Month guide · Bologna · Italy
Bologna in March
What March is really like in Bologna: weather, crowds, prices, events and what to pack.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Lorenzov79, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
March is a shoulder-season month. Expect average highs of 14°C (57°F), lows of 4°C (39°F), about 7 rainy days and roughly 11.8 hours of daylight. Milder days, but big trade fairs can push hotel prices sharply up for a few days at a time.
Key facts
- Average high / low
- 14°C (57°F) / 4°C (39°F)
- Rainy days
- About 7
- Daylight
- About 11.8 hours
- Crowds
- Moderate
- Hotel prices
- High
Weather in March
March is the 8th-warmest month in Bologna: days average 14°C (57°F) against a yearly average high of 19°C (66°F), and nights fall to about 4°C (39°F). Rain falls on roughly 7 of its 31 days. Compared with February (9°C (48°F)), March is warmer; by April highs climb to around 18°C (64°F).
- Sunrise (15 March)
- About 06:27
- Sunset (15 March)
- About 18:21
- Daylight
- About 11.8 hours
Spring (March–May). Mild days, blossom in the hills and the San Luca icon procession in May; trade fairs and Easter can make hotels expensive.
Crowds and prices
On a 1–5 scale, March rates 3 for crowds (the peak is April at 4) and 4 for hotel prices (highest in March). Book accommodation early: March is one of the pricier months.
Events in March
- Cosmoprof — international beauty trade fair (usually March)
- Bologna Children's Book Fair — publishing trade fair (usually spring)
Dates move from year to year. Check the organiser’s site before booking travel around an event.
What to do in March
Mild, settled days suit walking, viewpoints and time outdoors.
Religious site · San Domenico
Basilica of San Domenico
Look closely at the two kneeling, candle-bearing angels at the base of the Arca: one of them is by Michelangelo, carved when he was about 20.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Art
- History
- Free
- Rainy day
Religious site · Piazza Maggiore and the Quadrilatero
Santa Maria della Vita
Just off the Quadrilatero, this Baroque church holds Niccolò dell'Arca's Lamentation over the Dead Christ, a 15th-century group of life-size terracotta figures whose faces and gestures express grief with startling force.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- Art
- Off the beaten path
- Rainy day
- History
Architecture · Piazza Maggiore and the Quadrilatero
Biblioteca Salaborsa
It is free, central and has free Wi-Fi, which makes it a useful rainy-day stop between sights.
- Time needed
- 30–45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Rainy day
- Kids
- History
- Architecture
Market · Via Ugo Bassi
Mercato delle Erbe
Bologna's main covered food market on Via Ugo Bassi sells fruit, vegetables, meat, cheese and fresh pasta to locals, and part of the hall holds casual eateries and bars where people eat at shared tables in the evening.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Food
- Shopping
- Free
- Rainy day
What to pack
For highs near 14°C, lows near 4°C and 7 wet days: layers, a warm sweater and a jacket for cool evenings; a packable rain jacket for showers; comfortable walking shoes.
Is March a good time to visit Bologna?
A shoulder-season month, with 2 notable events 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 March a good time to visit Bologna?
It is a shoulder-season month. Milder days, but big trade fairs can push hotel prices sharply up for a few days at a time.
+How warm is Bologna in March?
Average highs are around 14°C (57°F) and lows around 4°C (39°F).
+Does it rain a lot in Bologna in March?
Expect rain on about 7 days of the month.