Bologna Trip Checklist

Twelve things to check before you go, each with the fact behind it.

Before you go to Bologna

Run through this list a week before you leave. Each point is one thing to do, with the fact behind it and the guide that explains it. We keep it current: if something here is wrong or out of date, tell us on the contact page.

Before you book

  1. Check the entry rules for your passport. Non-EU visitors are registered at the border by the EU Entry/Exit System, which records a facial image and fingerprints. The separate ETIAS travel authorisation is announced for a later date, so check the official EU travel site before you book. Allow extra time at the border, especially at airports. Guide: Bologna airport to the city.
  2. Add the city tax to your budget. According to Bologna Welcome, the tourist tax is €4.00 to €7.00 per person per night depending on the room price per person, and €2.80 flat in hostels and campsites. It normally applies for a maximum of five consecutive nights, and you pay it at the hotel. Guide: Bologna trip cost.
  3. Choose a hotel you can walk from. Much of the historic center is a restricted traffic zone, and the station and the main hotels are reachable without entering it. Decide where to sleep by what you want to walk to, not by price alone. Guide: Where to stay in Bologna.
  4. Look up transport strikes for your dates. Italian transport strikes are announced in advance on the strike calendar of the Ministry of Transport. Check it a week before you leave and again two days before.

Getting there

  1. Pick your airport transfer before you land. The Marconi Express takes about 7 minutes from the airport to Bologna Centrale for €12.80 one way. The airport bus Line Q costs €2.30, and a taxi takes about 20 minutes. Choose by where your hotel is. Guide: Bologna airport to the city.
  2. Do not drive into the center. The restricted traffic zone is enforced by cameras every day from 7:00 to 20:00. A fine arrives at your home address, often weeks later, and a rental company adds its own fee. If your hotel is inside the zone, ask it to confirm how your plate is registered before you arrive. Guide: The ZTL: what drivers must know.
  3. Know how train tickets work. A digital regional ticket validates itself at the scheduled departure time. A paper regional ticket must be validated at the yellow machine on the platform before you board. Guide: Day trips from Bologna by train.

In the city

  1. Plan your museums around the day. Monday closures depend on the museum: the Pinacoteca Nazionale, MAMbo and Palazzo Poggi close on Mondays, others do not. Check the day on the museum site before you build a plan. Guide: Bologna museums.
  2. Skip the Asinelli Tower. It is closed to visitors. Take the porticoes and the San Luca walk for the view instead. Guide: Bologna porticoes guide.
  3. Reserve the one dinner that matters. If a specific Friday or Saturday dinner is important, reserve it once your plans are fixed. Some popular places do not take reservations at all, so check how each one works. Guide: Best food in Bologna.
  4. Pay for the bus by tapping. Tap a contactless card or phone at the green validator on board. A standard urban ticket costs €2.30 and is valid for 75 minutes. Guide: Bologna airport to the city.
  5. Use normal city precautions. Keep your phone in a front pocket, do not leave bags unattended in cafes, and stay aware in crowded transit, particularly around the station and on public transport. Guide: Is Bologna safe?.

Plan the rest of the trip

With the basics checked, start here to choose how long to stay, follow the two-day itinerary, or compare where to stay.