Bologna (2024)

Written by Travel Safe Team

Safety Index:

* Based on Research & Crime Data

User Sentiment:

* Rated 71 / 100based on 11 user reviews.

Italy : Safety by City

Bologna is a historical city and the capital and largest city of Emilia-Romagna (a region in northern Italy).

The city is very popular in the rest of Europe for having the oldest university in the Western world and many European states have acquired its schooling system.

The quality of life here is very high.

It’s connected very well both to Milan, Florence, and the seaside, so you have a lot of possibilities if you want to move all over the country and see more cities.

People here have a relaxed and enviable lifestyle, you can see the streets full of shops, boutiques, musicians, young people, etc.

Warnings & Dangers in Bologna

OVERALL RISK: MEDIUM

Bologna is a city in a very safe country, and since it's filled with tourists all the time, you should feel safe traveling here but always be wary of petty thieves and pickpockets.

TRANSPORT & TAXIS RISK: LOW

Public transportation and taxis are normally safe in Bologna, so there is no need to avoid them.

PICKPOCKETS RISK: MEDIUM

Since Bologna is a very attractive and popular tourist destination, there is, naturally, a high risk of pickpocketing. You should keep your valuables in a safe place, make sure nothing of value is in your back pockets, and never keep all your money in the same place.

NATURAL DISASTERS RISK: MEDIUM

Earthquakes and floods are the most prominent natural disasters in Bologna, but they're not too common. Still, be on the lookout and follow the authorities' advice.

MUGGING RISK: LOW

Bologna is relatively safe when it comes to mugging and kidnapping, and such cases rarely happen, even more so to tourists, but do pay attention to your surroundings.

TERRORISM RISK: HIGH

It is best to stay alert and aware of your surroundings in Italy, since its neighbors, France and Belgium, have been victims of terrorist attacks. However, Italy hasn't suffered from such occurrences.

SCAMS RISK: HIGH

When a city is a top tourist destination, you should expect people trying to take advantage of it. This rule applies to Bologna too, where scammers will likely try to take advantage of tourists and rip them off whenever they can.

WOMEN TRAVELERS RISK: LOW

Bologna, like other popular European destinations, is very safe for women travelers, so no need to worry there. Just don't do what you wouldn't in your own country.

So... How Safe Is Bologna Really?

Bologna is mostly a safe city, but there is no city without any dangers, and this applies here, too.

Bologna is a small town crowded with students from all over the world: it is the type of city that is generally called a “university city”. It’s not a dangerous place at all.

The most common crime you could be a victim of is pickpockets (especially on buses), or some kind of a street scam.

A few areas outside the city center may be not very recommendable at night, but the incidence of violent crimes in the city is still very low.

Avoid the university district, it can get loud and noisy, as well as the areas around major party street (such as Via del Pratello).

As for the places with a bad reputation – Pilastro and Bolognina quarters had a bad reputation in the nineties but things have now changed.

Pratello also has kind of a bad reputation among students.

Colli, Saragozza, and S.Stefano are probably the best areas you can find in Bologna, while the University part of the city center is probably the worst because it tends to be filled with drunk students and noisy people.

Still, that doesn’t mean that it’s dangerous to go there.

How Does Bologna Compare?

City	Safety Index
Bologna	56
Milan	66
Florence	70
Venice	74
Rome	64
Naples	66
Genoa	54
Cordoba (Argentina)	61
Toronto (Canada)	81
Melbourne (Australia)	80
Montreal (Canada)	81
Sydney (Australia)	80
Santiago de Chile (Chile)	71

Useful Information

Visas

Visa is not required for any stays shorter than 90 days, and members of the EU (Schengen) can stay in Italy for as long as they like. Be sure that your passport is valid for at least six months from your planned date of return to the country you're visiting. However, if you are not sure about your visa status, contact your local Italian embassy for further information.

Currency

Currency in Bologna is the euro, like in most popular European destinations. Sightseeing and visiting all the remarkable landmarks in Bologna can add up to a high budget. Take into account that you'll need about 70€ per day, including accommodation.

Weather

The weather in Bologna is warm and dry; it is absolutely gorgeous in the summer, with a Mediterranean climate calling to tourists all June through September, which is the time when it is best to visit this city, although you can visit the big cities all year long, and still be amazed.

Airports

Bologna Guglielmo Marconi Airport is an international airport serving the city of Bologna in Italy. It is located some 6 km northwest of the city center.

Travel Insurance

Just like anywhere else, we recommend getting travel insurance when traveling to Bologna, since it covers not only medical problems but also theft and loss of valuables.

Click here to get an offer for travel insurance

Bologna Weather Averages (Temperatures)

Jan 3° C

Feb 6° C

Mar 10° C

Apr 13° C

May 17° C

Jun 21° C

Jul 25° C

Aug 24° C

Sep 21° C

Oct 15° C

Nov 8° C

Dec 4° C

Average High/Low Temperature

Temperature / Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
High °C	7	10	14	17	22	26	30	30	26	19	11	6
Low °C	-1	1	5	8	12	16	19	18	15	11	4	1
High °F	45	50	57	63	72	79	86	86	79	66	52	43
Low °F	30	34	41	46	54	61	66	64	59	52	39	34

Italy - Safety by City

City	Safety Index
Bari	74
Bologna	56
Cagliari	64
Catania	71
Florence	70
Genoa	54
Milan	66
Naples	66
Palermo	58
Perugia	60
Pisa	61
Rimini	62
Rome	64
Sorrento	60
Turin	42
Vatican City	72
Venice	74
Verona	65