Comparison · Bologna vs Cinque Terre · Italy
Bologna vs Cinque Terre
Two great trips, different strengths. Here is how they compare on the things that decide it.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Fabio Ciminelli, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Choose Bologna for Tagliatelle al ragù, Porticoes, lower day-to-day costs and nightlife; choose Cinque Terre for Five cliff villages, Sentiero Azzurro, beaches and a milder winter. Bologna is generally less expensive, and the two are about 136 km apart.
Key facts
- Distance apart
- 136 km
- Less expensive
- Bologna
- Best time for Bologna
- April–June and September–October
- Best time for Cinque Terre
- May–June and September–October
Side by side
| Bologna | Cinque Terre | |
|---|---|---|
| Country | Italy | Italy |
| Known for | Tagliatelle al ragù, Porticoes and Two Towers | Five cliff villages, Sentiero Azzurro and Pesto |
| Best time to visit | April–June and September–October | May–June and September–October |
| Ideal stay | 3 days | 3 days |
| Mid-range budget per day | $150–$260 | $180–$320 |
| Cost level | Moderately priced | Expensive |
| Warmest month | July, 31°C (88°F) | July, 29°C (84°F) |
| Coldest month | January, 6°C (43°F) | January, 12°C (54°F) |
| Free sights in our guide | 11 | 9 |
| Day trips in our guide | 6 | 7 |
| Beaches | — | Fegina, Monterosso |
| Airports | BLQ | PSA, GOA, FLR |
Which one is right for you?
Choose Bologna for…
Tagliatelle al ragù, Porticoes, lower day-to-day costs and nightlife. Bologna, the capital of Emilia-Romagna, has a university traditionally dated to 1088, a red-brick medieval centre and more than 60 km of arcaded porticoes, listed by UNESCO in 2021, that keep you dry in rain and shaded in summer. It is one of Italy's great…
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Choose Cinque Terre for…
Five cliff villages, Sentiero Azzurro, beaches and a milder winter. The Cinque Terre are five villages — Monterosso al Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore — strung along a short, steep stretch of the Ligurian coast between Levanto and La Spezia. Inscribed by UNESCO in 1997 together with Porto Venere and its…
Top sights compared
| # | Bologna | Cinque Terre |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Piazza Maggiore and the Neptune Fountain | Vernazza harbour |
| 2 | Basilica of San Petronio | Manarola and Punta Bonfiglio |
| 3 | Two Towers (Asinelli and Garisenda) | Riomaggiore |
| 4 | Santo Stefano (Seven Churches) | Monterosso old town and Fegina |
| 5 | Sanctuary of the Madonna di San Luca | Corniglia and the Lardarina |
Food compared
| Bologna | Cinque Terre |
|---|---|
| Tagliatelle al ragù | Trofie al pesto |
| Tortellini in brodo | Focaccia |
| Mortadella Bologna | Monterosso anchovies |
| Lasagne verdi alla bolognese | Farinata |
Which is cheaper?
Bologna is usually the less expensive of the two: a mid-range day costs about $150–$260 per person there, against $180–$320 in Cinque Terre (AMZBooking estimates, excluding flights). Bologna on a budget.
Can you visit both?
Yes. Bologna and Cinque Terre are about 136 km apart, so they combine well in one trip: allow 3 days in Bologna and 3 in Cinque Terre.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Bologna or Cinque Terre cheaper?
Bologna is usually less expensive: about $150–$260 a day mid-range against $180–$320 (estimates).
+Is Bologna or Cinque Terre better for a first trip?
Pick Bologna for Tagliatelle al ragù, Porticoes, lower day-to-day costs and nightlife, or Cinque Terre for Five cliff villages, Sentiero Azzurro, beaches and a milder winter.
+How far is Bologna from Cinque Terre?
About 136 km in a straight line.