Emilia-Romagna · Italy
Where to stay in Bologna
Bologna is a city in Emilia-Romagna, Italy, home to about 388,000 people.
- Best months
- May to August
- Nearest airport
- BLQ6 km · Bologna Guglielmo Marconi Airport
- Currency
- EUReuro
- Time zone
- Europe/Rome
- Language
- Italian
About
About Bologna
Bologna (Bolognese: Bulåggna) is the capital and largest city of the Emilia-Romagna region in northern Italy. It is the seventh most populous city in Italy, with 391,473 inhabitants from 150 different nationalities.
Bologna is famous for its cuisine (la cucina Bolognese). It is also viewed as a progressive and well-administered city. It has one of the largest and best preserved historic centres among Italian cities. Its architecture is noted for its palette of terracotta reds, burnt oranges, and warm yellows, hence the name of Bologna la rossa (Bologna the red). The extensive town centre, characterised by miles of attractive covered walkways, known as "porticos," is one of the best-preserved in Europe. Bologna is the seat of the oldest university in continental Europe, founded in 1088.
Wikipedia and Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Things to do
What to see and do in Bologna
See
The iconic leaning towers (Due Torri) provide a useful central landmark. They are marked in the centre of the free map available from the Tourist Information Centre in the main square, Piazza Maggiore. The central area around Piazza Maggiore (including the Due Torri and Piazza Santo Stefano can be thought of as the hub of a wheel, with other roads leading out like spokes to the old city gates (Porte) that stud the Viali—a heavily trafficked beltway that surrounds the historical centre of the town. The northeast quadrant of the map is the university district (an integral part of the town rather than a separate campus).
- Basilica di San Petronio
- Palazzo del Podestà
- Palazzo Re Enzo
- Fontana di Nettuno
- Scavi Romani di biblioteca salaborsa
- Palazzo dei Banchi
- Palazzo d'Accursio
- Palazzo dei Notai
- Palazzo dell'Archiginnasio
- Corte de' Galluzzi
- Via Rizzoli
- Palazzo della Mercanzia
Do
- Bologna Fiere
- Estragon
- Livello 57
- TPO
- XM24
- VAG61
- The Link
- Covo Club
- Kindergarten
- Locomotiv
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Where to stay
Which part of Bologna to stay in
Bologna has always been famous for its hospitality: its welcoming service is very effective and makes Bologna a perfect place for tourists. Bologna cultural heritage as well as its wine and food makes it an ideal destination to spend a weekend or a holiday different times of the year.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Where to stay
Hotels in Bologna
43 hotels within 25 km of the centre, as recorded in Wikidata; the 40 best known are shown, by the number of Wikipedia editions that cover them. Each name links to its encyclopedia article where there is one.
| Hotel | Opened | From centre |
|---|---|---|
| Hotel Commercianti | 0.1 km | |
| Grand Hotel Majestic gia' Baglioni | 0.2 km | |
| 051 Room & Breakfast | 0.4 km | |
| A Casa Fachin | 0.9 km | |
| Admiral Park Hotel | 11.9 km | |
| Aemilia Hotel Bologna | 1.4 km | |
| Agriturismo Podere Amati | 15.5 km | |
| Albergo Panorama | 0.3 km | |
| Albergo Rossini 1936 Small & Charming | 0.7 km | |
| Alle Torri | 0.3 km | |
| Amati' Design Hotel | 9.1 km | |
| Art Hotel Orologio | 0.1 km | |
| Astoria Hotel | 1.1 km | |
| Attico di Via d'Azeglio | 0.6 km | |
| Ayhome B&B | 0.7 km | |
| B&B Selvarossa | 4.4 km | |
| Best Western Plus Tower Hotel Bologna | 3.8 km | |
| Bologna Bed and Breakfast | 1.1 km | |
| Bologna Center Town | 0.7 km | |
| Boutique Hotel Calzavecchio | 5.9 km | |
| Campus and Opera | 0.7 km | |
| CDH My One Hotel Bologna | 5.1 km | |
| Good Morning Marsala | 0.5 km | |
| Hotel Brianza | 5.8 km | |
| Hotel Cosmopolitan Bologna | 5.3 km | |
| Hotel Il Guercino | 1.7 km | |
| Hotel Internazionale | 0.8 km | |
| Hotel Marconi | 11.6 km | |
| Hotel Metropolitan | 0.5 km | |
| Hotel Porta San Mamolo | 0.8 km | |
| Hotel Touring | 0.5 km | |
| Hotel University | 0.6 km | |
| I Portici Hotel Bologna | 0.9 km | |
| La Quercia - BolognaRooms | 10.5 km | |
| Palazzo di Varignana Resort & SPA | 16.8 km | |
| PHI Hotel Bologna Al Cappello Rosso | 0.1 km | |
| Relais Bellaria Hotel & Congressi | 5.5 km | |
| Relais Villa Valfiore | 9.9 km | |
| Royal Hotel Carlton | 1.0 km | |
| Santo Stefano Apartments - BolognaRooms | 1.1 km |
When to go
The best time to visit Bologna
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Bologna are May to August. July is the warmest month, with average highs of 28 °C; November is the wettest, with about 130 mm of rain.
Comfortable means average daytime high between 18 °C and 29 °C and under 80 mm of rain in the month. Averages for 1991–2020 over the surrounding area, a grid square about 50 km across, so a coast or a nearby mountain can make the town itself warmer or cooler. Data: CRU TS v4.10, Climatic Research Unit, University of East Anglia (Open Database License).
Getting there
Getting to Bologna: airports and arrival
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Bologna Guglielmo Marconi Airport (BLQ), about 6.3 km from the city centre in a straight line; Forlì-Luigi Ridolfi International Airport (FRL, 67 km) and Florence Airport, Peretola (FLR, 77 km) are also within reach.
Getting around
TPER manages public transport in Bologna. Their information and ticket centres/vending machines are available at some central locations in the city, including the railway station Bologna Centrale and Autostazione di Bologna, the intercity bus station. Bus maps are available there (also at the web site). Single tickets and some other types of bus tickets can be also purchased at many other resellers around the city (newspaper sellers, tobacconists, cafés, etc.).
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
BLQ · Bologna Guglielmo Marconi Airport
FRL · Forlì-Luigi Ridolfi International Airport
FLR · Florence Airport, Peretola
Local knowledge
Eating, drinking and staying safe in Bologna
Eat
There are many choices for where to eat, as Bologna is generally considered to be the gastronomic centre of Italy. For local dishes, try: Da Gianni in Via Clavature, Mariposa in Via Bertiera or Meloncello in Via Sargozza. For good service, good wine list and fine food at a price try Camminetto D'Oro in Via de Falegnami or Cesarina in Piazza Santo Stefano. For more contemporary stylish dining try the excellent and good value Casa Monica in Via San Felice. Via del Pratello has lots of bars and restaurants/osterie for young people. There's lots to choose from here. Walk past, look at the menus. It is located towards the middle of the 'western' part of the map.
Drink
Consider visiting the many pubs and clubs of Via Zamboni (university zone); some, such as "The Irish Pub", popular with students and foreigners, give happy hours on Tuesday/Wednesday. "Al Piccolo" down the road in Piazza Verdi is another famous student haunt, a live DJ playing techno into the early mornings. Otherwise, the Via Pratello has many bars and is the center of the city's alternative scene. Worth a look in particular is "Mutanye", whose owner is reputed to have been part of the Red Brigade in his youth, hence the many soviet posters. Via Mascarella, in the northeast area of the city, has plenty of nightspots, among them two jazz clubs.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Questions
Bologna: questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit Bologna?
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Bologna are May to August. July is the warmest month, with average highs of 28 °C; November is the wettest, with about 130 mm of rain.
Which airport is closest to Bologna?
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Bologna Guglielmo Marconi Airport (BLQ), about 6.3 km from the city centre in a straight line; Forlì-Luigi Ridolfi International Airport (FRL, 67 km) and Florence Airport, Peretola (FLR, 77 km) are also within reach.
What currency is used in Bologna?
euro (EUR).
Nearby
Destinations near Bologna
Sources: city facts from Wikidata and Wikipedia; airports from OurAirports; climate from CRU TS v4.10 (University of East Anglia Climatic Research Unit), 1991–2020 monthly means, 0.5° grid; places to stay, guest scores and amenities from each operator's own public pages. How this guide is made.