Bologna on $45, $130 or $380 a day
The capital of Emilia-Romagna and the home of tagliatelle al ragù, tortellini and mortadella, with the oldest university in the Western world and more than 38 kilometres of porticoes in its medieval centre. Red-brick towers, market lanes and arcaded streets make it one of Italy's best cities to walk, and Modena, Ferrara and Florence are each under an hour away by train.
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Plan by budget
One city, three ways to travel it.
How much does Bologna cost per day? Budget travellers get by on about $45 a day, mid-range trips run around $130, and luxury starts near $380 — accommodation, food, transport and activities included. That makes Bologna the joint 48th most expensive of 110 cities for a mid-range trip (see all 110 ranked).
Daily budget · Budget
Bologna is a student city and eats cheaply: a plate of tagliatelle at a student osteria costs around €10–12, the churches, the porticoes and the climb to San Luca are free, and the centre is small enough to need no transport at all.
Where your money goes
What to Do
The old university's palazzo and its 17th-century anatomical theatre, with an audio guide and a tasting
Map ↗ Get tickets on Tiqets →A guided walk through the centre with two, four or five glasses of regional wine
Get tickets on Tiqets →Ducati's museum at its Borgo Panigale factory, from the first engines to racing bikes
Map ↗ Get tickets on Tiqets →Where to Stay
Big, social hostel on Via del Porto, a short walk from the central station, renovated in 2025
Map ↗Small, design-minded hostel on Via Irnerio in the university quarter
Map ↗Family-run one-star on Via Livraghi, five minutes' walk from Piazza Maggiore
Where to Eat
A wine bar since the 15th century that sells only drinks; bring bread and mortadella from the market
Map ↗Covered food hall in the Quadrilatero: piadina, cured meats, fried snacks and local wine at shared tables
Map ↗Fresh-pasta shop with a lunch room on Via Castiglione: tagliatelle and tortelloni made in front of you
Map ↗Student osteria on Via Mentana: tagliatelle al ragù, tortellini in broth and crostini; walk in, no bookings
Map ↗Sample 3-Day Itinerary
The medieval centre
Piazza Maggiore, the Neptune fountain and the meridian line in San Petronio.
Lunch at Sfoglia Rina, then the courtyards of Santo Stefano.
A glass at the Osteria del Sole with food bought in the Quadrilatero.
Up to San Luca
Walk the Portico of San Luca from Porta Saragozza to the sanctuary.
Back down for tagliatelle at Osteria dell'Orsa.
Aperitivo with the students around Piazza Verdi.
Modena for the day
Regional train to Modena for the cathedral and the Ghirlandina tower.
Lunch at the Albinelli covered market, then back to Bologna.
Supper at the Mercato di Mezzo.
Buy bread, mortadella and cheese in the Quadrilatero and eat them with a glass at the Osteria del Sole, which sells only drinks and lets you bring your own food. The Pinacoteca is free on the first Sunday of the month. Sfoglia Rina's pasta counter is the best-value lunch in the centre.
Daily budget · Mid-range
Mid-range Bologna is a four-star hotel under the porticoes near Piazza Maggiore, trattoria dinners booked ahead, the Archiginnasio's anatomical theatre, the Clock Tower over the main square and a guided tasting walk through the Quadrilatero.
Where your money goes
What to Do
The old university's palazzo and its 17th-century anatomical theatre, with an audio guide and a tasting
Map ↗ Get tickets on Tiqets →The little road train from Piazza Maggiore up to the sanctuary of San Luca and back, with a tasting
Get tickets on Tiqets →The Clock Tower over Piazza Maggiore and the civic art collections in Palazzo d'Accursio, with a tasting
Map ↗ Get tickets on Tiqets →Where to Stay
Near the basilica of San Domenico, with a fifth-floor roof terrace over the old town
Map ↗Medieval palazzo on Via de' Pignattari, right beside the basilica of San Petronio
Map ↗An old palazzo on Via Oberdan with an 1890s Liberty-style hall, between the towers and Via Indipendenza
Map ↗Where to Eat
Michelin Bib Gourmand trattoria in the Bolognina: seasonal Emilian cooking and hand-made pasta
Map ↗Family-run trattoria on Via San Felice: Emilian classics with a lighter, modern hand
Map ↗Michelin Bib Gourmand: modern plates built on organic farm produce, served plastic-free
Map ↗Classic trattoria on Via Santa Caterina: culatello, fresh pasta and Bolognese dishes without reinvention
Map ↗Sample 3-Day Itinerary
The old university
The Archiginnasio and its wooden anatomical theatre.
Up the Torre dell'Orologio and through the civic art collections in Palazzo d'Accursio.
Dinner at All'Osteria Bottega.
Art and the hill
The Pinacoteca Nazionale for Raphael and Reni.
The San Luca Express up to the sanctuary for the view over the hills.
Seasonal Emilian cooking at Trattoria di Via Serra.
Ferrara
Train to Ferrara and a bike ride round its walls.
The Este castle and the Renaissance streets of the Addizione Erculea.
Back for dinner at Ahimè.
Book trattorie for Friday and Saturday nights, and order tortellini in brodo or tagliatelle al ragù, never spaghetti bolognese. The Two Towers cannot be climbed while the Garisenda is being made safe; the Torre dell'Orologio gives a view over the square instead. Modena and Ferrara are a few euros away by regional train.
Daily budget · Luxury
Luxury Bologna is the Grand Hotel Majestic on Via Indipendenza, a starred dinner at I Portici or at Villa Zarri outside town, a driver to the balsamic vinegar lofts and Parmigiano dairies around Modena, and the museums of the Motor Valley.
Where your money goes
What to Do
A guided walk through the centre with two, four or five glasses of regional wine
Get tickets on Tiqets →Ducati's museum at its Borgo Panigale factory, from the first engines to racing bikes
Map ↗ Get tickets on Tiqets →A guided tasting walk through the market lanes behind Piazza Maggiore, with local wine
Get tickets on Tiqets →Where to Stay
Palazzo Maccaferri on Via Indipendenza, whose old café-chantant now holds a Michelin-starred restaurant
Map ↗Hilltop resort and spa among its own olive groves and vineyards, about 20 km south-east of the city
Map ↗An 18th-century palazzo on Via Indipendenza, a hotel since 1912, with Carracci frescoes and a Roman road in the basement
Map ↗Where to Eat
Rustic-chic table off Piazza Maggiore, best for its fish and seafood
Map ↗Contemporary cooking under frescoed ceilings in the Grand Hotel Majestic
Map ↗Michelin star: Nicola Annunziata's creative tasting menus in a 19th-century café-chantant
Map ↗Michelin star at Villa Zarri, a 16th-century villa in Castel Maggiore: 10- to 12-course menus with vegetables from its garden
Sample 3-Day Itinerary
Bologna by taste
The Quadrilatero food tour from Piazza Maggiore.
The Ducati Museum at the factory in Borgo Panigale.
Tasting menu at I Portici.
Motor Valley and Modena
Driver to a Parmigiano Reggiano dairy and a balsamic vinegar loft near Modena.
The Lamborghini Museum at Sant'Agata Bolognese.
Dinner at Ristorante Iacobucci at Villa Zarri.
A slow day
A spa morning at Palazzo di Varignana in the hills.
Lunch at I Carracci in the Grand Hotel Majestic.
The Bologna wine tour from Piazza del Nettuno, then fish at Trattoria Battibecco.
Book a Parmigiano Reggiano dairy for an early start: the cheese is made in the morning. Ducati's museum is at its factory in Borgo Panigale, and Lamborghini's at Sant'Agata Bolognese, north-west of the city. San Domenico at Imola, half an hour away, holds two Michelin stars.
About Bologna
When to go, and what it's like on the ground.
Best time to visit
April–June and September–October. July and August are hot and humid, and many trattorie close in August; trade fairs fill the hotels several times a year, so check the dates before booking.
Humid subtropical, close to continental: hot, muggy summers (daily means about 25°C, highs above 30°C) and cold, often foggy winters (3–4°C). Rain is spread through the year, wettest in November.
- January: 3°C average high, 5 rain days, low crowds
- February: 5°C average high, 6 rain days, low crowds
- March: 10°C average high, 6 rain days, moderate crowds
- April: 13°C average high, 8 rain days, high season
- May: 18°C average high, 7 rain days, high season
- June: 23°C average high, 6 rain days, moderate crowds
- July: 25°C average high, 3 rain days, moderate crowds
- August: 25°C average high, 4 rain days, low crowds
- September: 20°C average high, 6 rain days, high season
- October: 15°C average high, 7 rain days, high season
- November: 9°C average high, 8 rain days, moderate crowds
- December: 4°C average high, 7 rain days, moderate crowds
Getting around
Getting around Bologna
The centre is compact and flat, and the porticoes keep you dry. TPER buses cover the city, and the Marconi Express monorail runs from the central station to the airport in about seven minutes. High-speed trains reach Florence in under 40 minutes and Milan in about an hour.
A travel eSIM gets you online the moment you land in Italy — data plans start at $4 — no roaming bill, no queue for a local SIM, and nothing to swap in and out of your phone. Install it before you fly.
On foot
Walking routes in Bologna.
Neptune, the unfinished basilica, the old university's anatomy theatre, the market lanes, the two towers and the seven churches.
Raphael in the Pinacoteca, anatomical waxes, a window on a hidden canal, the covered market and the world's longest portico.
Where to stay
Bologna, neighbourhood by neighbourhood.
Piazza Maggiore & the Quadrilatero
The heart of the city around the main square and the market lanes behind it. Everything is on the doorstep, and rooms here are the dearest in town.
Best for mid-rangeSanto Stefano
The streets around the seven churches and Strada Maggiore: palazzi, antique shops and the city's smartest addresses, a few minutes from the towers.
Best for luxuryUniversity quarter
North-east of the towers along Via Zamboni: university museums, cheap osterie and busy bars around Piazza Verdi, noisy until late.
Best for budgetVia del Pratello
A street of old osterie and bars west of the centre, full of students in the evenings.
Best for budgetBolognina
North of the station: ordinary city life, good trattorie and some of the cheapest rooms within walking distance of the centre.
Best for budgetSaragozza & the hills
South-west of the centre towards the Saragozza gate and the San Luca portico, rising into villas in the hills. Calm and leafy, a bus ride from the main square.
Best for luxuryLocal etiquette
Dos & Don'ts
Do
- Say "buongiorno" or "buonasera" when you walk into a shop or bar
- Order tagliatelle al ragù, the real Bolognese
- Book trattorie for Friday and Saturday dinners
- Buy a drink if you bring your own food to the Osteria del Sole
- Validate your bus ticket when you board
- Use the porticoes when it rains; they are public walkways
Don't
- Ask for spaghetti bolognese
- Drive into the ZTL, the limited traffic zone; cameras fine every entry
- Order a cappuccino with lunch or dinner
- Expect dinner much before 7:30pm
- Plan to climb the Two Towers; both are closed
- Leave a bike unlocked, even for a minute
Useful phrases
Say it like a local.
Beyond the city
Day trips worth the journey.
Modena
A Romanesque cathedral and the Ghirlandina tower, balsamic vinegar and the Enzo Ferrari museum.
Ferrara
The moated Este castle, Renaissance streets and a full circuit of walls to cycle.
Ravenna
Byzantine mosaics in San Vitale, the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia and Sant'Apollinare.
Parma
Correggio's dome frescoes, the pink marble baptistery and the ham and cheese named after the city.
Florence
The Duomo, the Uffizi and the Ponte Vecchio, under 40 minutes away by high-speed train.
The Florence guide →Dozza
A hill village with a castle, its house walls painted with murals by invited artists.
Where to eat
Must-try dishes.
Tagliatelle al ragù
Egg pasta ribbons with a slow-cooked meat sauce: the city's real "bolognese".
Tortellini in brodo
Tiny pasta parcels filled with pork, mortadella and Parmigiano, served in meat broth.
Lasagne verdi
Spinach pasta sheets layered with ragù and béchamel.
Mortadella
The city's pink pork sausage, studded with fat and sometimes pistachios, sliced paper-thin.
Crescentine
Puffs of fried dough eaten with cured meats and soft squacquerone cheese.
Torta di riso
A rice pudding cake flavoured with almonds and liqueur.
Zuppa inglese
Layers of liqueur-soaked sponge with custard and chocolate cream.
Travel insurance
Do I need travel insurance for Italy?
Travel insurance is strongly recommended for any trip to Bologna. Safety is rated Safe. Bikes are stolen often, pickpockets work the central station and crowded buses, and the university streets around Piazza Verdi are noisy and scruffy late at night. — even in safe destinations, unexpected medical emergencies or trip cancellations can be costly. Make sure your policy covers emergency medical treatment, hospitalisation, trip cancellation, and emergency evacuation.
Visa note: Schengen area — visa-free for 90 days for UK, US, Canadian and Australian passports; ETIAS pre-authorisation applies from its rollout.. Some countries require proof of travel insurance as part of the visa application.
Good to know
FAQ: Bologna travel questions
Is Bologna safe to visit?
Safe. Bikes are stolen often, pickpockets work the central station and crowded buses, and the university streets around Piazza Verdi are noisy and scruffy late at night.
When is the best time to visit Bologna?
April–June and September–October. July and August are hot and humid, and many trattorie close in August; trade fairs fill the hotels several times a year, so check the dates before booking. Humid subtropical, close to continental: hot, muggy summers (daily means about 25°C, highs above 30°C) and cold, often foggy winters (3–4°C). Rain is spread through the year, wettest in November.
How much does a trip to Bologna cost per day?
- Budget $45–$80 / day
- Mid-range $130–$220 / day
- Luxury $380–$750 / day
Do I need a visa to visit Italy?
Schengen area — visa-free for 90 days for UK, US, Canadian and Australian passports; ETIAS pre-authorisation applies from its rollout.
How do I get around Bologna?
The centre is compact and flat, and the porticoes keep you dry. TPER buses cover the city, and the Marconi Express monorail runs from the central station to the airport in about seven minutes. High-speed trains reach Florence in under 40 minutes and Milan in about an hour. Taxi base fare ~$5. Day pass ~$7.
Is tipping expected in Bologna?
A cover charge (coperto) of €2–4 a head is usual on the bill, and tipping is not expected; round up or leave a few euros for good service.
What currency is used in Italy?
The local currency is EUR, and the official language is Italian.
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