Plan Your Bologna Adventure: A Guide to the Best Season to Visit

14/06/2018 - Category: Visit

Not all the months are the same for visiting a city, so which are the best season to visit Bologna?

SPOILER: you will find something interesting to do every month, Bologna is always alive

Spring: Bologna in colour

It's my favorite time of the year and one of the best seasons to visit Bologna.

You can enjoy the explosions of colors of the best parks and gardens of Bologna like Giardini Margherita or Villa Ghigi.

Bologna Children's Book Fair in April is worth a visit if you're into art and illustration.

In May don't miss Di Verde in Verde, the event that uncovers the hidden gardens of the center.

Then Biografilm Festival: an international documentary movie festival that offers lots of previews and food-related events inside Parco del Cavaticcio.

The temperature is usually warm and you don't have to worry about the rain: there are many things to do in Bologna on rainy days.

Forgot your umbrella at home?
It's not a problem because we have km of porticoes where you can walk without getting wet.

Remember that June 2nd is an Italian public holiday: most of the shops, markets, and restaurants are closed.

Summer: cool under the porticoes

I'd rather be honest.
Summer is not the best time to taste tortellini in broth (even if I do).

The beginning of summer is still a good time to visit Bologna but expect some very hot days.

The good news?

We have more than 40 km of covered porticoes to walk under the shadow.
And so many great things to do.

Until August 15th Piazza Maggiore becomes the best cinema I've ever seen with Sotto le Stelle del Cinema.
A movie festival, organized by Cineteca di Bologna, which shows hidden old gems and recent movies in a unique and starry landscape with English subtitles. If you're lucky you can watch one of the movies set in Bologna.

If you're interested in food avoid the central weeks of August.
Most of the markets and food shops are closed and also our Bologna food tours take some rest.

Check this post about the restaurants in Bologna open in August: you will need it ;)

Autumn: are you hungry?

Food festivals like Cioccoshow or MortadellaBo.

Live music in rock and jazz clubs like Locomotiv, Covo Club, Cantina Bentivoglio and Bravo Cafè.
The beginning of opera seasons at Teatro Comunale.

It's not enough to book a flight to Bologna?

Ok, foodie.
Meat broth starts to boil, tagliatelle with porcini mushrooms pops up on the menus and Trebbiano grapes are getting ready to turn into balsamic.

October 4th is Bologna's Saint day: a good time to celebrate, worse if you are more interested in shopping because almost everything but churches and museums is closed.

It's also the day of Tortellino Festival to finally answer the question: who makes the best tortellini in Bologna?
You can write the answer.

Winter: a tasty Christmas

Winter is the season of the celebration of bolognese food.

The best time to eat tortellini, cotechino and all the rich dishes of our tradition.

Just locals around the markets and a relaxed mood in the air.

Wait for the new year in Piazza Maggiore where the so-called Vecchione, an icon of the old year that disappears, is set on fire.

Some restaurants and gelato shops may be closed for the holidays.
But it's the price to pay for a magic atmosphere.

[photos: Paolo Piscolla, Denis Billi, Tyler Durdan at Flickr]