Car hire in Bologna
1 office in Bologna · airport pick-up · Italy
Bologna is the city of porticoes — 40 kilometres of covered walkways that let you cross it end to end without getting wet — and the gastronomic capital of Italy: tortellini, mortadella and ragù were all born here. Its university, the oldest in Europe, lends it a youthful energy that contrasts with the leaning medieval towers of the centre.
The car comes into its own once you leave the city: Bologna sits at the heart of Emilia-Romagna, surrounded by destinations that demand a road trip of their own, from the balsamic vinegar cellars of Modena to the mosaics of Ravenna and the castles of the Apennines. Marconi Airport, around 15 minutes from the centre, is the most practical pick-up point.
Search cars in BolognaWhy hire a car in Bologna
- Emilia-Romagna is Italy's larder: visits to producers of Parmesan, Parma ham and balsamic vinegar lie in rural areas with no public transport.
- Marconi Airport receives direct flights from several Spanish cities and is ~15 min from the centre; collecting the car there saves the monorail transfer.
- The Via Emilia links Modena, Parma and Ravenna in short motorway hops: with a car you can sleep in Bologna and visit a different city every day.
Day trips near Bologna
- Modena — Home of balsamic vinegar and Ferrari, with the marque's museum and an excellent historic market, around 40 minutes away.
- Ravenna — Its basilicas hold the most breathtaking Byzantine mosaics in the West, across eight World Heritage monuments, around 1 hour 10 minutes away.
- Parma — An elegant city known for ham and parmesan, with a Romanesque baptistery of pink marble, around 1 hour away via the Via Emilia.
- Ferrara — A walled Renaissance city of the Este family, quiet and flat, perfect for half a day, around 45 minutes away to the north.
Where to pick up your car
- Aeropuerto de Bolonia
Final prices in euros · book without paying · free cancellation up to 72 h before.
Frequently asked questions
Can I drive through central Bologna in the hire car?
The historic centre is a restricted traffic zone (ZTL) monitored by cameras almost every day. The wise move is to use the car parks by the city walls or at the park and walk in beneath the porticoes.
Is Bologna a good base for a gastronomic road trip?
The best in Italy: within an hour you have Parmesan dairies, balsamic acetaie in Modena and ham curing houses in Langhirano. Many visits require advance booking, so it pays to arrange them beforehand.
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