Bologna: Renzo Savini House Museum & Aperitif Tour

Inside a Collector's Private World: Bologna's Renzo Savini House

You walk through a private collection of rare objects (fossils, taxidermy, sculptures, antique tools) arranged as they were kept, not as they'd be displayed in a conventional museum. A guide (Benedetta Savini herself, if you choose Italian) or audio guide in your language leads you through the rooms. You finish with an aperitif of sparkling wine, spritz, and Bolognese desserts in crystal glasses before heading out. Public transport is nearby. The whole experience suits any fitness level.

Step-by-step itinerary

Visit Renzo Savini House Museum

• Arrive at Renzo Savini House Museum
• Explore diverse Wunderkammer collection
• Join guided tour or use audio guide
• Discover fossils, artworks, and curiosities
• Enjoy refined aperitif with drinks and snacks

The experience

The tour is already underway when you step into the rooms: objects everywhere, arranged not for neat display but as they were lived with, thought about, kept close. Fossils sit next to antique tools. A taxidermied creature catches light from a window. Sculptures, paintings, curiosities from prehistoric times through the 20th century fill the space in a way that feels less like a museum and more like walking through someone's mind. The Renzo Savini House Museum, near Bologna's Two Towers, is officially recognized by the Emilia Romagna Region as one of the "Houses and Studios of Illustrious People" (part of the National Association of Memory Houses), but that designation doesn't quite capture what you're actually standing in.

If you book the guided tour in Italian, Benedetta Savini, Renzo's daughter, leads you through the collection herself, which changes everything. She knows why each object is there, what her father saw in it, what story it holds. If you prefer English, Spanish, or French, multilingual audio guides walk you through at your own pace, so you can linger on whatever stops you: the strange anatomical models, the handcrafted tools, the way light falls on a particular sculpture. There's no rush. The atmosphere is intimate and a little mysterious, the kind of place where you feel like you're being let into a private archive rather than herded through a public exhibition.

At the end, before you leave, there's an aperitif: sparkling wine, spritz, fruit juices, savory snacks, and a traditional Bolognese dessert, all served in elegant crystal glasses. It's a small gesture, but it lands differently here. You're standing in a collector's house, holding a glass of something good, surrounded by objects that meant something to someone, and the whole thing feels less like a transaction and more like being invited in.

What’s included

• Entry to the Renzo Savini House Museum.
• guided tour in Italian or audio guide in English, Spanish, or French.
• aperitif with sparkling wine, spritz, fruit juices, savory snacks, and traditional Bolognese desserts served in crystal glasses.

Options for this experience

2 options

Entrance ticket with a guided tourGuide in Italian · 10:30, 16:00 and 17:30Italian

Entrance ticket with an audio guideGuide in Italian · 10:30, 16:00 and 17:30English, Spanish, French

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesFriday to SundayDepartures at 10:30, 16:00 and 17:30

Book up to2d before

AgesAdult (11 and older) · Child (under 11)

Live guideItalian

Audio guideEnglish, Spanish and French

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Low physical effortPublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Arcadia Tour Operator e DMC

Is this one for you?Right for anyone who wants to see how a serious collector actually lived, not a polished exhibition, but a real archive of objects chosen for meaning rather than market value. The audio guides free you to move at your own pace. The Italian-language tour with Benedetta adds the stories behind what you're seeing.

Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (under 11).

Can I visit without a guide?

No, entry includes either a guided tour in Italian led by Benedetta Savini or a multilingual audio guide in English, Spanish, or French.

Is the aperitif alcoholic?

It includes sparkling wine and spritz, but also non-alcoholic options: fruit juices, savory snacks, and traditional Bolognese desserts.

How do I get there?

The museum is near Bologna's Two Towers. Public transportation options are available nearby.

What language is the tour in?

Guided tours are in Italian, led by Benedetta Savini. Audio guides are available in English, Spanish, and French.