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 1 days in order to fully appreciate everything Bologna has to offer.

Where to Eat in Bologna

If you’re looking for affordable options, DALP (Via Molino Scarselli 76) and Osteria Boccabuona (5 Via degli Usberti) are great picks.

When to visit Bologna

Bologna in March
Estimated hotel price
C$ 87
1 night at 3-star hotel
Bologna in March
Estimated hotel price
C$ 87
1 night at 3-star hotel

Looking for warm weather? Then head to Bologna in July, when the average temperature is 24 °C, and the highest can go up to 30 °C. The coldest month, on the other hand, is January, when it can get as cold as -1 °C, with an average temperature of 2 °C. You’re likely to see more rain in November, when precipitation is around 81 mm. In contrast, January is usually the driest month of the year in Bologna, with an average rainfall of 43 mm.

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 centre The shortest flight to Bologna from Canada departs from Toronto and takes around 9h 55m.

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 C$ 23 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Venice, expect to pay about C$ 26 for a 1h 22m trip. Located 0.8 miles from the city centre, Bologna Centrale is the busiest station in Bologna. Another popular train station is Bologna San Ruffillo, located 3 miles from the centre.

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 SURPRICE CAR RENTAL and NOLEGGIARE , among others, in Rome.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Bologna, including FlixBus, Itabus and BlaBlaBus. From Florence, the bus ride to Bologna takes 80 miles and will cost you around C$ 8. From Parma, the ticket costs about C$ 30 for a journey of 80 miles. The most popular bus station is Bologna Autostazione, located 0.8 miles from downtown Bologna. Bologna Piazza Roosevelt is also a commonly used station, and is 0.1 miles from the city centre.

Plane

When flying to Bologna, you’ll arrive at Bologna Guglielmo Marconi Airport (BLQ), which is located 4 miles from the city centre The shortest flight to Bologna from Canada departs from Toronto and takes around 9h 55m.

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 C$ 23 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Venice, expect to pay about C$ 26 for a 1h 22m trip. Located 0.8 miles from the city centre, Bologna Centrale is the busiest station in Bologna. Another popular train station is Bologna San Ruffillo, located 3 miles from the centre.

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 SURPRICE CAR RENTAL and NOLEGGIARE , among others, in Rome.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Bologna, including FlixBus, Itabus and BlaBlaBus. From Florence, the bus ride to Bologna takes 80 miles and will cost you around C$ 8. From Parma, the ticket costs about C$ 30 for a journey of 80 miles. The most popular bus station is Bologna Autostazione, located 0.8 miles from downtown Bologna. Bologna Piazza Roosevelt is also a commonly used station, and is 0.1 miles from the city centre.

Airlines serving Bologna

Lufthansa
Good (4,507 reviews)
KLM
Good (830 reviews)
SWISS
Good (915 reviews)
British Airways
Good (4,306 reviews)
Delta
Good (4,589 reviews)
Turkish Airlines
Good (2,262 reviews)
Air France
Good (968 reviews)
Iberia
Good (1,534 reviews)
Austrian Airlines
Good (482 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (2,106 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (4,864 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (2,479 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (5,523 reviews)
Brussels Airlines
Good (216 reviews)
Scandinavian Airlines
Good (812 reviews)
Finnair
Good (885 reviews)
LOT
Good (679 reviews)
TAP AIR PORTUGAL
Good (1,115 reviews)
Singapore Airlines
Excellent (891 reviews)
Alaska Airlines
Excellent (5,334 reviews)
Show more

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 C$ 145 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to C$ 245 and up for a 5-star experience. If you’re on a budget, well-reviewed accommodations include Dopa Hostel and Hotel Perla. There are also lots of vacation rental options in Bologna, with prices from C$ 57 to C$ 713 per night. Santo Stefano is the neighbourhood with the highest amount of rentals to choose from. On average, vacation rentals in Bologna are about 1% more expensive than a hotel room in the city.

Where to stay in popular areas of Bologna

Most booked hotels in Bologna

Hotel Cosmopolitan Bologna
4 stars
Excellent (8.5, Excellent reviews)
C$ 142+
NH Bologna Villanova
4 stars
Excellent (8.3, Excellent reviews)
C$ 97+
Suite Hotel Elite
4 stars
Excellent (8.1, Excellent reviews)
C$ 124+
Holiday Inn Bologna - Fiera
4 stars
Excellent (8.1, Excellent reviews)
C$ 125+
Flyon Hotel & Conference Center
4 stars
Good (7.4, Good reviews)
C$ 102+

Renting a car in Bologna

Renting a car in Bologna costs C$ 47 per day, on average.

It’s generally cheaper to rent your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 7% cheaper than airport locations in Bologna.

Expect to pay C$ 2.67 per litre in Bologna (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between C$ 31.96 and C$ 42.62. Economy (Citroen C3 or similar) is the most popular car type to rent in Bologna, while also 94% cheaper than other types, on average.

Renting a car in Bologna costs C$ 47 per day, on average.

It’s generally cheaper to rent your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 7% cheaper than airport locations in Bologna.

Expect to pay C$ 2.67 per litre in Bologna (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between C$ 31.96 and C$ 42.62. Economy (Citroen C3 or similar) is the most popular car type to rent in Bologna, while also 94% cheaper than other types, on average.