Bologna Must-See Audio Tour: Towers, Churches and Food Adventures
About this Event
Discover Bologna through a self-guided walking tour that takes you straight into the heart of the historic center, focusing on the city’s most recognizable landmarks, hidden details and food traditions.
The route leads you through some of Bologna’s most important areas, including Piazza del Nettuno and Piazza Maggiore, where civic power, religion and public life have intersected for centuries. You’ll see the Fountain of Neptune up close, learn why it caused so much controversy and uncover the visual trick hidden in plain sight. Nearby, you’ll pass Palazzo d’Accursio, Palazzo Re Enzo and the former stock exchange, today the Biblioteca Salaborsa, where ancient ruins are visible beneath a glass floor.
The tour continues beneath Bologna’s famous porticoes, guiding you into the Quadrilatero, the city’s historic food district filled with traditional markets, bakeries and delicatessens. Here you’ll learn the real story behind mortadella, why “bologna” means something very different here and how local food rules shape daily life.
You’ll reach the Two Towers, Asinelli and Garisenda, symbols of medieval rivalry and prestige, and discover why the square is currently closed and what’s planned for their future. The route also includes Santo Stefano, known as the Seven Churches, one of Bologna’s oldest and most atmospheric religious complexes.
Along the way, the tour explains Bologna’s political history, its powerful families, its long struggle for independence and how culture and food became the city’s lasting influence. The experience is guided by Domenico, who focuses on clear explanations, context and practical insight rather than dates and trivia.
This tour is ideal if you want to understand what you’re seeing while moving at your own pace. If you have more time in Bologna, you can continue exploring with our full Bologna itinerary and discover even more must-see sights across the city.
It's a tour guided by Exploro app, you will have the stops pinpointed on the map and the directions explained at each stop in case you need them.
Duration: 1h 30m
Start time: You can start at any time you wish – this is a self-guided tour.
Start Location: Porta Galliera
End Location: The Seven Churches
Stops: 22
Audio guide: English.
Written guide: English.
Find more information about the Bologna Self-Guided Tour and discounts here.
Where is it happening?
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
EUR 6.32
