Mercato di Mezzo

Bologna


Trade the packed-like-sardines Quadrilatero chaos for comparative calm in this revamped gourmet food hall, which was the town's original market after reunification, though it sat abandoned for many years in recent times. The three-storey pavilion houses a cavalcade of top purveyors hawking pizza, craft beer, espresso, cheese and charcuterie, including stalls from Bologna's most famous bakery (Forno Calzolari).

It was reborn in 2014 at the hands of Eataly/Liberie Coop owner Oscar Farinetti.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Bologna attractions

1. Santuario di Santa Maria della Vita

0.02 MILES

In the heart of the Quadrilatero, this 17th-century shrine is one of Bologna's most beautiful and important, not only for its 13th-century foundation by…

2. Quadrilatero

0.05 MILES

To the east of Piazza Maggiore, the grid of streets around Via Clavature (Street of Locksmiths) sits on what was once Roman Bologna. Known as the…

3. Museo Civico Archeologico

0.07 MILES

Impressive in its breadth of coverage of historical eras, this museum displays well-documented Egyptian and Roman artefacts along with one of Italy's best…

4. Basilica di San Petronio

0.07 MILES

Bologna's hulking Gothic basilica is Europe's sixth-largest church, measuring 132m by 66m by 47m. Work began on it in 1390, but it was never finished, and…

5. Piazza Maggiore

0.09 MILES

All roads lead to pivotal 13th-century Piazza Maggiore, flanked by Basilica di San Petronio, Europe's sixth-largest basilica, and a series of impressive…

6. Palazzo del Podestà

0.09 MILES

Dating to the 13th century, the Palazzo del Podestà was the original residence of Bologna's chief magistrate. Beneath the palazzo there's a whispering…

7. Torre degli Asinelli

0.11 MILES

Bologna's two leaning towers are the city's main symbol. The taller of the two, the 97.2m-high Torre degli Asinelli (the tallest leaning medieval tower in…

8. Palazzo del Re Enzo

0.11 MILES

This 13th-century palace is named after King Enzo, the illegitimate son of Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II, who was held here by papal forces between 1249…