Province of Bologna, Italy: Towns & Things to Do

Bologna is the only metropolitan city in Italy whose statute never actually names its capital: the authority sits in Palazzo Malvezzi De' Medici in the middle of Bologna, but the paperwork leaves the point unsaid. It took over from the old province on 1 January 2015 and covers 55 municipalities in Emilia-Romagna, from the flat farmland bordering Ferrara and Ravenna to the southern boundary with Tuscany.

Nearly everything a visitor comes for is in the city itself, which with 371,000 residents dwarfs the rest: Piazza Maggiore, with the basilica of San Petronio filling one whole side, and the Two Towers a short walk of arcaded streets away. Beyond it, Imola is the second-largest town and Castel San Pietro Terme a spa town on the road towards Romagna, while Valsamoggia in the hills and San Giovanni in Persiceto out on the plain show what the rest of the territory is like.

Bologna

Towns in the province of Bologna

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1 / 55 Alto Reno Terme Population: 6,967 Open the guide →

55 towns

Alto Reno Terme 6,967 Anzola dell'Emilia 11,851 Argelato 9,656 Baricella 6,763 Bentivoglio 5,358 Bologna Capital 371,337 Borgo Tossignano 3,302 Budrio 18,008 Calderara di Reno 13,148 Camugnano 2,000 Casalecchio di Reno 35,173 Casalfiumanese 3,461 Castel d'Aiano 1,951 Castel del Rio 1,230 Castel di Casio 3,479 Castel Guelfo di Bologna 4,277 Castel Maggiore 17,507 Castel San Pietro Terme 20,468 Castello d'Argile 6,458 Castenaso 14,352 Castiglione dei Pepoli 5,870 Crevalcore 13,527 Dozza 6,440 Fontanelice 1,927 Gaggio Montano 5,066 Galliera 5,462 Granarolo dell'Emilia 10,766 Grizzana Morandi 3,982 Imola 67,892 Lizzano in Belvedere 2,309 Loiano 4,434 Malalbergo 8,771 Marzabotto 6,684 Medicina 16,526 Minerbio 8,674 Molinella 15,651 Monghidoro 3,806 Monte San Pietro 10,820 Monterenzio 5,853 Monzuno 6,133 Mordano 4,644 Ozzano dell'Emilia 12,870 Pianoro 16,890 Pieve di Cento 6,895 Sala Bolognese 8,245 San Benedetto Val di Sambro 4,393 San Giorgio di Piano 8,201 San Giovanni in Persiceto 26,992 San Lazzaro di Savena 31,091 San Pietro in Casale 11,736 Sant'Agata Bolognese 7,140 Sasso Marconi 14,545 Valsamoggia 29,427 Vergato 7,642 Zola Predosa 18,193

The top 20 places in Bologna

Our editors' ranking: the area's most important places, drawn from the individual town guides. See the national rankings →

Elevated view of Piazza Maggiore in Bologna with the Basilica of San Petronio

1 🏛️ Squares & old towns Piazza Maggiore e San Petronio 📍 Bologna The marble facade stops halfway, and Cassini's 66.8-metre meridian runs across the floor.

Low-angle night view looking up at the Two Towers of Bologna, Asinelli and Garisenda.

2 🏛️ Squares & old towns Le Due Torri 📍 Bologna Erected from 1109, this definitive symbol of Bologna includes the Asinelli, Italy's tallest leaning tower at 97.2m.

3 ⛪ Churches & sanctuaries basilica di San Petronio 📍 Bologna Bologna's civic temple, Gothic and never finished: Jacopo della Quercia's portal and Cassini's meridian line.

Bologna and around, on the map

What's around

Straight-line distances from the town centre. Tap a point to open its page.

🍝 At the table: Emilia-Romagna

All typical dishes →

First course

Tagliatelle al Ragù egg tagliatelle with meat ragù, soffritto and tomato

Ribbons of egg pasta, meat ragù and soffritto: the real bolognese has had a recipe deposited at the Chamber of Commerce since 1982.

🌿 Cured meat DOP

Prosciutto di Parma pork leg and sea salt, aged at least twelve months

Only Italian pork and sea salt, aged for at least twelve months: Prosciutto di Parma has held Protected Designation of Origin status since 1996.

Bread and focaccia IGP

Coppia Ferrarese bread with a central knot and four horns, lard and sourdough

Flour, lard, oil and sourdough starter, a soft knot at the centre and four thin horns: coppia ferrarese has held Protected Geographical Indication status since 2001.

✨ Emilia-Romagna by theme

🏛️ UNESCO heritage 5 🍷 Food & wine 4 🏖️ Seaside 2

Tours, tickets and experiences

Province of Bologna

Bookable on GetYourGuide

Upcoming events in Bologna

Patron saint festival In 21 days 📍 Calderara di Reno

Saint Vitalis, patron of the land of the Settimana Calderarese

📅 Every year, on 4 November; the second weekend of September the Parish of Santa Maria anniversary is held

Calderara di Reno celebrates Saint Vitalis on 4 November. The second weekend of September marks the anniversary of the Parish of Santa Maria di Calderara di Reno, during which the entire town takes part in a procession following the image of Santa Maria. The Settimana Calderarese offers, for a full week, film screenings on a giant screen and exhibitions.

Patron saint festival In 28 days 📍 Casalecchio di Reno

Saint Martin of Tours, patron of Casalecchio di Reno

📅 Every year, on 11 November

Casalecchio di Reno celebrates Saint Martin of Tours on 11 November, in the church dedicated to him; the municipal territory also holds the Eremo di Tizzano, the 18th-century Villa Marescalchi and several other historic places of worship.

Patron saint festival In 32 days 📍 Monterenzio

Christ the King, patron of Monterenzio

📅 Every year, on the third Sunday of November

Monterenzio celebrates Christ the King on the third Sunday of November, in the church dedicated to him; on the last Sunday of August, Our Lady of the Girdle is also celebrated, with the traditional Festa Grossa.