← Parma Marathon·2 nights

Bologna: Two Days Under the Arcades

A porticoed university city with a market quarter and an old medieval core. Two days on flat ground, with one optional hill.

Duration2 nights
TransitDirect train from Parma to Bologna Centrale, about 56 minutes to 1 hour
DepartsParma

After the Parma Marathon: Bologna

The Route: Parma → Bologna → Bologna airport (BLQ) Logistics: Direct trains run about 21 times a day, and the fastest takes about 56 minutes. The old centre is flat, and most of it is under covered arcades. Marathon Month: October Duration: 2 nights

Parma ──(direct train, about 1 hr)──> Bologna Centrale
                                            │
                      (walk or bus, about 1.5 km to Piazza Maggiore)

Bologna is the other end of the same railway line, and it is a city of covered walkways. Kilometres of porticoes line its streets, and in October they keep the rain off. It is also the host of its own marathon in the HypER 5 series with Parma, so a runner collecting those medals will return. Two nights is long enough for the main sights without a rush. Check the timetable and fares at trenitalia.com or italotreno.it. Many museums are shut on Mondays, so use the first day for walking and food.

October in Bologna: mild afternoons and cool, sometimes foggy mornings, with rain possible. The arcades make the weather a minor matter.

Night One: The old centre

From the station, walk or take a bus down Via dell'Indipendenza to Piazza Maggiore, about 1.5 km. The square is flat and is lined with the Basilica di San Petronio and the town hall. The Quadrilatero, a grid of narrow lanes behind it, holds the old food market streets, with shops selling cheese, cured meats and fresh pasta. Check which shops are open on a Monday.

The Two Towers, Asinelli and Garisenda, lean over the junction of the main roads. The Asinelli tower can be climbed, but it has nearly 500 narrow steps, and you may not want them after a marathon. Check the opening and ticket arrangements.

Where to stay. Look near the station or in the old centre between the station and Piazza Maggiore, where the walk is short and flat. Check the rate, the breakfast time and the distance to the station for any hotel before booking.

Where to eat. Bologna's dishes include tagliatelle al ragù, tortellini in brodo and mortadella. Book a table for the evening in the old centre.

Day Two: The university district and Santo Stefano

The old university quarter lies north-east of Piazza Maggiore, and it is flat and under arcades. The Basilica di Santo Stefano is a group of linked medieval churches around a quiet piazza, and it makes a calm morning. Nearby is the Archiginnasio, the old university building, which has a wooden anatomical theatre; check the opening times.

The Portico di San Luca is a covered walkway of about 3.8 km and nearly 700 arches that climbs to a sanctuary on a hill above the city. It is steep in places, so skip the walk on tired legs and take the tourist bus or a taxi if you want the view. Check the transport options on the day.

Getting to the airport

For Bologna airport (BLQ), take the shuttle bus from the station or a taxi; check the current service and allow a margin.