£26+ Cheap flights to Bologna

Destination overview:

A delightful fusion of history, politics and traditional cuisine, the city of Bologna is arguably one of Italy’s best kept secrets. Situated in the north of the country, it is only in recent years that visitors from outside of Italy have discovered just how much this vibrant city has to offer. Take a flight to Bologna to discover the home to Europe’s largest old town, history is an important part of the overall make-up of Bologna. The famously lopsided twin towers of Asinelli and Garisenda keep an ever-watchful eye over the glorious old town, with the magnificent 15th century Piazza Maggiore taking centre stage. Bologna has gained a number of affectionate monikers over the years; the russet-coloured buildings which typify the city giving rise to the nickname of La Rossa (the Red One). Another famous term for the city is La Grassa (the Fat One), given in honour of its rich historic legacy of producing the finest Italian cuisine. The restaurant menus here are full of tempting local specialities such as tortellini, prosciutto, mortadella and turkey with pecorino cheese. Home to Europe’s oldest university, founded in the year 1088, Bologna has a large student population. As a result, the nightlife scene here is hip and vibrant, the city’s many bars and clubs opening into the early hours of the morning. This concoction of historic legacy and cosmopolitan culture makes Bologna one of Italy’s most absorbing and fascinating cities to visit.

Getting around Bologna

Operated by ATC, there are a number of bus routes within the city of Bologna. Tickets can be purchased either on the bus itself, from ticket machines at the bus stops or from participating newsagents and tobacconists. There are a number of taxi ranks throughout the city, although taking a taxi can prove to be expensive. Tipping taxi drivers is discretionary here as the metered fares are calculated to include service charges.

Getting downtown:

Those taking a flight to Bologna will land at Guglielmo Marconi Airport (BLQ). Situated just over 3 miles (5 km) away, the airport has a number of transport options to reach the city centre. Leaving from outside the main terminal building, the most popular and cost-effective transport is the Aerobus. Although slightly more expensive than the Aerobus, there are also plentiful taxis on hand.

Bologna airport overview

The small regional airport serving the city of Bologna is named after its most famous son, engineer and Nobel Laureate Guglielmo Marconi, inventor of the radio. Located 6km (almost 4 miles) from the city, Bologna G Marconi Airport (BLQ) is seeing steadily rising traffic, as Bologna becomes an increasingly popular business and tourism destination.

Flights to Bologna Airport are available on many well-known airlines from cities all over Europe, including London, Dublin, Athens, Vienna, Paris, Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Copenhagen and Stockholm. There are even more connections to other cities within Italy.

As Bologna is perfectly situated between popular tourist destinations such as Milan, Genoa, Pisa, Florence, San Marino, Venice, and Verona, it offers a great opportunity to escape the queues of the larger hubs. The small size of the airport makes for a hassle-free experience; a perfect end to a holiday sampling the delights of northern Italy.