Florence is a great base for visiting different parts of Italy. It’s located near the middle of the country, it’s well-connected, and it’s a pretty city to stay in… what more could you want? But when you sit down and start to decide what day trips you should take from Florence, it can be overwhelming to decide. Of course, the cute towns of Tuscany are a must. But if you want to venture a little further, a day trip we HIGHLY recommend taking from Florence is Bologna.

Bologna is a medieval city with a very different look from Florence’s pristine Renaissance look. And while the city itself is worth a visit just for the sights (what city in Italy isn’t?), a major reason to visit Bologna is the food. After all, many say Bologna has the best food in all of Italy! Do you need us to convince you further to make the half-hour trip to Bologna? What are you waiting for?

Here’s our ultimate Florence to Bologna day trip itinerary, including what to do, what to eat, and where to eat! Make the most of your day trip with the help of this guide. Let’s get into it!

Psst! If you want to explore everything Florence has to offer before you start booking day trips, check out our full list of 30 free and cheap things to do in Florence!

How to Get to Bologna from Florence

florence to bologna day trip itinerary city

Italy’s transport system is top of the line, so getting from one city to another is extremely easy. As the crow flies, Bologna is only 50 miles (80 km) from Florence. In fact, many Florentines commute to Bologna for work and vice versa!

There are three main ways to get to Bologna from Florence: train, bus, and car. Let’s take a closer look!

By Train

This is, far and away, the fastest and easiest way to get to Bologna from Florence. High-speed trains leave from Santa Maria Novella in Florence more than 50 times per day and take just half an hour!

We paid around 25 euros each for a round-trip ticket, but the prices can vary depending on the time of day and how far in advance you book.

By Bus

The most affordable way to get to Bologna from Florence is by bus. If you book in advance, you can get a round-trip bus ticket for around 13 euros, which is around half the cost of a train. That said, the bus takes significantly longer (around 2 hours), so we highly recommend taking the train for a day trip.

Driving

The final option for getting to Bologna from Florence is to drive. Taking a road trip is a great choice if you want to stop at other destinations or continue on to other cities after visiting Bologna. After all, the Emilia Romagna region of Italy has tons of beautiful towns and cities that are difficult to see without a car.

Renting a car in Italy is pretty straightforward, though keep in mind that you will need an International Driving Permit or a notarized translation of your license.

How to Get Around Bologna

florence to bologna day trip itinerary

Bologna is a compact city, so you won’t really need to worry about taking public transport or taxis once you are in the city. The best way to get around is simply by foot! Bologna is famous for its abundance of covered walkways, known as porticoes. So, even if it is raining, you can easily walk without getting wet.

If you aren’t in the mood for walking or want to visit a site a bit outside of the city center, you can also take a public bus or a bicycle. Ride Movi offers 30-minute bicycle rides for just 1.25 euros!

Best Things to Do in Bologna

There are a ton of awesome things to do in Bologna, and on a day trip from Florence, you’ll definitely need to condense your itinerary. That said, if you plan well, you should be able to see most of the main sites in Bologna in one day. Let’s take a look at some of the best things to do in this ancient city.

1. Explore the Porticoes

florence to bologna day trip porticoes on the way to madonna di san luca
florence to bologna portici (2)
florence to bologna portici

As we mentioned, Bologna is famous for its porticoes. In fact, it has far more covered archways than any other city in the world. The porticoes of Bologna were even named as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2021.

These archways have been around for nearly a thousand years and were originally built in the 11th century to conserve public living space in the city. 

Since the Middle Ages, the beautiful porticoes have been expanded and embellished, and today, they are one of the most characteristic images of Bologna.

2. Walk Around Piazza Maggiore

florence to bologna day trip itinerary church basilica unfinished

The massive main square in Bologna is one of the best places for a photo op. Piazza Maggiore houses several of the city’s most iconic buildings and monuments, so it is impossible to leave it out of your Bologna itinerary. 

This square is essentially smack dab in the middle of the old town of Bologna, so it is a good jumping-off point to many of the main attractions.

Here are some of the main sites to see in Piazza Maggiore:

  • Basilica di San Petronio: Large unfinished medieval church
  • Fontana del Nettuno: Renaissance bronze fountain depicting Poseidon 
  • Palazzo dei Notai: 14th-century palace with Renaissance frescoes
  • Palazzo d’Accursio: Large medieval palace housing a large art collection
  • Palazzo Re Enzo: Massive medieval building in the center of the main square

3. Climb Up Bologna’s Medieval Asinelli Tower

florence to bologna day trip itinerary two towers

In Rome, you have the Colosseum; in Florence, the iconic domed cathedral; and in Bologna, the medieval towers. In the Middle Ages, the city was covered with more than 180 towers, but today, fewer than 20 remain. 

The most famous of the remaining towers are Garisenda and Asinelli, the latter of which you can climb and is nearly 320 feet tall!

The Asinelli Tower has a visible lean and is more than twice the height of the Leaning Tower of Pisa! Climbing up this tower is NOT for the faint of heart and definitely not for the claustrophobic. But once you get to the top, you’ll be rewarded with an amazing panoramic view of the city.

Unfortunately, when we visited Bologna, the Asinelli Tower was being restored, so we weren’t able to climb up it. That said, it is still a pretty impressive building from the outside!

4. Explore the Basilica of Santo Stefano

florence to bologna day trip itinerary santo stefano

This was a major highlight for us in Bologna. The Basilica of Santo Stefano is an incredibly ancient church complex housing several different churches and worship places. The oldest buildings in the complex date back to the 5th century. The churches were built on top of an ancient Roman temple, so the history of the building is pretty inconceivable. Inside the church, you’ll find some beautiful artwork, architecture, and mosaics.

One of the coolest things about the building is the blending of different architectural styles. The space was continuously built and added onto for more than 1,000 years. You really won’t find anything like it anywhere else in the world.

Better yet, entry to the church complex is completely free! 

5. Stroll Through the Quadrilatero Market Area

florence to bologna day trip itinerary quadrilatero

Bologna is a foodie paradise, so as food lovers, we naturally spent quite a lot of our one-day trip to Bologna eating. The best place to sample some of the city’s most famous edible delights is in the Quadrilatero Market. This area essentially takes up a few streets in the city center and is filled with cheese and cured meat shops, aperitivo bars, veggie stalls, and more! 

Despite this being a fairly touristy area, we really enjoyed the energy in the streets. We definitely recommend strolling through this area and stopping for a drink and a bite to eat at one of the bars.

6. Hike Up to Santuario de Madonna di San Luca

florence to bologna madonna
florence to bologna madonna san luca inside
florence to bologna day trip san luca (2)

Santuario de Madonna Di San Luca is an 18th-century church perched on a hill above Bologna. The church holds a famous icon of early Christian history that was allegedly painted by Saint Luke. 

There is a path going all the up the hill that is completely covered by porticoes. This is the longest walkway of its kind in the world, with 666 porticoes in total!

We won’t lie to you; this is a pretty brutal climb involving an uphill climb of around 4 km (2.5 miles). But it is definitely one of the best things to do in the city and the views from the top are totally worth it!

If you are visiting Bologna from Florence on a day trip and you are strapped for time, you can also take the San Luca Express, a small “train” that will ferry you to and from the church.

7. Visit the Anatomy Room at One of the World’s Oldest Universities

florence to bologna day trip anatomy room
florence to bologna anatomy
florence to bologna anatomy room

Bologna is home to the oldest university in the world, the University of Bologna, founded in 1088. One university building you absolutely must visit is the Palace of the Archiginnasio. The moment you step foot inside the Archiginnasio, your jaw will gape open in awe. This is one of the most important palaces in Bologna and houses some very important rooms, most notably the Anatomy Room.

While the Archiginnasio itself is absolutely stunning to look at, and you’ll be craning your neck to look at the details on the ceiling, you should absolutely book a ticket online to see the Anatomy Room located upstairs.

The Anatomical Theatre was carved of wood in 1637 to teach, you guessed it, anatomy. Imagine students sitting in the room while dissecting animals and even human cadavers on the raised platform in the middle. The room features the famous “Spellati,” skinned anatomical models with exposed muscles, as well as carved sculptures of Hippocrates, Apollo, and more.

While the room was completely destroyed due to an air raid during WWII, it was painstakingly restored using the original pieces found amongst the rubble.

8. Thrift Shop in the Jewish Ghetto

free things to do in florence thrift shopping

Thrift shopping in Italy is a whole different animal than what you may be used to. Bologna is a great place to go hunting for vintage and second-hand clothes at a bargain price. There are plenty of thrift stores dotted all across the city center, particularly the Jewish Ghetto. We got to explore quite a few because it was raining a bit during our day trip to Bologna.

Here are some of the thrift stores we really liked:

  • Humana Vintage Bologna
  • Fratelli Broche Vintage
  • La Leonarda

Even if thrifting is not your thing, the Jewish Ghetto was one of our favorite areas of the city to walk around, featuring really good food as well!

9. Sample Some Amazing Food

lasagna in bologna itinerary

Speaking of food, one of the main reasons we decided to go to Bologna is to eat. Bologna is the birthplace of a lot of the most famous Italian dishes, such as:

  • Tagliatelle al Ragu
  • Lasagna al Ragu
  • Lasagna Verde
  • Tortelloni
  • Tortellini in Brodo

Furthermore, Bologna and its neighboring cities and towns in the Emilia Romagna region produce some of the most classic Italian ingredients, including:

  • Mortadella
  • Prosciutto
  • Parmigiano Reggiano
  • Balsamic Vinegar

As you can see, there’s really no end to what you can eat in the city. And you’ll eat incredibly well while sampling all of the food Bologna and Emilia Romagna has to offer! And don’t worry; we’ve listed some of the best places to eat in Bologna below.

10. Head to a Bar for Aperitivo

florence to bologna day trip itinerary aperitivo

One of the best ways to try some of the local Bolognese fare is to have an aperitivo. Aperitivo is a huge part of the Italian culture and involves having a drink along with a few bites to eat before dinner. Traditionally, in Bologna, they will serve a variety of cold cuts, some cheeses, and tigelle, a type of bread.

You really can’t go wrong with aperitivo bars in Bologna. There are honestly so many of them. And around 7 pm, you’ll notice plenty of travelers and locals alike sitting outside these bars with a drink in hand and a platter to share amongst loved ones. But if you’re only in Bologna for a day trip, there’s nothing more iconic than having an aperitivo in the narrow alleys of the Quadrilatero district. Head earlier than later if you want to snag an outdoor seat at one of these popular bars!

11. Take a Photo of La Piccola Venezia

florence to bologna day trip little venice canals

Did you know that Venice is not the only Italian city with canals? Bologna also boasts “hidden” or “secret” canals that you might come across as you walk around the city. Although the city technically has 60 km of canals, most are covered, so you really have to know where to go in order to snap a gorgeous picture of the Bologna canals.

Head over to the “Reno,” which flows perpendicularly to the streets of Malcontenti, Piella, and Oberdan. If you go to Via Piella, you’ll be able to see the famous Little Window, which you can open and peek through for a gorgeous view of the canal. But keep in mind you may need to wait in line!

12. Shop for Delicious Parmesan and Prosciutto

florence to bologna day trip itinerary prosciutto and parmesan

There’s no better place to buy a block of parmesan and some prosciutto than in Emilia Romagna. And as the biggest city in the region, Bologna is one of the best places to go shopping for these popular Italian ingredients (unless, of course, you head to Parma itself). Across the city, you’ll find shops with delicious legs of ham hanging from the ceiling and the stinky smells of Parmigiano Reggiano filling up the small spaces.

The Quadrilatero is a great place to go shopping for parmesan and prosciutto. Another standout location to buy Parmigiano Reggiano is Al Regno Della Forma, which is worth a visit solely for the aesthetics of the MANY cheese wheels they have lining the walls around the shop.

Where to Eat in Bologna

There are so many amazing places to eat in Bologna. But if you’re only here for a day trip, you’ll obviously be strapped for time, trying to find the best of the best restaurants to check out! But don’t worry; we’ve done all the heavy lifting for you. Here is a quick list of where you should eat during your day in Bologna.

Breakfast: Allegra

florence to bologna day trip itinerary allegra cafe

Your first stop when you arrive in Bologna should be a gorgeous pastry and a delicious coffee. We stopped by Allegra, and we couldn’t recommend it more! There was a bit of a line when we went to Bologna, but the cafe was well worth the wait. Their coffee is amazing, but the standout at the is cafe is definitely their baked goods. You can find the most incredible croissants and other baked goods here. They have a selection of many different types of pastries, so pick what you want, have a seat, and enjoy the rich and decadent pastries that are the perfect start to fuel your day for walking around Bologna.

Lunch: Mò Mortadella Lab

florence to bologna day trip itinerary mortadella

For lunch, you’ve got to stop by the iconic Mò Mortadella Lab. Mortadella is a meat from the Emilia Romagna region, and believe us when we say it tastes completely different here than anywhere else we’ve tried this classic meat—even within Italy itself. And there’s no better place to try mortadella than at the Mortadella Lab.

Here, they offer many different types of mortadella sandwiches, and they’re all amazing. Each of the sandwiches comes stacked to the brim with mortadella inside, so you can taste exactly how juicy and delicious this meat is. While we don’t think you can go wrong with any sandwich you decide to order, we highly recommend getting the 13, which comes with mortadella, grana cheese, rocket, and balsamic vinegar!

Gelato: Cremeria La Vecchia Stalla

After lunch, if you’re feeling like a snack before aperitivo and dinner, it’s time to get some gelato! We were recommended the Cremeria La Vecchia Stalla, and we absolutely loved it! In fact, it’s probably one of the best gelaterias we tried over the three months we spent in Italy recently. Unfortunately, we only got to try six of their flavors, but each of them was so creamy and delicious. In particular, we recommend getting any of their pistachio and hazelnut flavors.

While they’ll generally have a line out the door, don’t worry; the line moves fast!

Aperitivo: Quadrilatero

Name a more iconic place to have aperitivo in Bologna before dinner than at the famous narrow alleyways of the Quadrilatero area. In this area, you’ll see plenty of restaurants, bars, and shops scattered left and right. But how do you choose where to get a seat for a drink and a bite to eat?

The good news is, you can’t really go wrong! If you can, try to snag a seat outside so that you can people-watch as you drink your Aperol Spritz and eat various cold cuts and cheeses from the region.

We personally stopped by Zerocinquantino on the famous Via Pescherie Vecchie.

Dinner Option 1: Trattoria del Tempo Buono

florence to bologna day trip bolognese dinner

Want to find a good and reliable restaurant in Bologna where you can try classic Bolognese dishes? Look no further than Trattoria del Tempo Buono. We picked this restaurant due to the good reviews and location close to the train station as our train was due to go back to Florence at 8:30 pm. This restaurant’s tagliatelle alla bolognese was to die for! The tortellini is a great option to get here as well.

The best thing about this restaurant is that they accept walk-ins, especially if you arrive before 8 pm. We ended up going at around 7:30, and we got one of the last walk-in tables, so keep that in mind!

Dinner Option 2: Da Cesari

Unfortunately, we were quite slack when making dinner reservations for our Bologna trip (we only called the day of), but Da Cesari was where we would have gone to dinner if we had had the foresight to book beforehand. We have heard nothing but praise regarding Da Cesari’s menu, with standouts including tagliatelle alla bolognese, tortellini in broth, and ravioli stuffed with rabbit. As mentioned, you must book a table beforehand if you want to try this restaurant!

Want to Stay in Bologna for Longer?

florence to bologna day trip itinerary neptune fountain

Bologna is a great day trip, but it’s also an amazing place to base yourself to explore the Emilia Romagna region. What we have covered should be more than enough to keep you occupied for a couple of days in Bologna, as we really smashed in a lot of activities and more than 30,000 steps trying to fit everything in!

But if you want to stay in Bologna for more than a couple of days, we recommend venturing outside the city and exploring the other cities and towns in the region.

Day Trips From Bologna

  • Parma: Parma is the home of prosciutto di Parma and Parmigiano Reggiano, so this city is a must-visit for any foodies! Learn all about the processes of making these iconic Italian ingredients while eating your heart out in this city.
  • Modena: This is a destination for foodies and car lovers alike. Modena is home to the world-famous balsamic vinegar as well as supercar brands like Ferrari, Lamborghini, and Maserati.
  • Rimini: If you’re visiting Bologna during the warmer months, you can’t miss out on a trip to the beach town of Rimini, where you can see colorful buildings, huge stretches of sand, and Roman ruins.
  • Ravenna: If you want to see Byzantine mosaics and early Christian churches, Ravenna is the place to be. Plus, this city is the final resting place of Dante Alighieri.
  • Ferrara: A UNESCO Heritage Site, Ferrara is famous for the Este Castle, which you can explore and learn about the history of the Este family.

FAQ

florence to bologna day trip san luca

Is a Bologna Day Trip Worth It?

Absolutely! Bologna was one of our favorite side trips during our three-month stint in Florence. There is so much to explore and see in this city. But beyond the usual tourist attractions, one of the main reasons to go to Bologna is to eat. Many consider Bologna to have the best food in Italy (and that’s saying something), so if you like Italian food, this city is a must-visit!

How Much Time Do You Need in Bologna?

We spent one very long day in Bologna, but we think you could spend up to 2 to 3 days to really take your time to see everything the city has to offer. But if you want to see more of Emilia Romagna, we recommend also spending some time in Parma and/or Modena. You can use Bologna as a home base to explore these cities (so booking even more nights in Bologna) or stay directly in these cities instead. It’s up to you!

When Is the Best Time to Visit Bologna?

We recommend visiting Bologna in the spring or autumn so that you are not sweating like a pig underneath the Italian sun in the middle of summer or freezing your butt off in the middle of winter. We went to Bologna in April, which was the perfect temperature for walking around.

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