Season guide · Bologna · Italy
Bologna in autumn
September–November: weather, crowds, prices and the best things to do this time of year.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
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Quick answer
Warm early autumn, truffle and mushroom menus and busy university streets, turning grey and foggy by November. Expect highs up to 25°C (77°F) and lows around 5°C (41°F), with about 22 rainy days across September–November. September–October are among the best months of the year to visit.
Key facts
- Months
- September–November
- Temperatures
- 5°C (41°F) to 25°C (77°F)
- Rainy days in the season
- About 22
- Crowds
- Moderate
- Hotel prices
- High
Weather in autumn
| Month | High | Low | Rainy days | Daylight | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September | 25°C (77°F) | 15°C (59°F) | 6 | 12.4 h | 4/5 |
| October | 19°C (66°F) | 10°C (50°F) | 8 | 10.9 h | 4/5 |
| November | 12°C (54°F) | 5°C (41°F) | 8 | 9.5 h | 2/5 |
Compared with the rest of the year: average highs of 19°C (66°F) against a yearly 19°C (66°F), and 22 of the year's roughly 79 rainy days fall in these 3 months. Crowds rate 3/5 and hotel prices 4/5 on average.
What's on in autumn
Recurring events; dates move from year to year, so confirm with the organiser.
- September: Cersaie — ceramic tile and bathroom trade fair (usually late September)
- October: Festa di San Petronio — patron saint's day (4 October)
- November: EIMA — agricultural machinery fair (usually November in even-numbered years)
Make the most of the weather
Religious site · Colle della Guardia
Sanctuary of the Madonna di San Luca
The 18th-century sanctuary on the Colle della Guardia, high above the southwest of the city, is reached by a continuous portico of 666 arches that runs 3.8 km from Porta Saragozza, first on the flat and then climbing steeply from the Arco del Meloncello.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Free
- Views
- Active
- Free
- Outdoors
- Iconic
Park · Santo Stefano and Strada Maggiore
Giardini Margherita
Bring a picnic from the Quadrilatero and join locals on the grass on a warm evening.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Kids
- Outdoors
- Nature
Day trips in autumn
- Parma (About 50–60 minutes by train) — Parma pairs a Romanesque cathedral with Correggio's dome fresco and a pink marble octagonal baptistery with the food that made it famous: Parmigiano Reggiano dairies and Prosciutto di Parma producers in the countryside can be visited with advance booking.
- Ravenna (About 1–1.5 hours by regional train) — Ravenna, capital of the Western Roman Empire in the 5th century, has eight UNESCO-listed early Christian monuments with outstanding Byzantine mosaics, including the Basilica of San Vitale and the starry vault of the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia.
What to pack
- Light layers for the day and a light jacket for the evening
- A packable rain jacket for showers
- Comfortable walking shoes
Other times of year
Questions travellers ask
+Is autumn a good time to visit Bologna?
Yes: September–October are among the best months. Warm early autumn, truffle and mushroom menus and busy university streets, turning grey and foggy by November.
+What is the weather like in Bologna in autumn?
Highs of up to 25°C (77°F) and lows around 5°C (41°F), with about 22 rainy days over the season.