Rainy day · Bologna · Italy
8 things to do in Bologna when it rains
Indoor sights that make a wet day feel planned rather than lost.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
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Quick answer
Start with Basilica of San Petronio, Santo Stefano (Seven Churches) and Archiginnasio and Anatomical Theatre. Together the 8 picks below take roughly 7–8 hours across 5 areas; 4 are free. April is usually the wettest month, with about 8 rainy days.
Key facts
- Places in this guide
- 8
- Free entry
- 4
- Time to see them all
- 7–8 hours
- Areas
- Piazza Maggiore and the Quadrilatero, Santo Stefano and Strada Maggiore and Piazza Galvani
Bologna on a rainy day
Religious site · Piazza Maggiore and the Quadrilatero
1.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
2.Santo Stefano (Seven Churches)
Visit early in the morning when it is at its quietest, then have coffee under the porticoes of the piazza.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- History
- Architecture
- Free
- Couples
- Rainy day
Historic site · Piazza Galvani
3.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)
4.Pinacoteca Nazionale
Combine it with Palazzo Poggi further along Via Zamboni for a half-day in the university quarter.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Art
- Rainy day
- History
Museum · University Quarter (Via Zamboni)
5.Palazzo Poggi Museum
The anatomical waxes are graphic; older children tend to prefer the ship and map rooms.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Rainy day
- Kids
- Off the beaten path
Religious site · San Domenico
6.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
7.Santa Maria della Vita
It is a short detour from the market lanes; allow a quiet 20 minutes in front of the terracotta mourners.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- Art
- Off the beaten path
- Rainy day
- History
Architecture · Piazza Maggiore and the Quadrilatero
8.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
Grouped by area
| Area | Places | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| Piazza Maggiore and the Quadrilatero | Basilica of San Petronio, Santa Maria della Vita and Biblioteca Salaborsa | 45 minutes + 30 minutes + 30–45 minutes |
| Santo Stefano and Strada Maggiore | Santo Stefano (Seven Churches) | 45 minutes |
| Piazza Galvani | Archiginnasio and Anatomical Theatre | 45 minutes |
| University Quarter (Via Zamboni) | Pinacoteca Nazionale and Palazzo Poggi Museum | 1.5–2 hours + 1–1.5 hours |
| San Domenico | Basilica of San Domenico | 45 minutes |
Booking and timing
Of these 8, 4 free, 4 low cost. None needs booking far in advance. The longest visit is Pinacoteca Nazionale; group the rest by area to save travel time.
How to fit them into 2 half-days
Grouped by area and kept to about four hours each, so you walk more than you ride.
- Half-day 1 (Piazza Maggiore and the Quadrilatero, Santo Stefano and Strada Maggiore and Piazza Galvani): Basilica of San Petronio → Santa Maria della Vita → Biblioteca Salaborsa → Santo Stefano (Seven Churches) → Archiginnasio and Anatomical Theatre, at least 3 hours.
- Half-day 2 (University Quarter (Via Zamboni) and San Domenico): Pinacoteca Nazionale → Palazzo Poggi Museum → Basilica of San Domenico, at least 3 hours.
The wettest months
- April: highs of 18°C (64°F), about 8 rainy days, busy crowds. Comfortable walking weather and Easter visitors; Liberation Day is marked strongly in a city with a famous partisan history.
- May: highs of 23°C (73°F), about 8 rainy days, busy crowds. Warm days and long evenings for aperitivo; one of the best months for the San Luca walk and day trips.
- October: highs of 19°C (66°F), about 8 rainy days, busy crowds. Mild, golden days, with truffles and mushrooms on menus and the feast of the city's patron saint.
The neighbourhoods they are in
- Piazza Maggiore and the Quadrilatero — The civic centre and the medieval market lanes of delis, fishmongers and wine bars
- University Quarter (Via Zamboni) — Student life, Piazza Verdi and porticoed Via Zamboni northeast of the Two Towers
- Santo Stefano and Strada Maggiore — Elegant palazzi, wide porticoes and the Seven Churches southeast of the towers
More of Bologna
Questions travellers ask
+Where should I start in Bologna?
Basilica of San Petronio. One of the largest churches in Europe, San Petronio was begun in 1390 and never finished: the upper facade is still bare brick.
+Which of these are free in Bologna?
Basilica of San Petronio, Santo Stefano (Seven Churches), Basilica of San Domenico and Biblioteca Salaborsa.