Bologna travel guide

Bologna Tourism | Bologna Guide

You're Going to Love Bologna

With a population of 366,133, Bologna is a must-see destination in Emilia-Romagna, Italy. It is one of the most popular cities to visit in the country. We recommend you stay at least 3 days in order to fully appreciate everything Bologna has to offer.

Where to Eat in Bologna

If you’re looking for affordable options, DALP (Via Molino Scarselli 76) and La Taverna Di Roberto (9 Via di San Vitale) are great picks.

When to visit Bologna

Bologna in January
Estimated hotel price
$132
1 night at 3-star hotel
Bologna in January
Estimated hotel price
$132
1 night at 3-star hotel

Looking for warm weather? Then head to Bologna in July, when the average temperature is 75.2 °F, and the highest can go up to 86 °F. The coldest month, on the other hand, is January, when it can get as cold as 30.2 °F, with an average temperature of 35.6 °F. You’re likely to see more rain in November, when precipitation is around 3.2″. In contrast, January is usually the driest month of the year in Bologna, with an average rainfall of 1.7″.

Data provided by weatherbase
Temperatures
Temperatures
Data provided by weatherbase

How to Get to Bologna

Plane

When flying to Bologna, you’ll arrive at Bologna Guglielmo Marconi Airport (BLQ), which is located 4 miles from the city center. The shortest flight to Bologna from the United States departs from New York and takes around 9h 50m.

Train

Trenitalia is the most popular train carrier serving Bologna, followed by AccesRail. The train journey from Bologna to Florence takes 0h 38m and costs around $16 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Milan, expect to pay about $31 for a 1h 33m trip. Located 0.8 miles from the city center, Bologna Centrale is the busiest station in Bologna. Another popular train station is Bologna San Ruffillo, located 3 miles from the center.

Car

Another option to get to Bologna is to pick up a car rental from Rome, which is about 188 miles from Bologna. You’ll find branches of SURPRICE CAR RENTAL and NOLEGGIARE , among others, in Rome.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Bologna, including FlixBus, Itabus and MarinoBus. From Florence, the bus ride to Bologna takes 75 miles and will cost you around $15. From Verona, the ticket costs about $16 for a journey of 105 miles. The most popular bus station is Bologna Autostazione, located 0.8 miles from downtown Bologna. Bologna Piazza Roosevelt is also a commonly used station, and is 0.1 miles from the city center.

Plane

When flying to Bologna, you’ll arrive at Bologna Guglielmo Marconi Airport (BLQ), which is located 4 miles from the city center. The shortest flight to Bologna from the United States departs from New York and takes around 9h 50m.

Train

Trenitalia is the most popular train carrier serving Bologna, followed by AccesRail. The train journey from Bologna to Florence takes 0h 38m and costs around $16 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Milan, expect to pay about $31 for a 1h 33m trip. Located 0.8 miles from the city center, Bologna Centrale is the busiest station in Bologna. Another popular train station is Bologna San Ruffillo, located 3 miles from the center.

Car

Another option to get to Bologna is to pick up a car rental from Rome, which is about 188 miles from Bologna. You’ll find branches of SURPRICE CAR RENTAL and NOLEGGIARE , among others, in Rome.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Bologna, including FlixBus, Itabus and MarinoBus. From Florence, the bus ride to Bologna takes 75 miles and will cost you around $15. From Verona, the ticket costs about $16 for a journey of 105 miles. The most popular bus station is Bologna Autostazione, located 0.8 miles from downtown Bologna. Bologna Piazza Roosevelt is also a commonly used station, and is 0.1 miles from the city center.

Airlines serving Bologna

Lufthansa
Good (4,692 reviews)
KLM
Good (848 reviews)
SWISS
Good (943 reviews)
British Airways
Good (4,554 reviews)
Delta
Good (4,615 reviews)
Turkish Airlines
Good (2,298 reviews)
Air France
Good (980 reviews)
Austrian Airlines
Good (488 reviews)
Iberia
Good (1,595 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (4,960 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (2,122 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (2,455 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (5,888 reviews)
Brussels Airlines
Good (229 reviews)
Finnair
Good (869 reviews)
Singapore Airlines
Excellent (925 reviews)
TAP AIR PORTUGAL
Good (1,181 reviews)
LOT
Good (685 reviews)
Scandinavian Airlines
Good (820 reviews)
Alaska Airlines
Excellent (5,683 reviews)
Show more

Where to stay in Bologna

From 5-star hotels such as the Grand Hotel Majestic Gia Baglioni to great affordable options like the B&B Accorsi, Bologna offers a range of accommodations for every taste. Average rates range from around $105 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to $183 and up for a 5-star experience. If you’re on a budget, well-reviewed accommodations include Antica Residenza D'Azeglio Room&Breakfast di Charme and Hotel Perla. There are also lots of vacation rental options in Bologna, with prices from $42 to $554 per night. Santo Stefano is the neighborhood with the highest amount of rentals to choose from. On average, vacation rentals in Bologna are about 11% cheaper than a hotel room in the city.

Where to stay in popular areas of Bologna

Most booked hotels in Bologna

Hotel Cosmopolitan Bologna
4 stars
Excellent (8.5, 9499 reviews)
$82+
Phi Hotel Emilia
4 stars
Excellent (8.5, 1348 reviews)
$74+
NH Bologna Villanova
4 stars
Excellent (8.3, 2667 reviews)
$68+
Suite Hotel Elite
4 stars
Excellent (8.1, 8469 reviews)
$79+
Holiday Inn Bologna - Fiera
4 stars
Excellent (8.1, 5553 reviews)
$90+
iH Hotels Bologna Gate 7
4 stars
Excellent (8, 1977 reviews)
$80+

Renting a car in Bologna

Renting a car in Bologna costs $38 per day, on average, or $115 if you want to rent if for 3 days.

It’s generally cheaper to rent your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 5% cheaper than airport locations in Bologna.

Expect to pay $7.57 per gallon in Bologna (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between $90.85 and $121.13. Economy (Seat Ibiza or similar) is the most popular car type to rent in Bologna, while also 81% cheaper than other types, on average.

Renting a car in Bologna costs $38 per day, on average, or $115 if you want to rent if for 3 days.

It’s generally cheaper to rent your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 5% cheaper than airport locations in Bologna.

Expect to pay $7.57 per gallon in Bologna (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between $90.85 and $121.13. Economy (Seat Ibiza or similar) is the most popular car type to rent in Bologna, while also 81% cheaper than other types, on average.