A Bologna Day Trip from Milan: Food, Festivals, and the Red City

Getting from Milan to Bologna Centrale

The beauty of living in Northern Italy is that Bologna is just a short “Frecciarossa” (high-speed train) ride away. It takes just a little over an hour, and because they run so frequently throughout the day, you don’t have to stress about a rigid schedule. You can literally decide at breakfast that you want better pasta, and be in the heart of Bologna by lunchtime.

From Bologna Centrale station, it’s an easy 15-minute walk into the heart of the city. We spent the first hour just wandering. The architecture is stunning, everything is draped in those warm terracotta and red tones. There was a very welcoming atmosphere in the air compared to the frantic pace of Milan.

Piazza Maggiore: A Saintly Surprise

We arrived onto the Piazza Maggiore, which was buzzing. There was a festival in full swing with music, dancing, and people playing these beautiful, handmade wooden games. Being March, we confidently assumed it was for International Women’s Day. A quick Google search later, we realised they were actually celebrating The Feast of St. Catherine of Bologna.

You can actually see St. Catherine’s (well-preserved) body in the nearby chapel. She’s been sitting on a throne in a small chapel since the 1400s.

Best Things to Do in Bologna: A Walkable One-Day Itinerary

One of the best things about a Bologna day trip is that the city is incredibly walkable. You don’t need to figure out a complex tram system or spend a fortune on taxis; everything worth seeing is tucked within the medieval centre.

After we finished playing games in the piazza, we ticked off a few of the “must-sees” that are all within minutes walk of each other:

The Fountain of Neptune (Fontana del Nettuno)

This bronze statue is the city’s iconic meeting spot, but it hides a bit of a cheeky secret. The story goes that the sculptor, Giambologna, was given a bit of a hard time by the Church authorities. They deemed his original design for Neptune a little too “gifted” for public viewing and ordered him to scale things back.

Rather than just taking the hit, Giambologna decided to get the last laugh. He complied with the rules, but he designed the statue with a very specific optical illusion that only works from one tiny patch of pavement.

To see it for yourself, you have to be a bit strategic. Walk around to the back of the statue, keeping the Salaborsa library on your right. You’re looking for a specific dark stone set into the ground near the library steps that locals call the “Mattonella della Vergogna”.

If you stand exactly on that stone and look up at Neptune’s back, his outstretched thumb aligns perfectly with his lower body. From this very specific angle, it looks like Neptune is… well, significantly more excited to see you than the Church intended.

Biblioteca Salaborsa

This is a stunning library that has a glass floor where you can look down and see the ancient Roman ruins of the city (Bononia) right beneath your feet. It’s also free to enter.

Palazzo d’Accursio

This is the Town Hall, but it feels more like a palace. You can wander into the courtyard for free, and it’s worth the visit just to see the grand staircases.

The staircases were designed by Bramante and were built to be wide and shallow enough for horse-drawn carriages to be driven directly up to the first floor.

The Main Event: A Proper Bologna Lunch

You simply can’t visit Bologna and not eat your weight in food. We headed toward the Quadrilatero, the city’s ancient market district. Specifically, we found ourselves on Via Pescherie Vecchie. It’s a narrow, bustling street lined with food stalls and delis that you can honestly smell from a mile away but in the best way possible.

We managed to grab a table at 051 Osteria Zerocinquantello. Since we were in the birthplace of ragù, there was only one thing for it: we ordered the Tagliatelle al Ragù with a glass of local red wine. It was simple, authentic, and a proper 10/10.

The “Instagram Window”: Finestrella di Via Piella

After lunch (and feeling several pounds heavier), we went to find the famous Finestrella di Via Piella. This is the tiny “hidden window” that looks out over the Reno Canal. If you want to find it, just type ‘Finestrella di Via Piella’ into Google Maps and it’ll lead you right to the wall.

We got lucky and there was no queue, but I’ll be honest: if you’re visiting in the height of summer and there’s a massive line, I’d skip it. It’s a lovely view, but not worth standing in the heat for 40 minutes when there are even nicer things to see around the city.

Le Due Torri: The Leaning Towers of Bologna

From the canal, it’s a short walk over to the city’s most famous icons: Le Due Torri. Seeing them up close is actually a bit disorienting as they lean significantly more than you’d expect, especially the shorter one, Torre Garisenda.

These towers were built by the Asinelli and Garisenda families back in the early 1100s. While you used to be able to climb the taller Asinelli Tower, both are currently closed to the public for major repairs. The Garisenda is actually in danger of collapsing, so the city has started a massive €20 million project to save it. It’s expected to stay closed for at least a decade, so don’t plan on climbing those 498 steps anytime soon!

The Plot Twist: A Spontaneous Night Out In Bologna

We ended the afternoon with an aperitivo at Grand Bar, which is a prime spot for people-watching near the square. While we were chatting with some locals over a drink, they asked if we were in town for Peggy Gou. We had no idea she was even in Italy, let alone playing a set in Bologna that very night.

In a fit of “why not?”, we checked for tickets and found some. We decided right there and then that we weren’t going back to Milan.

Where to Stay in Bologna: The Sydney Hotel Review

Since we hadn’t planned on staying over, we hopped on Booking.com and managed to snag a last-minute room at The Sydney Hotel.

It is a lovely hotel. The breakfast had a really big variety of food which is always a plus when you’ve had a late night. There’s also a great pool, which I imagine would be a lifesaver if you were visiting in the peak of the summer heat.

However, in our excitement to book something, we didn’t quite realise that it’s located fairly far out of the city centre.

• If you have a car: It’s a perfect shout with easy access.
• If you’re on foot: It involved a taxi to get back and forth from the main action.

Final Thoughts

Whether you go for a day, or a spontaneous night stay, Bologna has something for everyone. If you’re planning your own Day Trip from Milan to Bologna, my advice is to come hungry and leave room for a spontaneous overnight stay. The food, medieval streets, friendly people and good wine make it 100% worth the visit. I’m already planning my next trip back, though next time, I might check the concert schedule before I leave.

Planning a trip around Italy? You can explore more Itineraries here.