After a stroll around the market (and maybe even some lunch), head straight to Via Rizzoli, a large and somewhat chaotic street lined with shops - but you’re here for the view! This famous street leads to the Two Towers, the hallmark of Bologna. And yes, we have our very own leaning tower, as one of the two (Garisenda) has been leaning for centuries due to the ground caving underneath. It was shortened in the XIV century to prevent it from crashing, but before that, Dante mentioned the Garisenda Tower in the Divine Comedy (putting it in Hell, though; apparently, it was leaning THAT much back then). 

Medieval Manhattan: Did you know that in the Middle Ages, there were tons of other towers like these two in Bologna? It’s difficult to estimate the exact number of towers that once spiked here and there around the city, but some historians say there were up to 180 of them, which makes Bologna a true medieval Manhattan. Many were ruined or shortened over the years, so today there are only a bit more than 20 towers left, most of them too short to be noticed from afar. Torre degli Asinelli, the tallest of the Two Towers, is still there and can be visited - unless you’re a student! The local superstition (that is followed religiously by most students, even though many won’t admit it) says you can’t climb up the Asinelli Tower before graduating from university - otherwise, the long-awaited graduation may never come! This tower is 97,2 m high and was built in the XII century by the Asinelli family - although some claim the towers had a defensive purpose, many people tend to believe it was a way for local families to show off… hence naming the tallest towers after themselves!

!!! As of 2024, both towers are sadly closed to tourists because of an increased risk of Garisenda’s collapse. The restoration works are underway though, so hopefully you will soon be able to visit its neighbor, Torre degli Asinelli, as per usual.