Bologna (Italy)

Bologna is a larger city at the banks of Reno River in northern Italy. The city is very well known in Italy, but foreign tourist are visiting the area quite seldom. The knowledge of English is rare in the suburbs. The city is famous as location of Italy's oldest university, for its well-preserved historical center, its splendid food culture, its theater and the large number of students due to its nightlife. The city's best-known landmarks are the two medieval towers (from the 1100's). One of them is 97 m high, and the other 47 m high and more than 3 m inclined. In Bologna are numerous historical buildings, statues, palaces and fountains, additonally the area has also a great variety of museums, churches and parks. The city is also regarded as a center of Italian food culture and the whole restaurant culture is very comprehensive.

Population: 378,701
Beach : No
Mountain : No
Popular destination: No
Official language: Italian
Skill level of the English language : Moderate
Emergency numbers: 112 (the police, ambulance, fire brigade)
Currency: Euro (EUR)
Electric plugs: C, F, L
Voltage: 230 V
Tipping in a restaurant: A service charge is sometimes added to the bill. Otherwise, a tip of around 10% is appreciated if the service is good.
Time in destination: Apr 1, 2020, 5:56:44 PM

Location map

Weather Forecast

Monthly Weather Conditions

Bologna is a great destination at any time of year. There's beautiful places to visit and a wealth of things to do. Rainy days are almost the same throughout the year, with an average of 8 days per month.

This city is at its best from March to October, when it's hot and there's much outdoor sipping and dining and sitting in squares. July and August can be particularly hot.

Month	Average Temperature °F	High Temperature °F	Low Temperature °F	Rainy Days	Rating
January	-	44.6	-	6
February	-	50.0	33.8	7
March	-	59.0	41.0	7
April	-	66.2	48.2	10
May	-	75.2	55.4	8
June	-	84.2	64.4	7
July	-	87.8	66.2	6
August	-	87.8	66.2	5
September	-	77.0	59.0	7
October	-	66.2	51.8	7
November	-	55.4	42.8	9
December	-	44.6	33.8	8

More information: Bologna forecast and weather conditions monthly

Sights

Bologna 8 most important sights:

• Towers - Torri: Torre Asinelli, the largest medieval tower, can be climbed, and provides a perfect way to burn some of the calories you've consumed sampling the local food specialties.
• Santo Stefano: The Cortile de Pilato (Pilate's courtyard) is an open space surrounded by cloisters that lies behind the Basilica of the Holy Sepulchre.
• San Petronio: San Petronio is the main parish church of the city; Its façade occupies the southern side of Piazza Maggiore.
• Historical Buildings: Casa Isolani, a 13th-century building in Strada Maggiore, is the most impressive of the medieval palaces that are the predecessors of Bologna’s arcades.
• Piazza Maggiore: Together with the adjacent Piazza del Nettuno and Piazza Re Enzo, Piazza Maggiore is the heart and salon of the city.
• Palazzo dell'Archiginnasio: The large assembly hall in the Archiginnasio has been named after Gioacchino Rossini’s “Stabat Mater,” which had its first-ever performance here in 1842.
• University: Bologna is home to the oldest university in Europe, founded in either 1088 (the official date) or the early 12th century.
• San Domenico: I wasn't expecting much when I followed a couple of people "round the back" of the altar (with access to the right).

Recommendation for one day:

1. Visit Piazza Maggiore, The centre of Bologna - Piazza Maggiore is surrounded by wonderful historical buildings and is a great place to either wander or just sit and watch the world go by.
2. Nearby find the Towers of the Asinelli and Garisenda (Torri degli Asinelli e Garisenda). The colossal towers were built by Bologna's important families in the 12th century.
3. Go to Emilia Delizia, committed to introducing culinary treasures to discerning visitors. They aim to welcome you to Bologna and Parma with their incredible historic and food heritage.
4. See Teatro Anatomico, a fascinating space, the Anatomical Theatre is where medical students used to go to learn about anatomy. The room is naturally lit with beautiful tall windows and the benches are so narrow that you couldn't possibly fall asleep on them.
5. Unwind in the evening at Terme Di San Luca Pluricenter. The center is complete with swimming pools, a gym and massage center.

More information: Bologna sights on map

Guide video

Price Level

Compared to prices worldwide, Bologna is an average price destination.

On a tight budget, the daily budget is approximately $73.80, which includes hostel accommodation, budget meals and public transportation.

On a moderate budget, the daily budget is approximately $207.86, which includes a moderately priced hotel, meals at moderate priced restaurants and transportation costs.

Estimated prices:

• Hotel (2 stars): $64.09
• Hotel (3 stars): $74.39
• Hotel (4 stars): $79.27
• Hotel (5 stars): $137.34
• Taxi ride (3 miles): $18.63
• Taxi ride (6 miles): $29.58
• Beer in a restaurant (16 ounces): $4.93
• Meal, McDonalds: $8.76
• Meal, Inexpensive Restaurant: $16.43

More information: Bologna price level

Destination Map

Destination map in full scale: Bologna destination map

Safety

Bologna has been classified as quite dangerous with security classification 2/5.

Safety index values (higher is better):

• General: 55.1 (better than United states average 48.3)
• Walking alone during daytime hours: 76.0 (better than United states average 70.0)
• Walking alone at night: 43.8 (a little better than United states average 42.1)

More information: Bologna safety

Car Rental

Things which affect the renting of the car:

• Driver’s license: In the European Union / Schengen a driver's license from an EU country is sufficient, although for North Americans it is recommended to carry a separate international driving license, in addition to the American driving license.
• Direction of traffic: In Europe the traffic is mainly right-handed. The exception is Great Britain, which is left-handed traffic.
• Insurance: In Western Europe, all rental cars include some kind of insurance, so additional insurance policies are often unnecessary (unless you are going to Russia or Eastern Europe).
• Driving abroad: You can drive a rental car almost everywhere within all countries of the European Union / Schengen territory without additional fees. Eastern European countries and Russia are the exceptions and you should always ask the car rental company in advance about the rules.

More information: Car rental Europe