How to Plan One Day in Bologna with Young Kids

This post is all about planning one day in Bologna with young kids. On our recent trip to Italy, we were staying in Florence and travelled for the day to Bologna via train. This was our first time visiting Bologna and we loved it so much, read on to find out why I highly recommend it for families!

How did we get from Florence to Bologna?

We travelled from Florence to Bologna via train. There are two train options:

1. Regional Train (Trenitalia): 1.5-2 hours
2. Speed Train (Italo Train): 30 minutes

We opted for the speed train from Santa Maria Novella station (Florence) to Bologna Centrale station (Bologna). It was moderately more expensive than a regional train but worth it for us to save some time when travelling with young kids. We booked the tickets that morning at the train station since we decided to go last minute but it is typically more budget friendly to book in advance.

Related Post: 5 Fun Things To Do in Florence Italy with Young Kids

How did we get around Bologna with young kids?

We traveled to Bologna when our boys were 3 and 1 years old. We brought our Bugaboo Bee single stroller with the ride-along board attached and it worked perfectly. The walk from the train station to the city center is scenic and an easy walk, around 15 minutes.

We planned our day trip to Bologna on a rainy day because we read about the covered sidewalks. Bologna has large, tiled sidewalks that work seamlessly with a stroller (especially compared to the cobblestones in most Italian cities), and make it really nice to navigate rain or shine since you are not competing with motorists.

What did we do during our one day in Bologna?

1. Tasted tortellini from Bottega Portici – a delicious fast casual spot perfect for families
2. Walked around the iconic heart of the city: Piazza Maggiore
3. Meandered the food stalls at Mercato di Mezza (there is another proclaimed Mercato delle Erbe but it is a little longer walk from the center so we didn’t make it during this last trip)
4. Shopped the kids section at H&M (this was not anything special but after 5 days in Florence, we could not locate one reasonably priced children’s clothing stores and we needed an extra pair of shorts and set of PJs)
5. Explored the Parco della Montagnola on the way back to the train.

This two hour private tour also looks like a great way to make the most of a day trip in Bologna. It would include more of the interesting history of the city and lay of the land, while still having some time left over to explore on your own.

Key takeaways from our one day in Bologna were:

• Easy to navigate
• Incredible food
• Great change of pace and distinct from Florence

Thanks for reading this post all about planning one day in Bologna with young kids. We still have lots more to eat and explore, already looking forward to planning a longer stay for next time!