Bologna on a budget: how to do it well
Short answer
Bologna is one of the easiest Italian cities to do on a budget, at about €85 per person per day sharing a room. The student population keeps food and drinks cheap, and the porticoes, piazzas and churches are free.
A realistic daily budget
| Budget | Mid-range | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bed (per person, sharing) | €40 | €80 | €200 |
| Food & drink | €30 | €55 | €120 |
| Sights & tickets | €10 | €40 | €120 |
| Local transport | €5 | €15 | €40 |
| Per person, per day | €85 | €190 | €480 |
Approximate 2026 prices, two people sharing a room. From our Bologna day-cost table.
Free things to do
- Piazza Maggiore, the Fountain of Neptune and the Basilica of San Petronio
- The Basilica of Santo Stefano, the 'seven churches'
- The portico walk to the Sanctuary of the Madonna di San Luca (3.8 km, 666 arches)
- The Finestrella di Via Piella, a window onto a hidden canal
- The Quadrilatero market streets
- The whispering gallery under the Palazzo del Podestà
Cheap eats
- Mortadella sandwich: about €5–8
- Tigelle: about €1–2 each
- Tagliatelle al ragù in a simple trattoria: about €12–15
- Fresh tortellini to take away from a pasta shop, cooked at home: a few euros a portion
- Gelato: about €3–4.50
Where to sleep for less
Budget travellers stay near the station or in Bolognina, where rooms cost about €70–120 for a double (around €40 per person sharing), or in hostels with dorm beds of roughly €25–45. The university quarter has cheaper guesthouses and lively bars.
Getting around cheaply
Walk: the centre is compact and covered by porticoes. Buses cost about €2.30 a ride. From the airport, the Marconi Express monorail is quickest; a cheaper option is the city bus to the centre combined with a walk.
A sample budget day
- Morning: Piazza Maggiore, San Petronio and Santo Stefano (free)
- Lunch: mortadella sandwich and a coffee in the Quadrilatero (about €10)
- Afternoon: walk the portico to San Luca (free)
- Evening: aperitivo in Via del Pratello and a plate of tagliatelle (about €20)
- Total: about €85 including a shared budget room
More ways to save
- Order house wine by the quarter or half litre.
- Eat where students eat, around the university and Via del Pratello.
- Look for set lunch menus on weekdays.
- Buy picnic food at Mercato delle Erbe.
- Use regional trains, not high-speed, for Modena and Parma.
- Visit in shoulder season, avoiding trade-fair weeks.
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Common questions
Can you visit Bologna on a budget?
Yes, at about €85 per person per day sharing a room, with cheap food and free sights like the porticoes and Piazza Maggiore.
Is the walk to San Luca free?
Yes. The 3.8 km portico from Porta Saragozza to the sanctuary is free and takes about 1–1.5 hours.
What is the cheapest food in Bologna?
Mortadella sandwiches (about €5–8), tigelle (€1–2 each) and simple trattoria pasta (€12–15).