Season guide · Bologna · Italy
Bologna in winter
December–February: weather, crowds, prices and the best things to do this time of year.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Quick answer
Cold and misty, but the porticoes keep you dry; Christmas stalls, tortellini in brodo and low prices outside fair dates. Expect highs up to 9°C (48°F) and lows around 0°C (32°F), with about 19 rainy days across December–February.
Key facts
- Months
- December–February
- Temperatures
- 0°C (32°F) to 9°C (48°F)
- Rainy days in the season
- About 19
- Crowds
- Quiet
- Hotel prices
- Low
Weather in winter
| Month | High | Low | Rainy days | Daylight | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6°C (43°F) | 0°C (32°F) | 6 | 9.2 h | 2/5 |
| February | 9°C (48°F) | 1°C (34°F) | 6 | 10.4 h | 2/5 |
| December | 7°C (45°F) | 1°C (34°F) | 7 | 8.8 h | 3/5 |
Compared with the rest of the year: average highs of 7°C (45°F) against a yearly 19°C (66°F), and 19 of the year's roughly 79 rainy days fall in these 3 months. Crowds rate 2/5 and hotel prices 2/5 on average.
What's on in winter
Recurring events; dates move from year to year, so confirm with the organiser.
- January: Arte Fiera — contemporary art fair (usually late January or early February)
- February: Carnevale — children's parades in the centre (February or early March)
- December: Fiera di Santa Lucia — Christmas stalls under the portico of Santa Maria dei Servi (December)
- December: Rogo del Vecchione — a giant 'old man' effigy burned in Piazza Maggiore at midnight (31 December)
Good choices for winter
Religious site · Piazza Maggiore and the Quadrilatero
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
Biblioteca Salaborsa
Inside Palazzo d'Accursio on Piazza del Nettuno, the city's public library fills a glass-roofed former exchange hall whose glass floor reveals excavated Roman and medieval remains below.
- Time needed
- 30–45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Rainy day
- Kids
- History
- Architecture
Market · Via Ugo Bassi
Mercato delle Erbe
Shop for picnic food in the morning, then come back in the evening when the food stalls and bars fill with locals.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Food
- Shopping
- Free
- Rainy day
Museum · Piazza Maggiore and the Quadrilatero
Museo Civico Archeologico
Beside San Petronio, the civic archaeology museum displays finds from Etruscan Felsina and the Villanovan settlements that preceded Roman Bononia, and one of Italy's most important Egyptian collections, with stelae, sarcophagi and mummified animals.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Rainy day
- Kids
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Museum · Borgo Panigale
Ducati Museum
Factory tours have age and photography rules; read them before booking, especially if you are travelling with children.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Rainy day
- Off the beaten path
Day trips in winter
- 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.
- Ferrara (About 30–50 minutes by train) — Ferrara is a flat Renaissance city built by the Este family, with the moated Castello Estense at its centre and about 9 km of intact walls that locals circle by bike.
What to pack
- A warm coat, hat, gloves and thermal layers
- Shoes with good grip for icy pavements
- A packable rain jacket for showers
- Comfortable walking shoes
Other times of year
Questions travellers ask
+Is winter a good time to visit Bologna?
It is a trade-off: Cold and misty, but the porticoes keep you dry; Christmas stalls, tortellini in brodo and low prices outside fair dates. The best months overall are April–June and September–October.
+What is the weather like in Bologna in winter?
Highs of up to 9°C (48°F) and lows around 0°C (32°F), with about 19 rainy days over the season.