About Bologna

A city full of history and culture

The City of Bologna, capital of the Emilia Romagna region, is located in a strategic position in the heart of Italy, midway between Milan and Florence. Situated on the edge of the Po Plain at the foot of the Apennine Mountains, the metropolitan area includes 55 Municipalities and has an overall population of about 1 million inhabitants (400,000 within the city boundaries)

With its strategic location, Bologna has been a primary crossroad of goods and people since the Roman times. Today, it is the centre of a transport and business network of vital importance for Italy and Europe. It is the major hub in the country for highway and rails. High-speed trains (Frecce, Italo) connect Bologna to Florence (37 minutes), Milan (65 minutes), Rome (2 hours and 15 minutes), Venice (less than 90 minutes) and other major destinations. Guglielmo Marconi International Airport is only 15 minutes away from the city center by bus. The Bologna Trade Fair District is one of the most important in Italy, hosting 27 trade shows, around 16.000 exhibitors, and almost 1 million visitors every year.

Designated as European Capital of Culture in 2000 and nominated UNESCO Creative City of Music in 2006, Bologna is a melting pot of European culture and Italian heritage, and home to a number of prestigious cultural, economic and political institutions.

Every corner of the city is full of history. Its well–preserved historical centre is among the largest in Europe. The 35 kilometers of “Portici” (arcades) as well as the red bricks of its buildings and the medieval towers are the hallmark of this unique place.

Bologna is also home to fine food and wine and offers a lively nightlife. The city center is full of restaurants and wine cellars, which often offer life music shows. Every year the City of Bologna promotes “Bologna Estate”, a summer cultural program lasting 3 months. Concerts, theatre plays, guided tours, projections, meetings and readings animate the squares, courtyards, cloisters and parks of the city centre and the suburbs to entertain city-dwellers and visitors. The jewel of the summer program is “Sotto le stelle del cinema”, 50 nights of great cinema in original language served in the main square (Piazza Maggiore).

For useful information about Bologna (getting here and around, maps, culture and history, monuments and places, itineraries, events, etc.), please visit the website Bologna Welcome.