Season guide · Bologna · Italy
Bologna in spring
March–May: weather, crowds, prices and the best things to do this time of year.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Palickap, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Mild days, blossom in the hills and the San Luca icon procession in May; trade fairs and Easter can make hotels expensive. Expect highs up to 23°C (73°F) and lows around 4°C (39°F), with about 23 rainy days across March–May. April–May are among the best months of the year to visit.
Key facts
- Months
- March–May
- Temperatures
- 4°C (39°F) to 23°C (73°F)
- Rainy days in the season
- About 23
- Crowds
- Busy
- Hotel prices
- High
Weather in spring
| Month | High | Low | Rainy days | Daylight | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March | 14°C (57°F) | 4°C (39°F) | 7 | 11.8 h | 3/5 |
| April | 18°C (64°F) | 8°C (46°F) | 8 | 13.4 h | 4/5 |
| May | 23°C (73°F) | 12°C (54°F) | 8 | 14.8 h | 4/5 |
Compared with the rest of the year: average highs of 18°C (64°F) against a yearly 19°C (66°F), and 23 of the year's roughly 79 rainy days fall in these 3 months. Crowds rate 4/5 and hotel prices 4/5 on average.
What's on in spring
Recurring events; dates move from year to year, so confirm with the organiser.
- March: Cosmoprof — international beauty trade fair (usually March)
- March: Bologna Children's Book Fair — publishing trade fair (usually spring)
- April: Liberation Day (25 April)
- May: Madonna di San Luca procession — the icon is carried down to the cathedral (usually the week before Ascension)
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 spring
- Florence (About 35–40 minutes by high-speed train) — Tuscany's capital is closer than most visitors realise.
- Modena (About 20–30 minutes by train) — Modena's UNESCO-listed Romanesque cathedral and Ghirlandina tower stand on Piazza Grande, and family acetaie in the surrounding hills offer tastings of traditional balsamic vinegar aged for 12 years or more.
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 spring a good time to visit Bologna?
Yes: April–May are among the best months. Mild days, blossom in the hills and the San Luca icon procession in May; trade fairs and Easter can make hotels expensive.
+What is the weather like in Bologna in spring?
Highs of up to 23°C (73°F) and lows around 4°C (39°F), with about 23 rainy days over the season.