Photo: Patrick Clenet · CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Bologna
Italy's food capital, with arcades and a student buzz.
Italy's food capital: miles of covered porticoes, leaning medieval towers and a lively student town. Good value, and a fast-train hub for day trips.
Places to see
Piazza MaggioreSight · The city's big central square, ringed by medieval palaces and the half-finished front of…Free- The Two TowersSight · Two leaning brick towers at the old city crossroads: the tall Asinelli and the shorter,…Free
Santo Stefano (the Seven Churches)Church · A cluster of interlocking brick churches, courtyards and cloisters on a triangular…Free
When to go
- Jan6° / -1°Some rainQuiet
- Feb9° / 0°Some rainQuiet
- Mar14° / 4°Some rainBusy
- Apr19° / 8°Some rainBusy
- May24° / 12°Some rainBusy
- Jun28° / 16°Some rainBusy
- Jul31° / 19°Mostly dryBusy
- Aug31° / 19°Mostly dryQuiet
- Sep
Staying and getting around
Good areas to stay
Piazza Maggiore. The main squares, the towers and the market streets.
University quarter. Students, cheap bars and the city's museums; lively at night.
Around the station. Handy for trains, with several hostels and good-value rooms.
Flying in
Bologna Marconi (BLQ): Marconi Express monorail to Bologna Centrale, about 8 min, ≈ A$21. Bus 944 is slower and cheaper (check).
Flewaway's estimate for the usual budget way into Bologna; check times and fares before you fly.
Getting around
You can walk everywhere. A single ticket is ≈ A$3. The centre is compact and walkable, much of it under 40 km of porticoes. Buses cost about €1.50 a ride (check).
Tourist tax
Bologna's city tax: usually about €3–4 a person a night in hostels and B&Bs, more in hotels, for up to 5 nights; under-14s don't pay. Paid at check-in (check).
