Travel Dates: December 2024
Things to do in Bologna
Santuario Madonna di San Luca – This beautiful church, perched on a hill just outside Bologna’s city center, is a must-see. However, be prepared for a bit of a trek. If you don’t have a car, the walk from Piazza Maggiore (Bologna city center) to the church takes about 1.5 hours, while the actual hike up the hill starting from the entrance at Arco del Meloncello is only ~40 minutes. For those driving, there’s a free parking lot behind the church, just a 7-minute walk away.
Piazza Maggiore – A quick stop to see the main square in Bologna, there’s also the Fontana del Nettuno (Neptune’s Fountain) nearby.
Le due Torri: Garisenda e degli Asinelli (Two Towers) – These two leaning towers are the symbols of Bologna. Asinelli Tower is the taller of the two and previously allowed visitors to climb to the top for views of the city. Since October 2023, it has been closed for maintenance because it has been tilting too far. Garisenda Tower is about half the size of its sister; it was lowered because it had a greater lean and was in danger of collapsing.
Things to do outside of Bologna
Museum Ferrari Maranello – This is a must-stop for Ferrari fans and those interested in F1 (if you want more history about Ferrari, visit the Enzo Ferrari Museum in Modena). Tickets to the museum are €27 per person and there is parking. We spent a little over an hour here, and there are a lot of car models to see.
Lamborghini Museum – We also visited the Lamborghini Museum, and compared to Ferrari, it was smaller and felt more like a showroom rather than a museum. Because of that, it was a good thing we paid for a guided 1.5 hour tour (€24 per person), otherwise we would have finished within 20 minutes. The benefit of the guided tour was they opened some of the car doors so you can see the interior. There is no parking at the museum; you have to park outside across the street on via Don Fortuzzi (you’ll see a blue P3 sign). Overall, we liked the Ferrari Museum more.
Where to eat in Bologna
La Prosciutteria Bologna – This is a chain store throughout Italy known for charcuterie plates. We ordered the special mixed cheese plate and a porchetta sandwich–both were good. They do take reservations but we walked-in and were able to get a table right away.
Trattoria del Tempo Buono – Don’t miss out on the delicious tagliatelle al ragù and lasagne verdi, both staples of Bolognese cuisine. Both dishes had meaty sauces which made it tasty. This is the only restaurant on our trip where still or sparking water is free. We called to make a reservation a few hours before.
NOI – Mercato delle Erbe – We also ordered the tagliatelle al ragù and lasagne verdi to compare. While the pasta itself here was better than Trattoria del Tempo Buono, we liked Trattoria del Tempo Buono more because of their sauces. We made a reservation online in advance.
Pappare’ Bologna – A nice cafe with different croissant flavors. I ordered a canestrello pastry with strawberry and cream and it was delicious and flaky. It can get a bit crowded here during breakfast.
Where to stay in Bologna
Hotel San Donato – We chose this hotel because of its very convenient location in the city center and parking available. Driving inside Bologna city center is restricted and you can get fined. But if you have a hotel in the Limited Traffic Zone, you are allowed to drive inside the zone. Follow Hotel San Donato’s driving directions to make sure you don’t get fined, and make sure to ask the front desk how to drive out as there is a specific road to follow. Parking is a gated courtyard right next to the hotel, and it cost €30 a day. Other than location and parking, this hotel wasn’t that great–the rooms felt dank and the bed sheets were not comfortable.
Globe Trotter 