
The Salaborsa Library
We asked you to go to Salaborsa to look for the dark cobblestone, but you must have looked inside the door and wondered what could be there. Well, obviously a library, but also excavations . Nothing less than the remains of the civic basilica of Bononia from the 2nd century BC and other buildings from that period.
What to See in Bologna Italy 3 Days Piazza Maggiore Salto
And why can't I talk about Bologna objectively? Because of all the sentimental connections that bind me to it. I studied there – not only are there Erasmus in Bologna , but there are also many whatsapp number data students from all over Italy –; it's the place where my parents met – at the Università di Bologna –; it's the city where my grandparents lived… So, forgive me if I get a little "silly" when I talk about it. I could even have been born there if my parents hadn't finally decided on my mother's town, Jesi.
Whether objective or not, let me accompany you on your weekend in Bologna . I have prepared a day-by-day itinerary so that you don’t miss anything, or almost anything. With, of course, some lasagna, some tagliatelle al ragù –not spaghetti bolognese– and some good ice cream. La Dotta –the wise one, for its university–, la Rossa –the red one, for the colour of its buildings– and la Grassa –the fat one, for its cuisine– await you.
Saltaconmyadvice
Before you head to the country of the boot, be sure to take a look at our tips for traveling to Italy . Be sure to read our itinerary for Bologna in one day or what to see in Bologna in two days if you're short on time. But, if you have the chance to spend more than three days in Bologna , read our 60 things to do and see in Bologna and, if you want to take advantage and get out of the city, take a look at our article with excursions from Bologna or the places to visit in Emilia-Romagna .
To resolve any doubts you may have about travelling to Bologna and the rest of the country, we have created a group on Facebook: Tips for travelling to Italy . Join and share.
Index
Bologna in 3 days: day 1
The Nettuno fountain, one of the city's icons
The Salaborsa Library
Piazza Maggiore
The Basilica of San Petronio
The open-air market on Via Pescherie Vecchie
Don't wait any longer to eat ice cream in Bologna
Walk under the arcades
The towers of Bologna
Regaining strength
A weekend in Bologna, day 2: Saturday
The window to the canals
The museums of Bologna
The Church of San Giacomo Maggiore and the Faculty of Law
The Church of Santo Stefano, the Church of the Seven Churches
A piadina and continue
The Archiginnasio
Two more churches: San Domenico and San Francesco
The Bolognese night
3 days in Bologna : the last morning
The walk to the Sanctuary of San Luca
The Giardini Margherita and a magic window
Map with places to see in Bologna in 3 days
How to get to Bologna
Where to eat
Where to sleep
Bologna in 3 days: day 1
You will arrive in the city on Friday afternoon – if you manage to leave in the morning, you will have more time to explore its miles and miles of arcades. We are not going to make you move around much, we will stay in the very centre of the medieval city, within the old walled enclosure.
The Nettuno fountain, one of the city's icons
For almost five centuries, since 1560, the god Neptune has been controlling the waters of Bologna from its fountain , surrounded by mermaids and sea creatures. We are not going to tell you what is underneath, but we are going to tell you about two things you can see with the naked eye.
What to see in Bologna Italy 3 days Nettuno
The first is the shape of Neptune’s trident . Does it sound familiar? Have you seen it anywhere? Maybe on the hood of a luxury car? Exactly! Neptune’s trident was used as the logo of Maserati. The brand was based on the city and made a nod to its icon. The second is that you should look for a darker cobblestone next to the entrance of the Salaborsa library and look at the statue from there. Yes, the perspective will make you see strange things… but it’s the thumb. In the article on curiosities and secrets of Bologna we tell you why this “game” happens.
Corner Jump With Me
Very close to the Neptune Fountain, at the beginning of Via Indipendenza – between 1 and 3 –, you will find a curious reference to cannabis in a fresco on the ceiling of the arcade, which we also tell you about in the curiosities article.
What to see in Bologna Italy 3 days Cannabis Via Indipendenza
The Salaborsa Library
We asked you to go to Salaborsa to look for the dark cobblestone, but you must have looked inside the door and wondered what could be there. Well, obviously a library, but also excavations . Nothing less than the remains of the civic basilica of Bononia from the 2nd century BC and other buildings from that period.