Month guide · Bologna · Italy
Bologna in January
What January is really like in Bologna: weather, crowds, prices, events and what to pack.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Velvet, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
January is a quieter month with trade-offs. Expect average highs of 6°C (43°F), lows of 0°C (32°F), about 6 rainy days and roughly 9.2 hours of daylight. Cold, damp and often foggy; museums and trattorie are quiet, and the porticoes keep you dry.
Key facts
- Average high / low
- 6°C (43°F) / 0°C (32°F)
- Rainy days
- About 6
- Daylight
- About 9.2 hours
- Crowds
- Quiet
- Hotel prices
- Low
Weather in January
January is the coolest month in Bologna: days average 6°C (43°F) against a yearly average high of 19°C (66°F), and nights fall to about 0°C (32°F). Rain falls on roughly 6 of its 31 days. Compared with December (7°C (45°F)), January is about as warm; by February highs climb to around 9°C (48°F).
- Sunrise (15 January)
- About 07:47
- Sunset (15 January)
- About 17:00
- Daylight
- About 9.2 hours
Winter (December–February). Cold and misty, but the porticoes keep you dry; Christmas stalls, tortellini in brodo and low prices outside fair dates.
Crowds and prices
On a 1–5 scale, January rates 2 for crowds (the peak is April at 4) and 2 for hotel prices (highest in March). That makes January one of the better-value months to book.
Events in January
- Arte Fiera — contemporary art fair (usually late January or early February)
Dates move from year to year. Check the organiser’s site before booking travel around an event.
What to do in January
With cold days, plan around indoor sights and keep outdoor time flexible.
Religious site · Piazza Maggiore and the Quadrilatero
Basilica of San Petronio
Look for the small hole high in the vault that projects a disc of sunlight onto Cassini's meridian around midday, and cover shoulders and knees.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- History
- Architecture
- Free
- Rainy day
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Religious site · Santo Stefano and Strada Maggiore
Santo Stefano (Seven Churches)
Known as the Sette Chiese, this complex of interlinked churches, chapels and cloisters grew from the 5th century onwards and was meant to evoke the holy sites of Jerusalem.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- History
- Architecture
- Free
- Couples
- Rainy day
Historic site · Piazza Galvani
Archiginnasio and Anatomical Theatre
Look into the Stabat Mater hall, the old law school's lecture room, on your way to the anatomy theatre.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Architecture
- Rainy day
- Off the beaten path
Gallery · University Quarter (Via Zamboni)
Pinacoteca Nazionale
Bologna's main picture gallery traces painting in the city from Gothic altarpieces and a Giotto polyptych to the Carracci family and Guido Reni, who made Bologna a centre of Baroque art.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Art
- Rainy day
- History
What to pack
For highs near 6°C, lows near 0°C and 6 wet days: a warm coat, hat, gloves and thermal layers; shoes with good grip for icy pavements; comfortable walking shoes.
Is January a good time to visit Bologna?
A quieter month with trade-offs, with a notable event on the calendar. If your dates are flexible, April–June and September–October are better overall. Compare every month.
Bologna in other months
Questions travellers ask
+Is January a good time to visit Bologna?
It is a quieter month with trade-offs. Cold, damp and often foggy; museums and trattorie are quiet, and the porticoes keep you dry.
+How warm is Bologna in January?
Average highs are around 6°C (43°F) and lows around 0°C (32°F).
+Does it rain a lot in Bologna in January?
Expect rain on about 6 days of the month.