Bologna is vibrant and inviting! We used it as a layover stop and were happily surprised to have landed in a remarkable city. The home of (arguably) the first University founded in 1003, it still buzzes with student energy. But it also feels like a city where real people live. We stayed 2 days and found many markets open - even on Sunday. The porticos are amazing - the longest running 4km from Basilica San Luca to the city center. Even walking just a few blocks on the mosaic tiles under gracefully adorned roofs feels special. History notes the porticos were a solution to a need for real estate - expanding the upper floors above the passageway allowed more living space. Eventually porticos became a mandatory part of Bologna building codes.
Bologna Centrale is an efficient train station and connects high speed to other stops.
Happy to answer any Bologna questions, but wanted to share our good experience there and encourage your visit.
Posted by
Phoenix, Arizona
65 posts
You forgot to mention the food! The world may come to Italy to eat, but Italy comes to Bologna.
Posted by
1 posts
We are driving to Bologna....what are the best places to park?
Posted by
Denver, CO USA
606 posts
We love Bologna.
We have spent 5x2 days there.
Will spend another 5 days there this coming November.
Museums.
Food.
TIPR has a huge efficient system.
Posted by
Vernon, Canada
32470 posts
I also quite enjoyed spending a few days in Bologna when I visited a few years ago. Of course, one of my main interests was trying the food in "la Grassa", especially Tagliatelle al Ragu and Lambrusco, and that's the part I remember most.
Posted by
Vignola, MO, IT
740 posts
Bologna is getting a lot more crowded and this isn't always a good thing. I've been visiting/living in the area for 10 years and I preferred before the masses of crowds. I have friends that our tour guides so they now prefer Modena to Bologna. Spend a day in Bologna then get on the train and try some of the smaller nearby towns.
Posted by
L'Occitanie, France
11071 posts
We stayed in Bologna for ten days long before Covid, enjoyed the local sites and appreciated at that time that this was a city with local character. We did not want to stay in a city where local boutique had become souvenir shops.
We used Bologna as our central hub for day trip to Padua, Florence, Ravenna and more. Yes, only one day in Florence because it had become so jammed with tourists that we knew the local character was gone. (I had been there 50 years ago in winter.) It’s only 30 minutes through mountain tunnels by train. We did an intro tour in the am and a Uffizi tour the pm. And then got out.
Posted by
OP
Colorado
8 posts
Regarding the parking question, Bologna has a pedestrian only zone in the Old Town - meaning very little vehicle traffic is allowed, which makes for great strolling but difficult driving. If possible, start or end your car rental there so you don’t have to worry about it. Or look into parking outside the city interior and taking the bus or a taxi from there.