Bologna, Italy

Designated a World Heritage Site in 2021, the beautiful porticoes of Bologna spread throughout the city and across the centuries.

Originally built in the 5th century over a Temple of Isis, this octagonal brick structure was patterned after the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. It was modified in the 11th century.

The taller of the famous due Torri (two towers) of Bologna, the Asinelli Tower was completed in 1119. Its 498 steps can be climbed for great views of the city.

Santo Stefano is a monastic complex of four Romanesque churches (11-13C) built on the site of a pagan temple to Isis and incorporating earlier churches dating back to the 4th century. There is also a medieval cloister and small museum.

Originally built in the 4th century to house the relics of the city's first two martyrs, Vitale and Agricola, this is the oldest church in Bologna and part of the Santo Stefano complex.

Begun in 1389 and never finished, San Petronio is the pride of Bologna and one of the largest churches in the world. It overlooks Piazza Maggiore in the heart of the city and contains many notable Bolognese artworks.

Located in the 15th-century Palazzo Galvani near Piazza Maggiore, the Civic Archaeological Museum displays extensive Egyptian, Greek, Roman, and Etruscan artifacts.

Bologna's main square since 1200, the Piazza Maggiore is surrounded by impressive civic palaces and the Basilica di San Petronio.

Located at the base of the Two Towers of Bologna, this Renaissance church with an elegant copper dome and slender bell tower was consecrated in 1516.