

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