Palazzo della Mercanzia (Merchants' Palace), Bologna

The heart of Bologna's commercial hub since medieval times, Merchants' Square ("Piazza della Mercanzia") is presided over by the crenelated Merchants' Palace, formerly the hub of merchants' trade and customs activities, now housing the Chamber of Commerce. Its Gothic facade is embellished with statues representing the city's patron saints, overseeing an economy once driven by gold, textiles, silk, and hemp, now marked by local success stories like the luxurious La Perla lingerie and hemp-free Bruno Magli shoes.

Within its walls, the palace safeguards the original recipes of local delicacies, including the authentic Bolognese sauce for tagliatelle al ragù. (For a taste, Pappagallo, nestled in a charming 13th-century building on the square, offers an excellent dining experience.) Additionally, visitors to can explore paintings of the Chamber of Commerce presidents on the second floor, alongside Renaissance-style frescoes, walls decked out in luxurious silk fabric, a dazzling Murano chandelier, and a quaint courtyard.