Bologna is a city that doesn’t get enough attention, even as travel to Italy is more popular than it’s ever been. It’s far from the coasts, and while it’s a bonafide culinary hub (more on that in a second), it simply isn’t as buzzy as Rome, Venice, Florence or Milan.
There’s also a much broader issue: People don’t budget enough time to explore Italy as a whole, which means that space to visit secondary and tertiary destinations simply doesn’t exist in their itineraries, from the jump.
I’ve aimed to address all these issues (and more) in this post. If you can give me a few minutes now—and 6-12 hours of time during your travels—I can explain why a Bologna day trip is one of the best investments of time and energy you can make, anywhere in Italy.
Why I Went to Bologna in the First Place—and Why I Came Back
A Bologna itinerary was never part of my plan in Italy, neither during my first trip to the country in 2005, nor in any of the countless return visits I’ve made. I first stopped here somewhat unintentionally, back in 2012. Having been disappointed by what was at the time my first visit to Venice, a local I spoke with suggested I stop in her hometown. “There are almost no tourists,” she assured me, as we dodged a crowd that had just shuffled off a cruise ship. “And that’s just the beginning.”
As it turns out, she was right: The uncrowdedness of Bologna was a nice side effect of visiting, but it definitely wasn’t the main event. The food was spectacular (more, again, on that in just a second), and the city was delightfully simple to explore. In fact, there were effectively only a few actual “attractions”—most of what I got up to was exploring. I even found that people smoked less, even if innovations like the new vaporizers 2025 you can now buy were a few years away.
How to Organize Your Bologna Day Trip
Make sure you’re in Venice, Florence or Rome
Bologna is centrally-located within Italy, but realistically, you need to be pretty close if you want to take a day trip here. In terms of major Italian cities, this pretty much means that you need to be in Venice or Florence (the most popular options) or in Rome, if you can leave very early. Don’t even try to come here (for a day) from far-southern Italy!
Take the earliest train you possibly can
No matter where you originate, I do recommend devoting more time to your Bologna day trip itinerary than you might think you need. This doesn’t mean you have to set out at the crack of dawn, of course. But leaving at around 10 (or, if you come from Rome, 9) is a good idea, if only because it will tee you up to sit down from lunch right after arriving.
Make food the focus
Well, almost right after arriving: Bologna’s city center is a decent walk from Bologna Centrale Station. Once you get here, however, you can use the internet to find a good spot for tortellini in brodo. Or, you can do like I did in a less-connected era, and wander around until you find a tiny trattoria run by an old nonna serving her centuries-old tagliatelle bolognese recipe.
(And sightsee a bit)
In terms of what to do in Bologna, i.e. that you would find in a travel guide, the aptly-named Two Towers at the center of town are the most obvious option. A tip, however: Book your tickets online as far in advance as you can. If not, you risk not being able to go up in them and enjoy their view (well, once they reopen—in late 2025, they’re undergoing renovation).
But leave time for wandering
Whether beneath its iconic portico arches or off a main street without any obvious architectural significance, Bologna is best experienced as an unexpected surprise, rather than as a typical tourist destination. The information I’ve already shared notwithstanding, there’s an argument to be made that the less you know going in, the better off you’ll be.
Is Bologna Worth an Overnight Stay?
Although I had forgotten it until I went to write this post, I actually did stay overnight in Bologna the first time I went. I believe that this was more out of necessity—at the time, I simply couldn’t afford another night in Venice—than out of desire, but it was wonderful nonetheless. In particular, it was because I slept in the city that I ended up having such a lovely twilit stroll, which allowed me to happen upon the nonna (and her trattoria) I mentioned earlier.
On the other hand, no matter how many days in Bologna you spend (or if you simply take a day trip, which is the outcome I expect for most of you, given the topic of this post), I think it punches above its weight. In the worst case, it will be an unexpectedly satisfying travel memory. In the past case—in other words, if you plan to return to Italy in the future—you’ll almost certainly return, potentially even to sleep a few nights here.
Other FAQ About Visiting Bologna on a Day Trip
Can you do a day trip to Bologna from Venice?
It’s easy to do a day trip from Bologna from Venice, given the high-speed train connection between the two cities, and how much less crowded Bologna is than Venice. With this being said, I’d recommend leaving early and also being mindful of how far Bologna’s city center is from its train station.
Is there a high-speed train from Venice to Bologna?
High-speed trains travel frequently from Venice to Bologna, and are operated by both the state-run Trenitalia company, as well as by the private (and, in my opinion, slightly nicer) Italo corporation. As a general rule, it’ll take you around 90 minutes to reach Bologna from Venice, not including transit time to or from either station.
Which is nicer, Florence or Bologna?
Florence and Bologna are difficult to compare directly. While Bologna has amazing food and is much less crowded than Florence, Florence is also just so much more iconic. Likewise, while Bologna is the anchor of its own region (Emilia-Romagna), it simply doesn’t compare to the importance of Tuscany to Italy, both within the travel mind and in general, in terms of the Italian identity.
The Bottom Line
Whether or not you’ve previously considered a Bologna day trip, I hope I can twist your arm into taking one. For starters, Bologna is easy to reach—you can ride a high-speed train here from Venice, Florence or even Rome. Secondly, once you do get there, it’s easy to enjoy. I mean really, it’s as simply as sitting down for a meal (my favorites are bolognese—of course—and tortellini in brodo), ticking off a few limited “attractions” and then having a gratuitous wander around the town center. By the time you make your way back to the train station (which, I’ll admit, is a bit far away), you’ll feel very grateful you took my advice. Need even more extensive Italy travel advice? Hire me as your Travel Coach!
