Bologna travel information
Bologna is a charming Italian university city famous for its cathedrals, radical politics, nightlife, and mouth-watering food. It is often used as a relaxing stopover between visits to Florence and Venice. The city is best explored on foot, as it is much as it was during the Renaissance, with dusky red-coloured buildings, wide piazzas and covered walkways with floors laid with marble. As it is less frequented by tourists, the city is less prone to associated annoyances such as pickpocketing.
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The best time to travel is during spring (April – May). Winter in northern Italy can be can very cold, especially in January, and summers very hot, especially in July and August.
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Italy is famous for its shopping, as well as its strictly enforced shopping etiquette. Make sure you greet the storeowner as this sets a pleasant mood. Never touch anything in the window display; you’ll be severely chastised otherwise. Eating, drinking and smoking in shops are generally frowned upon.
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Making an effort to speak a few words of Italian goes a long way, and you’ll find new friendships and opportunities present themselves as a result.
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Bologna is one of the great cultural centres of Europe, with religious, art, music and film festivals throughout the year. A trip to Bologna would not be complete without experiencing one.
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Bologna has an efficient bus system; you'll find information booths at the train station and on via Marconi at the junction with via Ugo Bassi and via Lame. Not all bus routes operate on Sunday.
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Good value city transportation is the €6.20 Citypass, which permits eight journeys (each punch covers the holder for one hour), or the Day Ticket, which costs €2.50 and is valid for 24 hours from the time of validation.
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As is the case in all major Italian cities, the biggest threat in Bologna is from bag-snatchers and pickpockets. They are extremely skilled at unzipping bags undetected or creating a ruse to distract you. Be wary of snatchers working off the back of moped scooters who can violently remove your bag and escape easily.
Useful travel tips resources
Lonely Planet – Bologna
Excellent resource on Bologna from this well-known travel guide publisher.
www.lonelyplanet.com
World Guides – Bologna
An exhaustive site offering loads of information and tips.
http://www.bologna.world-guides.com/
Bologna Travel Guide
A thorough guide to all there is to know about Bologna.
http://www.a-zoftourism.com/travel-to-Bologna
More topics on this site…
Bologna maps and geography
Italy travel information
Italy travel tips
Italy health and safety
Italy maps and geography
Essentials
Visas: Not required for most nationals, 90-day tourist stays
Season: April-May, October-November
Money: Euro – ATMs widely available
Language: Italian
Emergency #: Ambulance 118, Police 113, Fire 115