Itineraries for Your Trip to Bologna
3 Days in Bologna for Families
With its walkable city center, leafy parks, gravity-defying towers, and gelato museum, Bologna is a kid-friendly destination. There are just enough historic monuments to give your family trip a dash of culture without the crush of tourists that overrun Italy’s more famous sites. Plus, there are plenty of great eating and car-free spaces to explore.
Our family visited Bologna so often when my children were young, that it only seemed natural that our son chose to study at the city’s university—the oldest in the world. If you’re headed to Bologna, here’s how to plan a kid-pleasing three days.
Bologna’s porticoes protect from the sun and rain, but humidity is often high.
If you only have time for one thing, make it a family gelato class at the Carpigiani Gelato Museum.
Take in Bologna’s A-list sights in kid-sized bites. Begin in Piazza Maggiore (the Fountain of Neptune is always a hit) and visit Basilica of San Petronio to see the world’s largest sundial. When your family hits their culture limit, retire to a shaded table under the porticoes lining the square for a gelato.
Older kids love the dizzying climb to the top of Asinelli Tower, the taller of Bologna’s Two Towers. If 498 steps is too much, instead head to the sprawling Giardini Margherita, Bologna’s largest park. Bike the trails, stroll around the lake, and enjoy the playgrounds.
Bologna is famous for its fresh pasta, so today let your kids try their hand at rolling out pasta to make tagliatelle and tortelloni. Meet a local home cook this morning for an informal cooking class to prepare traditional pasta dishes plus tiramisù, then sample your handiwork over lunch.
Next, visit the hilltop Sanctuary of Madonna di San Luca that overlooks Bologna. Active families can follow the UNESCO-listed Portico di San Luca covered walkway from the city about 2.5 miles (3.8 kilometers) up to the sanctuary, or take the tourist train from Piazza Maggiore, which takes a few minutes.
Leave Bologna to explore nearby family-friendly attractions. The Carpigiani Gelato Museum is about 20 minutes outside the city by public bus or car and is the only museum dedicated to gelato, offering kid-focused classes at its “Gelato University.” Alternatively, snack your way through Bologna’s old town on a gelato tour.
Bologna is a short distance from some of Italy’s most iconic automotive manufacturers, including Ferrari, Lamborghini, and Ducati. This afternoon, visit world-class car museums and factories on a “Motor Valley” tour. Drivers must be at least 21 to drive the test track, but simulators offer virtual thrills for younger enthusiasts.
