Professors’ tombs in the piazza: it’s hard not to notice the gothic arches in the different parts of the square. These arches actually contain the sarcophaguses - you may think royalty or saints could have been buried there, but alas, these tombs belong to the very first professors of the University of Bologna, known collectively as “glossatori”! Since law was one of the first disciplines taught at the university, the first professors got this name for leaving annotations (glosses) to the Roman law - to explain it better to their students. One of the tombs contains the remains of Rolandino de' Passaggeri (who died in 1305), and another one, that of Egidio Foscherari, dates back to 1289. Other similar tombs could be found behind Basilica di San Francesco and are best seen from Piazza Malpighi.

Going back from Piazza San Domenico, you may want to pass by Galleria Cavour - our very own mini Galleries Lafayette (or Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, depending on which one you prefer), especially during Christmas, when all the luxury stores are beautifully decorated. 

Speaking of Christmas, don’t miss out on a lovely Christmas market in Piazza Minghetti, right around the corner from the gallery, if you visit Bologna in December. This Christmas market is truly unique to Italy, as it has many typical French products and dishes prepared right there. But even though you’re (most likely!) visiting for all the Italian goodness, it’s a fun place to stop by - locals and tourists all like it!