Introduction
What to do
When to visit
How to get there
Where to stay
Hiring 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.

Article

When to visit Bologna

Bologna in February
Estimated hotel price
£75
1 night at 3-star hotel
Bologna in February
Estimated hotel price
£75
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 the United Kingdom departs from Manchester and takes around 2h 20m.

Train

Trenitalia is the most popular train carrier serving Bologna, followed by Italotreno. The train journey from Bologna to Milan takes 2h 11m and costs around £25 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Rome, expect to pay about £26 for a 2h 12m 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 hire from Milan, which is about 125 miles from Bologna. You’ll find branches of Italy Car Rent and Rent Smart 24, among others, in Milan.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Bologna, including Itabus, FlixBus and MarinoBus. From Florence, the bus ride to Bologna takes 75 miles and will cost you around £13. From Venice, the ticket costs about £11 for a journey of 110 miles. The most popular bus station is Bologna Autostazione, located 0.8 miles from the city centre of Bologna. Bologna Area di Servizio Cantagallo is also a commonly used station, and is 4 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 the United Kingdom departs from Manchester and takes around 2h 20m.

Train

Trenitalia is the most popular train carrier serving Bologna, followed by Italotreno. The train journey from Bologna to Milan takes 2h 11m and costs around £25 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Rome, expect to pay about £26 for a 2h 12m 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 hire from Milan, which is about 125 miles from Bologna. You’ll find branches of Italy Car Rent and Rent Smart 24, among others, in Milan.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Bologna, including Itabus, FlixBus and MarinoBus. From Florence, the bus ride to Bologna takes 75 miles and will cost you around £13. From Venice, the ticket costs about £11 for a journey of 110 miles. The most popular bus station is Bologna Autostazione, located 0.8 miles from the city centre of Bologna. Bologna Area di Servizio Cantagallo is also a commonly used station, and is 4 miles from the city centre.

Airports near Bologna

BLQBologna Guglielmo Marconi
VCEVenice Marco Polo
FLRFlorence Peretola

Airlines serving Bologna

KLM
Good (1,405 reviews)
Lufthansa
Good (7,555 reviews)
Delta
Good (8,001 reviews)
British Airways
Good (7,500 reviews)
Turkish Airlines
Good (4,031 reviews)
SWISS
Good (1,779 reviews)
Iberia
Good (3,007 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (9,003 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (3,402 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (3,661 reviews)
Air France
Good (1,484 reviews)
Austrian Airlines
Good (864 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (10,413 reviews)
Etihad Airways
Good (1,285 reviews)
Scandinavian Airlines
Good (1,561 reviews)
Cathay Pacific
Good (1,055 reviews)
LOT
Good (1,133 reviews)
Finnair
Good (1,335 reviews)
Singapore Airlines
Excellent (1,393 reviews)
Ethiopian Air
Good (889 reviews)
Show more
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 £86 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to £153 and up for a 5-star experience. There are also lots of holiday rental options in Bologna, with prices from £31 to £489 per night. Santo Stefano is the neighbourhood with the highest amount of rentals to choose from. On average, holiday rentals in Bologna are about 11% cheaper than a hotel room in the city.

Where to stay in popular areas of Bologna

Most booked hotels in Bologna

See all
Savhotel Fiera Bologna
4 stars
Excellent (9, Excellent reviews)
£77+
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Una Hotels Bologna San Lazzaro
4 stars
Excellent (8.8, Excellent reviews)
£60+
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Relais Villa Valfiore
4 stars
Excellent (8.8, Excellent reviews)
£82+
View
Hotel Cosmopolitan Bologna
4 stars
Excellent (8.6, Excellent reviews)
£65+
View
The Social Hub Bologna
4 stars
Excellent (8.6, Excellent reviews)
£72+
View
Living Place Hotel
4 stars
Excellent (8.5, Excellent reviews)
£63+
View

Hiring a car in Bologna

Hiring a car in Bologna costs £35 per day, on average, or £105 if you want to hire it for 3 days.

It’s generally cheaper to hire your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 2% cheaper than airport locations in Bologna.

Expect to pay £1.47 per litre in Bologna (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your car hire, filling up the tank will cost between £17.59 and £23.45. Mini (Fiat 500 or similar) is the most popular car type to hire in Bologna, while also 30% cheaper than other types, on average.

Hiring a car in Bologna costs £35 per day, on average, or £105 if you want to hire it for 3 days.

It’s generally cheaper to hire your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 2% cheaper than airport locations in Bologna.

Expect to pay £1.47 per litre in Bologna (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your car hire, filling up the tank will cost between £17.59 and £23.45. Mini (Fiat 500 or similar) is the most popular car type to hire in Bologna, while also 30% cheaper than other types, on average.

Best car hire deals in Bologna

Intermediate

5 adults, 3 Bags

£20/day

Intermediate
Find car hire in Bologna