Is Bologna Worth Visiting? Taste My Favorite Italian City

Bologna, Italy, had been on my list of Italian cities to eat my way through for quite some time. It’s a city known as the gastronomic capital of Italy.

That’s not even something I made up. Italians agree. The food in this city is next-level and worth the travel from wherever you are. After our visit there, I got it. The city quickly became my favorite city in Italy.

Bologna is worth visiting for its food alone. This is the gateway to the Emilia-Romagna region, a region known for its gastronomy and food products like cured meats, Parmigiano Reggiano, and balsamic vinegar.

All of those things were eaten in large quantities during our week there, but Bologna is worth a trip for more than its food.

This city is very different from the more popular Italian cities that typically appear on travel itineraries. 

You won’t regret giving this one priority once you learn more about all the reasons why Bologna is very much worth your time.

Is Bologna worth visiting?

Bologna is worth visiting for its food culture alone. It’s known as the most delicious city in Italy for a reason. You won’t want to miss out on the Bolognese with fresh pasta, of course, but it’s also a great city for food tours. Let’s start there.

Bologna is delicious.

This is Italy’s foodie city, and it shows. I wouldn’t be practicing my hyperbole if I said it’s one of the most delicious cities we’ve ever visited in the whole world.

I could go on and on about how much fun we had on our Bologna food tour, but it’s best if you just see for yourself in my detailed food tour review.

That’s on top of every other bite we had in Bologna that was a true 10/10. The food here is as cheap as you’d like to make it, too. Italian street food is more than cured mortadella and cheeses, although it’s certainly that, too. 

It’s fresh pasta and paninis and slices of pizza and GELATO. Bologna is delicious, and it’s no wonder one of its nicknames is La Grassa, or “The Fat One.”

Cheap flights are likely.

Where is Bologna? Bologna is in northern Italy in the Emilia-Romagna region of the country.

We got to Bologna on a cheap flight from Chicago thanks to Going, formerly Scott’s Cheap Flights.

If you’re not aware of what that is, it’s essentially a membership-based deal-hunting site that emails you hot deals based on the home airport you choose when you sign up.

Fun fact: Traveling with deals in mind vs. a specific destination in mind can save you SO much money. That dream destination will likely come up in your email eventually, too.

If deals seem more plentiful to Florence, visiting Bologna, Italy, is easy from Italy’s cultural hub. The distance from Bologna to Florence is just 50 miles by train. You can get to Bologna from Florence in about 40 minutes. 

READ MORE: Love that idea? Use my guide to Florence to help you plan your trip to the iconic Italian city.

Bologna isn’t expensive to visit compared to more touristed cities in Italy like Rome, Florence, or Milan.

We found that everything from glasses of wine to bottles of wine to excursions was more affordable than Florence, the city we traveled to after our time in Bologna.

It’s easy to navigate.

Once you’re in Bologna, it’s an easy city to navigate. 

You can take a 10-minute ride on the Marconi Express train from Bologna airport. You don’t need to buy tickets ahead of time before arriving at the train station, either. Those trains take tappable credit cards right at the gate.

The city’s network of TPER buses is the preferred way for locals to get around, or just use your feet if you’re able. Wear comfy shoes if you love getting those steps.

It’s super walkable.

Bologna is a very walkable city, especially if you situate yourself in the city center.

I know I mentioned Bologna buses in my last point, but if you’re sticking to central Bologna, you may not even need more than a good pair of walking shoes to get around. It’s the preferred mode of “transportation” for locals and a great way to make room for all of the edible things.

We averaged about 20,000 steps a day doing just as much, walking from our accommodations in Bolognina to the city center for Bologna’s best attractions.

Bolognina, by the way, is just as cute as it sounds. I’d highly recommend it as a great neighborhood to base yourself in if you don’t want to stay in the thick of it.

You’re doing bolognese wrong.

I know you think you have a good bolognese recipe. That platter of pasta you bring to every family gathering is always licked clean. Seriously, I’m sure it’s great.

It’s just probably not what Italians would consider pasta bolognese.

First of all, the pasta sauce we call bolognese in the United States doesn’t have any ties to the city of Bologna, Italy. It’s more likely it originated elsewhere and was then made more accessible by home cooks. At some point, we started pairing it with spaghetti.

Note: You will definitely NOT see meat sauces with spaghetti in Bologna, and that’s OK. Again, I’m sure your pasta is delicious. I’ll have it with a side of Texas toast.

In Bologna, their meat sauce is known as ragù, not bolognese at all. It’s served with thicker noodles called tagliatelle. If you want to try the real deal, look for tagliatelle alla bolognese on the menu. You’re likely to see it as a first course rather than a main.

Italians love eating a small plate of pasta before their main meal. That’s pretty boss.

It’s less touristy than other big Italian cities.

Bologna isn’t touristy at all, especially compared to many of the other big Italian cities.

Bologna may not seem as scenic a place as all of the Tuscan villages you’ve been browsing on your socials, but you only need to dig a little deeper to find its charm. That added effort means Bologna isn’t as thick with tourists.

You’ll have an easier time landing restaurant reservations and perfecting your Instagram poses on the Piazza Maggiore in front of the unfinished Basilica of San Petronio. Your dollar (or currency of choice) should go further in Bologna than elsewhere in Italy.

It has that “it” factor.

Bologna isn’t short on Italian cultural and historic sites. 

Fun fact: It’s not short on churches, either. The Piazza Santo Stefano used to have seven of them!

Outside of what you’d expect in a European city with architecture dating back to the 13th century, Bologna also has that vibe you only feel in the coolest cities around the world. 

It’s a tough thing to nail down but I like to say Bologna has that “it” factor. 

It’s kinda weird.

I love a good weird city. That’s why I keep coming back to places like Portland, Oregon. They promise to keep things weird for eternity.

No matter how much time you have to spend in Bologna, try to make it a point to see the stranger side of the Italian city and Bologna’s hidden gems. 

Yes, that term is annoying, but give me a second to give you a few examples before browsing away.

There’s the Museum for the Memory of Ustica, an eerie memorial to a plane crash that involved government interference and heaps of controversy.

The Anatomical Theatre is usually on most tourist circuits, but while you’re there, try to find a cherub holding a femur instead of flowers as his offering of love.

READ MORE: Bologna is wonderfully weird. Want more unmissable stops while in Bologna? I have a detailed Bologna guide for all of that.

It has its own leaning towers…like 20 of them.

Sorry, Pisa. Bologna is the real city of towers.

At one time, there were over 100 towers built to serve in both a military capacity and as housing for royals. There are 22 left today, and many of them are leaning just as good as the more famous Leaning Tower of Pisa.

The Garisenda Tower is the most obvious when it comes to a good lean. You can’t climb that one, but don’t fret. There’s a great way to check it out from above.

You can climb the Bologna towers.

Well, you can climb two of them.

The Asinelli Tower is your best option if you’d like to see Bologna’s most impressive leaning tower, the Garisenda Tower. Together with the Asinelli Tower, these are the Two Towers. They’re pretty much the symbol of Bologna.

Book your tickets online if you’d like to climb the Asinelli Tower, especially if you visit during busy times like summer and holidays. The climb gets pretty narrow, so make sure you can handle both heights and enclosed spaces if you decide to make this one happen.

If that one is closed for maintenance (it happens!) you can also climb the Prendiparte Tower during certain times of the year. This one is just 12 floors to the terrace with a view. It also serves as a bed and breakfast if you really want to have yourself a bucket list time in Bologna.

All of those porticoes are just so pretty.

Bologna’s porticoes aren’t just awesome at keeping you dry on a rainy day. They’re important enough that they were added to the list of UNESCO World Heritage sites back in 2021.

For the best portico action, you’ll need to work for it a bit. Visit the Sanctuary of the Madonna di San Luca and its famous Portico di San Luca for 666 arches and the longest covered walkway in the world. It’s 2.3 miles long, friends, and I’m not making up that 666 part, either.

I told you Bologna was kinda weird.

Bologna is authentic.

Since Bologna isn’t as touristy as other Italian cities, it all feels so much more authentic. The markets are frequented by locals just as much as tourists. The salumerias, or delis, are your best bet for the best meats, cheeses, and prepared pasta dishes. 

The street food and aperitivo scene are great, and the availability of craft beer is growing, too. Part of that is thanks to Bologna’s college-aged population. 

It’ll make you feel young again.

Bologna isn’t just known as “The Fat One.” It’s also known as La Dotta, or “The Erudite One.” Visit one of the most important campuses in the world while you’re here.

Bologna University was founded in 1088 and is widely considered to be the oldest university anywhere.

All of that means you’ll likely be running into some young people. Don’t worry. They won’t bite.

You won’t need much Italian…but you should try.

You’ll hear quite a bit of Italian as you move through your days in Bologna. It’s music to my ears. My Italian is pretty limited, though, so the music didn’t always make sense. That wasn’t a hindrance in navigating Bologna.

Almost everyone you interact with in the university town will speak English. You’ll certainly encounter English when talking to tour guides, servers, bartenders, and baristas. 

That doesn’t mean you should kick things off in English from the start of every conversation. Give your Italian a try and you’ll earn the respect of locals who may not interact with your kind as much as in cities like Venice or Rome.

Note: By “your kind” I mean tourists. Don’t make it weird.

The city is super friendly. 

Whether you speak to locals in Italian or not, Bologna is known for being a welcoming place. These people are just here to eat good food, drink good wine, and make the best of Bologna, Italy, every day. Sounds like la dolce vita, right? 

It also sounds exactly like what you’ll be doing on your trip to Bologna.

It’s a great base for day trips. 

Florence is an easy one if you want to spend the day taking in some art and enjoying a food coma from a Florentine steak, but Bologna is a great base for less intense day trips, too.

We took a day trip to Parma to eat our way through even more charcuterie, as you can never have enough of those Italian cured meats.

Modena, Ferrara, and Reggio Emilia are all easy to reach on Italy’s efficient trains from Bologna. If you like things intense, Milan and Venice are doable, too, although Venice in particular is rough on day-trippers.

You could bop all over Northern Italy from Bologna if you’d like to stay in the city for longer as your base.

It’ll take as much time as you can give it.

You need at least a full day in Bologna, but it rewards travelers with more time. A few days gives you time to fit in a food tour, one of the best experiences in town. A week allows for travel elsewhere with Bologna as your base.

Bologna tends to reward those who give it a little more than a cursory glance, but it won’t be offended if you only have a limited amount of time for the city.

For those short on time, Bologna is worth a day trip from Florence or anywhere else thanks to how walkable it is and how accessible it is from frequented cities nearby.

You can spend the day in the city center and have enough to do to fill up a full day.  

My perfect day in Bologna would be a food tour followed by a trip up the Asinelli Tower, with an afternoon at the Sanctuary of the Madonna di San Luca. A trip to a wine bar like my favorite, Bar Senza Nome, would make for an excellent finish.

You can also just get some takeout and a cheap bottle of red wine from any of Bologna’s shops and have yourself a good time.

Just know that you’ll definitely want to come back to Bologna. It’s just that good. 

Bologna and Safety

Bologna is generally a safe city. Like any larger city, be aware of your surroundings, especially at night. While it’s not as touristy as other Italian cities, you should always be aware of the pickpocketing risk in more crowded areas.

Bologna is a special place.

Bologna is special for its food scene, but it’s also an important city for culture and architecture. It’s home to one of the world’s oldest universities, picturesque medieval streets, and iconic towers.

Despite all of that, it remains less touristed than Italy’s other big cities, so it feels like you’re in on a secret when you visit. It’s a secret I had to share, of course, as I’ve been pretty vocal about Bologna being my favorite Italian city.

Even if you’re not all that into Italian food, treat Bologna as a city to discover and you’ll certainly find your corner of intrigue here.