Bologna’s porticoes stretch for roughly 40 kilometres, sheltering walkers from sun and rain since the Middle Ages — a practical system that UNESCO recognised as a World Heritage site in 2021. This city of just under 400,000 in northeastern Italy is home to one of the world’s oldest universities, founded in 1088, and for centuries it has attracted hungry travellers dreaming of lasagna, tagliatelle al ragù, tortellini and mortadella. Beneath the spires of the Due Torri — the Two Towers from the medieval era, currently closed for renovations — and all along those famous covered walkways, newly opened restaurants, shops and museums have taken this historic capital of the Emilia-Romagna region in refreshing directions.
In 2015, The New York Times named Bologna one of the world’s most underrated destinations. By 2024, the same city was appearing in articles about Italy’s overtourism crisis.
Low-cost airlines turned Bologna Guglielmo Marconi Airport into a regional hub, and short-term rental platforms changed the economics for landlords in the centro storico. Journalist Ilaria Maria Sala, who grew up in the city, wrote that Bologna had “turned into tourist hell” — traditional shops replaced by tourist-facing businesses. This guide covers what’s actually worth your time, where the crowds concentrate, and how to navigate a city that’s still very much itself if you know where to look.
Bologna is absolutely worth visiting, but the food-focused hype has created real crowding around Piazza Maggiore and the Quadrilatero market district. The trick is treating the historic centre as a starting point, not the whole experience. The university district and the edges near Porta Santo Stefano offer a much calmer version of the city — and better coffee queues.
Orienting yourself in Bologna’s historic centre
Food-focused travellers
Architecture enthusiasts
First-time visitors to Emilia-Romagna
Bologna is generally flat and densely focused around its historic centre, making it a city built for walking. The many historic porticoes provide shade and shelter for pedestrians — a genuine comfort in July and August when the sun beats down on the brick piazzas. The five-year-old Marconi Express offers quick monorail connections between the airport and the city’s main train station, with a single ride costing €12.80. City buses offer tap-and-go payments with your smartphone or credit card at €2.30 per ride.
Because of local regulations, Uber offers only its premium Black service in Bologna. Taxi stands can be found at the main train station, at Piazza Maggiore and other locations — or you can download the itTaxi or BTaxi app. The city’s compact layout means most sights sit within a 20-minute walk of each other, but the crowds around the Two Towers and Piazza Maggiore can feel dense by late morning, especially between April and October.
Total length of Bologna’s UNESCO-listed porticoes, providing covered walkways across the historic centre.
nytimes.com
One honest limitation: the Due Torri, the iconic medieval towers that have long served as a city symbol, are currently closed for renovations with no confirmed reopening date. You can still see them from the outside, but the climb and the view are off the table for now.
Where to go and what to eat
Bologna’s appeal splits neatly into three zones: the monumental centre, the market district, and the quieter edges where locals actually live.
Piazza Maggiore and the museum cluster
Start at Piazza Maggiore, the main square, and the nearby Piazza del Nettuno, home to the giant Fountain of Neptune. From here, you can reach several museums within a few minutes’ walk. The Museum of the History of Bologna inside Palazzo Pepoli costs €10 and includes an immersive reconstruction of one of the many canals that flow beneath the city. Be sure to connect your phone to the museum’s Wi-Fi for access to the excellent English-language guide, which includes audio and in-depth descriptive texts dedicated to each of the 36 rooms.
The Pinacoteca Nazionale di Bologna, with works by Raphael and Titian, charges €12 admission. For something free, the Galleria Studio Cenacchi — open since 2016 — showcases high-quality contemporary painting, photography and sculpture by leading artists from across Italy, with shows changing frequently. Book in advance to ascend the Clock Tower, which offers beautiful views over the city, after which you can tour the Collezioni Comunali d’Arte in the same building.
Modern dining and student haunts
Uno di Questi Giorni (“One of These Days”), a chic, airy bistro open since late 2024, serves wood-fired dishes — even the salads, with grilled lettuce and kale — and you’re unlikely to find tagliatelle, tortelloni, lasagna or virtually any of the city’s other famous recipes on the menu. Order dishes like the smoked pork belly with cauliflower purée (€18) à la carte, or see what shows up on the surprise five-course tasting menu (€65). The drink menu includes rarities like Intrecci Masia 22, a dry and flinty wine-beer hybrid from Ca’ del Brado, a farmhouse brewery in the village of Rastignano just south of town.
For a completely different scene, Pappare’ is a modern coffeehouse where students and professors alike gather for great pastries backed up by bracingly strong java. Grab a crunchy and flaky cornetto integrale — like a whole-wheat croissant — stuffed with sweet hazelnut cream (€1.90) with a flat white made with two shots of espresso (€4). If you’re feeling particularly peckish, the cheerful staff will deliver a plate of toast, scrambled eggs and crispy pancetta bacon (€12) or whole wheat pancakes with maple syrup (€9).
Osteria del Sole claims more than 560 years of history and remains one of the few places in the centre where you can buy a glass of wine without a full meal. Bring your own food from the Quadrilatero shops — they encourage it.
Beyond the centre: Porta Santo Stefano and Porta Saragozza
On the edges of the historic city, close to Porta Santo Stefano or Porta Saragozza, multiple booking sites list short-term apartments starting around €75 a night. These areas have fewer restaurants aimed at tourists and more everyday bakeries, hardware shops, and quiet residential streets. The walk into the centre takes about 15 minutes, and you’ll pass under porticoes the whole way.
Practical planning: timing, transport, and costs
Bologna’s size makes it manageable, but the logistics of getting in and around require a few specific decisions.
| Option | Cost | Best for | Caveat |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marconi Express monorail | €12.80 single ride | Speed from airport to train station | Only runs between airport and central station |
| City bus | €2.30 per ride | Short hops within the city | Tap-and-go with smartphone or credit card only |
| Taxi (itTaxi or BTaxi app) | Variable | Door-to-door convenience | Uber Black only; taxi stands at station and Piazza Maggiore |
| Walking | Free | Exploring the historic centre | Flat terrain, porticoes provide shade |
Getting there and getting around
The Marconi Express monorail connects Bologna Guglielmo Marconi Airport to the city’s main train station in about seven minutes. A single ride costs €12.80. City buses cost €2.30 per ride and accept tap-and-go payments with your smartphone or credit card. Because of local regulations, Uber offers only its premium Black service, so taxis remain the standard option for door-to-door travel. Download the itTaxi or BTaxi app to book from your phone.
Best time to visit
Spring (April to June) and autumn (September to October) offer the most comfortable temperatures for walking. July and August bring heat and larger crowds, particularly around Piazza Maggiore and the Quadrilatero. Winter is quieter and cheaper — hotel rates drop significantly — but some restaurants close for a week or two around the holidays. The university calendar means the city feels noticeably livelier during term time, with students filling the coffeehouses and piazzas.
The Due Torri are closed for renovations with no confirmed reopening date. You can still photograph them from the outside, but the climb and the panoramic view are unavailable. Check the city’s official tourism site before planning your itinerary.
Accommodation costs
Hotel Corona d’Oro, in a central palazzo believed to date back to the 13th century, offers 40 rooms and suites within a short walk of the Due Torri and many historic sites. Rooms start at around €295 in March. I Portici Hotel, with a Michelin-starred restaurant, has 100 rooms and suites within easy walking distance of Bologna’s main train station, with rooms starting at around €220 in March. For budget options, Hotel San Donato — right on the edge of the university district — offers single rooms from around €80, some with private balconies.
On the ground: food, etiquette, and what to pack
Bologna’s food culture is the main draw for most visitors, but knowing how to navigate it makes the difference between a good meal and a great one.
Eating like a local
Mortadella sandwiches at Mò! Mortadella Lab have become a social media phenomenon, and the queue reflects it. The sandwiches are good — the mortadella is high-quality and sliced thin — but the hype has pushed prices up. A standard sandwich runs around €8–€10. For a more traditional experience, Trattoria da Me nella Torre serves lasagna Bolognese on Sundays, and reservations are essential. Elisa Rusconi, the chef, runs a small operation, and tables fill quickly.
Gelateria Gianni and La Sorbetteria Castiglione both offer excellent gelato, but Gianni tends to have longer lines in the afternoon. Go before 11 a.m. or after 9 p.m. for a shorter wait. For a quick breakfast, Bottega Portici offers good takeaway coffee and pastries without the sit-down markup.
Italian etiquette and local customs
Church dress codes apply across Bologna’s many historic churches: shoulders and knees covered, no hats indoors. The midday closure — chiusura — is still observed by many smaller shops and restaurants, typically from 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Plan your lunch around it rather than fighting it. Tipping is not expected in the same way as in the US; rounding up the bill or leaving a euro or two for good service is standard.
When ordering coffee, remember that cappuccino is a morning drink in Italy — ordering one after a meal marks you as a tourist. An espresso (caffè) or a macchiato is the standard post-meal choice. At Pappare’, the barista will likely ask if you want your flat white “here or to go” — take it to go and walk the porticoes like the students do.
- Book Sunday lunch at Trattoria da Me nella Torre at least a week in advance — Elisa Rusconi’s lasagna Bolognese is worth the planning.
- Stay near Porta Santo Stefano or Porta Saragozza for quieter streets and lower accommodation prices, still within a 15-minute walk of the centre.
- Use the itTaxi or BTaxi app instead of Uber — Uber Black is the only option and costs significantly more.
What visitors ask about Bologna
Is Bologna worth visiting for food alone?
Yes, but with a caveat. The Quadrilatero and the restaurants around Piazza Maggiore are crowded and sometimes overpriced. The real food scene is in the university district and the residential edges near Porta Saragozza, where trattorias serve the same dishes for half the price and without the queue.
How many days do you need in Bologna?
Two full days is enough to see the main museums, eat well, and get a feel for the city. A third day lets you take a day trip to Modena or Parma by train — both are under an hour away and offer their own food traditions.
Is Bologna safe for solo travellers?
Generally yes. The historic centre is well-lit and busy until late evening. The area around the train station can feel less secure after dark, but standard city precautions apply. The overtourism pressures have made pickpocketing more common in crowded spots like Piazza Maggiore, so keep your bag zipped and in front of you.
What’s the best way to get from Bologna airport to the city centre?
The Marconi Express monorail is the fastest option — seven minutes to the main train station for €12.80. Taxis cost around €20–€25 and take 15–20 minutes depending on traffic. City buses are cheaper at €2.30 but take longer and require a tap-and-go payment.
Is Bologna too touristy now?
It depends on where you go. Piazza Maggiore and the Quadrilatero are genuinely crowded during peak season. But the university district, the area around Porta Santo Stefano, and the museums outside the main square see far fewer visitors. The city hasn’t lost its character — it’s just that the character is now concentrated in specific pockets.
Closing thought
Bologna’s porticoes were built to connect people to each other and to the city’s daily life — markets, churches, schools, homes. That original purpose still holds, even as the crowds have thickened around the most famous stretches. Walk far enough along any covered pathway and you’ll eventually reach a corner where the only sounds are a coffee machine and someone sweeping a doorstep. That’s the Bologna worth finding. For more on how Italian cities balance tradition with tourism, read about Rome’s real life beyond tourist sites.
Sources and further reading
36 Hours in Bologna. The New York Times, 2026.
Bologna: From Hidden Gem to Overtourism Dilemma. Emilia Delizia, 2024.