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Piazza Maggiore Culture & history

Our most recommended Piazza Maggiore Culture & history

From Bologna: Roundtrip San Luca Train Ticket & Food Tasting

1. From Bologna: Roundtrip San Luca Train Ticket & Food Tasting

The Basilica of San Luca is one of the symbols of the city of Bologna. Situated on the Monte Guardia, the Sanctuary connects to the city center through the longest continuous portico in the world, made up of 666 arcades. At the meeting point, you'll receive a map and a timetable of the return train, which is available every 45 minutes. You’ll also receive a voucher for the food tasting.  This tour departs every day and will help you discover the city from aboard the San Luca Express train, where the audio guides, available in 8 languages, will tell you about the city until your arrival at the Basilica of San Luca. Here, you can visit the Basilica at your own pace and decide what time to return by consulting the schedules on the map. On board, you will find a member of staff who'll welcome you and provide any information you may require. When you return, you will get to taste typical products in one of the historical markets.

Best of Italy: 5-Day Escorted Tour from Rome

2. Best of Italy: 5-Day Escorted Tour from Rome

Over the course of five days, visit the most enchanting locations of Italy, soaking up art, culture, cuisine and the famous Italian romance. Led by a friendly guide, depart from Rome and visit Assisi, Siena, Florence, Pisa, Bologna, Padova, Venice and Montepulciano. See masterpieces from the likes of Michelangelo, Giotto, and Cimabue. Roam ancient cobbled streets, marvel at magnificent cathedrals, and taste delightful wines. This tour aims to inform and entertain you at the same time. Staying in comfy accommodation and traveling by deluxe bus, touring Italy couldn’t be easier. With 4 meals provided for you, plus an excellent itinerary and knowledgeable guides, sit back, relax and "get Italian". Day 1 Depart from Rome at 7:15 AM heading towards Assisi. Explore this tiny town dating back to the Middle Ages. Visit the Basilica of St. Francis and see works by Giotto and Cimabue. Afterwards drive towards Siena, whose highlight is Piazza del Campo. Continue to Florence where you will check in at your hotel before enjoying dinner (included) and a well-deserved night of rest. Day 2: Florence After breakfast, spend the day exploring Florence, the cradle of the Renaissance. Visit the Duomo, the Campanile Tower, Palazzo Vecchio and the Basilica of Santa Croce. Lunch (for free) in a typical Tuscan restaurant in Piazza Santa Croce. In the afternoon, wander the cobbled streets or take a short, optional trip to Pisa where you could enjoy a tour of the Square of Miracles, the Leaning Tower and the Duomo. Dinner is at your leisure. Back in Florence rest in your hotel and recharge your batteries for the next day. Day 3 Depart for Bologna after breakfast in Florence. Wander through the city’s 38 kilometers' worth of elegant arcades, for which it is famous. From Piazza Malpighi, walk to Piazza del Nettuno and Piazza Maggiore in the heart of the city. In the afternoon, continue towards Padova, with its original Sant’Antonio Basilica. Later, you will arrive in Venice, famous for its quaint gondola boats and intricate architecture. Check in at your hotel and enjoy your first Venetian dinner (included) and overnight stay. Day 4: Venice Hit the water and board a private waterbus to enjoy a cruise through the canals of Venice. Stop off at Murano to learn about the ancient art of glass blowing. Continue on to St. Mark’s Square for an exterior visit of the splendid cathedral. See the Doge Palace and the Bridge of Sighs. Enjoy a spritz or Prosecco with your guide to cap off a day of discovery. Spend the afternoon roaming along Venice’s canals at your leisure and then return to the hotel and overnight. Day 5 After breakfast, departure from Piazzale Roma heading to Tuscany, world-known for its landscapes, its churches, castles and its delicious wines. Proceed to Val di Chiana with a stop in Montepulciano, a medieval town rich in history and art. Known for its “Noble” wine, on purchase in local wine houses, Montepulciano also hosts an annual jazz and wine festival every July. Lunch in a typical restaurant included! Spend the afternoon discovering Montepulciano at your own pace, enjoying free wine tastings in many wine shops and free time for shopping. In the evening, you will arrive in Rome, where the tour ends.

Bologna: Old Town Hidden Gems Exploration Game

3. Bologna: Old Town Hidden Gems Exploration Game

Be led on an exciting self-guided tour around Bologna's Old Town while playing a mobile-based quest with your friends and family. Solve clues and discover the fascinating history behind the monuments and attractions. Download the app, go to the starting point, and begin the adventure. Follow clues that will take you back in time to learn about the origins of some of the city's most iconic buildings and tourist sites. Here's a sneak peek at the storyline: “You’re an emerging writer from London, whose debut novel was a success. But now writers’ block has struck. The year is 1815. [...] In your despair, you’ve come to Bologna. You heard the city’s many secrets and artistic flair inspire many artists. You hope to be next...." Unlock the secret stories of the places you visit as you solve the problem and guess the answers. Learn about the seven secrets that cloak Bologna in mystery, the streets of the Quadrilatero, and more. Use the clues to lead you from one site to another. Each clue provides you with exact directions so you won't need a map, GPS, or guide. Complete the tour in about 1.5 hours, however, there’s no time limit, allowing you to go at your own pace. Play as a group or split into smaller groups/teams and compete against the others. Each person can also play on their own, separate from the group, and meet the group at the end of the tour.

Bologna: Inside city tour, San Luca Express, & Tastings

4. Bologna: Inside city tour, San Luca Express, & Tastings

Visit the city of Bologna and San Luca with this tour that in one day will let you discover the city comfortably without walking too much. You will meet in Piazza del Nettuno with our welcome staff who will explain all the details and will accompany you to the start of the new Inside city tour aboard the electric minibus where you will be able to see the most hidden sides of the center by listening to the audio guides. Afterwards you will be able to enjoy tastings of typical local products and then board the San Luca express train which will let you discover the famous arcades of San Luca on the way that takes you to visit the famous basilica while listening to the audio guides.

Cathedral of San Petronio and Archiginnasio Private Tour

5. Cathedral of San Petronio and Archiginnasio Private Tour

The Basilica of San Petronio, dedicated to the patron saint of the city, is the largest church in Bologna. It dominates Piazza Maggiore and, despite being largely unfinished, its imposing dimensions make it the 4th largest church in Italy and the largest Gothic brick church in the world. In the Basilica of San Petronio it is impossible not to know what time it is. Instead of a clock, the structure houses the longest sundial in the world. It measures 67 meters and crosses the floor of the church since 1657. It was Domenico Cassini who built it; an astronomy professor, who believed that the motion of the planets depended on the sun. With this guided tour, you will learn about the art and history of this church. Afterwards, together with your expert guide, you will visit the famous Archiginnasio Library located next to San Petronio. Here you can admire the history of the oldest university and visit the famous Anatomical Hall

From Milan: Parma and Bologna Private Day Trip

6. From Milan: Parma and Bologna Private Day Trip

Enjoy a Private Tour of Parma and Bologna from Milan for twelve hours with a private tour guide for two hours in each city and a private luxury vehicle with a chauffeur that will pick you up and drop you off from your hotel in Milan. Once your private chauffeur has picked you up, besides your private tour guide you will go ahead to your first destination. You will discover Parma, a city in the north of Italy that has remarkable medieval architecture and beautiful forests surrounding it. Your private tour guide will show you the tourist attractions of the city such as the cathedral with Romanesque style, the opera house Teatro, the Baptistery with Romanesque and Gothic styles and much more. When you finish visiting Parma you will go ahead to your destination, Bologna which is one of the best-preserved historic cities and has one of the largest medieval old towns in Europe. You will visit as well the tourist attractions of Bologna such as the two medieval famous towers, the Piazza Maggiore, the Basilica of San Petronio known for being one of the largest churches in existence, the basilica of San Francisco known for being a Gothic church and much more. After visiting the two cities, your private chauffeur will drop you off at your hotel in Milan or your place of preference inside the city.

Frequently asked questions about Piazza Maggiore Culture & history

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What people are saying about Piazza Maggiore

Overall rating

4.8 / 5

based on 30 reviews

In general many friends are asking us for everything company name tour activity ect. We fell like family in the activity. We laugh a lot. Every one shares memories and situations that’s each country have. Ours tour director Antonio & Bus driver Franco was the best the best of the best. GRAZIE MILE! ARRIVEDERCI En general muchos amigos nos están preguntando por todo, nombre de la empresa, actividad turística, etc. Nos sentimos como en familia en la actividad. Nos reimos mucho. Todos comparten recuerdos y situaciones que tiene cada país. Nuestro director de gira, Antonio y el conductor del autobús, Franco, fueron los mejores, lo mejor de lo mejor. GRAZIE MILE! ARRIVEDERCI

I boarded the San Luca express at 4.10pm and we were provided with headphones so to listen to the tour on the way. We arrived at the Basilica of St Luca about 30 mins later - it took us along the road adjacent to the Portici where people can walk all the way to the Basilica - it is used as a place to exercise also for sportspeople. When we arrived, we had about 50 mins till the next San Luca Express. We could take photos from the outside visit the Basilica inside and pay our respects (it was a pilgrimage place that many believers would visit). It was a most glorious evening and a view of the mountains on the outskirts of Bologna was visible.

A little chaotic getting on the train on a busy day but once you’re off it’s magical and fun. The basilica is really beautiful and the views are astounding on a good day. If it’s clear it’s 100% worth it to pay extra at the top to climb to the dome viewing deck. The free lunch tickets are great but they may not fill you up too much! Relax, enjoy and have a laugh at the buffoons who ran all the way up the portico.

Super nice and uncomplicated pickup. Passing the line, I got my ticket and vouchers straight away. The journey was very relaxed and the Basilica of San Luca is definitely worth a visit. It was easy to get back from the same exit point to my entry point on Piazza Maggiore, from where I could easily walk to the pizzeria and ice cream parlor to redeem the vouchers. All-round successful action :)

This was a non-stop Italian extravaganza. All stops were architectural gems. Highly recommend this five day tour. Splurge on the optional tours, well worth the cost. Particularly enjoyed the Venice at night. Make sure to bring your walking shoes, this tour requires walking uphill and heavy walking endurance. Not for the faint of heart. Enjoy!