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Bologna

Medieval charm and culinary excellence

Bologna stands out as a lively city in northern Italy known for its rich history and academic tradition. The city features wide porticoes that cover many streets, creating shaded walkways perfect for exploring. Its medieval towers rise above the skyline while modern cafes line bustling squares. Students from across Europe add energy to local markets and cultural events. Food plays a central role here, with hearty pasta dishes and fresh gelato drawing visitors daily. Bologna balances old-world charm with contemporary life in an accessible setting.

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City in Italy

$$$

$	Cheap
$$	Medium
$$$	Expensive, upscale
$$$+	Very expensive, luxury

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Safety: 7.8

General Safety:	8
Health & medical:	8
Accessibility:	6
Tap water:	8

Read details

4/5

English is widely spoken in tourist areas, especially at hotels, restaurants, and museums. While older locals might not speak much English, younger generations and service staff usually do.

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Last update: 12 Oct 2026

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Bologna Summary

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Outstanding for Italian food and historic streets. Taste famous pasta dishes, walk medieval arcades, visit markets and climb historic towers.

Place score

8.1

Best at:

Local cuisine

Walkable

Street food

Wine

Guided tours

Personal score

Suited for

👶 8

Families

🧓 7

Seniors

🥗 9

Vegetarian

🛡️ 8

Travel Beginners

Italy – Quick facts

Guide Etiquette Holidays Other

Power Grid:	230 V, 50 Hz Plug: Type C , Type F Type C: Type F: Read about power adapters
Currency:	Euro (EUR) £1 ≈ €1.19
Cashless info:	Rating 5/5 Cashless payments are widely accepted in Italy, particularly in cities. While larger establishments and chains are fully cashless, smaller shops may still prefer cash. Save with a travel credit card
eSIM providers:	Best value: Saily Flexibility: Airalo Read our in-depth comparison

Tipping:	Tipping is customary in Italy, especially in restaurants where 10-15% is typical. Tipping for taxi drivers is usually rounded up or 5-10%. Small tips for hotel staff are also appreciated.
Public drinking:	Public drinking is allowed in Italy, especially in public squares and during festivals. In some regions, it is illegal to drink alcohol in certain areas like public transport or near schools.
Public smoking:	Smoking is banned in indoor public spaces and on public transport. Designated smoking areas are available outside.

Ferragosto (August)	Many businesses close, and Italians take holidays. It’s very busy in tourist areas.
Christmas (December)	Christmas markets and festivities are popular, expect higher prices and crowded attractions.
La Befana (January)	Celebrated on January 6, the Epiphany is a public holiday with festive events, and some businesses close.

Emergency contact:	Emergency Number: 112 (Police, Fire, Ambulance)
Taxi apps:	Uber, Free Now, ItTaxi
Other:	Italy's tourist infrastructure is well-developed, but some rural or historical areas may require extra planning for accessibility.

Best times to travel

The best times to travel section shows how the months compare for a visit, so you can find the time of year that fits what you want to do.

Background colours of the months:
The colour shows the typical temperature: yellow (hot), green (mild) and blue (cold). How strong the colour is shows the travel season: full colour means high season, soft colour means shoulder season and soft-striped means off season.

Weather symbols:
Each month has one symbol showing what the weather is typically like, such as hot and sunny, freezing or a rainy or snowy season. Use them to quickly spot months that match the weather you want, or to avoid the ones that don't.

Crowdedness:
The people icon shows how busy the place usually is. The more people, the more crowded it gets.

Additional notes:
The grey info boxes point out special things worth knowing, like recurring weather issues or seasonal events.

for Bologna, Italy

🌤️

Jan

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Feb

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Mar

☀️

Apr

☀️

May

☀️

Jun

🔥

Jul

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Aug

☀️

Sep

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Oct

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Nov

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Dec

High season:	April - June, Sep. - Oct.
Shoulder season:	March, July, Nov. - Dec.
Crowdedness:	8 (Very crowded)

Tap on a month for more info Hover over a month for more info

Climate details

Mid August: many restaurants and shops close for Ferragosto, and the city is very quiet

Trade fairs at Bologna Fiere fill hotels and push up prices, especially in spring and autumn

Don't miss

🏰 Climb the Asinelli Tower for views over Bologna’s terracotta roofs
⛪ Explore Piazza Maggiore and admire the Basilica di San Petronio
🚶🏻 Wander through the medieval porticoes of the historic center
🍝 Taste handmade tagliatelle al ragù at a traditional trattoria
📚 Visit the Archiginnasio, home to the historic Anatomical Theatre
🥕 Browse fresh produce at the lively Mercato di Mezzo

You've been here?

Why travel to Bologna?

Bologna is the perfect mix of culture, history and gastronomy. You can wander through medieval streets, visit one of the oldest universities in the world and indulge in some of Italy’s best food – think tagliatelle al ragù (Bolognese) and fresh tortellini. The city is also a great base for exploring Emilia-Romagna’s vineyards and nearby cities like Modena and Parma.

🏯Places worth seeing

1 Sanctuary of the Madonna of San Luca
This Emilia-Romagna sanctuary sits atop a hill overlooking Modena and Bologna, offering serene views away from city bustle. Pilgrims seek its legendary healing waters, while visitors enjoy quiet contemplation or a brief stop en route to nearby culinary hubs.
2 Ducati Museum
A hub of automotive heritage, the Ducati Museum showcases the evolution of Italian motorcycle engineering through iconic models, design sketches and interactive displays that highlight the brand’s racing legacy and.
3 Basilica di San Petronio
4 Palazzo D' Accursio
5 Piazza Maggiore

🎡Places for activities

1 Botanical Garden
2 Central Market Crai
3 Cineteca di Bologna
4 Teatro Comunale
5 Via Zamboni

🏞️Natural landmarks

1 Giardini Margherita
2 Parco Cavaioni
3 Parco della Montagnola
4 Monte Paderno
5 Parco Villa Ghigi

🛍️Shopping

1 Mercato di Mezzo
2 Market
3 Via San Felice
4 Mercato delle Erbe
5 National Institute of Statistics
6 Città del sole
7 Via dell'Indipendenza
8 D'Azeglio

🎈Events

Cineteca Bologna Film Festival
Bologna Children's Book Fair
Il Cinema Ritrovato
ArteFiera (Art Fair)
Bologna Jazz Festival
Motorshow Bologna
Festa della Candelora
Sana (International Organic Fair)
Bologna Design Week
La Notte Bianca (White Night Festival)

Explore on map

Open map view

Knowledge before you go

Climb medieval towers and wander portico-lined streets in this historic university city.
Reserve restaurants in advance; Bologna is Italy’s food capital and popular spots fill quickly, especially weekends and holidays.
Many shops close mid-afternoon and on Sundays; plan major sightseeing for mornings and early evenings when streets feel liveliest.
Walk or bus to the Sanctuary of Madonna di San Luca at sunset for panoramic city views and fewer tourist crowds.

How to travel to Bologna

Bologna Guglielmo Marconi Airport (BLQ) is the main gateway, with direct flights to major European cities. The high-speed train station connects Bologna to Florence, Milan, Rome and Venice in under two hours.

Access summary

From Bologna Airport (BLQ): Marconi Express monorail to Centrale, about 7–15 minutes.
From Milan: Frequent high-speed trains to Bologna Centrale, usually around 1–1.5 hours.
From Florence: Regional and high-speed trains, typically about 35–60 minutes.

Check your route from anywhere

Where to stay in Bologna

Bologna offers a range of accommodations, from historic hotels in the city center to cozy B&Bs. The university area is lively and budget-friendly, while the Santo Stefano district offers charming boutique stays.

Hotel recommendations

*by rating and popularity. Commissions have no influence on the rankings.

UNA Hotels Bologna Centro

8.6

Mercure Bologna Centro Hotel

NH Bologna De La Gare

8.6

Astoria Hotel Italia

8.0

Art Hotel Commercianti

9.0

Hotel Internazionale

8.5

Explore more accommodations

How to get around Bologna

The city is walkable, with most attractions within easy reach. Buses are efficient and the TPER network covers the city and suburbs. Rent a bike or use taxis and ride-sharing apps for convenience.

Budget snapshot

Costs compared to home

We calculate the average costs when travelling to destinations and compare those with the living costs at your home. With this you can get an estimate of how expensive or cheap the destination is for you.

To customise this, you can set up which location and price level are used for the calculations in your account settings.

-3 %

Daily expenses in Bologna are around 3% lower than the average across United States. That means you'll spend around the same on meals and getting around.

Exchange rate trend

The exchange rate price factor shows how expensive or cheap a currency currently is compared to its historical average. It's a quick way to see if a country is currently more or less affordable due to exchange rate changes.

-3 %

Your exchange rate (GBP to EUR) is 3% better than in recent years. That means travelling now costs around the same compared to the past.

Travel costs

To help you plan your trip, we provide estimated daily costs per person (when travelling as a pair) for different travel styles. These numbers give you an idea of what you might spend each day at this destination, including accommodation, food, transport and activities.

Additionally, we also provide average hotel costs for different travel styles to give you an estimate for the accommodation only.

Please note that these are only estimates. The real costs depend on booking times, season and other factors.

Daily cost summary

Travel style categories explained:

Backpacker:
Staying in hostels or budget hotels, cooking your own meals or eating cheap and choosing low-cost activities.

Mid-range:
Staying in mid-range hotels, eating at a mix of restaurants and casual spots and enjoying a variety of activities.

Luxury:
Staying in luxury hotels, dining out at high-end restaurants and enjoying premium experiences without worrying about the price.

	Backpacker	Mid-range	Luxury
💵 Total costs per day, including accommodation	£64	£147	£397
🏨 Accommodation per night, per person	£26	£68	£165
🍝 Food per day	£29	£70	£200
🚕 Transportation per day	£9	£10	£31

Food & Drink

🍽️ Restaurant Dinner, per person	£27
🍛 Lunch Set, per person	£15
🍟 Fast food combo	£9
🍝 Preparing your own food, per day	£10
☕ Cappuccino	£1.60
🍺 Beer in a restaurant, 0.5 l	£5

Transportation

🚌 Public transport ticket	£2.10
🚕 Taxi Ride, 10 km / 6 mi	£18
⛽ Petrol, 1 l	£1.60

Other

🎞️ Cinema ticket	£9
👩‍⚕️ Doctor's consult	£70
🤧 Cold medication	£9
💇 Basic haircut	£11.50

Safety information overview

General safety

Bologna is generally safe, with a low crime rate. Like in any city, be cautious of pickpockets in crowded areas and avoid poorly lit streets late at night.

Health & Medical

Medical facilities are excellent, with pharmacies readily available. The city has good hospitals and clinics and EU citizens can use their EHIC cards for healthcare. Travel insurance is recommended.

Accessibility

Bologna is moderately accessible, with many historic sites adapted for visitors with mobility needs. However, cobblestone streets and narrow sidewalks might be challenging for wheelchair users.

Tap water

Tap water is safe to drink and public drinking fountains are available. Many restaurants offer tap water for free, so carrying a reusable water bottle is a good idea.