“La Turrita”
One of many nicknames that Bologna has rightfully earned over time. This particular one refers to Bologna as, “The city with many towers”. And sure enough, in the Middle Ages, there were more than 100 towers within the city walls of Bologna.
The most famous one today, the Asinelli Tower, stands at a total height of 97,2 meters and is known as Bologna’s most iconic landmark.
So of course, we just had to climb the Asinelli Tower on our own trip to Bologna! And that’s how this blog post was born.
Inside this guide, we go through everything you need to know about climbing the Asinelli Tower, so that you can go visit this historical tower yourself and see all of Bologna’s beauty from above.
We hope you enjoy the guide, and that it helps you discover one of Bologna’s most important landmarks.
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About Bologna’s Asinelli Tower
The history of Asinelli Tower
In the Medieval times, the towers in Bologna had several purposes.
First of all, the towers were built for a defensive military purpose to protect the city. However, the towers were also a way for noble families to show off their wealth, power, and place in society.
That’s why, the Asinelli Tower is named after the Asinelli Family, who had it built.
The Asinelli Tower was built in the 12th century between 1109 and 1119, which makes it more than 900 years old.
When it was first built, it was only 60 meters tall. It wasn’t until a century later that the height was increased to its current 97,2 meters, which we see today. This actually means that the Asinelli Tower is Italy’s tallest leaning tower with its 1,3 degree tilt.
Right next to the Asinelli Tower, you’ll find the Garisenda Tower, which has a 4 degree tilt. So it has a slight bigger lean than the Leaning Tower of Pisa. The Garisenda Tower had to be lowered due to this big lean, and it currently stands at a 47 meters height – about half the height of the Asinelli Tower.
Together, the Garisenda and Asinelli Tower are referred to as, “The Two Towers” or in Italian, “Le Due Torri”, and they’re Bologna’s most iconic landmark. However, you can only visit Tower Asinelli, and that’s why it’s our main focus in this travel guide.
Quick facts about the Asinelli Tower
- The tower is 97,2 meters tall and leans at a 1,3 degree tilt.
- There are 498 steps from the street to the top of Asinelli Tower.
- The original Italian name of the tower is “Torre degli Asinelli.”
- Tower Asinelli is Italy’s tallest leaning Medieval tower.
- The base of the tower used to accommodate guards and were later a coppersmith’s workshop.
Practical information about Asinelli Tower
Asinelli Tower Opening Hours 2023/2024
The Asinelli Tower is open daily from 10 AM except for peak season in July and August, when it’s already open from 9 AM in the morning.
The closing times, however, differ from month to month. That’s why you should always check the opening hours of Asinelli Tower before you go.
Below you’ll find time tables of the opening hours in 2023 and 2024:
| Visiting dates of 2023 | Last admission |
|---|---|
| 01/06 – 01/10 | 7 PM (8:15 PM on Thursday – Sunday) |
| 02/10 – 05/11 | 6 PM |
| 06/11 – 31/12 | 4:30 PM |
| Visiting dates of 2024 | Last admission |
|---|---|
| 01/01 – 29/02 | 4:30 PM |
| 01/03 – 31/03 | 6 PM |
| 01/04 – 31/05 | 7:30 PM |
| 01/06 – 30/06 | 7:30 PM (8:15 PM on Thursday – Sunday) |
| 01/07 – 31/08 | 8:15 PM |
| 01/09 – 29/09 | 7:30 PM (8:15 PM on Thursday – Sunday) |
| 30/09 – 27/10 | 6 PM |
| 28/10 – 31/12 | 4:30 PM |
Asinelli Tower Entrance Fee 2023
We found that the entrance fee to the Asinelli Tower is reasonably priced considering it’s probably the most famous thing you can do in Bologna. We paid €5 per adult ticket during our visit in 2023.
Below, you can see a table over the different ticket prices to the Asinelli Tower:
| Ticket Group | Ticket Price 2023 |
|---|---|
| Everyone above 12 years old | €5 |
| Under 12 years old, above 65 years old, university students & Card Cultura Holders | €3 |
| 0-3 years old & Bologna Welcome Card Holders | FREE |
Where to buy your tickets
You have to book a time slot in advance when visiting the Asinelli Tower. There is a very good reason for this because it can be hard to pass each other on the stairs inside the tower. Plus, then the tower doesn’t get overrun and everyone gets to experience the beautiful views.
There are 4 time slots to choose from every hour, and you can book your time slot and tickets directly on bolognawelcome.com. Once you’ve booked your tickets, you will get them send directly to your e-mail. You don’t need to print them out, just show them on your phone when entering the tower.
If you want to combine your Asinelli Tower visit with a food tasting, then check out this combined experience on Get Your Guide. We booked directly on the official website, so we cannot comment on how the food tasting is.
When is the best time to visit
We visited the Asinelli Tower at sunset, and it was such a magical experience!
If you want to see Bologna in a beautiful light and watch the sun go down over the city, then we can really recommend you to go around this hour.
For example, we booked a time slot at 7:30 PM and the sun went down at 8 PM. So see if you can book a time slot around half an hour before sunset to get some (extra) incredible views – but mind you, the views will be incredible whenever you visit the Asinelli Tower.
Is it easy to climb the tower
Yes and no.
It’s easy because it’s organised in a way that you go up with the group within your time slot. This way, you don’t have to squeeze between people to get up and down.
But it can be physically challenging for some people since you have to walk 498 steps to reach the viewpoint at the top of the tower.
Unfortunately, this means there is no wheelchair access to the tower.
How long is the visit to Asinelli Tower
The duration time of every visit is 45 minutes. During these 45 minutes you have time to go up, stay at the viewpoint long enough to see the city from all angles and take some cool pictures, and then go down again.
The tower staff will tell you when it’s time for your group to go down again. We didn’t feel rushed at any time, on the contrary, the whole experience was handled well by the staff.
Why you should climb the Asinelli Tower
Firstly, you should visit the Asinelli Tower if you want to ascent one of the most historical and iconic buildings of Bologna.
Secondly, the viewpoint from the top of the tower is just amazing! You can see the Piazza Maggiore in the city center and all the way to the San Luca Sanctuary in the hills.
And last but not least, it’s affordable and adventurous. The adventurous part is the old, creepy steps you have to climb.
We definitely recommend you to go climb the Asinelli Tower.
And in this last piece of the blog post, we’ll share a few words about our own experience in Bologna’s most iconic tower.
Our experience of climbing the Asinelli Tower
Before ending this travel guide, we quickly want to share our personal experience of climbing the Asinelli Tower in Bologna.
We visited the the tower on a Thursday evening in August at 7:30 PM, just before sunset. We booked the tickets one day in advance, so there is really no need to plan too far ahead – even during peak season.
Securing your tickets one or two days in advance should leave you with enough time to choose any time slot you prefer.
Anyways, we arrived 5 minutes early and waited in line until it was our turn to ascent the incredible tower.
And wow! What an experience.
We didn’t know what to expect from the inside of the Asinelli Tower, but it actually turned out to be quite the adventurous experience. The wooden steps to the top are old and creaky, which really gives you the feeling of walking in a historical building.
When climbing the steps, you can look pretty far down, so if you’re afraid of heights like me, then this part can be a little bit tricky. But it’s nothing that should keep you from going up the tower.
When we finally had walked all the 498 steps to the top, one of the most beautiful views awaited us. At the top, you’ll have a bird’s eye view over the whole city, so you can see all of Bologna’s iconic buildings.
This viewpoint at the top is definitely one of the best ways to experience Bologna from above, and we cannot recommend it enough to you!
If you have the chance, then please consider going at sunset. There is just something so peaceful about seeing the day end with beautiful colours in the sky. What a memorable experience.
And that was the iconic Asinelli Tower! We hope you enjoyed this blog post about Bologna’s famous, Medieval tower and that it helped you to plan your own trip.
If you have any questions about visiting Torre degli Asinelli, then please leave a comment below and we’ll get back to you.
Thanks for reading and happy travels!
Planning a trip to Bologna? Then check out our travel guide: 20+ best things to do in Bologna
First time in Italy? Then have a read at this: What is Italy famous and known for?
