Shopping In Bologna, Italy – All The Best Places To Go Shopping! June 2, 2022 – Posted in: Italy, Travel – Tags: Bologna, Holiday, Italy, Shopping, Vacation

Where to shop in Bologna?

If you are going shopping in Bologna, you’re in for at treat! Bologna certainly doesn’t stand back for the neighboring city of Milan, because here too there are all the wonderful shops you could ever dream of.

The selection is widespread and there is guaranteed to be something for everyone. Many of the major designers have their own stores in Bologna, but you will also find cheaper alternatives from local brands. Bologna, as the pantry of Italy, also offers you edible souvenirs in the form of Parma ham, parmesan, mortadelle and the darkest balsamic vinegar.

Here you’ll get a fantastic guide to shopping in Bologna!

The best shopping streets in Bologna

From Piazza Maggiore, shopping streets run in all directions. To the north you will find Via Rizzoli and Via Ugo Bassi, which offer both designer labels and high street shops. Where the two roads meet, you can turn right towards Via dell’Indipendenza. If you instead go south along the equally good shopping street Via d’Azeglio, you will soon reach the exclusive Via Farini. Here are the really expensive shops with Galleria Cavour as the big gem.

In the smaller streets there are a wealth of small shops selling everything from antiques, jackets to dogs, handmade shoes, religious icons and modern Italian design. Go out exploring into the streets, which especially on Saturday night are filled with locals shopping or just strolling around. The shops are open and the atmosphere is quite unique!

Shopping centers and shopping malls in Bologna

Of course, with all those shops, there is not just one shopping center in Bologna, there are many! As mentioned before, in the Galleria Cavour you can visit the luxury shops, while The Coin on Via Rizzoli has a large selection of brands that most people can afford. Castel Guelfo The Style Outlet Village, Bologna is an outlet village 20 minutes drive east of Bologna. Here you can buy designer goods in last year’s color, often with big discounts. Shuttle buses run from Bologna’s Castel San Pietro Terme train station to Castel Guelfo The Style Outlets.

Read about all the shopping centers in Bologna here: Outlets and malls – Bologna Welcome

A souvenir from Bologna

The aroma of parmesan and ham leads you through the narrow streets east of Piazza Maggiore. Do visit the delicatessen La Baita Vecchia Malga, where you drop in for a tasting plate. Also exquisite is Tamburini, which has pre-packed porchetta and sausages, so all you have to do is calculate how much more weight you have room for in your suitcase. World-famous is also the bakery Paolo Atti & Figli in Via Drapperie, where you can buy pasta and cakes. For chocolate, go to the local and exclusive Majani, who since 1796 has been making wonderful delicacies.

In the small streets you will also encounter the popular food market Mercato di Mezze, where mainly young people and tourists meet to eat or take a small snack home. In the Mercato delle Erbe di Bologna you can shop for today’s meal in the large selection of fresh fruit and vegetables, fish and meat.

Opening hours in Bologna

If you are going shopping in Bologna, the shops usually open between 9 am and 10 am and close again at 1.30 pm. After lunch they are open from 3.30 until 7 or 8 pm. On Thursday afternoons and on Sundays, many small shops are closed, while the shops in the major shopping streets and shopping centers are open.

Note that Bologna in August is partially closed down. The larger shops and malls are open, while many smaller shops and restaurants are closed for the holidays.

More Tips for your holiday in Bologna

Where to Stay in Bologna?

There are many wonderful hotels in Bologna, the city of bon vivants! So where should you stay? On Booking.com you can see the wide selection of hotels in Bologna, and here are a few good tips to book a hotel that suits your vacation:

As long as you choose a hotel within the old city walls, marked by the ring road, you’ll be within walking distance of all the best restaurants and attractions. In the small streets in the center of the old town, there’s a cozy street noise around the clock. Goods are delivered early in the morning, and both tourists and locals head home late at night after a joyful evening in the city.

If you’re very sensitive to noise, choose a hotel closer to the city wall rather than Piazza Maggiore. The old town is just where all the fun happens, and where the most charming hotels are located. Bring some earplugs and join the party! If you’re really into festivities, find a hotel outside the city wall.

See all hotels in Bologna on Booking.com by doing your own search here:

Booking.com

Luxury Hotel: Hotel Al Cappello Rosso

On our first visit to Bologna, we stayed at the iconic Hotel Al Cappello Rosso, which has been welcoming guests since 1375 at the charming hotel, just a few steps from the city’s central Piazza Maggiore. The small luxury hotel with its cozy atmosphere has over 600 years of experience in offering an exclusive hotel experience beyond the ordinary.

The hotel has 33 lovely rooms and 10 apartments, designed with the house’s history in mind and all modern conveniences. Many of the rooms are decorated by local artists, and for example, we stayed in BilBolBul 2014, which was decorated by artist Liza Passaniti in connection with the comic festival of the same year.

Hotel Al Cappello Rosso is a charming luxury hotel with plenty of history, and we loved that we stayed right next to the city’s central square with all the vibrant city life that comes with it.

Great Value for Money: Elizabeth Lifestyle Hotel

On our second visit to Bologna, we knew in advance that we would spend much of the vacation on hiking trips outside the city. So, we booked the lovely Elizabeth Lifestyle Hotel, which is located outside the city wall and within walking distance of the train station. Right in front of the hotel, bus no. 25 also runs to the station and further into the city center.

This is good to know if you’re driving to Bologna. The hotel has a large parking lot, and it’s not a good idea to drive around Bologna itself – there are simply too many cars! So leave the car at the hotel and take the bus into the city.

The hotel itself is stylish and newly decorated. We stayed in one of the suites on the 7th floor – with a four-meter-wide bed! From the large balcony, there was a lovely view over the park and towards the mountains. The park is frequently used by dog walkers, and the hotel is also pet-friendly if you’re considering bringing your dog along.

Breakfast follows the concept of “less is more.” The selection isn’t lavish, but you really don’t need it in a city like Bologna, where much of the vacation is spent trying to eat your way through some of the city’s many restaurants! The staff is friendly and speaks good English, and the hotel is nice, clean, and, most importantly, quiet. When we walked home in the evening, it was nice to leave the noise of the city center behind and retreat to our own peaceful neighborhood.

Elizabeth Lifestyle Hotel is perfect for you if you’re touring Northern Italy and want to combine a road trip with a city break. Bologna is an expensive city to stay in, so by booking here, you can often save up to 50% by staying outside the old city wall.

See more hotels in Bologna here on Booking.com!

How do you get to Bologna

Most larger airline companies fly out to Bologna. The airport of Bologna, Aeroporto G. Marconi Bologna (BLQ), is located north-west of the city, a 20-minute drive from the city center. You can board the airport bus headed for the train station in Bologna, and tickets can be purchased at the station or at Aerobus. It costs €6 per. person, while a taxi to the center costs between €15-20.