• Private Tour
• Family Friendly
• Instantly Confirmed
• Carbon Neutral

Want to see the best of Bologna? We got you covered. But as you can expect from a Withlocals experience, the real excitement is its hidden gems. Join your favorite local and get a feeling of the city's real vibe on a tour that has it all, so you can say: I experienced the real Bologna!

Destination

Bologna, Italy

Category

City Highlight Tours

Duration

3 hours

Transport mode

Walking tour

Available languages

English, Español, Français, Italiano, Dansk, Română

Included

• Private Guide
• Entrance tickets for Archiginnasio Palace or viewpoint
• All Withlocals Tours are Carbon Neutral

Excluded

• Entrance for other attractions than mentioned

What you can expect

Choose your local

Get to know these 8 passionate locals, each bringing unique perspectives and talents. Choose your favorite, check their availability, and book to create an unforgettable adventure tailored to you.

This is the plan

Check out the plan below to see what you'll get up to with your local host. Feel free to personalize this offer with the host of your choice.

1. Meeting point

   Meet at In front of Giannino Stoppani Bookshop - Bologna to start your journey

   View on Maps

2. Itinerary

   This is what our experience could look like, but it’s not set in stone! Once you book, you can chat directly with your host to make small tweaks to suit your preferences.

3. City Highlights

   See from Piazza Maggiore, Quadrilatero, Due Torri, and other landmarks and must-sees of the city. Your local host will take you to the main spots in town so you can get the perfect overview of what makes Bologna so unique

4. Hidden Gems

   Along the way, your local host will show you treasures hidden in plain sight that only the locals know about. Get to know the city through a different perspective, the local way, and discover places and stories that not many tourists experience

5. Magical Storytelling

   Behind every landmark and every stop, there’s a story, and your local host is ready to tell it all. Get ready to listen to incredible stories, one-of-a-kind insights, and fun facts only a knowledgeable local would know!

6. Special Treat

   Follow your host to one of their favorite eateries for a snack or a drink beloved by the locals. Take a break and catch up with your new local friend and get the answers to all your travel questions

7. Make it yours

   Want to tweak the itinerary? Book directly & chat afterwards with your host to adjust highlights, skip stops, or make small changes to fit your preferences.

   Book risk-free: Cancel within 24 hours for a full refund.

   Need something special? Personalize your experience for more time, alternative locations or a completely tailored plan.

Flexible cancellation policy

• Feel confident booking

  Cancel within 24 hours for a full refund. Even up to 7 days before your experience, you’ll receive a refund, minus the service fee.

• Change of plans?

  Reschedule your experience to a date and time that works best for you.

• Loved by travelers worldwide

  Simple and flexible – your plans, your way.

Reviews from guests

Greg🇺🇸 United States

(About local Riccardo)

4 June 2025

My wife and I had a fantastic experience with Riccardo. He met us at the train station and for the next 3 hours we discovered the history and beauty of Bologna. It truly is a 'sleeper' city in Italy. As a former history professor at the local university, Riccardo possesses an incredible level of historical knowledge and passion for the city of Bologna. His tour is one of the best we have ever done. Bologna Day Trip

Kristopher🇺🇸 United States

(About local Stephanie)

31 May 2025

1

Stephanie provided our small group of four a wonderful, informative and lovely tour of the historic center of Bologna. She provided a wealth of information on the history of the city and gave us time to absorb the culture and beauty of the buildings and life of Bologna. We experienced the beauty of the churches , the experience of the university and history of the rooms including the classroom for the autopsies and study of the cadavers, the art and architecture. Stephanie was engaging, kind and informative. We would highly recmommend her tour. A memorable time in Bologna

Nicola🇬🇧 United Kingdom

(About local Margherita )

30 May 2025

Margherita is great! She’s very knowledgeable and was everything we could have hoped for in a guide. She tailored the morning to our interests but also took us to places we would never have thought of! It makes a big difference to be able to spend time with a local and talk about what it’s really like to live in a place. Thanks Margherita.Fantastic

Greg🇺🇸 United States

(About local Riccardo)

13 May 2025

This is my favorite Riccardo moment—entering a nondescript residential building and showing us a 16th century circular staircase designed in the mannerist style—then walking us to the top of the steps to take in a breathtaking view of the city. We were the only people there. Riccardo’s story to tell is that Bologna is one of the most well-preserved cities in Europe, and that one didn’t need to go to a museum to see these wonders—they were everywhere, on the streets, in the buildings where people live and work. Medieval houses with original wood frames? Medieval towers? Look around you. Want to see a painting by Fillipino Lippi, not on a museum wall, but hanging in the exact location where it was painted for? Here you go. He knows his history, art history, and had boundless energy. Bologna really came alive with his tour—a living city with a rich history. Highly recmmend. Bringing Bologna to Life

Alison🇺🇸 United States

(About local Riccardo)

11 May 2025

Riccardo was one of the most passionate and knowledgeable guides we've had. Having been a professor, his level of expertise was unmatched, and he was very diligent about taking good care of his customers. We had a lovely day learning about the beautiful art, architecture, and history of Bologna.Highly recommend!

Mikaela🇫🇮 Finland

(About local Riccardo)

7 May 2025

We had a fantastic 3,5 hour tour, with focus on art and history according to our wish. And saw many hidden gems/art treasures. I could not imagine a better guide. Wish the tour would have lasted 2 more hours. Bologna tour with Riccardo

Kerry🇦🇺 Australia

(About local Jason)

6 May 2025

We thoroughly enjoyed our 3 hrs with Jason. He packed a lot into the short time we had with him. Starting in the Piazza Maggiore, which is surrounded by beautiful historic buildings, he gave us a fantastic overview of the history and culture of Bologna over the following 3 hrs. We visited the Basilica of St Petronius, the “unfinished church” and the collection of historic, and ancient churches that make up St Stephen’s, which were fascinating. Additionally we walked through the market/foodie area, which had all manner of specialist providers, bars and restaurants. Jason’s tour gave us a real taste of Bologna, which we could expand upon over the remainder of our stay. He also followed up the tour with a lovely message containing additional information, including restaurant recommendations in Bologna, which was appreciated . Jason’s enthusiasm for his city, and its history and culture was palpable, and we would highly recommend doing this tour with Jason. Fabulous introduction to Bologna

JO ANN🇺🇸 United States

(About local Jason)

16 April 2025

Jason was great. very knowledgable on time kept in touch with us prior and gave a great recommendation list for after the tour Highly recommend Great experience

Shane🇺🇸 United States

(About local Riccardo)

17 March 2025

What a great tour we had with Riccardo! He is very passionate and knowledgeable about Bologna and on any historical topic we were interested in. He took us all over the city. If you are an art and history lover, Riccardo is your man! We highly recommend him! Do yourself a favor and book a tour with him. The tour was One of the highlights of our trip and a new understanding of this beautiful city of Bologna.Fantastic tour of Bologna with Riccardo!

Edward🇺🇸 United States

(About local Riccardo)

16 February 2025

Riccardo's academic knowledge of the architecture, history and art of Bologna was astounding. I hardly felt worthy being tutored by him with his profound breadth of expertise in all things cultural in magnificent Bologna. He is a professor and personally helped to identify hundreds of things that are now protected as a world heritage items. His enthusiasm and love of his city is infectious and it deepened our appreciation of it profoundly. We are so thankful to have had Riccardo make our visit so educational and unforgettable.Incredible Ambassador of Bologna

Unknown

(About local Isadora)

31 January 2025

Isadora was an excellent guide very informative. Would highly recommend! She also has great taste in restaurants!! Claudio Fasulo Amazing

Tony

(About local Isadora)

31 January 2025

What a great 3 hours spent with Isadora. A great story teller , personable and so interesting. We learned so many amazing facts about Bologna. Which we never would have without this tour. To top it off Isadora gave us 2 amazing recommendations for restaurants. We did them both and they were beyond amazing!!! Thank youAmazing must do!

John

(About local Barbara Eletta)

12 January 2025

Barbara's love for her city becomes evident very quickly and you get absorbed in her passion and respect for Bologna. The secrets and the history this city holds blew my mind and it was great to have Barbara with us to narrate and navigate the city streets and past.Knowledge and Passion

Charles🇺🇸 United States

(About local Frederik)

21 December 2024

Frederick was an enthusiastic and expert on Bologna. We thoroughly enjoyed our tour with him. Enthusiastic and expertise

Panos🇬🇷 Greece

(About local Frederik)

24 November 2024

Professional and friendly

ellen

(About local Isadora)

23 October 2024

We just loved our time with Isadora. We had already spent a few days in Bologna but wanted a better understanding of the history of the city and some of the key landmarks. Isadora was so knowledgeable and explained the history and culture in interesting way satisfying one in our group who was a history major in college as well as the other two who had less knowledge about European history. It was a perfect mix of history and food culture. We highly recommend Isadora and a visit to Bologna which we fell in love with. Isadora is a FANTASTIC tour guide!

Thomas E🇺🇸 United States

(About local Riccardo)

23 October 2024

The depth and breadth of Riccardo's knowledge is remarkable. Combine that with his passion and friendly personality and you've got an amazing introduction to Bologna. If you want to begin to understand the wonders of this city, he's your guy. Astonishingly good guide

Christine🇩🇪 Germany

(About local Barbara Eletta)

23 October 2024

Barbara war eine äußerst kompetente, kunsthistorisch gebildete, sympathische Führerin. Sie hat uns zahlreiche Schätze Bolognas gezeigt, die wir ohne sie nicht entdeckt hätten. Ich kann sie jedem, der sich für Geschichte und Kunst Bolognas interessiert, wärmstens empfehlen.Verborgene Schätze Bolognas

Norman🇺🇸 United States

(About local Riccardo)

16 October 2024

Riccardo is full of passion and knowledge about the complex history and evolution of Bologna. A fun and interesting experience!Passion for Bologna

Lina🇺🇸 United States

(About local Barbara Eletta)

16 October 2024

Very informative and well planned tour of Bologna- hitting all the top stops with many suggestions for more sights on our own. Barbara directed us to the best restaurant for lunch,, Simoni, for a platter of cold cuts that was the best ever- she also told us where not to go! Also, she suggested Santo Stefano a complex of churches that was incredible. Great tour!Chock full of Information!

George

(About local Paolo)

12 September 2024

Paolo was a wonderful guide for our private tour. He is passionate about his city of Bologna, and very knowledgeable about its history and culture. Would highly recommend.Bologna Tour with Paolo

Lisa🇺🇸 United States

(About local Margherita )

7 September 2024

This was our first time using With Locals and it was wonderful. From my initial visit to the website to the end of our tour the experience was flawless. Margherita was an amazing tour guide. She showed all the sites I had on my list to see and some things I would never have know to look for. Her knowledge of Bologna and stories of the towns history were just what we were looking for. I have already recommended her to two other travelers. My husband has some mobility issues and Margherita was very considerate of his needs. A wonderful guide and tour.

Heidi🇺🇸 United States

(About local Paolo)

27 August 2024

I am a travel agent and I sent me clients on a walking tour of Bologna with Paolo. They had a wonderful time. They loved his historical knowledge and he took them down logs of cool alleyways and showed cool architecture. Paolo is very open to doing what the client wants. My clients were unsure what they wanted to see so Paolo took them to the canals first and that was perfect. His communication with me was excellent. I would definitely recommend Paolo as a guide.My Clients Had a wonderful time with Paolo

Rhoderick🇬🇧 United Kingdom

(About local Isadora)

19 August 2024

Isadora gave us a fascinating insight into the history of Bologna including the Anatomy Theatre but also told us about some great cafes and restaurants We only had one day in Bologna but Isadora made it a FAB dayBologna

Nishit🇺🇸 United States

(About local Paolo)

2 July 2024

Paolo was a fantastic guide , providing historical context and a deep understanding of the town. He was also able to provide what turned out to be wonderful recommendations for restaurants and bars. Hire Paolo! Highly knowledgeable and friendly guide

Sean🇺🇸 United States

(About local Paolo)

24 June 2024

Paolo was wonderful and fun. He knows EVERYTHING about Bologna. He gave great restaurant recommendations too.Fantastic experience

Kathy🇺🇸 United States

(About local Riccardo)

15 June 2024

We’ve done several tours during our time here in Italy, but this ranks the highest. Ricardo has an incredible wealth of knowledge and is passionate about his city and the rich history it contains. We had been in the city a couple of days before the tour and saw Bologna with new eyes after. I feel like I could have stayed a month and done a tour each week with him and never been bored!Walking tour of Bologna

Ingrid🇺🇸 United States

(About local Paolo)

14 May 2024

I enjoyed every minute of my tour with Paolo. He is very knowledgeable and enthusiastic about Bologna!! I highly recommend this tour for a customized exploration of the city!Excellent local guide!!

Brendan🇺🇸 United States

(About local Riccardo)

8 May 2024

My wife and I have traveled the world and have had many guides help us, but Riccardo is one of the best we have ever had. His passion and love for the city is unmatched. His in-depth knowledge of the history, locations and details was phenomenal. He is open to customizing the tours to what you want to see or do. I would also add that he goes above and beyond the help and assistance I have ever experienced with any guide. You will be thrilled you had him for a guide and would enlist his services again in a heartbeat. We would give more than 10 Stars if we could!Stop!! Look no further!!

Francisco

(About local Riccardo)

29 April 2024

From the beginning of the tour, it was clear that Riccardo knew the subject matter (architecture, art history and history). What made him stand out was his enthusiasm! He has fun on his tours, and so do his clients. Unfortunatley, Withlocals management leaves a lot to be desired. Luckily, Riccardo called me, explained some administrative glitches beyond his control, including a double booking by Withlocals, and offered alternative arrangements. Although not the private tour expected, the tour was still excellent. Thank you, Riccardo! Riccardo: knowledgeable enthusiastic fun!

Raule

(About local Barbara Eletta)

11 March 2024

Barbara was incredibly knowledgeable, friendly and flexible. The day of our tour it was pouring rain and she was able to keep us mostly beneath porticos. At our request, we took a coffee break to warm up while she continued talking about Bologna’s fascinating history, all the while entertaining our questions. Highly recommended.Historical Bologna

Jodi🇺🇸 United States

(About local Frederik)

7 November 2023

We had a wonderful tour with Frederik. He was extremely knowledgeable and passionate about the city and it’s history. We were only there for the day, and he was able to cover a great deal of information about the city, and showed us many of the highlights, as well. He also gave us a recommendation for an authentic food and wine tasting which completed our visit to Bologna. I would highly recommend taking a tour with Frederik.Best of Bologna

Phyllis🇺🇸 United States

(About local Riccardo)

3 November 2023

We met Riccardo at the Bologna train station (we were day tripping from Florence) and he led us on a fast-paced, three hour walk exploring the architecture, art, and history of Bologna. Three hours was not nearly enough time, but we saw a lot and learned tons. Riccardo knows art and architecture and explained the numerous styles, periods, churches, colonnades, towers, and piazzas. He was able to answer every question we asked -- and then some . He is also flexible. When we were discussing a certain sundial and I asked very specific questions, he said, "Oh, we could have done a science tour"; he could have and would have altered his usual itinerary had we asked (actually he did; a major piazza was recently closed because one of the medieval towers is tilting). He has the knowledge, the attitude, and the flexibility one hopes to find in a private guide. I can recommend him without qualification.His knowledge is encyclopediac

Deborah🇺🇸 United States

(About local Luana)

11 October 2023

Luana was very informative about the historical buildings we visited. She was also passionate about Bologna and shared her enthusiasm with us. Her English is also excellent. In the future, we would recommend less history and more stories of the people who lived in Bologna and events that made the city great.What's behind the scenes

Cheryl🇺🇸 United States

(About local Riccardo)

29 September 2023

Riccardo was energetic, passionate , incredibly knowledgeable and just a pleasure to spend three hours with on our first morning in Bologna . He is a “gem” in the world of tour guides . If we had more time here we would have booked other trips with him - hopefully we will be back . Perfect tour of Bologna !

mallen

(About local Frederik)

27 September 2023

This was not your typical local tour… Frederic, is extremely knowledgeable with great depth of detail on local history, bring you to non touristy spots and introducing you to other locals who add great color to the overall tour. We highly recommend a day with Frederic…Fantastic Fréderic…

David🇬🇧 United Kingdom

(About local Riccardo)

22 September 2023

Riccardo gave us a fact-filled tour of Bologna’s historic centre. He was clearly passionate about the city’s Medieval and Renaissance past and we learnt a lot. It was great to get such insight into the layers of Bologna’s history, as well as to have exclusive entry to some of the buildings. He adapted to the interests and pace of our small group, and was happy to stop for coffee and questions (and rice cake!). It was a great start to our trip. Grazie mille Riccardo!Really informative guide

Penny🇺🇸 United States

(About local Margherita )

6 September 2023

We enjoyed our tour with Margarita, learned many facts about the city, found her to to be knowledgeable and able to make the tour time go by quickly due to her great stories about the area. Highly recommended!

Christine🇺🇸 United States

(About local Isadora)

1 June 2023

We picked Isadora based on other reviews and we were very happy with our 3-hour walking tour of Bologna's historic center. Isadora is very friendly, knowledgeable and her English is outstanding. It was clear she gave a lot of thought to the information she provided - it was rich with information but always highlighted with a memorable story for each stop on our tour. She seemed to enjoy all of our questions and was happy to provide additional information whatever the topic. The tour ends in the Mercata de Mezzo where Isadora gets the opportunity to talk about the food of the Emilia-Romagna region, which is a real treat!Perfect Introduction to Bologna

Kenneth🇵🇭 Philippines

(About local Riccardo)

19 May 2023

Ricardo showed us beautiful artworks (paintings & sculptures) including architecture in relation to the history of Bologna He really knows what he is talking about. A recommend!Art & culture in relation to history

Derek🇬🇧 United Kingdom

(About local Barbara Eletta)

27 April 2023

Barbara did very well; rather a lot of building detail to begin with standing out in a cold wind but afterwards a fascinating trip of inner Bologna that we would not have known to be there. Loved it.An enjoyable and informative event.

Rosa🇪🇸 Spain

(About local Mario)

11 March 2023

Un gran guía con un buenísimo español

Greg🇬🇧 United Kingdom

(About local Luana)

4 December 2022

Luana was a great guide for us on two separate days, showing us around both Bologna and Ravenna. She has a great knowledge of the art, architecture and history of these cities and she really helped us to understand and appreciate the many remarkable historical sites we visited. We really enjoyed our time with Luana.Great guide to both Bologna and Ravenna

Tamara🇺🇸 United States

(About local Margherita )

26 October 2022

Margherita is warm and knowledgeable and provided a lovely introduction to Bologna’s history, architecture and famous sites. Great intro to Bologna

Pascal🇨🇭 Switzerland

(About local Luana)

15 October 2022

Die Führung war schlicht super! Wir durften viele Interessante Geschichten rund um die Geschichte von Bologna erfahren. Vielen DankSuper Spannend

Lesley🇬🇧 United Kingdom

(About local Riccardo)

11 October 2022

We timed our ‘hidden gems’ tour to take place a few hours after we arrived in Bologna. It was a great way to immerse ourselves in the city, to get our bearings and to consider what else we might want to see during our visit to the area. Our guide, Riccardo, introduced us to the treasures of the main square and beyond, put Bologna and it’s history in perspective and showed us some of the great art and architecture in the city. We were blown away! With an easy manner and great knowledge of the art in Bologna and how it related to other works across Italy, we would definitely consider booking Riccardo again. Culture in the City

James🇬🇧 United Kingdom

(About local Riccardo)

3 October 2022

Great experience and a fantastic way to see the beautiful and historic city. Riccardo was so knowledgeable and passionate. Highly recommended and not to miss!

Aleksi🇫🇮 Finland

(About local Frederik)

15 September 2022

Tour with Frederik was great. He gave us a nice introduction to the citys history and also architecture. We asked him to also talk about the transportation system of Bologna and he gave us some nice insights about it. He also booked us a lunch after the tour, and the food was great :) Great tour

Tommy🇺🇸 United States

(About local Isadora)

13 September 2022

Isadora provided a very thoughtful, interesting tour by noting local piazzas, statues, stories, info on local food, and even provided restaurant suggestions for us.Wonderful tour with Isadora

Jim🇺🇸 United States

(About local Riccardo)

11 August 2022

We had a wonderful time with Riccardo, learning about Bologna. Riccardo was extremely knowledgeable and gave us unique insights into and history of this wonderful city.