Introduction
What to do
Where to eat
When to visit
How to get there
Where to stay
Renting a car

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.

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Where to Eat in Bologna

If you’re looking for affordable options, La Fatica - Antica Osteria (8/A Via Torleone) and La Taverna Di Roberto (9 Via di San Vitale) are great picks.

When to visit Bologna

Bologna in December
Estimated hotel price
$145
1 night at 3-star hotel
Bologna in December
Estimated hotel price
$145
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 10h.

Train

Trenitalia is the most popular train carrier serving Bologna, followed by Italotreno. The train journey from Bologna to Milan takes 1h 04m and costs around $19 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Rome, expect to pay about $22 for a 4h 26m 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 RM Car Rentals and Record Go, among others, in Rome.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Bologna, including FlixBus, BlaBlaCar Bus and Bus. From Florence, the bus ride to Bologna takes 95 miles and will cost you around $19. From Venice, the ticket costs about $15 for a journey of 120 miles. The most popular bus station is Bologna Autostazione, located 0.8 miles from downtown Bologna. Bologna Area di Servizio Cantagallo is also a commonly used station, and is 4 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 10h.

Train

Trenitalia is the most popular train carrier serving Bologna, followed by Italotreno. The train journey from Bologna to Milan takes 1h 04m and costs around $19 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Rome, expect to pay about $22 for a 4h 26m 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 RM Car Rentals and Record Go, among others, in Rome.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Bologna, including FlixBus, BlaBlaCar Bus and Bus. From Florence, the bus ride to Bologna takes 95 miles and will cost you around $19. From Venice, the ticket costs about $15 for a journey of 120 miles. The most popular bus station is Bologna Autostazione, located 0.8 miles from downtown Bologna. Bologna Area di Servizio Cantagallo is also a commonly used station, and is 4 miles from the city center.

Airports near Bologna

BLQBologna Guglielmo Marconi
VCEVenice Marco Polo
FLRFlorence Peretola

Airlines serving Bologna

KLM
Good (1,499 reviews)
Lufthansa
Good (7,926 reviews)
British Airways
Good (7,889 reviews)
Delta
Good (8,412 reviews)
Turkish Airlines
Good (4,305 reviews)
SWISS
Good (1,922 reviews)
Iberia
Good (3,180 reviews)
Air France
Good (1,572 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (9,596 reviews)
Austrian Airlines
Good (903 reviews)
Scandinavian Airlines
Good (1,750 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (3,559 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (3,728 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (10,930 reviews)
LOT
Good (1,188 reviews)
Finnair
Good (1,389 reviews)
Brussels Airlines
Good (401 reviews)
TAP AIR PORTUGAL
Good (2,205 reviews)
Etihad Airways
Good (1,430 reviews)
Cathay Pacific
Good (1,275 reviews)
Show more
Find flights to Bologna

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 $124 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to $235 and up for a 5-star experience. There are also lots of vacation rental options in Bologna, with prices from $71 to $2,093 per night. Santo Stefano is the neighborhood with the highest amount of rentals to choose from. On average, vacation rentals in Bologna are about 1% cheaper than a hotel room in the city.

Where to stay in popular areas of Bologna

Most booked hotels in Bologna

See all
Royal Hotel Carlton
4 stars
Excellent (8.8, 7630 reviews)
$160+
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Le Tuie
0 stars
Excellent (8.8, 204 reviews)
$177+
View
Hotel Cosmopolitan Bologna
4 stars
Excellent (8.6, 8693 reviews)
$103+
View
Una Hotels San Vitale Bologna
4 stars
Excellent (8.6, 5340 reviews)
$85+
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NH Bologna Villanova
4 stars
Excellent (8.5, 2377 reviews)
$79+
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Hotel Bologna Airport
4 stars
Excellent (8.2, 5716 reviews)
$99+
View

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 39% cheaper than airport locations in Bologna.

Expect to pay $7.65 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 $91.76 and $122.34. Economy (Class Economy Car or similar) is the most popular car type to rent in Bologna, while also 52% cheaper than other types, on average.

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 39% cheaper than airport locations in Bologna.

Expect to pay $7.65 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 $91.76 and $122.34. Economy (Class Economy Car or similar) is the most popular car type to rent in Bologna, while also 52% cheaper than other types, on average.

Car rental agencies in Bologna

Dollar

Dollar

Europcar

Europcar

Thrifty

Thrifty
Find car rentals in Bologna