I'm leaving for a trip to BOLOGNA in 2023

Cheap and cheap accommodation to sleep in Bologna

Bologna city guide (Italy)

If you like cities where legends predominate, Bologna is a perfect destination for you. But if something catches the tourist's attention the first time they visit it, it is the medieval character of its streets.

And it is that yes, Bologna has the second largest medieval quarter in Europe, behind the not too distant Venice (It is just over an hour and a half by car).

By the way, speaking of Venice, you have to know that, for many years, it has known to this city as the “piccola” Venice, Little Venice, thanks to the canals that also run through some of the streets of this town, located in northwestern Italy.

Also famous for being a University City (one of the favorites for European students) in it you can enjoy authentic Italian gastronomy, as well as unique monuments in the country and in Europe and streets full of life and many leisure opportunities. What are you waiting to book your trip now?

Best areas to stay in Bologna

Now that you are clear that you are going to visit Bologna (I assure you that you will not regret it), the first thing I recommend you do is book your hotel. There's a lot very varied options and prices, but yes it is a very touristy city and, therefore, you can see your options reduced if you do not do it in time.

So that you are not afraid of staying in a bad area, from this article, we suggest that you do it in the following areas, as they are the better areas in terms of security, location and leisure options.

Unlike other cities, in the Center of Bologna you can find accommodation of all prices. The best? That even if you spend a little more than what you would spend in another more remote area, you save on transport, because you can visit all the monuments and places of interest in the city, on foot.

It is also an excellent area if you want to enjoy Italian cuisine, since there is a wide variety of restaurants, but also bars and pubs where you can enjoy the nightlife. The best stores are also located in this area, especially the clothing stores and you know that if Italians know something about it, it is precisely fashionable.

So if you plan to extend your stay a few days and get to know these cities, beyond Bologna itself, stay in this area, especially in the south of the railway station neighborhood (the safest), it will be the best option.

The best? That you are so only 20 minutes walk from the centerbut that accommodation prices, here yes, they are much cheaper that in this first point that we have mentioned to you. In addition, it is an area quite different from the rest of the city, because it is more industrial and moves away from the medieval characteristics of other areas of the city.

Furthermore, it is a very economical and quiet area during the day, although with enough movement at night. If you like or are looking for go out at night, without being very far from your accommodation, this area is ideal.

And all this without forgetting that it is a safe zone and that in it you will be able to enjoy some of the most outstanding monuments from the city, as is the case with Piazza Santo Stefano, where there are old palaces that will make you fall in love. In this part of the city, medieval monuments and some of the most modern of Bologna go hand in hand.

Of course, if you are going to stay in this area of ​​the city, keep in mind the calendar, because depending on the date you go, it may coincide with a fair and, then yes, it will cost you more to find accommodation.

Another benefit of staying in this area is this very well connected when it comes to transportation, so you will not have any problem to move to the center or any other point of the city; neither to the airport or the train station.

They are different areas from the center, but you will also find some palaces and very beautiful areas to walk around. Of course, the prices in these two areas of the city - the first located to the west and the second to the east - are much cheaper That if you stay downtown and the options are very varied.

You will not miss restaurants, bars and shops of food in which you can do your shopping for the day or take some nice memories of this university city.

The best what you can see and do during your stay in Bologna

And now that you already have the most important things (accommodation, the train ticket and you already know how you are going to get to the city), you just have to start thinking about the routes you are going to take through it.

To help you, at this point we have compiled for you the top 5 places you can't miss, you stay the time you stay in the city, and they are as follows:

Tips on your visit to Bologna

When traveling to Bologna, keep in mind that shops usually open quite late compared to Spain (around 10 am, although you will find some open earlier) and that close at 18 pm. For their part, restaurants often close kitchens at about 11 at night.

You also have to keep in mind that while most of the plugs that you will find are like in Spain (from type F), in some places you will find them type L, so it is better to take an adapter with you.

Of course, don't forget the European sanitary card so that, in case you need it, they can attend you without problems in a hospital. And, above all, enjoy Bologna, a very safe city with a lot of police surveillance, but as it happens in all cities, at certain times it is better avoid some areas or at least do it alone.

Bologna Welcome Card

Before moving on to the next point, what we do want to talk to you about is the Bologna Welcome Card, which has different prices and in addition to offering you discounts and even, free passes to some of the main monuments of the city, it also has transportation discounts. Also has discounts for shops and restaurants, so be sure to find out about it to save money and get more of a pleasant surprise.

Ferrara, the Florence of Emilia Romagna

Located just 48 kilometers from Bologna, you have a train leaving from Bologna station, with which you get to Ferrara in just 30 minutes. Located in the Emilia Romagna region, your visit is really worth it.

Among the monuments to visit, without a doubt, the most impressive is the Estense Palace. Built in the XNUMXth century, it still preserves its moat and many of its paintings. We recommend you Climb the tower, to be able to have a special vision of Ferrara. View from which you will also see the cathedral, which is also imposing and Romanesque in style.

Do I tell you a curiosity? People say that in Ferrara you will find the oldest tavern in the world, Al Brindisi, in which it is said that Copernicus and Titian were part of the patrons and that the bar has been open since 1435.

Reggio Emilia, the capital of the region

Located 73 kilometers from Bologna, at the same can be accessed by train. It takes about 40 minutes and a train passes every hour and a half in this direction, so you can have several options throughout the morning.

It is the capital that gives its name to the region with the same name and, despite being larger than the towns that I have mentioned above, the truth is that you will not find imposing buildings either, but a city where you can get to know the real life Italian, with beautiful palaces, a beautiful cathedral and, above all, a national park It really is worth visiting.

It's about the Apennine National Park, within which there are different routes. So if what you want is to know the nature of the area, this is the perfect place. And if you like that, it's because you like to move around in quiet environments and commute by bike and Reggio Emilia is perfect for it. In fact, it has been named as the Italian city closest to getting around in this mode of transport.

A curiosity: in this town was where what is now known as the Italian flag was born, the one with the three colors.