7 unusual things to do in Bologna: curiosities beyond the most famous places

1. Cinema Modernissimo

It is a historic movie theater restored and inaugurated on November 21, 2023. The cinema is located in the heart of Bologna, at the intersection of Via Rizzoli and Piazza Re Enzo, and has been restored to its ancient splendor by the Cineteca di Bologna, one of the most important in the European and International context for the restoration of masterpieces of the past and which manages Il Modernissimo, precisely, the Lumière and the Sala Cervi, where films of high cultural content and films that have marked our times are scheduled. 

The Cineteca, led by the visionary Gianluca Farinelli and chaired by the one of the greatest living Italian director, Marco Bellocchio, and Alice Rohrwacher, member of the team, gives the city two splendid festivals every year, Cinema ritrovato” and “Sotto le stelle del cinema” (the program on  the site www.cinetecadibologna.it) which take place in the unique atmosphere of Piazza Maggiore, where artists and filmmakers (who only participate in big international festivals and great awards, Cannes, Venice, Berlin, Toronto, Los Angeles): Scorsese, Wim Wenders, Damien Chazelle, Pierfrancesco Favino, Matteo Garrone, Francis Ford Coppola, Sergio Castellitto, the director of the Cannes Film Festival, Thierry Fremaux, present their work.

2. The road of jazz

Via Orefici in Bologna is a small Walk of Fame where the famous stars that pay homage to jazz are located. This road has a feature that makes it very similar to its overseas cousin: the laying of marble stars dedicated to the great performers who played in the city during the golden years of the Bologna Jazz Festival. Among these, the star in memory of Lucio Dalla was also placed.

3. The undergrounds of Bologna 

Beneath the streets of the city there is a labyrinth of tunnels and cisterns: they tell the thousand-year history of Bologna and its waterways, which powered grain and silk mills in medieval times. You can take a guided tour and discover the remains of ancient Roman domus, medieval canals and air raid shelters from the Second World War.

4. Brunch at Zoo

Zoo is a mix between a bookstore, an art gallery and a brunch place. It is ideal for a well-deserved break (also great for a snack!) in an interesting and not very mainstream place, a bit indie and a stone’s throw from the Two Towers.

5. The Ustica Museum

The Ustica Museum is a decidedly non-touristy destination, and tells the story of one of the most nebulous massacres in Italian history. Inside this enormous room (very similar to a hangar) you can see the remains of the DC9 plane shot down on June 27, 1980 and other installations that tell the painful story of the passengers. All this is made possible thanks to the contribution of the Association of Relatives of the Victims of the Ustica Massacre.

6. Monumental trees and botanical garden

Bologna is a very green city, even if it doesn’t seem like it, with numerous parks and gardens that are home to centuries-old and monumental trees. You can visit the Giardini Margherita, the splendid Villa Ghigi Park, which dominates the entire city, the Villa Spada park, Villa delle Rose park, the San Pellegrino park (and the list could go on).

The botanical garden of Bologna, founded by Ulisse Aldrovandi in 1568, is one of the oldest in Europe, fourth in Italy after those of Pisa, Padua and Florence. The current site, which dates back to the early 19th century, houses the botanical section of the Department of Experimental Evolutionary Biology of the University of Bologna.

7. Doll Museum

The doll museum is set up in the attic of a historic building in via Riva Reno, and its location already seems very appropriate. Inside, you can admire a collection of over 500 dolls from all eras and other antique accessories. A little disturbing? For lovers of the genre: an unusual gem.

Bologna is a city that knows how to surprise, you just need to know how to look at it with curious eyes.