Bologna vs Rome
Not opinions, measured walking data. On what we can measure, they tie 2–2 (2 within the tie margin). Character is a different question: Bologna is the red city of tall tales; Rome is the city of popes and squares.
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Places with a story
spots where a route tells you what happened there
Bologna
47
Rome
150
Rome leads
How often you pass a story
metres from one story to the next; fewer is better
Bologna
285
Rome
287
Tie
Historical figures
real people you meet in its stories
Bologna
3
Rome
41
Rome leads
Instagrammability
score /100, on the index’s fixed scale
Bologna
44
Rome
23
Bologna leads
Group outings
of every 100 plays, how many bring a group of 3+
Bologna
17
Rome
12
Bologna leads
International visitors
% of player reviews written in a foreign language
Bologna
92
Rome
92
Tie
| What we measure | Bologna | Rome | Leads |
|---|---|---|---|
| Places with a storyspots where a route tells you what happened there | 47 | 150 | Rome |
| How often you pass a storymetres from one story to the next; fewer is better | 285 | 287 | tie |
| Historical figuresreal people you meet in its stories | 3 | 41 | Rome |
| Instagrammabilityscore /100, on the index’s fixed scale | 44 | 23 | Bologna |
| Group outingsof every 100 plays, how many bring a group of 3+ | 17 | 12 | Bologna |
| International visitors% of player reviews written in a foreign language | 92 | 92 | tie |
Differences under 5% count as ties. Sample sizes and definitions on the methodology page.
What their stories are about
How many places with a story each city has per theme: Bologna in orange, Rome in blue. All bars share one scale, so lengths are comparable everywhere on the chart.
Bologna scorecard
The red city of tall tales
Rome scorecard
The city of popes and squares
