Bologna Tours &
Things to Do
Discover the best Bologna tours, food tours and pasta cooking classes in Italy’s gastronomic capital, the medieval old town and Two Towers, Parmigiano and balsamic tastings, Ferrari and Lamborghini factory visits, and an easy day trip to Florence. Compare top-rated activities and plan your perfect Bologna itinerary.
rating
Explore Bologna by interest
Whatever brings you to Bologna — world-class museums, the river, or a long lunch — start with the experiences travellers love most.
Food tours
Tagliatelle, mortadella and markets.
ExploreCooking classes
Fresh pasta and ragù.
ExploreOld Town
Piazza Maggiore and the Two Towers.
ExploreFerrari & Motor Valley
Supercar museums and factories.
ExploreParma & Food Valley
Parmigiano, balsamic and ham.
ExploreFlorence
The Renaissance city by fast train.
ExploreTwo Towers & porticoes
The UNESCO red-brick landmarks.
ExploreDay trips
Ferrari, Parma and Florence.
ExploreTop attractions in Bologna
The landmarks that define the city — and the tickets and tours that get you in, often skipping the line.
Food & pasta
Tagliatelle, mortadella and markets.
Piazza Maggiore
The grand medieval square.
Two Towers
The leaning medieval landmarks.
Ferrari & Motor Valley
Supercar museums and factories.
Parmigiano & balsamic
The Food Valley producers.
Porticoes
The 40km of UNESCO arcades.
Florence
The Renaissance city nearby.
Cooking classes
Fresh pasta and ragù.
Bologna in 1 day
- 1Piazza Maggiore
- 2Two Towers climb
- 3Quadrilatero food tour
- 4Pasta dinner
Bologna in 2 days
- 1Day 1: Old Town & food
- 2Pasta class
- 3Day 2: Ferrari or Parma
- 4Food Valley
Bologna in 3 days
- 1Day 1: Old Town & food
- 2Day 2: Ferrari & Parma
- 3Day 3: Florence
- 4Emilian evenings
Bologna with kids
- 1Climb the Asinelli Tower
- 2Gelato-making
- 3Ferrari museum
- 4Pasta & piazzas
1 hr awayFerrari & Maranello
Supercar museums and factory.
1 hr awayParma & Modena
Parmigiano, balsamic and ham.
35 min awayFlorence
The Renaissance city by fast train.
40 min awayLamborghini & Ducati
Supercars and superbikes.
40 min awayModena
Balsamic, opera and Ferrari.
1.5 hrs awayRavenna
Byzantine golden mosaics.
Know before you go
Short, straight answers to the questions every Bologna visitor asks before booking.
The sweet-spot months
Late spring (April–June) and early autumn (September–October) bring mild, pleasant weather ideal for walking and eating — the best times to visit.
Spring (Apr–Jun)
Warm, pleasant days perfect for the old town, porticoes and food tours.
Summer (Jul–Aug)
Hot and humid; many locals leave in August, though the porticoes offer shade and food tours run year-round.
Autumn (Sep–Oct)
Mild days and harvest season — a wonderful time for the Food Valley and new wine.
Winter (Nov–Feb)
Cool and sometimes foggy, but cosy for hearty food, museums and the covered porticoes; lower prices.
A year-round food city
Bologna’s food scene shines all year, with cooking classes, tastings and trattorias making any season delicious.
One day
Enough for the old town, the Two Towers and a food tour.
Two days
Add a cooking class and a Motor or Food Valley day trip.
Three days
The sweet spot: the city, Ferrari and Parma, and Florence.
Four to five days
Add Ravenna, Modena and more of Emilia-Romagna.
A week or more
Use Bologna as a base to explore central and northern Italy.
Travelling with kids
Mix the tower, gelato classes and the Ferrari museum at a gentle pace.
On foot
Bologna’s old town is compact and best explored on foot, sheltered by its famous 40km of porticoes — great in sun or rain.
City buses
An efficient bus network covers the wider city; the centre itself is easily walkable.
High-speed trains
Bologna is Italy’s rail hub, with fast trains to Florence (35 min), Milan, Venice and Rome — ideal for day trips.
Day-trip transport
Tours bundle transport for the Ferrari Motor Valley and the Parma and Modena Food Valley.
By bike
Flat and bike-friendly, Bologna is easy to explore by bike, including guided e-bike tours with aperitivo.
From the airport
Bologna Airport links to the centre and station by the Marconi Express monorail in about 7 minutes.
Book food tours & classes ahead
Popular food tours, cooking classes and Ferrari and Parmigiano day trips sell out — book ahead, especially at weekends.
Pre-book the Asinelli Tower
Climbing the Asinelli Tower needs a timed ticket booked in advance, as numbers are limited.
Currency & tipping
Italy uses the euro; service is often included, though rounding up for good service is appreciated.
Eat the real ragù
Order tagliatelle al ragù (never “spaghetti bolognese”), tortellini in brodo, mortadella and a fresh tigelle or crescentina.
Walk the porticoes
Bologna’s UNESCO porticoes stretch 40km, including the long climb to the San Luca sanctuary above the city.
Perfectly placed
Bologna’s central location and fast trains make it an ideal base for Florence, Venice, Milan and the Food and Motor Valleys.
Food tours
Small-group food tours of the Quadrilatero sell out — book ahead.
Cooking classes
Hands-on pasta classes have limited places — reserve early.
Ferrari Motor Valley
Factory and museum tours with test drives fill up — book ahead.
Food Valley tours
Parmigiano dairy and balsamic visits have limited spots — reserve early.
Asinelli Tower
Pre-book the timed tower climb, as numbers are capped.
Florence day trips
Guided Florence trips and museum entries fill up — book ahead.
Food tours
Around €45–85 for a guided Bologna food tour with tastings.
Cooking classes
About €50–90 for a hands-on pasta cooking class with a meal.
Ferrari Motor Valley
Roughly €90–150 for a Ferrari and Motor Valley day trip.
Food Valley tours
About €90–130 for a Parmigiano, balsamic and ham day with lunch.
Old Town walks
Around €20–40 for a guided Bologna walking tour.
How to save
Eat at the Quadrilatero market, walk the free porticoes, and take cheap fast trains to Florence.
Bologna through the seasons
What's best, how busy it gets, and one booking tip for each time of year.
- Best for
- Mild, pleasant days for walking and eating.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Perfect for the porticoes and food tours.
- Best for
- Long days, though hot and humid.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- August is quiet as locals leave; porticoes give shade.
- Best for
- Mild days and the harvest season.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- A wonderful time for the Food Valley.
- Best for
- Cosy, hearty food and quiet museums.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Cool and sometimes foggy; lower prices.