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 January
Estimated hotel price
$133
1 night at 3-star hotel
Bologna in January
Estimated hotel price
$133
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 6 km from the city center. The shortest flight to Bologna from the United States departs from Boston 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 $37 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Florence, expect to pay about $12 for a 1h 16m trip. Located 1.4 km from the city center, Bologna Centrale is the busiest station in Bologna. Another popular train station is Bologna San Ruffillo, located 4 km from the center.

Car

Another option to get to Bologna is to pick up a car rental from Rome, which is about 302 km from Bologna. You’ll find branches of Target Italy and Galdierirent, among others, in Rome.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Bologna, including FlixBus, Itabus and Bus. From Florence, the bus ride to Bologna takes 129 km and will cost you around $22. From Venice, the ticket costs about $9 for a journey of 185 km. The most popular bus station is Bologna Autostazione, located 1.3 km from downtown Bologna. Bologna Area di Servizio Cantagallo is also a commonly used station, and is 6 km from the city center.

Plane

When flying to Bologna, you’ll arrive at Bologna Guglielmo Marconi Airport (BLQ), which is located 6 km from the city center. The shortest flight to Bologna from the United States departs from Boston 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 $37 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Florence, expect to pay about $12 for a 1h 16m trip. Located 1.4 km from the city center, Bologna Centrale is the busiest station in Bologna. Another popular train station is Bologna San Ruffillo, located 4 km from the center.

Car

Another option to get to Bologna is to pick up a car rental from Rome, which is about 302 km from Bologna. You’ll find branches of Target Italy and Galdierirent, among others, in Rome.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Bologna, including FlixBus, Itabus and Bus. From Florence, the bus ride to Bologna takes 129 km and will cost you around $22. From Venice, the ticket costs about $9 for a journey of 185 km. The most popular bus station is Bologna Autostazione, located 1.3 km from downtown Bologna. Bologna Area di Servizio Cantagallo is also a commonly used station, and is 6 km from the city center.

Airports near Bologna

BLQBologna Guglielmo Marconi
VCEVenice Marco Polo
FLRFlorence Peretola

Airlines serving Bologna

KLM
Good (1,444 reviews)
Lufthansa
Good (7,758 reviews)
British Airways
Good (7,706 reviews)
Delta
Good (8,130 reviews)
Turkish Airlines
Good (4,210 reviews)
SWISS
Good (1,864 reviews)
Iberia
Good (3,100 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (9,219 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (3,728 reviews)
Air France
Good (1,528 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (3,491 reviews)
Austrian Airlines
Good (896 reviews)
Scandinavian Airlines
Good (1,676 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (10,668 reviews)
LOT
Good (1,174 reviews)
Etihad Airways
Good (1,378 reviews)
Finnair
Good (1,356 reviews)
Cathay Pacific
Good (1,154 reviews)
Brussels Airlines
Good (381 reviews)
Singapore Airlines
Excellent (1,443 reviews)
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Where to stay in Bologna

From 5-star hotels such as the Grand Hotel Majestic gia' Baglioni to great affordable options like the Bed & Breakfast Accorsi, Bologna offers a range of accommodations for every taste. Average rates range from around $98 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to $185 and up for a 5-star experience. If you’re on a budget, well-reviewed accommodations include Antica Residenza D'Azeglio and Hotel Pedrini. There are also lots of vacation rental options in Bologna, with prices from $42 to $574 per night. Santo Stefano is the neighborhood with the highest amount of rentals to choose from. On average, vacation rentals in Bologna are about 10% cheaper than a hotel room in the city.

Where to stay in popular areas of Bologna

Most booked hotels in Bologna

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Una Hotels Bologna San Lazzaro
4 stars
Excellent (8.7, 2263 reviews)
$63+
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Phi Hotel Emilia
4 stars
Excellent (8.7, 1056 reviews)
$82+
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Le Tuie
0 stars
Excellent (8.7, 204 reviews)
$153+
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Best Western Plus Tower Hotel Bologna
4 stars
Excellent (8.6, 4542 reviews)
$95+
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Mercure Bologna Centro
4 stars
Excellent (8.5, 5329 reviews)
$130+
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NH Bologna Villanova
4 stars
Excellent (8.5, 2338 reviews)
$67+
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Renting a car in Bologna

Renting a car in Bologna costs $28 per day, on average, or $84 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 15% 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. Economy (Opel Corsa or similar) is the most popular car type to rent in Bologna, while also 86% cheaper than other types, on average.

Renting a car in Bologna costs $28 per day, on average, or $84 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 15% 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. Economy (Opel Corsa or similar) is the most popular car type to rent in Bologna, while also 86% cheaper than other types, on average.

Best car rental deals in Bologna

Intermediate SUV

5 Adults, 3 Bags

$20/day

Intermediate SUV

Intermediate

5 Adults, 3 Bags

$20/day

Intermediate
Find car rentals in Bologna