Basilica di San Petronio
This is the main church of Bologna. It dominates the Piazza Maggiore. It is the fifth largest church in the world, stretching for 132 meters in length and 60 in width, while the vault reaches 45 meters inside and 51 meters in the facade. It can contain about 28,000 persons.
It is dedicated to the patron saint of the city, Saint Petronius, who was the bishop of Bologna in the fifth century.
Basilica di San Francesco
In 1236, the Franciscans began constructing this beautiful Basilica. The façade overlooking Piazza San Francesco has retained its Romanic-Gothic features with a single spire. Among the works of art kept in this holy building, there is an extraordinary altar piece from the late 1300s by Jacobello and Pier Paolo delle Masegne. The Basilica di San Francesco is top of a things-to-do list for any art lover.
The Sanctuary of the Madonna of San Luca
It is a basilica church in Bologna, in a forested hill some 300 meters above the plain, just south-west of the historical center of the city.
While a road now leads up to the sanctuary, it is also possible to reach it by traversing a long (3.5 km) monumental roofed arcade (Portico id San Luca) consisting of 666 arches, which was built in 1674-1793. It was meant to protect the icon as it was paraded up the hill. A yearly procession proceed from the church of San Pietro in the center of Bologna to the Sanctuary along this path. Originally the arches held icons or chapels erected by the patron family.
Towers of Bologna
The towers date back to medieval times and the two most prominent ones, also called the Two Towers, are a city landmark. Between the 12th and the 13th century, the number of towers in the city was very high, possibly up to 180. The reason for the construction of so many towers is not clear. One idea is that the richest families used them for defensive purposes during the period of the Investiture Controversy. An essential part of a sightseeing trip.
Nettuno fountain and square
Piazza del Nettuno is situated right next to Piazza Maggiore and it is the most vivid square in the city always crowded with locals and tourists.The fountain was built by a great Flemish sculptor, Jean Boulogne De Donai called "il Giambologna". It represents Neptune cooling down water, people from Bologna usually refer to fountain as "il gigante".
Teatro Comunale (Town Theatre)
Constructed in the headquarters of Domus Magna bentivolesca on a design of Antonio Bibiena, it was inaugurated in 1763 with Gluck’s ‘Trionfo di Clelia’.
One of the best museums you can visit if you are a car fanatic. The Ferrari museum offers really fast cars. You can find information about the old cars, concept cars and new models that you will see in the museum. You also can buy exclusive Ferrari-items in the museum shop.
If motorcycles are your passion, this is a short break activity you must not miss. Located at the Ducati factory headquarters, the museum highlights fifty years of racetrack heritage. Opened in 1998, during the first annual WDW (World Ducati Week), the building has preserved over half a century of Ducati racing history.
Fiera (Fair District)
The city’s Fiera District (exhibition area) is the second largest in Italy and the fourth largest in Europe, with important international exhibitions, like the, Saie, Saiedue and Cersaie (buildings) as well as Cosmoprof (beauty culture) and Motorshow (cars and motorcycles) that are well known abroad by experts, too.