Shopping In Bologna, Italy – All The Best Shopping Streets! juni 2, 2022 – Posted in: Italy, Travel – Tags: Bologna, Holiday, Italy, Shopping, Vacations, Weekend Breaks

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.

Tips for your holiday in Bologna

Where to stay in Bologna – best areas

There are many wonderful hotels in Bologna – so where are you going to live? On Booking.com you can see the large selection of hotels in Bologna, and right here you’ll get a few good tips for booking a hotel in the Italian city.

As long as you choose a hotel within the old city walls, marked by the ring road, you live within walking distance to all the best restaurants and sights. In the small streets in the center of the old town center there is a cozy street life around the clock. Goods are delivered early in the morning, and both tourists and locals stay out late, having a great time in the city.

If you are sensitive to sound, choose a hotel that is closer to the city wall than Piazza Maggiore. On the other hand, the old town center is where all the fun happens and where the most charming hotels are located. Our best advice is to bring a set of earplugs and join the party! Are you especially fond of partying, then find a hotel near the new university.

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

Booking.com

A recommendation: Al Cappello Rosso

We stayed at the iconic hotel Al Cappello Rosso, which since 1375 has welcomed guests to the charming hotel, lying only a few steps away from the city’s central Piazza Maggiore. The small luxury hotel with the authentic and charming atmosphere has over 600 years of experience in offering a luxurious holiday beyond the usual. The hotel has 33 splendid rooms and 10 apartments, decorated with the history of the house in mind. Some of the rooms are decorated by local artists, while others are themed rooms, such as “Shock in Pink”, which honors the legendary fashion designer Elsa Schiaparelli.

Al Cappello Rosso is a hotel for you who want to stay right in the center of a charming luxury hotel with lots of history.

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.