Why go
Start on foot for Piazza Maggiore, Due Torri and the university district, which forms part of the city’s street grid rather than a separate campus. A bike becomes more useful for longer moves beyond the tight central cluster or toward the southern green spaces.
The full story
Bologna’s center is easiest to understand as a walkable street network inside the Viali, the roads that form a rough ring around the historic core. Due Torri offers a central landmark on a map; the university quarter lies to the northeast, while Piazza Maggiore anchors the civic heart. This orientation helps more than treating each sight as a separate transfer. The porticoes also shape the walking experience, although street crossings still require attention to scooters and other traffic. Cycling is common in Bologna and can make longer cross-town trips practical, but a bike is less useful than walking when you are moving between closely spaced central buildings. Secure it properly if you leave it unattended, especially around busy student streets. South of the center, Giardini Margherita and the rising ground offer a different outing from the dense core. Plan that as extra distance rather than casually adding it to a short landmark walk.