Top Bologna Historical Tours

A historic university city, culinary capital, and hub of architectural beauty, Bologna offers no shortage of attractions—and this zippy bike tour through town gives you the perfect opportunity to explore. Get up close and personal with the sights, from the bustling Piazza Maggiore to the Basilica of San Domenico and the modern Manifattura delle Arti district. As you go, hear about the city’s long history from your guide.

A great tour for first-time visitors, you’ll see the city with a local guide who has a passion for Bologna. The tour is completely customizable—visit a cafe for a snack based on your dietary preferences (or maybe some grappa), indulge in a bit of shopping, or check out a few art galleries. Learn about the city’s Medieval and Renaissance history and explore the plazas and old buildings downtown.

With a large historic center that was built over millennia, Bologna is rich in important architectural and cultural monuments. Be sure to see all the highlights with this guided walking tour that touches on the Cathedral and Fountain of Neptune in Piazza Maggiore, the city’s two most famous medieval towers, and the university—the oldest in Europe—along with other important attractions.

A classic walking tour together with a private guide through the streets of the center of Bologna visiting the major cultural attractions of the city and the history of local gastronomy to discover all the secrets of the city that our guide will tell you. At the end a small tasting of local products in a historical shop.

Follow a local to their favorite places in Bologna with this best kept secrets walking tour. See contemporary street art, trendy bars, quirky boutiques, and innovative restaurants during your stroll. Explore neighborhoods that are loved by locals for their vintage markets and contemporary art galleries. Discover a side of Bologna that's not in guidebooks.

Follow your senses on a full-day culinary tour of Bologna’s famous food region. Visit local factories and family-run producers for a behind-the-scenes look at the creation of products enjoyed around the world, including Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, Modena balsamic vinegar, prosciutto, and wine. Enjoy samples of fresh, hand-crafted products along the way and indulge in breakfast and multi-course Italian lunch with wine pairings. It’s a fantastic way to immerse yourself in the sights, smells, and tastes of Emilia-Romagna!

Italians have been producing wine for thousands of years. Get a unique insight into the wine-making experience on a visit to a family-owned winery. Explore the vineyards and cellars, then sample three of their finest wines paired with food on a terrace with views of wine country. Choose between morning and afternoon tours.

Bologna is home to one of the best cuisines in Italy—where favorites like tortellini and were created—but it can be a challenge for travelers to find down-to-earth meals in the restaurant circuit.  With this tour, a guide takes you to at least half a dozen restaurants and cafes serving dishes away from the tourists. It’s an immersion in local gastronomy with pasta, salumi, pizza, wine, and gelato.

Motor Valley is home to some of Italy’s most iconic car manufacturers, but the factories and museums are hard to get between. Save hours with this tour that takes you to three of the top destinations for sports car enthusiasts in Emilia Romagna: the Ferrari Museum; Lamborghini Museum and Factory; and Pagani Museum and Factory. Stop to taste the area’s famed traditional balsamic vinegar and relax over lunch.

Learn to cook with an experienced chef in Bologna — Italy’s famous food capital. Roll up your sleeves and learn authentic recipes from the Emilia-Romagna region, including an appetizer, homemade pasta dough and fillings, a savory second course, and a delicious dessert. When the cooking’s done, sit down to enjoy your well-earned feast with new friends and a glass of wine.

A mix of art masterpieces, history, food stories, legends and secrets described by a local art lover with a great experience and knowledge of the city. The tour itself will be like a dive into history and time. All information about art will be experienced by the visitors as a trip enriched with details about life, food, culture, music and traditions of those ages.

See Bologna, with its narrow streets, crooked medieval towers and miles and miles of arcaded walkways, from a different perspective: from a Segway. Cruise around this handsome Italian city on a Segway, learning about the history of each place, and seeing major landmarks, such as the five-hundred-year-old Fountain of Neptune, the Basilica di Santo Stefano, and much more. This small-tour is limited to just eight participants, which means you’ll get plenty of attention from the local guide.

Enjoy a classic walking tour through the streets of central Bologna visiting its main cultural attractions. Explore some of the picturesque squares, archiginnasio and beautiful city buildings on this 2-hour group tour

Bologna is a lively university town, known for its vibrant nightlife. Experience the city’s festive atmosphere for yourself with this local-led tour that stops at some of the trendiest spots downtown for drinks and nibbles. Learn about life in the city from your guide while you sip Lambrusco wine and sample cheeses, cold cuts, and other specialties. Admire some of the city’s sights during your stroll from bar to bar.

Make the most of your day in Bologna with this guided walking tour that touches on the city’s A-list sights in just hours. Stroll beneath the UNESCO-listed porticoes to the main Piazza Maggiore to visit Basilica of San Petronio and Fountain of Neptune, gaze up at the twin medieval towers - a symbol of the city - and admire other significant city landmarks while you learn about Bologna's long history and famed cuisine.

Follow one of our friendly hosts around the walled medieval city as they show you the best of what their home has to offer. You’ll feel as if you’re exploring the vibrant piazzas and cobbled stone streets with a friend as you pop into stores, marvel at the towering turrets of the Due Torri and enjoy a creamy gelato. Whether you want to tick off the most famous attractions like Piazza Maggiore, San Petronio Church, Mercato di Mezzo and the Fontana di Nettuno or simply amble down the sidewalks and follow your feet, the day is yours! Within 24 hours after booking you'll receive a short questionnaire about your personality and interests. Based on your responses, you'll be assigned a like-minded host. Your host will communicate with you directly to suggest an itinerary to help you discover what makes the city unique. You will also agree on a meeting time and place. Your itinerary is flexible, so during the experience, you can always change your mind about what you want to do.

Receive a warm welcome to Bologna on a private tour that will kick off your time in the city in the best way possible! In only 90 minutes, a local guide will get you acquainted with Bologna to help you enjoy the rest of your stay to the fullest. Discover where to find Piazza Santo Stefano and Ghetto Ebraico, and how to explore them away from the crowds. And what about that unique family owned restaurant or that amazing local hotspot? We got you covered; the local guides are experts in the subject! Forget about touristy traps; on this city kickstart tour, your guide will point you in the right direction. Private City Kickstart Tour: Bologna is one of Withlocals' signature tours available in major cities worldwide. We work with passionate local guides who earn a fair fee. We support local economies by only offering local produce and prevent over-tourism with only small non-intrusive groups. Our tours are carbon-neutral and away from the standard tourist routes.

Get a feel for Bologna on an intimate private walking tour. In addition to navigating and translating, your guide customizes the day’s itinerary according to your interests, planning stops at top landmarks and hidden gems loved by locals. Leave with an inside perspective on the city and a handle on its layout and transit system.

Explore the historic streets of Bologna with a private guide leading the way during this walking tour. See top landmarks including Piazza Maggiore, taste espresso under the famous portici (arched colonnades), and wander through the Montagnola Market. The itinerary can be customized according to your interests.

Take home little pieces of heaven one bite at a time. Stroll with our guide through the center of Bologna, tasting the culture and tradition of the culinary art of Bologna Between stories of history and tastings of Bolognese specialties you can taste every specialty of the region. Explore the historic markets of the city and discover the aromas and flavors typical of the Bolognese culinary tradition

The city of Bologna is a rich tapestry of art, culture, cuisine, and music—a UNESCO–listed gem in the heart of Italy. On this morning or afternoon walking tour, follow your guide through Bologna’s medieval streets and find out what makes the city special. Hear the stories behind top attractions including Piazza Maggiore, the Quadrilatero, and the 14th-century San Petronio Basilica, and gain insight into Bologna’s colorful past.

Experience Bologna your way on a custom private 8-hour tour. A bespoke itinerary is created just for you, based on your unique interests. Visit iconic attractions, like Piazza Maggiore and the Fountain of Neptune, or discover the hidden corners of a particular neighborhood. Whatever you decide, your Bolognese guide is with you every step of the way. Leave with exclusive recommendations on things to see, do, and eat with the rest of your trip.

Ravenna: a treasure of the Mediterranean: A hidden world of mosaics and underground crypts, the absolute pearl of art of Emilia Romagna region. Several populations estabilished on the sandy Adriatic coast. This endless territory of marsh, wetlands, lagoons, swamps, despite being partially unhealthy, turned out to be the perfect shelter for a craddle of civilization. The pines of the coast started to be exploited by romans to build their undefeatable fleet. Our tour will be as rich in detail and complete as possible, in order to let you dive into this golden age, and let you travel back in time with your mind and your senses.

One of the jewels of the Emilia-Romagna region, the UNESCO-listed city of Ferrara is famous for its lavish architecture. Get up close and personal with the city and its sights on an immersive bike tour. Explore the banks of the River Po, see the moated Castello Estense, discover the Ferrara Cathedral, and learn about the ruling Este dynasty, who made Ferrara a major capital of Renaissance Europe.