10 Things to Do in Bologna in Fall

Fortunately, the best things to do in Bologna are constantly changing throughout the year. And although the city is full of tourist attractions and very important monuments, there is also the fact that the cultural entertainment plans are renewed according to the season and the weather.

For this reason I advise you to continue reading this publication in which I have found plans, activities and places that stand out as excellent tourist alternatives for when you decide to visit the beautiful city of Bologna during the autumn season.

Italian gastronomy is one of the most interesting aspects of visiting this country and the city of Bologna is no exception to the culinary quality that defines the entire nation. In that context, the Cioccoshow is one of the best events you can enjoy when visiting this city during the autumn months.

It is a kind of completely free festival in which artisans dedicated to chocolate from all over Italy gather in Piazza Maggiore to present their latest innovations related to the creation of chocolates and other cocoa derivatives.

The event as such is organized at the end of November, between the penultimate or last week of the month. At the same time, you should know that within the framework of the fair there are likely to be special exhibitions throughout the city organized by some of the most important brands in the world of Italian chocolate.

In any case, it is appropriate that you enjoy this festival while also participating in some of the best tours of Bologna. Especially because of the fact that they will focus on touring the wonders of the city in the same area where this fair is organized annually.

The gastronomy of the Emilia-Romagna region is usually a very influential element in the social agenda of the city of Bologna. Exactly for this reason another of the best things to do on a visit to the city during the autumn is to take a short trip to the city of Parma to enjoy the Prosciutto Festival of this neighboring town.

The exact date of the festival changes every year. However, most often the last week of September is selected to coincide with the change between summer and autumn. It is an event of a high culinary level due to the fact that Prosciutto di Parma is one of the most important elements of all Italian gastronomy.

At the same time, one must appreciate the fact that the opportunity to visit Parma while in Bologna is one of the best things to do. In fact it is one of the best things to do in Bologna during the spring, as you will be able to enjoy some of the best scenery of the Italian countryside at a very privileged time of the year.

Music is also a very important part of Italian culture and for this reason during the autumn season, specifically between the months of October and November, the Bologna Jazz Festival is usually organized. This is a tradition that has been taking place in this city for a couple of years in which more than 100 artists of the most contemporary jazz music usually meet. All with the intention of creating improvisations and a fusion of the genre that continues to attract new fans.

It is an event quite appropriate for both true followers of the world of contemporary jazz as well as for people who are looking to learn a little about this musical current. You should know that when attending any of the festival's events you will meet the major players of the genre and some of them will be Italian and there will also be a lot of foreign artists.

The best thing to do to find out the schedule of events is to enter the official website of the festival. Since mid-August it starts announcing the main activities that will take place during the festival. In fact, it is an excellent way to find out if you will need a transfer from Bologna airport to any of the concerts because your arrival will coincide in date and time in a very convenient way.

Another festivity that you could enjoy on a visit to Bologna and that has to do with a tour of its surroundings is the Tartufesta. This is a tradition that is usually organized throughout most of the month of November on Saturdays and Sundays with the intention of showcasing the best of the Italian white truffle.

The name of the event is actually the Savigno International White Truffle Festival. Usually you could leave from a bus at a meeting point in the city of Bologna that will take you to visit most of the truffle growing fields located throughout the Emilia-Romagna region. This will take you to the historic center of Savigno for a festival full of gastronomic activities.

Participating in this festival is a good idea especially if you want to understand the importance of truffle cultivation for this Italian region. At the same time, this is an activity that can occupy your morning or your afternoon, but you will still be able to participate in another of the best things to do in Bologna in the evening. Which means it's not an overly complex or strenuous plan.

The Bacannale is another great cultural and gastronomic event that happens during autumn in the Emilia-Romagna region and is recommended for tourists visiting the city of Bologna. It is a festival organized in the historic center of Imola, which is another town in this Italian region that aims to present to tourists the most typical and representative local dishes and products of this community.

The specific theme changes every year and this is one of the most interesting aspects of the Baccanale. For example, in one of its editions a festival was held specifically focused on grains and flours. Thus the whole dynamic of the event revolved around the cultural importance that rice, grains and beans have had for the culinary development in Italy.

Throughout this festival that usually takes place from the beginning to the end of November, academic conferences on Italian gastronomic history are also usually held. At the same time, it is an excellent continuation to continue exploring the flavors of the region when you have already participated in one of the best gastronomic tours of Bologna and are left wanting much more.

The feast of San Petronio is undoubtedly the most important celebration for the city of Bologna because it is the patron saint of this community. The festivities as such consist of a combination of religious events, processions and many street parties in which you can appreciate the true identity of this city. It all takes place on November 4, right in the middle of autumn.

By nine o'clock in the evening the Piazza Maggiore is becoming a much more modern and entertainment-oriented atmosphere for the youth. So there is usually music and lots of people drinking and enjoying themselves in the best street party style.

By midnight or close to midnight there is usually a fireworks show and the rest of the evening is 100% focused on continuing the fun in some of the trendy bars in the city center.

This date is ideal for you to visit the basilica of San Petronio. It is the most representative church of the whole city and at the same time the fifth largest church in the world. It is also a good time to visit some of the best museums in Bologna, especially because many of them will be empty knowing that tourists will be entertained with the activities of this holiday.

Autumn is a peculiar season in all parts of the world because it presents itself as an ideal time to shop for culinary products that will no longer be available in the winter. The rainy weather and falling temperatures also make markets an interesting tourist destination and in Bologna the Erbe Market is one of the best entertainment activities for tourists and locals alike.

It is a popular market where you will find all kinds of fresh produce as well as an authentic Italian market experience. Along the center of the premises you can shop for fresh vegetables while in the small stores around you will find some of the best restaurants for many specialists in the culinary world of Bologna.

This can be an excellent activity to do in the fall, especially on those rainy afternoons when walking around the city is not something too recommended. Moreover, it is a plan that you can combine with other activities such as a visit to one of the best car museums in Bologna. Which is an excellent idea, since this was a city that for a long time was considered the capital of Italian motoring.

At the same time, if you are thinking of taking advantage of your trip to do some shopping in Bologna during the fall then you can't forget to take a couple of laps around the Quadrilatero neighborhood. This is a relatively small area in the center of Bologna that is made up of pedestrian only streets and has some of the best luxury brand stores in Italy.

Prada, Gucci, Armani and a host of other Italian brands are located in the Galleria Cavour, which is a small shopping mall located in this area. The Historic Market of Bologna is also in this area of the city and has recently undergone a modernization process that makes it an even more interesting place to eat and buy products.

You should know that autumn is a perfect time to visit this area because of the low influx of tourists you will encounter as well as a decrease in consumer prices due to the low season. In fact, it is an excellent idea to take part in one of Bologna' s Hop on Hop Off bus tours , as some of the stops drop you off directly in this area of the city.

The urban dance festival is an event organized in mid-September, right at the beginning of autumn, which seeks to incorporate this type of art as a means of entertainment in one of the most touristic urban sites of the capital of the Emilia-Romagna region. That is, Bologna.

The event as such usually lasts several days and the schedule of activities changes every year. However, it is very common that you can always enjoy several audiovisual shows, some completely free master classes in the streets and one or another special event that requires separate entrance fees.

Anyway, you should know that walking the streets of Bologna and encountering spontaneous art displays is one of the best things to do in Bologna during the summer. Since the city's tourist influx encourages local artists to captivate the attention of a larger audience.

One of the best issues of visiting Italy is the fact that the whole country is very interconnected through trains and car trips are also relatively short. Exactly for these reasons one of the best things to do in Bologna in autumn is to have a small excursion to some of the nearest towns.

And you have to appreciate the fact that Emilia-Romagna is one of the most touristic and picturesque areas of the whole country. That is why a short eight-hour trip to the city of Modena, to Parma or even to the town of Ferrara are things that you can combine with other activities within the city of Bologna itself and that will help you to be able to say that you know this region in a much broader way.

In addition, there is the fact that the best excursions from Bologna can be a perfect escape when the weather in this city is too cloudy and rainy. That's while an hour away you're faced with a much more pleasant panorama for urban tours.

Autumn temperatures in Bologna change as this season of the year unfolds. For example, in September you are likely to encounter maximum temperatures of 25° while by the beginning of December the maximum temperature will never rise above 15 °C.

The same goes for the minimums, as in September they are usually around 15° while in December it is already close to 5 °C.

The tourist influx in Bologna during autumn is ideal, since you will not find exorbitant amounts of people as it happens during the summer or as it can happen during the Christmas season.

The prices during autumn in Bologna are another very convenient feature. Both spring and summer are interesting seasons for tourists and this makes the prices of most of the services go up. In winter, on the other hand, there is the Christmas season, and this influences an increase in prices.

On the other hand, the cloudy and relatively cold weather in autumn makes Bologna not a very expensive and sought-after destination. At least in a season that by itself is not interesting for international travelers.

The first thing I can recommend you to pack in your suitcase when visiting Bologna in autumn is waterproof coats. You will most likely encounter a rain shower or two during your trip.

I can also advise you to bring boots, especially since there are chances that you might be interested in the idea of touring the countryside of the region and in a rainy season this translates into mud and society.