Is Bologna Worth Visiting in Italy? My Travel Guide

Bologna, in the Emilia-Romagna region of northern Italy, is the region’s capital and is renowned as a foodie destination. We stayed in Bologna for three weeks across three summer trips, the latest in 2026, and experienced many aspects of the city.

Bologna kept us busy with a selection of places of interest, including palaces and churches. Top sights were the historic centre, walks along the porticoes and the nearby countryside.

The city has loads to see and kept me very busy, including lots of historical sights and places for refreshments. As a bonus, it was rather dog-friendly. Walking around the centre is very pleasurable, with sightseeing opportunities everywhere.

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Is Bologna in Italy Worth Visiting?

I’m glad we stayed in Bologna three times, for a total of 3 weeks, to fully appreciate the city. It’s worth visiting just for the food alone. Add to that the beautiful buildings throughout, which made our three stays engaging. If visiting for the first time, the area around the Quadrilatero, Piazza Maggiore, and the two towers is the place to head. The countryside surrounding Bologna was pretty, too, including during the pilgrimage walk into the hills overlooking it.

Why Visit Bologna?

Bologna is a big city with many facets, and we really enjoyed visiting it twice. The central areas are historic, with many iconic buildings and things to do. I explored palaces, popped into churches and visited various museums and galleries to learn about local history. One of the highlights was exploring the side streets and less central areas to see historic buildings off the tourist routes.

The porticoes were great to explore, especially when hot, as they provided good shade. One of the longest walks I did was up the hill to the Sanctuary of the Madonna of San Luca, a famous pilgrimage walk.

Food and drink out were also special, and the cuisine is a reason many people come to the city. We tried the local specialities out, which were delicious. We enjoyed it so much that plans are afoot for a third visit soon.

Bologna’s Three Nicknames

The city has three monikers that describe it perfectly.

• La Dotta, meaning ‘the learned one’, relates to its university, which was founded in 1088 and is one of the oldest and most prestigious universities in the world.
• La Rossa, which means ‘the red one’, is named after the many red rooftops throughout the city’s historic centre.
• La Grassa, which translates to ‘the fat one’. This moniker refers to the amount of delicious food the city produces.

Bologna Travel Guide

Where to Stay?

There is a good selection of places to stay in Bologna, including listings on Booking.com and Airbnb. We found the area between the railway station and the historic centre to be cheaper than other parts of the city. The student district northeast of the central areas was also great and, as a bonus, had good budget places to dine out.

On our first trip, I stayed at Residenza Piazza Dei Martiri, a self-catering place where I could cook many delicious dishes. On our second stay, we chose MyRoom CenterStation Bologna, a budget hostel near the railway station, which was a good excuse to dine out. On our latest stay, we stayed at U Zone Apartment in the university district, a fantastic part of the city to stay; the apartment was nice too.

Food and Drinks Out

Throughout Bologna, there are lots of cafes, restaurants, and bars to pop into for refreshments. I found those away from the central areas near the Quadrilatero and Piazza Maggiore to be better value. Many serve local specialities and food from across Italy. I highly recommend trying some local food, including tagliatelle alla Bolognese and the local lasagna. For lighter lunches, the cheese and meat boards are excellent, many including mortadella and parmesan.

Self Catering

As with many places in Italy, the food shops and markets are fantastic for those on a self-catering break. I did plenty of cooking here with local ingredients to keep our trip more budget-friendly. One of the standout places was Sapori & Dintorni in the centre. The Quadrilatero area is also good for food shopping, especially the market stalls in the narrow medieval streets. Throughout the city are smaller supermarket markets with essential ingredients.

Getting To Bologna

Bologna Centrale is a major railway station with direct trains to many parts of Italy. We have travelled through Bologna by train from Venice, Bari and Rome. Timetables and tickets are available on the Trenitalia website or app. If you are arriving by plane, there is a cheap way to get from the airport to Bologna Central Railway station.

Nightlife

In the evenings, we enjoyed having food or drinks out, which was quite vibrant and fun. We also enjoyed the events in Piazza Maggiore, including movies on a big screen. The central areas and student district hit the spot for us on nights out.

Other Travel Tips

Bologna is a big city with great amenities for different types of travellers. If you want to withdraw cash, there are quite a few ATMs which don’t charge a fee. We have used a few laundrettes in long-term stays, including Wash and Dry – Lavapiumone and Laundry Wash near the main train station. For co-working space for remote workers and digital nomads, Combinata is a good option with day passes available.