Hard to miss and easy to linger in, this L-shaped square is basically an open-air museum. Grab a seat at a café (yes, it’s pricey, but the people-watching is worth every euro), and you’ve got front-row views of Palazzo Vecchio, the Fountain of Neptune, and the statue of Cosimo I on horseback. Just off to the side is the Loggia dei Lanzi, packed with Renaissance sculptures—all free to see, no ticket needed. Early mornings or late evenings are quieter if you want to take it all in without the daytime crowds.

The University of Bologna, founded in 1088, stands as the oldest university in the Western world, boasting a rich history of academic excellence and innovation. Some of the famous people who have been teaching here include Nicolaus Copernicus and Francesco Petrarca. Renowned for its distinguished faculty, diverse student body, and commitment to research and teaching across a wide range of disciplines, the University of Bologna continues to be a global leader in higher education.

This masterpiece of Italian Gothic architecture is most famous for what it’s missing—a roof. The abbey was built in the late 1100s and has been a dramatic-looking ruin for centuries. It’s open to the sky now, but still feels grand in a stripped-back kind of way. Just up the hill, the Rotonda di Montesiepi is worth a quick stop too—inside you’ll find a sword embedded in stone, tied to the story of Saint Galgano.