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. Bologna deserves at least 2 full days for you to see its main sights.
If you’re looking for affordable options, DALP (Via Molino Scarselli 76) and La Taverna Di Roberto (9 Via di San Vitale) are great picks.
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.
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 Australia departs from Cairns and takes around 49h 10m.
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 $37 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Florence, expect to pay about $17 for a 1h 13m 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.
Another option to get to Bologna is to pick up a car hire from Rome, which is about 188 miles from Bologna. You’ll find branches of SURPRICE CAR RENTAL and Europcar, among others, in Rome.
Several bus lines operate bus routes to Bologna, including FlixBus, Itabus and MarinoBus. From Florence, the bus ride to Bologna takes 80 miles and will cost you around $11. From Parma, the ticket costs about $17 for a journey of 85 miles. The most popular bus station is Bologna Autostazione, located 0.8 miles from the city centre of Bologna. Bologna Piazza Roosevelt is also a commonly used station, and is 0.1 miles from the city centre.
From 5-star hotels such as the Grand Hotel Majestic già Baglioni to great affordable options like the B&B Accorsi, Bologna offers a range of accommodations for every taste. Average rates range from around $160 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to $283 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 holiday rental options in Bologna, with prices from $64 to $857 per night. Santo Stefano is the neighbourhood with the highest amount of rentals to choose from. On average, holiday rentals in Bologna are about 4% more expensive than a hotel room in the city.
Hiring a car in Bologna costs $68 per day, on average, or $137 if you want to hire it for 2 days.
It’s generally cheaper to hire your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 7% cheaper than airport locations in Bologna.
Expect to pay $3.02 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 $36.18 and $48.24. The most frequently booked car type in Bologna is Economy (Jeep Renegade or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Compact car hire (Vauxhall Mokka or similar) is, on average, 90% cheaper than other car hire types in the city.