Why visit Bologna
Fusing haughty elegance with down-to-earth grit in one beautifully colonnaded medieval grid, Bologna is a city of two intriguing halves. One side is a hard-working, high-tech city located in the super-rich Po valley where suave opera-goers waltz out of regal theatres and into some of the nation's finest restaurants. The other is a bolshie, politically edgy city that hosts the world's oldest university and is famous for its graffiti-embellished piazzas filled with mildly inebriated students swapping Gothic fashion tips.
Meet your new travel partner
Stay connected in Bologna
Holafly eSIM provides unlimited mobile data with no hidden fees, giving you peace of mind wherever you travel. Stay connected even after your plan ends with Always On. Use code LONELYPLANET for an exclusive discount.
Go to Italy with Lonely Planet Journeys
Pick one of our ready-to-book trips or fully customize your own with help from our local experts.
bookable trip
From the Heels to the Toes of Southern Italy: Naples, Amalfi, and Puglia
10 days / 9 nights
highlights
- 1Visiting the archaeological remains of Pompeii and the ruins of Mount Vesuvius
- 2Taking a motorboat to the island of Capri for a leisurely day of Amalfi Coast sightseeing
- 3Adopting Southern Italy’s “tranquillo” pace of life in lovely, local villages like Alberobello
from $4,950
per person


Explore more trips
Explore more trips

10 days / 9 nights
Sardinia's Spectacular Serenade: 10 Days on the Italian Island
FROM $4,500
per person

11 days / 10 nights
Italy's La Dolce Vita in Venice, Rome, and Florence
FROM $5,500
per person

11 days / 10 nights
The Other Italy: a Grand Tour of Sicily's Taormina, Syracuse, and Palermo
FROM $4,950
per person
Top places to visit in Bologna
Discover the best attractions in Bologna from must-see sights to unexpected hidden gems.
Travel Guides
Bologna travel tips from Lonely Planet experts
Find practical guidance from our team of contributors around the world who bring their decades of first-hand travel experience to your next trip.
Best Things to Do
Bologna is a wonderful city for gastronomy, medieval architecture, museums and music.
Read full article
Things to Know
Everything you need to know to make the most of a visit to Italy's culinary capital, Bologna.
Read full article
Get a book. Get inspired. Get exploring.
in partnership with getyourguide









