We will be spending 3 or 4 days in Bologna this summer.
We will not have a car so we will be either walking or using public transportation.
Any advice on do's or don'ts on exploring sites?
Any suggestions on an affordable small group cooking class?
Any nearby wineries worth exploring?
Is the walk to San Luca worth the energy?
Anyone been to the Palazzo Poggi Museum?
Has anyone invested in the Welcome Card or Card Cultura?
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San Francisco Bay Area (USA)
17591 posts
Even if you had a car, you couldn’t use it. The historical city center is closed to private cars, except for residents with permit.
The historical center is pretty large, and most sights are near Piazza Maggiore, so try to stay close to that or you will have to walk a lot. If you plan to take day trips to other towns, which you certainly have time to do if you are there for 4 nights, then consider staying a bit north of P.zza Maggiore, so you can walk to the station more easily.
Get a guidebook (paper or online) to see what you need to see. There is quite a bit in Bologna. Summers in Bologna are scorching hot, but most of the city center has porticos in the streets so you can walk under the shade. Make sure your hotel has AC.
San Luca is definitely a place to visit, but there is no way I would walk that distance (maybe 3+ miles), partially uphill, in the heat of summer, even though mostly shaded by a long portico. Take a bus or a taxi. I’ve only driven there (by relatives from Bologna) and also by bus when I was a small kid.