Basilica of Santo Stefano, Bologna

Why go

The Basilica of Santo Stefano, also called the 'Seven Churches', is a monumental complex in Bologna served by a Franciscan fraternity, whose site calls it the cradle and heart of the Church of Bologna. Its visit route takes in the Church of the Crucifix, the crypt (seen only through glass), the Basilica of the Holy Sepulchre, the Church of Saints Vitale and Agricola, the Cortile di Pilato, the Church of the Trinity, the medieval cloister, the museum and the church known as 'della Benda'. The basilica's visit page says tourist groups and pilgrimages may enter freely, asks groups of more than 20 people to use earpieces for explanations and groups of more than 40 to enter in smaller parts, and says the crypt is kept for prayer, so no explanations or visits are given there. The same page points to guided visits by volunteers of the Pietre Vive initiative on set dates. Professional photography and filming need authorisation from the Diocese of Bologna's cultural heritage office, according to that page.