The romantic side of Bologna

From long walks hand in hand to fairytale castles, to filling your eyes with unmissable views and splendid panoramas to share with those you love, perhaps at sunset.

Discover what to do to surprise your special someone by visiting Romantic Bologna

Start this romantic getaway from the Sanctuary of San Luca, which, located on the Colle della Guardia, will leave you breathless with its spectacular view of the city. From here you can reach the centre with a walk under the longest portico in the world: one of the most romantic walks, a UNESCO heritage site, that the city has in store for you. Following the arcades, you can reach Piazza Maggiore, the heart of the entire city.

If in love the one who runs away wins, you absolutely must lose yourself in the narrow streets of the Jewish Ghetto, a jewel of alleys and alleyways, where time seems to stand still and the hustle and bustle of the city, despite being adjacent to the central street of Via Rizzoli, stops at its gates.

Tired of the walking tour, enjoy a break on the steps or benches of Bologna's splendid squares: Piazza Santo Stefano, one of the most beautiful in Italy, Piazza San Domenico and Piazza San Francesco, also recommended in the evening.

Should you be looking for romantic glimpses, don't miss the little window in Via Piella, Bologna's Little Venice, to experience a view over one of the few surviving stretches of the ancient waterways that were covered with asphalt between the early 20th century and the post-war period.  

Now climb up to the Clock Tower and enjoy an incomparable 360° view over Piazza Maggiore, the very heart of the city, and medieval towers, included Asinelli Tower (currently closed). Continue sweeping up to the first hills and the church of San Michele in Bosco, one of city's most striking lookout points. 

If you prefer green areas, don't miss a stop at Giardini Margherita, a peaceful English-inspired park where you can spend special moments amidst its avenues, lawns and waterways.

Another luxuriant attraction is the Parco della Chiusa in Casalecchio di Reno, featuring a wide variety of landscapes and paths that wind along the hillsides and through the woods next to the Reno River. From the park you can also admire a suggestive sunset over the ancient Sluice of Casalecchio.

Finally, a few kilometres from the city, you can delight your partner with a romantic visit to a fairytale castle: the Rocchetta Mattei. The merging of different architectural styles such as Gothic-Medieval and Moorish make it a truly hypnotic and fantastic sight, with a labyrinthine tangle of skilfully decorated rooms, loggias, spiral staircases and towers.