Where to stay in Bologna: the best neighbourhoods if you travel with your family, with your friends or as couple

Meeting point between the north, the south, the west and the east of our peninsula, closer to the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines, in the very heart of the Po Valley, Bologna lets you to easily reach the Adriatic Riviera, as well as cities like Florence, Venice, Milan and Rome.

Chief town of the “Metropolitan city of Bologna” and of the Emilia-Romagna region, the city, in addition, boasts one the broadest and best preserved old town centres of all Europe, swarming with taverns, bars, theatres and shops. 

In short: a proper sparkling chest of wonders that is waiting to be opened to reveal its precious contents.

Here are some tips on where to stay in Bologna if you are traveling with family, friends or as a couple.

Assuming that in Bologna there’s room for everyone and that the offer is adapted on the necessities of each traveller, here are some of the best neighbourhoods you might take into account whether you’ll be travelling with your family

- Murri: its treed pathways, the immense green areas - bordering to the east with the “Margherita Gardens” and to the west with the “Lunetta Gamberini’s Park” - and an enlightened combination of traditional and modern buildings make Murri’s neighbourhood the perfect place where to stay in Bologna with your family. Peaceful and residential, the neighbourhood’s been named after on the principal thoroughfares of the city - Augusto Murri Street -, and has got so much to offer in terms of attractions to visit, such as the “Boarium Forum”.

- Porto-Saragozza: undoubtedly one of the quietest residential areas of the whole city. Its broad, tree-outlined streets are nothing but pristine pleasure to be walked or rode along. Varied, nonetheless, is the offer in terms of attractions and green areas where to spend some quality family time, such as the “Saint Luke’s Madonna Sanctuary”, the “Salaborsa Library”, the “Saint Francis’ Basilica” and the “Renato Dall'Ara Stadium”.

- Colli bolognesi: this neighbourhood has so much to offer to those travellers who love to get lost in boundless green spaces where nature peacefully coexists with man. Amongst the main natural attractions to visit, how could one possibly not make mention of the “Chiusa’s Park”, “Monteveglio’s Abbey’s Park”, the “Gullies” and the “Salt Water of the Rio Marzatore”? And yet, this neighbourhood’s offer is just not limited to breathtaking natural landscapes: villages, castles, and historical villas enrich the scenery mosaic of one of the most ravishing places of all Italy, renowned for its gastronomic heritage, boasting an otherworldly collection of DOP products, such as “mortadella”. 

Is there really anything better than travelling with just a bunch of friends, especially in a capital of art, culture and taste like Bologna? Hence, here are some of the best neighbourhoods to stay in Bologna if you travel with your friends:

- San Donato: this neighbourhood is located in the north-east area of the city. This dynamic neighbourhood, although with a peaceful and gentle heart, is perfect for those visitors looking for a quiet place that offers a wide choice of accommodation at affordable prices. Its proximity to the University makes it a particularly attractive neighbourhood for students away from home.

- University: the neighbourhood revolves around Via Zamboni, and is easily reached on foot from the train station of "Bologna Centrale" or, rather, from "Piazza Maggiore", in the city centre. Just a ten/fifteen minutes walk from the historic centre, the University District is the hub of the city’s nightlife, being populated, for the most part, by students inside and outside the city.

- Quartiere Reno: This neighbourhood is a very interesting choice, especially for those travelling with friends. In Via Zamboni, for example, you can get lost in the myriad of bars and stands of street food vendors. Without considering what really characterises this neighbourhood, i.e. the presence of a variety of independent bookshops, such as "The Brotherhood of Grapes" and "Way Infoshop", which are centres for readings, literary events and meetings.

Despite its grinning temperament and the reddish appearance, Bologna has got all the potential to grow into your next favourite destination for your trips as a couple. Thus, here are the perfect neighbourhoods to stay in the city if you travel as a couple:

- Old Town Centre: undoubtedly the very core of both the day and night life of the city. It offers a variety of attractions and profitable services and, conceivably, represents the most suitable choice for non specialist travellers. In addition to that, that of the Old Town Centre is a rather small neighbourhood, and that makes it perfectly feasible to percurr it on foot: “Piazza Maggiore”, for instance, one of the landmarks of the city, is just about a fifteen-minute walk away.

- Saint Stephen: located to the east of the Old Town Centre, Saint Stepehen’s neighbourhood is located in one the most modish areas of the city. It is mostly renowned for the lovely streets and the charming churches that dot the urban tapestry, such as Saint Stephen’s Basilica also known as the complex of the “Seven Churches” as a result of the fusion of seven preexistent buildings.

- Quadrilatero: this neighbourhood is renowned for its cobbled and narrow alleys, outlined by shops, restaurants, cafes, and food markets. This vibrant and frolicsome district is perfect for food lovers and those who wish to have an authentic and memorable bolognese experience. Plus, it also is quite close to “Piazza Maggiore”, and that makes it a worthy pied-à-terre for visiting the Old Town Centre.

Reaching the centre of Bologna from the airport is just as easy as falling off a log, as the eligible options of choice are as numerous as within everyone’s reach:

One first possibility might be going onboard to the “Marconi Express”, a hectometric means of transport which allows you to reach the “Bologna Centrale” train station in just a blink of an eye.

Following, the “bus n.944” constitutes, for sure, the most affordable - yet the least comfortable - solution to reach the city centre.

Lastly, for those who yearn a less “crowded” service than those offered by the “Marconi Express” and the “bus n.944”, a taxi or a car-to-rent might be the perfect fit.

Redacting such a list, with regards to the city of Bologna, is not quite something for the weak in heart, considering the vast amount of both natural and architectural beauties the city has to offer. Nevertheless, we managed to build up one encompassing the top five places you don’t want to miss to visit when staying in Bologna.

1. Piazza Maggiore: is the main square of the city, dating back to 1200 A.D. It is surrounded by a number of relevant buildings such as Saint Petronius’ Basilica, “D’Accursio’s Palace”, the “Palace of the Chief Magistrate” and “Banks’ Palace”.

2. The two towers: despite the reference to the two towers from “The Lord of the Rings” second book, they don’t really have anything to do with J.R.R. Tolkien’s opera magna. Rather, not only are Bologna’s two towers considered as being some proper landmarks of the city, but they’re also the most prominent towers in all of the surroundings. The tallest tower is the one bearing the name of “Asinelli”, while the shorter one is the one called “Garisenda”.

3. Saint Stephen’s Basilica: it is a complex of religious buildings also known as “The Seven Churches”. Tradition has it, it has been built under commission of the bishop Petronius on the remains of a temple dedicated to egyptian goddess Isis. The complex includes: “Saint Stephen’s Basilica”, “The Holy Sepulchre Church”, “Saint Vitale and Saint Agricola’s Church”, “Pilates Court” and “The Holy Trinity and Martyrdom Church”.

4. Arch Gymnasium Public Library: it is a public library situated in the “Arch Gymnasium Palace” in Bologna. The library hosts a wide collection of volumes, incunables, editions dating back to the 16th century, manuscripts and prints and drawings archives.

5. Saint Luke’s Sanctuary: located on the “Guard Hill”, the sanctuary is prominent in the history of Bologna. It is famous for the icon portraying the “Virgin and the Child” also known as “Saint Luke’s icon”.

The icing on the cake of this Bolognese itinerary are those places placed on what could be defined as the less-travelled tracks of the city of Bologna but which, we assure you, possess an equal charm if not even superior to that of the most inflated attractions. Here are the five unusual places not to be missed in Bologna:

1. Birth lamppost: this street lamp is located in the center, next to Piazza Maggiore. Since 2012, it is connected to the two most important hospitals in Bologna, the Sant'Orsola and the Maggiore. Every time a child is born, nurses push a button that makes the lamp light up.

2. Prendiparte tower (Sky experience): also known as "Torre Coronata", was built in the twelfth century by the Guelph family Prendiparte as a means of defense. It is 60 meters high, making it the second tallest tower in Bologna after the "Torre degli Asinelli".

3. Camouflaged tower in "Strada Maggiore": This is the "Torre degli Oseletti", a medieval tower built in the twelfth century. It was originally over 70 meters high, but now only the base remains.

4. The shadow of Lucio Dalla: this is a tribute to the late Bolognese singer-songwriter Lucio Dalla, who lived in via D'Azeglio. The contemporary artwork depicts the silhouette of a saxophonist among the seagulls.

5. The church that opens with a smile: this is the "Church of Santa Maria Maddalena" in via Zamboni. The peculiarity of this church is its glass door that opens only when it detects a smile.