Before you go

Your trip to Bolonha.

Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.

Bolonha – Emília-Romanha Destination Bolonha e Emília-Romanha Capital

How to get there

Aeroporto di Bologna Guglielmo Marconi (BLQ) 8 km
Bologna Centrale 2 km

Approximate road distances. Check flights and bus schedules before you travel.

Check before buying. From Milan the high-speed train reaches Bologna Centrale in about 1 hour; from Rome in about 2 hours; from Florence in under 40 minutes; from Venice in around 1h30. The Guglielmo Marconi airport is connected to the central station by the Marconi Express, a monorail.

How many days

One day is enough for the Piazza Maggiore, San Petronio, the Archiginnasio, Santo Stefano and the climb to San Luca. With two days you can add the Pinacoteca, San Domenico, the Torre dell'Orologio and the streets with food shops. Add a day for each day trip: Módena, Parma or Ravena.

When to go

April, May, September and October are usually the most pleasant months. From June to August it is humid and hot, and the porticoes help provide shade. From December to February it is cold and there can be fog. In August some family-run shops close for holidays. Lunch is roughly from 12:30 to 14:30, and dinner starts from about 19:30.

The seasons shown are the most usual ones; nature doesn't always follow the calendar.

Do you need a car?

No. The historic center is a ZTL (limited traffic zone) closed to outside cars, and almost everything is within walking distance. For San Luca there is an urban bus and the tourist mini-train, besides the walk along the portico. Módena, Parma and Ravena have frequent regional trains from Bologna Centrale.

Suggested itinerary

An order that works

Built with the places on this page. No rush: it's paced so you have time to see them.

One day in Bolonha

Morning
Piazza Maggiore and San Petronio
Start at the Piazza Maggiore, next to the Fontana del Nettuno. Go into the Basilica di San Petronio and look for the marble line of the meridian on the floor. Then walk through the pórtico of the Pavaglione to the Archiginnasio and see the Teatro Anatomico.
Afternoon
Quadrilatero and Santo Stefano
Have lunch in the narrow streets of the Quadrilatero, the old medieval market behind the square, with stalls selling mortadella, cheeses and fresh pasta. Continue on foot to the Basilica di Santo Stefano, the complex of the Sette Chiese.
Late afternoon
Portico up to San Luca
Go to the Porta Saragozza and ascend under the pórtico of San Luca to the sanctuary on the hill. The walk takes about an hour; if you prefer you can take the bus or the tourist mini-train. From up there you can see the city and the Apennines.
Evening
Dinner in the center
Return to the center and have tortellini in broth or tagliatelle al ragù at a trattoria. Via del Pratello and the streets around the university area tend to be lively in the evening.

2 days in Bolonha

Day 1

Morning
Heart of the city
Piazza Maggiore, Fontana del Nettuno and the Basilica di San Petronio, with Cassini's meridian on the floor. Enter the courtyard of the Palazzo d'Accursio and, if there is space, climb the Torre dell'Orologio.
Afternoon
Archiginnasio and Quadrilatero
Visit the Archiginnasio, with students' coats of arms on the walls and the wooden Teatro Anatomico. Then have lunch or a snack at the stalls in the Quadrilatero.
Late afternoon
Santo Stefano
Walk to the Piazza Santo Stefano and explore the churches and the cloister of the Sette Chiese complex. The square, surrounded by palaces with porticoes, is a good spot for a break.
Evening
Aperitivo and dinner
Enjoy the aperitivo, the Italian custom of having a drink with snacks before dinner, in the streets near the Piazza Santo Stefano. Try cubed mortadella with a glass of local wine.

Day 2

Morning
Pinacoteca Nazionale
Follow Via Zamboni in the university area to the Pinacoteca Nazionale. Set aside about two hours for Raphael, the Carracci and Guido Reni.
Afternoon
San Domenico
Have lunch in the center and walk to the Basilica di San Domenico. In the saint's chapel, look for the three small statues sculpted by the young Michelangelo on the Arca di San Domenico.
Late afternoon
Climb to San Luca
Take the pórtico at the Porta Saragozza and climb up to the Santuario della Madonna di San Luca. If you're tired, use the bus or the tourist mini-train on the way up and walk down.
Evening
Farewell at the table
Dine in the Quadrilatero area or on Via del Pratello. Order a cold cuts board with mortadella and parmigiano and, as a first course, tagliatelle al ragù.

Check before you go. Opening hours and days change, and places may close for renovations, holidays or events. This itinerary is a suggestion from Cidade Turismo, not a commitment: plan yours by checking directly with each place you intend to visit.

Before you go

Frequently asked questions

Is Bolonha a good base for exploring the region?

Yes. Bologna Centrale station is one of the largest rail hubs in Italy. From there you can catch regional trains to Módena, Parma and Ravena and high-speed trains to Florence, Milan, Venice and Rome.

What is Bolognese ragù?

It's the meat sauce simmered for hours that the people of Bologna serve with tagliatelle, a fresh egg pasta cut into wide ribbons. In the city, spaghetti is rarely used with this sauce. Tortellini served in broth and green lasagna are also typical.

How to get from the airport to the center?

The Marconi Express, a monorail, links the airport to Bologna Centrale station in a few minutes. From the station to the center it's about a 20-minute walk along Via dell'Indipendenza, or a few minutes by bus or taxi.

What are Bolonha's porticoes?

They are covered arcades that run along the sidewalks for much of the center, totaling about 40 km within the old city. They shelter from rain and sun, and part of them is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The longest is the one that climbs up to the Santuario della Madonna di San Luca.

Do you need to book anything in advance?

The ascent of the Torre dell'Orologio, in the Palazzo d'Accursio, is done with timed slots and has few places per turn. Other sites in the center are usually visited without reservation, but check before you go.

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