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, Gut - Birreria & Cucineria (27H Via P. Togliatti) and DALP (Via Molino Scarselli 76 Osteria Grande) are great picks.

When to visit Bologna

Bologna in August
Estimated hotel price
$129
1 night at 3-star hotel
Bologna in August
Estimated hotel price
$129
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 11h 10m.

Train

Trenitalia is the most popular train carrier serving Bologna, followed by AccesRail. The train journey from Bologna to Florence takes 1h 17m and costs around $9 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Milan, expect to pay about $44 for a 1h 23m 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 Italy Car Rent, 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 80 miles and will cost you around $8. From Milan, the ticket costs about $13 for a journey of 135 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 11h 10m.

Train

Trenitalia is the most popular train carrier serving Bologna, followed by AccesRail. The train journey from Bologna to Florence takes 1h 17m and costs around $9 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Milan, expect to pay about $44 for a 1h 23m 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 Italy Car Rent, 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 80 miles and will cost you around $8. From Milan, the ticket costs about $13 for a journey of 135 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 (7,187 reviews)
KLM
Good (1,351 reviews)
British Airways
Good (6,846 reviews)
SWISS
Good (1,640 reviews)
Delta
Excellent (8,845 reviews)
Turkish Airlines
Good (3,869 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (3,550 reviews)
Iberia
Good (2,669 reviews)
Air France
Good (1,536 reviews)
Austrian Airlines
Good (833 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (3,905 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (9,249 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (8,071 reviews)
Finnair
Good (1,318 reviews)
Brussels Airlines
Good (382 reviews)
Alaska Airlines
Excellent (9,417 reviews)
Singapore Airlines
Excellent (1,340 reviews)
Etihad Airways
Good (1,234 reviews)
LOT
Good (1,202 reviews)
Scandinavian Airlines
Good (1,298 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 $101 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to $318 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 $603 per night. Santo Stefano is the neighborhood with the highest amount of rentals to choose from. On average, vacation rentals in Bologna are about 17% cheaper than a hotel room in the city.

Where to stay in popular areas of Bologna

Most booked hotels in Bologna

Unahotels Bologna San Lazzaro
4 stars
Excellent (8.6, 2781 reviews)
$82+
Hotel Cosmopolitan Bologna
4 stars
Excellent (8.5, 9325 reviews)
$75+
Cà Palazzo Malvasia - Bolognarooms
3 stars
Excellent (8.4, 598 reviews)
$72+
NH Bologna Villanova
4 stars
Excellent (8.3, 2617 reviews)
$80+
Suite Hotel Elite
4 stars
Excellent (8.1, 8245 reviews)
$79+
Holiday Inn Bologna - Fiera
4 stars
Excellent (8.1, 5498 reviews)
$81+

Renting a car in Bologna

Renting a car in Bologna costs $31 per day, on average, or $93 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 9% cheaper than airport locations in Bologna.

Expect to pay $7.04 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 $84.49 and $112.65. The most frequently booked car type in Bologna is Economy (Jeep Renegade or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Compact rental cars (Nissan Versa Note or similar) are, on average, 83% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.

Renting a car in Bologna costs $31 per day, on average, or $93 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 9% cheaper than airport locations in Bologna.

Expect to pay $7.04 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 $84.49 and $112.65. The most frequently booked car type in Bologna is Economy (Jeep Renegade or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Compact rental cars (Nissan Versa Note or similar) are, on average, 83% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.