Lee K.
Yelp
So, it was just our luck that the same day that we rolled into Bologna to live it up was also the day of San Petronio! We got to attend a service at this very crowded basilica honoring the saint along with the rest of the people of Bologna. The piazza in front of the church is a kind of gathering point for all people, local and tourists, with several sitting on the steps and enjoying the free wifi spot. Since it was the saint's day and admission was free, we decided to go in to check everything out.
The basilica here is standard as far as several hundred year old Italian basilicas go. And by standard, I mean that it is devastatingly beautiful. This is not as gothic as the basilica in Firenze, but more gilded that the other cathedral on the other side of Bologna by the university. The paintings and frescoes here are very well maintained and wonderful representations of art from the era they church was built in. I will also add that the acoustics here are very good, even without microphones.
If you're stopping through Bologna, you should check this place out. It's free, takes up maybe 30 minutes of your time, and is a very well maintained piece of cultural importance.