Bologna

City guide · Italy

Bologna

Bologna is the capital and largest city of the Emilia-Romagna region in northern Italy.

4 ready itineraries · 3, 5, 7, 10-day plans

Bologna 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.

Its metropolitan province is home to more than 1 million people as of 2026. Bologna is most famous for being the home to the oldest university in continuous operation, the University of Bologna, established in AD 1088. thumb|Neptune fountain The iconic leaning towers (Due Torri) provide a useful central landmark.

Best for
First-time visitors who want Bologna without a car. The 3-day plan stays inside walking range of Around Piazza Maggiore.
Skip if
Skip Bologna if you only want a beach week or an airport layover. This cluster is for people who will walk most days.

Pick a trip length

One plan per length — open it and walk the days in order.

5-day preview

Skim the walking days, then open the full plan.

Full plan
  1. 1

    Museums and galleries

    Walk Museums and galleries in Bologna. Start at Museo Civico Archeologico, then Collezioni Comunali d'Arte and Museo Civico Medievale. Stay on foot.

    Museo Civico Archeologico · Collezioni Comunali d'Arte · Museo Civico Medievale · Museo Davia Bargellini · …

  2. 2

    Around Piazza Maggiore

    Walk Around Piazza Maggiore in Bologna. Start at Basilica di San Petronio, then Palazzo del Podestà and Palazzo Re Enzo. Stay on foot.

    Basilica di San Petronio · Palazzo del Podestà · Palazzo Re Enzo · Fontana di Nettuno · …

  3. 3

    Other sites

    Walk Other sites in Bologna. Start at Via Rizzoli, then Palazzo della Mercanzia and Tombe dei Glossatori. Stay on foot.

    Via Rizzoli · Palazzo della Mercanzia · Tombe dei Glossatori · Basilica di San Domenico · …

  4. 4

    Parks and gardens

    Walk Parks and gardens in Bologna. Start at Giardini Margherita, then Giardino della Montagnola and Villa delle Rose. Stay on foot.

    Giardini Margherita · Giardino della Montagnola · Villa delle Rose · Villa Spada · …

  5. 5

    Day trip toward Ferrara

    Leave Bologna for the day. Come back to the same bed.

    Ferrara · Rimini · Ravenna

Where to stay

Bases that fit the walking plan.

Full guide →

  • Around Piazza Maggiore

    2 to 4 nights

    Walking this plan

    Base here if you want Basilica di San Petronio, Palazzo del Podestà, Palazzo Re Enzo on foot.

  • Other sites

    2 to 4 nights

    Walking this plan

    Base here if you want Via Rizzoli, Palazzo della Mercanzia, Tombe dei Glossatori on foot.

  • Medieval towers

    2 to 4 nights

    Walking this plan

    Base here if you want Torre degli Asinelli, Torre dei Garisenda, Torre Prendiparte on foot.

  • Arcades

    2 to 4 nights

    Walking this plan

    Base here if you want Portico Walk to San Luca, Santuario della Madonna di San Luca on foot.

Getting there & when to go

Lock timing and airport basics early.

Best time

Bologna works year-round for a walking trip. Shoulder months are easier on crowds and hills.

  • Shoulder months
  • High season
  • Low season
  • Rain days
Season guide →

Airport

Aeroporto di Bologna "Guglielmo Marconi" - Terminal A (XXX)

thumb|File:Tram-Logo.svg|20px (2023) 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.).

  • Public transit from XXX30 to 60 minutes · Local ticket price. Check the operator the week you fly.
  • Taxi or licensed ride hail20 to 45 minutes · Treat any number you see online as an estimate, not a quote.
Transfers →

Practical notes

Short reads before you book.

Understand

thumb|Two towers of Bologna 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).

Get in

Bologna's airport is approximately 6 km NW from the centre of the city: * | url=http://www.bologna-airport.it/ | email= | address=Via Triumvirato, 84 | lat=44.534573 | long=11.287937 | directions= | phone=+39 051 6479615 | tollfree= | hours= | price= | wikidata=Q389241 | lastedit=2016-04-08 | content=The airport has international connections available, including nonstop flights from Amsterdam Schiphol, Brussels (National), Charleroi ("Brussels" South), Copenhagen Airport, Dublin, Edinburgh, Frankfurt, Iași, Istanbul , Lisbon, London , Madrid Barajas, Manchester Airport, Moscow , Paris , Prague, Vienna Airport, and Zagreb (seasonal). }} Services: * WiFI – free, registration required. * * Connections to the city: * Marconi Express monorail service connects the airport with the Bologna Centrale railway station in 7 minutes. Waiting time for the train can be quite long (sometimes over half an hour), as there are not enough carriages for the amount of people.

Get around

thumb|File:Tram-Logo.svg|20px (2023) 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.).

Related guides

Helpful next pages for Bologna.