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Best of Bologna in one day : Food, architecture, art and history

5.0 Excellent 41 reviews
|
7h
|
English, Italian
Free cancellation · up to 24 hours before Private tour Instant confirmation Live guide

Ratings & Reviews

5.0
41 reviews
5
40
4
0
3
1
2
0
1
0
Ratings collected from Guidekin & Viator & Tripadvisor
Recommended by 98% of travellers: 40 four- and five-star reviews

Guidekin's take

Art entries and market tasting in our Walking & Bike Tours comparison.

Trade-off: Long day on foot; minimum two, priced per person.

Last checked: September 15, 2026. Commissions never affect our verdicts.

Overview

Guidekin summary

A private day that pays the entries as well as the guiding: the Archiginnasio and its anatomical theatre, the National Art Gallery, the Bolognini Chapel in San Petronio, plus a tasting of cured meats, Parmigiano Reggiano and balsamic of Modena in the market. A long day on foot, priced per person. 4.95 from 41 reviews at €145 per person for 7h.

From the guide

This is an extremely comprehensive tour to discover the marvelous city of Bologna. A day of culture, art, and gastronomy among the city's main attractions. The program has been carefully designed to combine the great potential of Bologna's gastronomy (tortellini, mortadella, delicious cured hams, rice cake, tagliatelle, tortelloni, PARMIGIANO REGGIANO, MOodena Dop TRADITIONAL BALSAMIC VINEGAR)...
with that of its rich architectural and artistic heritage, including its splendid churches, palaces, ancient university, canals, and towers, and finally, a tunning museum rich in ancient art, the Pinacoteca Nazionale. Regarding its great famous gastronomy : most of its preparations do not need any poresentation (balsamic, parmesan cheese, pasta bolognese, lasagna, tortellini, parma ham, mortadella), but some of these delicacies are actual hidden gems for most of Italian travellers too! We ll visit also a TRADITIONAL PASTA LABORATORY for a qiuick and efficient LITTLE COOKING CLASS!

Schedule & Availability

Runs daily
Departures: 09:00, 09:30, 10:00, 10:30
Available year-round

This tour runs daily, departing at 09:00, 09:30, 10:00, 10:30. It runs year-round. These are the operator’s scheduled departures, not a live seat count: availability is confirmed at checkout. Schedule last checked September 29, 2026.

What's Included

Entrance to the Bolognini Chapel, San Petronio
Entrance to the National Art Gallery
Entrance ticket to the Lamentation of Santa Maria della Vita
Tasting of cured meats, Parmesan cheese, balsamic vinegar of Modena in the historic market
Entrance to the Archiginnasio and Anatomical Theater

Itinerary

Piazza Maggiore Stop 1
We will discover the secrets and the great masterpieces of the square, such as the terracotta works of Nicolo' dell'Arca, the Fountain of Neptune, Palazzo Comunale and San Petronio. We will visit some splendid frescoed rooms of the Palazzo Comunale, the grand staircase of Bramane's horses and other small jewels of the sumptuous building.
40 min
Admission included
Piazza Santo Stefano Stop 2
Large and unique complex of early medieval buildings, medieval and Romanesque interiors, Gothic palaces, specialized art museum, frescoes, medieval porticoes and spiral staircases, terrace with a view of the towers and Bologna from "high".
20 min
Admission included
Chiesa di Santa Maria della Vita Stop 3
Baroque church with the splendid Lamentation of Nicolò dell'Arca, a Renaissance terracotta masterpiece.
20 min
Admission included
Archiginnasio Di Bologna Stop 4
Ancient Renaissance and Baroque palace of the University of Bologna, with splendid frescoes, books, historical library and wooden anatomical theatre.
20 min
Admission included
Pinacoteca Nazionale di Bologna Stop 5
Visit one of the most important museums of painting and ancient art in Italy, from Giotto to Raphael, from Titian to Guido Reni, from Ercole de Roberti to Carracci and Guercino, from Vitasle da Bologna to Parmigianino.
40 min
Admission included
Quadrilatero Stop 6
A place of history, art, and gastronomy : the ancient market of Mezzo di Bologna, among historic stalls, taverns, and traditional shops, a true medieval Temple of Emilia Romagna RICH GASTRONOMY
40 min
Chiesa di San Giacomo Maggiore Stop 7
Great art gallery church, with the famous Bentivoglio Chapel, a masterpiece of the Emilian Renaissance, Oratory of Santa Cecilia with frescoes and musical venues.
40 min
Canale delle Moline Stop 8
Towers, arcades, medieval houses, palaces, extravagant architecture, hidden canals, noble staircases, frescoed halls, oratories, places of the oldest university in Europe
5 min
Basilica di San Domenico Stop 9
Basilica treasure trove of art and architecture, from the Ark of Nicola Pisano, Nicolò and Michelangelo, to the alchemical wooden choir, from Mozart's favorite organ to the Renaissance cloister.
40 min
Basilica - Santuario di Santo Stefano Stop 10
Visit to a medieval and early medieval complex of inestimable value, built in the image and likeness of the Holy Sepulcher of Jerusalem.
40 min
Bruno e Franco - La Salumeria Stop 11
Tastings of : Figs and PArma ham, CULATELLO, salami, Mortadella, Pasta, Meatballs and peas (Bologna style), Tagliatelle with ragout, PARMIGIANO REGGIANO (3/4 YEARS aged ), TRADITIONAL GREEN LASAGNE BOLOGNESI, Traditionalò MODENA BALSAMIC VINEGAR (up to 24 years of aging)...much else!
1h
Bruno e Franco - La Salumeria Stop 12
A little COOKING CLASS for PASTA alla BOLOGNESE (pasta with egg, for tagliatelle, tortellini, lasagna, balanzoni, tortelloni, passatelli...)
30 min
Admission included

Departure & Return

Start point

Reach Piazza Maggiore, the central square of Bologna, The meeting point is right next to the Neptune fountain.

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End point

Reach Piazza Maggiore, the central square of Bologna, The meeting point is right next to the Neptune fountain.

Additional Information

  • Wheelchair accessible
  • Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
  • Service animals allowed
  • Public transportation options are available nearby
  • Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
  • All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
  • Suitable for all physical fitness levels
  • reccommandable to all categories of travellers

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

1+ daysFull refund
0-1 daysNo refund

Compared with other Food Tours

TourPriceDurationRatingGroup
This tour · #10 of 21€1457h4.95 (41)private
Small Group Bologna Food Tour – Local Food & Market Experience€1104h 30m4.97 (922)shared
Bologna Food & Market Tour with Local Dishes, Pasta, Wines & More€602h4.95 (1734)shared
Private Bologna Food & Market Tour with 6 Tastings & Wine€1883h 30m4.97 (115)private

Ranked #10 of 21 in Food Tours by Guidekin score (rating weighted by review volume). Prices here run from €29 to €275, median €84; typical length 3h. 7 of 21 are private. Figures are live from the tour cards; the rubric is our handpicked set, not the whole market. Compare all 21 Food Tours

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