Comparison · Bologna vs Venice · Italy
Bologna vs Venice
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 free sights; choose Venice for Grand Canal, Gondolas and beaches. Bologna is generally less expensive, and the two are about 130 km apart.
Key facts
- Distance apart
- 130 km
- Less expensive
- Bologna
- Best time for Bologna
- April–June and September–October
- Best time for Venice
- April–May and September–October
Side by side
| Bologna | Venice | |
|---|---|---|
| Country | Italy | Italy |
| Known for | Tagliatelle al ragù, Porticoes and Two Towers | Grand Canal, Gondolas and St Mark's Basilica |
| Best time to visit | April–June and September–October | April–May and September–October |
| Ideal stay | 3 days | 3 days |
| Mid-range budget per day | $150–$260 | $200–$350 |
| Cost level | Moderately priced | Expensive |
| Warmest month | July, 31°C (88°F) | July, 28°C (82°F) |
| Coldest month | January, 6°C (43°F) | January, 7°C (45°F) |
| Free sights in our guide | 11 | 5 |
| Day trips in our guide | 6 | 6 |
| Beaches | — | Lido di Venezia |
| Airports | BLQ | VCE, TSF |
Which one is right for you?
Choose Bologna for…
Tagliatelle al ragù, Porticoes, lower day-to-day costs and free sights. 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…
Choose Venice for…
Grand Canal, Gondolas and beaches. Venice is built on more than a hundred small islands in a lagoon at the top of the Adriatic, laced with canals and linked by some 400 bridges. There are no cars: you walk through narrow calli and campi or ride the vaporetto water buses along the Grand Canal…
Top sights compared
| # | Bologna | Venice |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Piazza Maggiore and the Neptune Fountain | St Mark's Basilica |
| 2 | Basilica of San Petronio | Doge's Palace |
| 3 | Two Towers (Asinelli and Garisenda) | St Mark's Square |
| 4 | Santo Stefano (Seven Churches) | St Mark's Campanile |
| 5 | Sanctuary of the Madonna di San Luca | Rialto Bridge and Market |
Food compared
| Bologna | Venice |
|---|---|
| Tagliatelle al ragù | Cicchetti |
| Tortellini in brodo | Sarde in saor |
| Mortadella Bologna | Baccalà mantecato |
| Lasagne verdi alla bolognese | Squid-ink pasta |
Which is cheaper?
Bologna is usually the less expensive of the two: a mid-range day costs about $150–$260 per person there, against $200–$350 in Venice (AMZBooking estimates, excluding flights). Bologna on a budget.
Can you visit both?
Yes. Bologna and Venice are about 130 km apart, so they combine well in one trip: allow 3 days in Bologna and 3 in Venice.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Bologna or Venice cheaper?
Bologna is usually less expensive: about $150–$260 a day mid-range against $200–$350 (estimates).
+Is Bologna or Venice better for a first trip?
Pick Bologna for Tagliatelle al ragù, Porticoes, lower day-to-day costs and free sights, or Venice for Grand Canal, Gondolas and beaches.
+How far is Bologna from Venice?
About 130 km in a straight line.