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Day Trips from Bologna: Places to Visit near Bologna

Located at an important crossroads, Bologna is a great starting point for many interesting destinations in the Emilia-Romagna region and beyond, perfect for day trips. There are plenty of sights to visit in the surrounding area, and some of the most beautiful cities in Italy are located near Bologna. Depending on the destination, you can use trains, buses, a rental car, taxis, or a private transfer for transportation.

Places to Visit near Bologna

The Grand Tour Italia Food Park and the Luna Farm Amusement Park for Children

Grand Tour Italia is located on the outskirts of Bologna, about 10 km from the Central Station. It is a large food-themed park that opened on September 5, 2024, on the former site of Fico Eataly World.

The park includes several food zones divided by region, restaurants, cooking classes, an adventure park, and the Luna Farm amusement park for children. It is ideal for those who want to learn more about food from Bologna and beyond, as well as for families on vacation with kids.

Grand Tour Italia also offers themed cooking classes. Depending on your interests, you can take part in, for example, a pasta-making class, a wine course, or a park guided tour with tastings.

You can reach Grand Tour Italia by taking one of the buses 35, 55, 20 and 20N of the TPER company. 

The Gelato Museum

The Gelato Museum (il Museo del Gelato) is located in the town of Anzola dell'Emilia, about 9 km from Bologna Airport. The museum was founded by the historic company Carpigiani, renowned for its artisanal gelato and ice cream machines. To visit the museum or take part in the various experiences offered (prices start at €10), reservations are mandatory.

To get from the center of Bologna to the Gelato Museum, you need to take bus 87 from Piazza XX Settembre, near the Central Station, and get off at the Magli stop in the town of Anzola Emilia, right in front of the Carpigiani headquarters. Tickets can be purchased at TPER sales points.

The Ferrari Museums

The Ferrari Museums in Modena and Maranello tell the story of the legendary Ferrari cars. The museum in Modena is dedicated to Enzo Ferrari, while the Maranello Museum also includes the Ferrari factory and the Fiorano test track. A shuttle bus connects the two museums from Modena (use the code CIAO5 and you will have a 5% discount).

Use the code CIAO5 before completing your reservation on Tiqets and you will get a 5% discount!

The Lamborghini Museum

The Lamborghini Museum is located in the town of Sant'Agata Bolognese, about 35 km from Bologna.

You can get there by taking bus 576 from Bologna Central Station to the S. Agata B. Chiesa Frati stop, which is about 500 meters from the museum.

Prices start at €18, depending on the type of experience you choose (museum entry only, guided tour, or factory tour).

Use the code CIAO5 before completing your reservation on Tiqets and and you will get a 5% discount.

Another museum dedicated to the same car company is the Ferruccio Lamborghini Museum (use the code CIAO5 for a 5% discount), located in Funo di Argelato, 15 km from Bologna. You can reach it either by train from Bologna Centrale station to Funo Centergross (travel time 15–20 minutes, ticket prices start at €2.50), or by bus number 97 Lame from the bus station, taking about 30 minutes (stop: Zona Industriale Larghe).

Use the code CIAO5 before completing you reservation on Tiqets and you will get a 5% discount.

You can also visit both Lamborghini museums with a Combo ticket (this ticket is valid for visiting both museums on the same day).

The Ducati Museum

The Ducati Museum is located in Borgo Panigale, about 4 km from the airport. The factory was established in 1936, and you can visit it with a guide who will explain the steps the famous motorcycles go through from production to sale.

To get from Bologna to the Ducati Museum, you can take the train from Bologna Centrale station to Borgo Panigale. The cost of the trip is €1.50, and the duration is about 5 minutes.

Mirabilandia Amusement Park

Mirabilandia Park is about an hour's drive from Bologna (approximately 86 km), near Ravenna.

If you haven't rented a car, you can get there by SACA buses, which operate Monday to Friday from June 9 to September 12, 2025. A round-trip bus ticket costs €20 per person. Those who purchase round-trip bus transport can buy park entry tickets (either directly at the gate or online) for €25.90 (this ticket can only be used on the day it is activated).

Online prices for Mirabilandia Park entrance tickets start at €29.90 per person (depending on the date you buy the ticket for).You can buy them on Tiqets website (use the code CIAO5 for a 5% discount) or on the park website. At the park entrance ticket offices, the price is €47.90 per person.

Gardaland Amusement Park

Gardaland Park, the most famous amusement park in Italy, is located a bit farther from Bologna, in the town of Castelnuovo del Garda, on the shore of Lake Garda. You can get there by car in about 2 hours. There are also trains (some are fast direct trains that take around 1.5 hours) as well as a bus that takes about 3 hours to reach the park (for details, see the article about how to get from Bologna to Gardaland).

Buy tickets for Gardaland

Use the code CIAO5 when booking on Tiqets and you'll have a 5% discount.

Cities near Bologna:

Florence

Although it is located in the Tuscany region, the city of Florence is very close to Bologna. You can easily get from Bologna to Florence either by train or by bus in 1-2 hours. Florence cannot be fully visited in one day, but you can experience the city’s atmosphere and see some of the main attractions.

Ravenna

Ravenna is the city of Byzantine mosaics, which are part of the UNESCO World Heritage List. You can take a one-day trip from Bologna to Ravenna by train from the Central Station. The journey takes between 1 and 1.5 hours, and ticket prices start at €8.

Rimini

If you're in Bologna and start missing the sea, you can take a trip to Rimini. There are direct trains from the Central Station, and the journey takes between 1.5 and 2 hours. Ticket prices from Bologna to Rimini start at €10.80.

San Marino

To get from Bologna to San Marino, the smallest republic in the world, you'll first need to take a train to Rimini and then a shuttle bus to San Marino. You’ll spend about 5 hours traveling round-trip, but you'll still have several good hours left to visit the main tourist attractions in San Marino.

Ferrara

Ferrara is a beautiful medieval city dominated by the castle of the famous Este family. You can easily get from Bologna to Ferrara by train, in 30 minutes to 1 hour. Ticket prices start at €5.20.

Modena

Of all the major cities near Bologna, Modena is the closest. The train journey takes about 20-30 minutes, and ticket prices start at €4.30. The city doesn't have so many tourist attractions (among them are the Cathedral and the Enzo Ferrari Museum), which makes it suitable for a half-day trip. Modena is also the city of balsamic vinegar.

Parma

Parma is about an hour away from Bologna by train, on the same railway line as Modena. Train ticket prices start at €8. Parma is the birthplace of the famous prosciutto ham and aged parmigiano reggiano cheese. The main attractions are centered around the Cathedral and the Baptistery.

Reggio Emilia

Between Modena and Parma lies the small town of Reggio Emilia, which also claims to be the birthplace of parmesan cheese. The train journey takes 40-50 minutes, and ticket prices start at €6.80.

Piacenza

A bit farther from Bologna, about 1.5 to 2 hours by train, is the medieval city of Piacenza. Ticket prices start at €12.80.

Faenza

Faenza is the city of ceramics (the word "faience" comes from its name). In addition to the Ceramics Museum and the beautifully handcrafted items in local shops, Faenza also has a very beautiful cathedral. The train journey from Bologna takes about 40 minutes, and ticket prices start at €5.20.

Padua

You can also take a day trip from Bologna to Padua, in the Veneto region, which you can reach in about 1 hour and 40 minutes by train. Train ticket prices start at €11.

Venice

It's a shame to spend only a few hours in Venice, but if you haven't been there before and really want to see it, you can get there by train from Bologna in about 2 hours, with tickets starting at €14.20.

Verona

Verona is also quite close to Bologna. You can get there by train in about 1.5 hours, with ticket prices starting at €10.40.

Brisighella

Brisighella is one of the most beautiful Italian villages. To get there, you will need to take the train from Bologna to Faenza and then a bus.

Dozza

Dozza is another small town listed among the most beautiful villages in Italy. Besides the Rocca Sforzesca fortress, in Dozza you can admire many murals created by some of the most important street artists. The easiest way to get to Dozza is by car; otherwise, you will need to change at least two buses to get there.