Hotels near Torre degli Asinelli

The Due Torri (Two Towers) are the most recognisable landmarks of Bologna and among the best-surviving examples of the medieval tower houses that once numbered over 100 across the city. The taller, Torre degli Asinelli (97.6 metres), was built between 1109 and 1119 and can be climbed via 498 steps - a tight, dark spiral staircase that emerges at a platform with 360-degree views over the red rooftops of Bologna, the Apennines to the south, and the Po Valley to the north. The shorter Torre Garisenda (48 metres) leans 3.2 degrees and is closed to visitors for structural stabilisation work.

Timed entry tickets for the Torre degli Asinelli cost 5 EUR and must be booked online at torredegliasinellib.it - walk-up availability is limited particularly at weekends. Opening hours are 9 AM to 6 PM daily in summer.

Pro Tip: Book the first entry slot (9 AM) or the last (5:30 PM). At 9 AM you'll have the tower nearly to yourself. At 5:30 PM the light on the Apennines turns warm and the shadows lengthen over the city below - the better photographic option of the two. The climb takes about 15-20 minutes; allow 20 minutes at the top.