Home to the oldest university in the western world, Bologna in Emilia-Romagna is a city with an intense cultural life and a very interesting historical heritage. An important urban centre first under the Etruscans, then under the Gauls and finally under the Romans, Bologna was also a prominent urban centre in Europe in the Middle Ages. European Capital of Culture in 2000, it was declared a 'creative city of music' by UNESCO in 2006.
Among the most important symbols of Bologna are its characteristic porticos, or covered walkways that join streets, towers and palaces and that in the centre alone reach a total length of about 38 kilometres.