In 2015, The New York Times named Bologna one of the world’s most underrated destinations. By 2024, the same city was appearing in articles about Italy’s overtourism crisis. That is a fast shift — but what has actually happened in Bologna, and what does it mean for a visitor planning a trip?
Low-cost airlines turned Bologna Guglielmo Marconi Airport into a regional hub. Short-term rental platforms changed the economics for landlords in the centro storico. Journalist Ilaria Maria Sala, who grew up in the city, wrote that Bologna had “turned into tourist hell” — traditional shops replaced by tourist-facing businesses, rents rising, long-term residents displaced. Mayor Matteo Lepore pushed back, arguing the criticism flattens a complex, living city into a single grievance. Both have a point.
What has actually changed
The transformation is real but geographically concentrated. The streets immediately around Piazza Maggiore — Via dell’Indipendenza, Via Rizzoli, the most photographed corners of the Quadrilatero — look different from a decade ago. Some of the salumerie that were stacking mortadella in the same doorways for 50 years have given way to shops selling truffle oil to visitors passing through. The Quadrilatero still functions as a market, but it also functions as a destination, which is not quite the same thing.
Outside that triangle, very little has changed. Via Augusto Righi, Via Belvedere, the streets east of the Due Torri — these are not tourist zones. The Mercato delle Erbe on Via Ugo Bassi is busier than it was but still predominantly local. The porticoes — 40 kilometres of covered walkways, UNESCO-listed since 2021 — are used daily by people who live here, not only by people photographing them.
How does Bologna compare to Venice and Florence?
It is not a comparable situation. Bologna’s hotel occupancy averages around 70% — high by Italian standards, low by Venice or Florence standards. Spikes happen during specific events: COSMOPROF in April, the Motor Show in autumn, and other major trade fairs at the Bolognafiere centre. During those weeks prices rise sharply and rooms are hard to find. On a normal Tuesday in October, the city has more students than tourists. That is not a city under siege.
Florence’s historic centre has been so thoroughly recalibrated for visitors that it functions largely as an open-air museum. Bologna’s still functions as a city. The university quarter — Via Zamboni, the Archiginnasio — operates as it always has, shaped by around 90,000 students rather than tour groups.
When to visit
September and October are the strongest months: harvest season in the surrounding hills, truffle season starting in October, students back for the academic year, and no major trade fairs pushing up prices. The city is full of life without the summer tourist density.
April to early June also works well — mild temperatures and good conditions for walking the city and the hills. The San Luca portico walk is at its best before the summer heat makes the 3.5-kilometre climb uncomfortable. Check the Bolognafiere calendar before finalising dates: COSMOPROF and other large trade events fill the city and raise prices for the surrounding week.
Avoid July and August — not because of crowds, but because of the opposite problem. Locals leave for the coast, restaurants and shops close through much of August, and what remains is a hot, quieter city that has lost the thing that makes it worth visiting. If August is unavoidable, book restaurants well in advance and expect a reduced version of the city.
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How to visit well
The overtourism problem in Bologna occupies roughly four streets. Step off them and it largely evaporates.
- The Quadrilatero is worth seeing, but go before 9am — you will see it working as a market rather than performing as one. At midday it is at its most congested and least interesting.
- For lunch or dinner, find places without an English menu posted in the window. The streets around the university — Via Augusto Righi, Via Belvedere, Via Santo Stefano beyond the first section — still have trattorias that have not tailored themselves to passing trade.
- The San Luca portico walk is 666 arches up to a hilltop basilica. Before 9am in summer you will have it largely to yourself. The views over the city from the top make the 40-minute climb worth it.
- Mercato delle Erbe on Via Ugo Bassi has the same quality produce as the Quadrilatero with fewer cameras and less staging.
Bologna also works well as a base for food and wine experiences in Emilia-Romagna that take you out of the city entirely — to Parmigiano Reggiano dairies, traditional balsamic vinegar producers, and the countryside where most of the region’s food actually comes from. A day in those places gives a completely different picture of what this part of Italy is.
The concern about Bologna is real, but it is the concern of four streets near Piazza Maggiore. The city that upset Ilaria Maria Sala still exists behind them — it just requires walking slightly further to find it.
Bologna Overtourism — Common Questions
Is Bologna overcrowded with tourists?
Compared to Venice or Florence, no. Bologna’s hotel occupancy averages around 70%, with spikes during major trade fairs. The overtourism problem is largely concentrated in the streets immediately around Piazza Maggiore — the Quadrilatero, Via dell’Indipendenza, Via Rizzoli. The university quarter, the outer districts, and most of the city’s residential streets are not overrun with visitors.
When is the best time to visit Bologna to avoid crowds?
September and October are the strongest months — students are back, truffle season is active in the surrounding hills, and there are typically no major trade fairs inflating prices. April to early June is the next best window, with mild temperatures and good walking conditions. Avoid July and August: not because of crowds, but because much of the city closes as locals leave for the coast.
Is Bologna overtourism as bad as Venice or Florence?
No. Bologna is still a functioning city rather than an open-air museum. The historic centre has a large student population — around 90,000 — that shapes daily life independently of tourism. While specific streets around Piazza Maggiore have become more tourist-facing, the majority of the city operates as it always has.
Which parts of Bologna are the least touristy?
The university quarter around Via Zamboni and the Archiginnasio; the streets east of the Due Torri (Via Santo Stefano, Via Castiglione); the area around Mercato delle Erbe on Via Ugo Bassi; and the residential streets north of the main tourist triangle. Restaurants on Via Augusto Righi and Via Belvedere tend to be less visited than those immediately around Piazza Maggiore.
Is Bologna still worth visiting despite overtourism concerns?
Yes. The criticism applies to a small area of a large city. The food culture, the porticoes, the university atmosphere, and the access to the rest of Emilia-Romagna remain genuinely strong reasons to visit. Going in autumn, eating away from the main piazze, and using Bologna as a base for the surrounding countryside are all ways to see it at its best.
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