Must SeeFree
Piazza Maggiore
Centro Storico
Bologna’s vast main square, surrounded by medieval palaces and the huge San Petronio basilica.
- Suggested time: 1 hr
- No booking needed
- Suits: Couples
Open-air; always accessible
Plan your Bologna trip
- Flight + Hotel PackageRecommended Best option if you want the trip arranged together. View Packages Packages
- Hotels Prefer to book accommodation separately? View Hotels Hotels
- Flights Already have accommodation? View Flights Flights
- Things To Do Tours, attractions and experiences. View Activities Activities
Overview
Why go to Bologna
Bologna is warm, lively and beautiful, with kilometres of porticoes, two leaning medieval towers and food traditions that shaped Italian cooking. It is a student city, so evenings are buzzy.
- Where
- Emilia-Romagna, Italy
- Recommended stay
- 2–3 nights
- Best time to go
- April–June and September–October; summer is hot but the porticoes give shade.
- Approx. daily budget
- £65–125 a dayPer person, excluding flights. Indicative.
What does Bologna cost?
Full cost guide- Budget traveller£60–85a day
- Mid-range traveller£115–165a day
- Luxury traveller£225+a day
Approximate per person per day, including a share of a twin room, and excluding flights. Not live prices.
Things To Do
See all 16 Top picks in Bologna
Must See~£5
Two Towers
Centro Storico
A pair of leaning medieval towers, symbols of the city; climb the taller one for views.
- Suggested time: 1 hr
- Booking recommended
- Suits: Photographers
Daily, timed entry for the climb
Hidden GemsFree
Portico di San Luca Walk
San Luca
A 3.8 km covered walkway of nearly 700 arches climbing to a hilltop sanctuary.
- Suggested time: 2h 30m
- No booking needed
- Suits: Couples · Photographers
Open-air; always accessible
Shopping & MarketsFree
Quadrilatero Food Market
Centro Storico
Medieval lanes of delicatessens, bakeries and fishmongers beside the main square.
- Suggested time: 1h 30m
- No booking needed
- Suits: Food lovers
Monday–Saturday; Sunday limited
Hidden Gems
See all 5 Beyond the checklist
Hidden GemsFree
Portico di San Luca Walk
San Luca
A 3.8 km covered walkway of nearly 700 arches climbing to a hilltop sanctuary.
- Suggested time: 2h 30m
- No booking needed
- Suits: Couples · Photographers
Open-air; always accessible
Culture~£5
Archiginnasio and Anatomical Theatre
Centro Storico
The original university building, with a beautiful wooden anatomy theatre.
- Suggested time: 45 min
- No booking needed
- Suits: Culture lovers
Daily, roughly 10:00–19:00
Hidden GemsFree
Basilica di Santo Stefano (Seven Churches)
Centro
A peaceful complex of linked churches and cloisters, dating back to the 5th century, in one of the city’s quietest corners.
- Suggested time: 45 min
- No booking needed
- Suits: Culture lovers
Daily; hours vary
Hidden GemsFree
Finestrella di Via Piella
Via Piella
A small window in a wall that opens onto a canal view, a reminder that Bologna once had many canals.
- Suggested time: 15 min
- No booking needed
- Suits: Photographers
Open all day
Hotels
All 3 hotels Best-value hotels in Bologna
Well reviewed and fairly priced for what you get: not simply the cheapest.
Best ValueBest Mid-Range Hotel
Example listingHotel Portici Maggiore
Centro Storico, Bologna
Very good valueValue score 76 out of 100
Rated 8.8/10, priced in line with similar 4★ hotels in Bologna, in a central location.
From £120 per night · check current availability
Best Budget Choice
Example listingPratello Loft Hotel
Pratello, Bologna
Very good valueValue score 75 out of 100
Rated 8.5/10, priced in line with similar 3★ hotels in Bologna, in a central location.
From £70 per night · check current availability
Example listing
Two Towers Guesthouse
Centro Storico, Bologna
Very good valueValue score 72 out of 100
Rated 8.6/10, priced in line with similar 3★ hotels in Bologna, in a central location.
From £75 per night · check current availability
Food & Restaurants
See all 6 Where to eat
Osteria dell’Orsa
A lively, low-cost osteria with communal tables and big plates of fresh pasta.
Known for: Tagliatelle al ragù, tortellini
Under about £16 per person
Local favourite Good for Families · Groups
Trattoria da Gianni
A homely trattoria near Piazza Maggiore serving classics of Bolognese cooking.
Known for: Lasagne, tortellini in brodo
About £16–30 per person
Local favourite Good for Families · Groups
Tamburini
A famous deli and restaurant in the food quarter, with boards of cured meats, cheeses and hot pasta.
Known for: Mortadella, tagliatelle, cheese boards
About £16–30 per person
Local favourite Good for Families · Groups
Paolo Atti & Figli
A historic bakery in the food quarter, open since 1880, famed for fresh pasta and bread.
Known for: Fresh pasta and baked goods
Under about £16 per person
Local favourite Good for Couples · Families
A suggested Bologna itinerary
3 nights Couple
Bologna · Highlights
Bologna in 3 nights
A balanced first-visit plan built from our Bologna picks: the headline sights, a local favourite or two and time to breathe.
- Day 1 · Quadrilatero Food Market, Piazza Maggiore, Mercato delle Erbe, Portico di San Luca Walk
- Day 2 · Modena Day Trip, Two Towers
- Day 3 · Giardini Margherita, Archiginnasio and Anatomical Theatre, Basilica di Santo Stefano (Seven Churches), Via del Pratello Nightlife
Plan Bologna your way
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