Car hire at Bologna airport

What to see, do and visit in and around Bologna with your rental car

Bologna is a major city in northern Italy, brimming with tourist attractions, monuments and places to visit. What's more, the city is surrounded by some must-see natural landscapes that you can enjoy while travelling by car and taking in the scenery.

Bologna Airport

Bologna Airport, also known as Guglielmo Marconi Airport is named after a Nobel Prize-winning electrical engineer from Bologna. The airport is located in the Emilia-Romagna region, 6 kilometres from Bologna city centre. You can reach the city from the airport by taking the A14. This airport has flight connections to cities in Italy such as Rome and Catania in Sicily and also with some major cities in Europe, such as Lisbon, Athens, Porto, Madrid and Barcelona, among many other destinations.

Car hire in Bologna

Renting a car in Bologna is a great option if you want to visit the outskirts of the city and get around as many places and monuments as possible. You won't have to rely on public transport: you'll be able to travel wherever and whenever you want, restriction-free and without having to spend a fortune on buses, trains or taxis. Without a doubt, this is the perfect city to get around by car.

Some major cities in the Emilia Romagna region such as Modena, Ferrara and Reggio Emilio aren't far away, so you can go on a road trip and get to know other cities other than Bologna.

Bologna tourist information

Bologna, founded by the Etruscans as Felsina and later renamed Bononia by the Romans, has been an important city throughout history. It was an important cultural, political and economic hub, in particular during the Renaissance, becoming one of the most important cities of the Papal States. Here are some of Bologna's places of interest and the main tourist spots worth visiting, so that you can explore every nook and cranny of the city and not let anything pass you by.

What to see in Bologna

You must visit one of the liveliest parts of the city: the Piazza Maggiore. It was built in the 13th century and is home to important buildings such as the Town Hall. The Basilica of San Petronio, the world's fifth largest church is also in the square. It has a huge 45-metre dome and was built with the intention of outdoing St. Peter's Basilica in Rome.

Just 500 metres away is Torres di Bologna, dating back to the construction of Piazza Maggiore (12th and 13th centuries). They were erected by the city's wealthiest families. The most famous are the 98-metre Asinelli and the 48-metre Garisenda. A stone's throw from the towers is the Archiginnasium, one of the city's most spectacular palaces. It was the most important headquarters of the University of Bologna. It currently houses the Archiginnasio Municipal Library and contains more than 35,000 manuscripts and incunabula.

Another must-visit in Bologna is the Sanctuary of the Madonna of San Luca, located on Colle della Guardia. It leads to the city centre along a promenade with 666 beautiful arches. Finally, a hidden gem that often goes unnoticed in guidebooks is Via Piella Finestrella. This is a window that offers a lovely and rare peek at Bologna's lost canale di Reno, where you can take a photo that your relatives will mistake for Venice.

Driving around Bologna

As well as the tourist spots listed above, you can easily get around the city with your Centauro car to discover what the city was like in the past. As it was walled during the Middle Ages, it has a number of gates, most of which are still preserved: Porta Castiglione, Porta Santo Stefano, Porta Maggiore, Porta San Donato, Porta San Vitale, Porta Mascarella, Porta San Felice and Porta Saragozza are some of those you'll come across while driving around Bologna city centre.

Road trip around the surrounding area

If you opt to hire a car for this trip, then why not use it to explore some of the surrounding cities? How about driving to Parma, renowned for its breathtaking cathedral and gastronomy? You could also visit Reggio Emilia, a town with a typical Italian vibe, squares and narrow streets, which we recommend you explore at your leisure on foot. Last but not least, going the other way round and coming back to Bologna, you must make a point of stopping off at Modena, whose highlights includes places such as Palazzo Santa Margherita, Casa Enzo Ferrari Museum and the Romanesque cathedral, declared a World Heritage Site.

Different options for a roadtrip in Italy from Bologna

Bologna airport could be the perfect starting point for a road trip around Italy. Its central location makes it an ideal starting point for a number of routes to a wide range of destinations such as Milan, the northern lakes, Venice, Padua, Ferrara, Genoa and le Cinque Terre or even Florence and Siena. You plan the trip and Centauro will provide the car. We go to great lengths to ensure that all you have to worry about is enjoying your trip.

Gastronomy in Bologna

If Italy is a gastronomic paradise, the capital of the Emilia-Romagna region is no less so. Try the tagliatelle al ragù pasta and of course the famous mortadella di Bologna. A mouthwatering combination could be mortadella with crescentine or tigelle, two of the city's typical breads. Is your mouth watering already?

Climate in Bologna

The city has a continental climate. It is wet and cold in winter whereas it is hot and humid in spring and summer. Temperatures in December and January, the coldest months of the year, tend to be between 0ºC and 7ºC. On the other hand, July and August, are the hottest months of the year, with temperatures ranging from around 20ºC to 30ºC.