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 New York and takes around 9h 50m.

Train

Trenitalia is the most popular train carrier serving Bologna, followed by Italotreno. The train journey from Bologna to Venice takes 1h 33m and costs around $17 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Milan, expect to pay about $19 for a 2h 02m 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 Global Rent A Car and Target Italy, 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 137 km and will cost you around $19. From Verona, the ticket costs about $21 for a journey of 169 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 New York and takes around 9h 50m.

Train

Trenitalia is the most popular train carrier serving Bologna, followed by Italotreno. The train journey from Bologna to Venice takes 1h 33m and costs around $17 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Milan, expect to pay about $19 for a 2h 02m 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 Global Rent A Car and Target Italy, 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 137 km and will cost you around $19. From Verona, the ticket costs about $21 for a journey of 169 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 (1,449 reviews)
Lufthansa
Good (7,762 reviews)
British Airways
Good (7,716 reviews)
Delta
Good (8,151 reviews)
Turkish Airlines
Good (4,210 reviews)
SWISS
Good (1,864 reviews)
Iberia
Good (3,104 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (9,240 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (3,731 reviews)
Air France
Good (1,532 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (3,505 reviews)
Austrian Airlines
Good (896 reviews)
Scandinavian Airlines
Good (1,677 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (10,694 reviews)
LOT
Good (1,179 reviews)
Etihad Airways
Good (1,381 reviews)
Finnair
Good (1,357 reviews)
Cathay Pacific
Good (1,159 reviews)
Brussels Airlines
Good (384 reviews)
Singapore Airlines
Excellent (1,451 reviews)
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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 Bed & Breakfast Accorsi, Bologna offers a range of accommodations for every taste. Average rates range from around $100 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to $192 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 $59 to $340 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% more expensive than a hotel room in the city.

Where to stay in popular areas of Bologna

Most booked hotels in Bologna

See all
Relais Villa Valfiore
4 stars
Excellent (8.8, 1052 reviews)
$105+
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Phi Hotel Emilia
4 stars
Excellent (8.7, 1056 reviews)
$84+
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Le Tuie
0 stars
Excellent (8.7, 204 reviews)
$142+
View
Best Western Plus Tower Hotel Bologna
4 stars
Excellent (8.6, 4542 reviews)
$97+
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Mercure Bologna Centro
4 stars
Excellent (8.5, 5331 reviews)
$131+
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NH Bologna Villanova
4 stars
Excellent (8.5, 2337 reviews)
$67+
View

Renting a car in Bologna

Renting a car in Bologna costs $21 per day, on average, or $63 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 32% cheaper than airport locations in Bologna.

Expect to pay $7.27 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 $87.22 and $116.29.

Renting a car in Bologna costs $21 per day, on average, or $63 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 32% cheaper than airport locations in Bologna.

Expect to pay $7.27 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 $87.22 and $116.29.

Best car rental deals in Bologna

Compact

4 Adults, 2 Bags

$8/day

Compact

Intermediate station wagon

5 Adults, 3 Bags

$19/day

Intermediate station wagon
Find car rentals in Bologna