People call it “the fat”, “the red”, “the wise” and more recently “the city of food”. Bologna is for sure a city to visit if you travel to Italy. Find out why and start to plan your trip.

1. Walk under the portici

The first suggestion I'd give you if you ask me what to visit in Bologna is to walk. Bologna is small enough to be covered in a few hours and walking around is the best way to discover its hidden secrets. Gardens, painted porticoes, canals and, most importantly, people are easier to meet if you walk. Here are 3 of my favorite walks, plus one very special trekking.

1. San Luca

Set in a Piazza that is not a Piazza, Santo Stefano Basilica is a century-old jigsaw full of symbols and myths. The so-called 7 churches Basilica (but where are the 7?) is the most enigmatic church in Bologna. No doubts.To tell its story we need to travel from the Holy Land to Dante's hell, meeting relics, roosters and Magi.So sit down and relax: the gate is opening.

1. From Jerusalem to Bologna: La Chiesa del Santo Sepolcro

Let's say it loud and clear. Bologna is not Berlin, Amsterdam or Copenhagen.The cycling routes are a few, mostly tight, on uneven cobblestones and sometimes they suddenly disappear. But Bologna by bike is amazing. You can find hidden towers, look at the shadows of the porticoes, follow old canals. Follow my tips for not professional cyclists to slowly enjoy Bologna on a bike.Filled up your tires?

Tip 1: Bicycle ride From Certosa to Talon park

You can call it Modena's Sagrada Familia. It's San Cataldo Cemetery, designed by architects Aldo Rossi and Gianni Braghieri in the 1970s, that after decades from its birth, is still incomplete. But despite that, this abandoned city is still a masterpiece you need to visit.

The blue of the sky: a new cemetery for Modena