Car Rental Bologna

 

Home to traditional pasta dishes and a medieval center full of wonderful, pink-tinged buildings, Bologna is a feast for the eyes and the stomach. Taste every iconic Italian dish across the entire region at your own pace with car rental in Bologna.

We have several car rental pick-up locations across the city, including at the airport. So, when arrive in Bologna, we’ll be ready to get you on the road as soon as possible.

Whether you’re in Bologna for business or holiday, we’re sure to have the perfect car rental for you, from spacious SUVs to compact cars for couples and solo travelers. Find your perfect car online in advance and we’ll have it waiting for you when you arrive. There are no hidden extras to pay and we’ll have you on your way as quickly as possible so can you make the most of your time here.

Bologna Locations

A Quick Guide to Bologna

Fine dining, medieval architecture and a rich history fuse together to create a beautiful vacation spot. This destination is brimming with culture and character, just waiting to be discovered. Sun-kissed piazzas and ancient porticoes await in one of Italy’s finest places to be.

Circled by crumbling walls, the historic center of Bologna is perfect to explore come rain or shine. A maze of red buildings and arcaded walkways snake between picture-perfect piazzas. Under the arches, tables and chairs spill from cafés and you can enjoy an Italian espresso al fresco, even in the rare rain, under the cover of medieval arcades.

Park up your Bologna rental car and step into the quiet calm of St. Stephen’s Basilica. This ancient church is packed with intricate frescos and a labyrinth of time-worn corridors. It’s known as Sette Chiese (seven churches), and there are a number of peaceful chapels to see.

Or why not take a blissful stroll to Piazza Maggiore? This central square in Bologna largely reflects its 15th century design and is the perfect base to tour the city as many of the city’s main historic buildings overlook the square.

The first thing you’ll notice about Bologna is its healthy appetite. Delicious food is on display down every street and narrow alley. Fresh fruit and vegetables spill from shop fronts, local Bolognese and visitors pack outdoor seating restaurants and chalkboards advertise traditional tagliatelle al ragu (the origin of spaghetti bolognese).

Sample the city’s most famous export in one of the traditional restaurants where lively waiters bustle amongst check-clothed tables. There’s always a line outside Osteria dell'Orsa, testament to the magnificent taste experience that awaits inside. Sample the famous tagliatelle al ragu or try the regional staple of tiny tortellini in a clear broth.

Food defines Bologna, so the best way to get under the skin of this city is by making your way through every flavor. Taste Bologna offer a variety of tours where a guide will help you navigate through the hearty fare. Focus on pizza and gelato or take home a tasty recipe souvenir with a cooking class. The classic tour will take you to traditional osteria (tavern-like restaurants), an artisan pasta-maker and the many market stalls of Bologna.

Venture in your Bologna car rental to the Ferrari Museum in Maranello and admire the history of the company through an exhibition of sleek sports cars from past and present. Tour the factory and discover how the cars are engineered and see the track where they’re tested. Get your adrenaline pumping with an F1 or sports car driving simulation.

Stop in Modena, one of Italy’s great gastronomic centers. Sample the best of the best with a meal at Osteria Francescana, which earned its third Michelin star in 2012 and was voted number one on the World’s best restaurants list in 2016. Each dish is like a science experiment in taste and comes with a story of its own.

On the other side of the coin, visit Mercato Albinelli, a covered food market where doorstop wedges of cheese and paper-thin prosciutto are served on wooden boards. Take home world-famous olive oil and balsamic vinegar from the region. Eat in the throng of the market or create your own luxurious picnic and enjoy it in the shadow of a Gothic cathedral in Piazza Grande.

Tuck in to an unbeatable foodie experiences, gaze at stunning historic buildings and roam this beautiful country on day trips – whatever you’re planning, car rental in Bologna is your passport to it all.

 

Driving In and Around Bologna

Set in the verdant hills of Emilia-Romagna, Bologna is the epicenter of culinary delight in Italy. Explore streets packed with atmospheric and candlelit eateries in historic buildings, or head out to the hills where fresh produce is grown at ancient hilltop farms. Renting a car means you steer away from Bologna’s public transport.

Bologna’s center is a warren of charming buildings and a Zona Traffico Limitato (Limited Traffic Zone) is in effect between 7am and 8pm every day. Visitors can access hotels in the ZTL but will need to contact where they’re staying to arrange this. The ‘T area’ (via Rizzoli, via Indipendenza, via Ugo Bassi) is a ZTL 24-hours-a-day. One-day tickets to enter the zone are available for purchase and on-street parking is available in the marked blue zones in the center. There are also a number of underground parking lots where you can leave your Bologna car rental within easy walking distance of all the city’s main sights.

It’s relatively straightforward to find your way around with a series of wide roads (SS64/SS9/Viale Aldini) circling the walls of the historic center, passing each gate of the old city. If you’re driving from the airport in your Bologna car rental follow the A14, Viale Palmiro Togliatti and Viale M. K. Gandhi, to get to the heart of things in 20 minutes.

Day trips in your rental car from Bologna are the perfect way to sample the flavors and history of Emilia-Romagna. Take the A1 to Modena, famous for balsamic vinegar, and branch off at the SS12 to reach Maranello, the home of Ferrari, both just under an hour’s drive away. The Renaissance beauty of Florence is just an hour and a half south along the A1 in your Bologna rental car.

The highlights of Italy are all within driving distance with a network of tolled A-roads (autostrade/highways). You’ll be driving on the right, as in the US, and seatbelts must be worn. Mobile phone use is not allowed while driving. Speed limits vary from 30 mph in built-up areas and villages, up to 80 mph on the highways.

 

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