No Records Found
Sorry, no records were found. Please adjust your search criteria and try again.
Bologna
welcome to the Red City
Popular Categories
Our experience of Bologna began about a decade ago, and our most recent visit was in 2024. We have always enjoyed the historic centre, especially impressive Piazza Maggiore and the city's youthful atmosphere, shaped by its large student population. The area around the main railway station has appealed to us less, particularly at night, when it can look rather gloomy. This Bologna travel guide reflects those visits.
History of Bologna:
Bologna has been inhabited since prehistoric times, with important settlements developing during the Villanovan culture. The Etruscans later established Felsina here, before the area came under the control of the Celtic Boii. Rome defeated the Boii in 196 BC and founded the Latin colony of Bononia in 189 BC. Read More [...]
After the fall of the Western Roman Empire, the city passed through the control of Odoacer, the Ostrogoths, the Byzantine Empire, and the Lombards. Charlemagne conquered the Lombard kingdom in 774, bringing the settlement into the Carolingian political sphere. During the following centuries, its strategic position between northern Italy and the Apennines encouraged renewed economic and demographic growth.
The medieval commune developed during the early twelfth century, while the Studium traditionally dated to 1088 evolved into the University of Bologna, regarded as the oldest university in the Western world. By the thirteenth century, the city had become an important commercial and intellectual centre, supported by canals, manufacturing, markets, and a dense urban landscape of towers and porticoes.
Political control later shifted between local signorie, Milanese rulers, and the Papacy. The Bentivoglio family dominated much of the fifteenth century before Pope Julius II took control in 1506. The city remained within the Papal States until Napoleon's armies arrived in 1796, returned to papal rule after 1815, and was incorporated into the emerging Italian state in 1860.
The twentieth century brought industrial expansion but also major tragedies. Allied bombing during the Second World War caused extensive destruction and thousands of deaths, and the city was liberated on April 21, 1945. On August 2, 1980, a terrorist bombing at the central railway station killed 85 people and injured around 200, becoming one of post-war Italy's deadliest attacks.
Geography of Bologna:
Bologna is the capital of Emilia-Romagna and the administrative centre of the Metropolitan City bearing its name. The municipality covers approximately 141 square kilometres and has around 395,000 residents. It is one of northern Italy's largest cities and functions as a major regional centre for government, education, industry, trade fairs, transport, publishing, culture, and services. Read More [...]
The city stands near the southern edge of the Po Valley, immediately north of the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines. Its historic centre lies at about 54 metres above sea level, while the municipal territory rises considerably toward the southern hills. The Reno River runs west of the urban core, while the Savena marks part of the eastern side.
The terrain is predominantly flat across the northern and central districts but becomes hilly toward the south. Colle della Guardia, occupied by the Sanctuary of San Luca, rises to about 300 metres, while higher ground within the municipality approaches 400 metres. This position between the plain and Apennine valleys has historically made the city an important transport crossroads.
Modena lies roughly 45 kilometres west, Ferrara about 50 kilometres northeast, Ravenna around 80 kilometres east, and Parma approximately 100 kilometres northwest by road. Florence is about 105 kilometres south, Venice around 155 kilometres northeast, Milan approximately 215 kilometres northwest, and Rome roughly 375 kilometres south, connected mainly through the Apennine corridor.
Transport to/in Bologna:
By train: Bologna Centrale is one of Italy's principal railway hubs. High-speed services operated by Trenitalia and Italo provide frequent connections with Milan, Florence, Rome, Naples, Turin, and Venice. Conventional Intercity and regional lines also connect the city with destinations including Parma, Modena, Ferrara, Ravenna, Rimini, Verona, and the Adriatic coast. Read More [...]
By road: Three major motorways converge around the city. The A1 connects Milan, Florence, Rome, and Naples; the A13 runs north toward Ferrara and Padua; and the A14 follows the Adriatic corridor toward Rimini, Ancona, and Taranto. The urban motorway system is accompanied by the Tangenziale, which skirts the western, northern, and eastern sides.
By bus: Autostazione di Bologna stands in Piazza XX Settembre, close to the central railway station. Regional, national, and international coaches depart from the terminal, with operators including FlixBus and Itabus. Bus connections reach other Emilia-Romagna cities as well as numerous destinations elsewhere in Italy and several European countries.
By air: Bologna Guglielmo Marconi Airport lies approximately six kilometres northwest of the centre. The Marconi Express automated people mover links the terminal with Bologna Centrale in about seven minutes. Alternative airports include Forlì Luigi Ridolfi Airport, around 80 kilometres east, and Florence Amerigo Vespucci Airport, approximately 95 kilometres south by road.
Getting around Bologna: Urban and suburban public transport is primarily operated by TPER, which runs buses and trolleybuses across the city and surrounding municipalities. The metropolitan railway network provides additional local connections. Much of the historic centre can be explored efficiently on foot, while an extensive cycling network and public bicycle services provide further options for shorter urban journeys.
Tourist Attractions in Bologna:
The monumental heart of the city is Piazza Maggiore, surrounded by buildings including Basilica di San Petronio, Palazzo d'Accursio, Palazzo del Podestà, and Palazzo dei Notai. Nearby, Fontana del Nettuno features Giambologna's sixteenth-century bronze Neptune. The basilica, begun in 1390, is particularly recognisable for its enormous unfinished façade combining brick and marble. Read More [...]
Medieval landmarks include Torre degli Asinelli and Torre Garisenda, the surviving pair traditionally known as the Two Towers. The religious complex of Santo Stefano incorporates several interconnected historic buildings and courtyards. Nearby, Palazzo dell'Archiginnasio, constructed in the sixteenth century as a university building, contains the seventeenth-century Teatro Anatomico.
More than 62 kilometres of porticoes extend across the urban area, with twelve groups inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2021. The approximately four-kilometre Portico di San Luca, formed by 666 arches, climbs to the Santuario della Madonna di San Luca. Important art collections can also be visited at the Pinacoteca Nazionale di Bologna and MAMbo.
Events in Bologna:
Arte Fiera, first held in 1974, is one of Italy's longest-established contemporary art fairs and takes place at the exhibition district. The city also hosts the internationally important Bologna Children's Book Fair, a professional publishing event bringing together publishers, illustrators, literary agents, authors, translators, licensing companies, and other specialists from countries around the world each spring. Read More [...]
Il Cinema Ritrovato, organised by the Cineteca di Bologna, focuses on restored, rediscovered, and classic cinema and includes screenings in cinemas and outdoors in Piazza Maggiore. On October 4, the city celebrates its patron saint during the Festa di San Petronio, with religious observances and cultural activities centred on the basilica and historic centre.
Frequently Asked Questions about Bologna
Is the historic centre easy to explore on foot?
Yes. Most major sights in the historic centre lie within a compact area, and extensive porticoes provide covered pedestrian routes through many central streets. Read More [...]
What traditional foods should visitors try?
Typical local specialities include tortellini, tagliatelle al ragù, mortadella, lasagne verdi, cotoletta alla bolognese, and crescentine, accompanied by products from the wider Emilia-Romagna region.
Where is the traditional food market area?
The Quadrilatero, immediately east of Piazza Maggiore, is the historic market district, with narrow streets containing food shops, delicatessens, produce stalls, restaurants, and cafés.
Are cars restricted in the historic centre?
Yes. Much of central Bologna forms a controlled traffic zone, or ZTL, where vehicle access is restricted and cameras monitor authorised and unauthorised entries.
Does Bologna still have visible canals?
Yes, although much of the historic canal system is now covered. One well-known visible section can be seen through the Finestrella di Via Piella.
What is the principal shopping street?
Via dell'Indipendenza is one of the main central shopping streets, running between the central-station area and Piazza Maggiore through a continuous sequence of porticoes.
Can Modena and Ferrara be visited as day trips?
Yes. Both cities have frequent rail connections and relatively short journey times, making them among the easiest regional day trips from the city centre.
Places to SEE
View allThings to DO
View all
- Home > Location > Emilia-Romagna > Bologna
Places to EAT & DRINK
View all
Nearby CITIES
View all
Near me
1000 km