How to spend your 25 April long weekend in Bologna

If you have already planned to spend the 25 April weekend in Bologna or have yet to make up your mind, here is an overview of everything you can do in the city among events, visits, itineraries, exhibitions, tours and much more.

Where to go and what to do over the 25 April long weekend in Bologna

Enjoy our food, after all you're in Bologna!

Bologna is worldwide celebrated for its food culture and if you have decided to visit the city not least for this reason, there are plenty of events to attend this weekend.

If you are more of a street food lover, don't miss the Finger Food Festival in Bologna. Pick from the food trucks in Piazza Lucio Dalla, in Bolognina, the most original and authentic flavours to try, from 19 to 21 April 2024.

In the city centre, enjoy the markets of the Quadrilatero and the Mercato delle Erbe, breathing in the scents and tasting the flavours while sitting at a table in a typical restaurant or osteria, between a mortadella sandwich and a good glass of wine. Make sure you book in advance as it often gets very crowded.

Choose your exhibition for the weekend

Spring is full of exhibitions in Bologna, choose your favourite and come check it out.

Will you opt for a 19th-century painting exhibition, a witchcraft show or a video art collection at MAST?

-> Take a look at the other exhibitions

Celebrating 150 years since the birth of Guglielmo Marconi

From 26 March to 27 April, the city of Bologna, birthplace of the Italian mastermind who revolutionised communication worldwide with the invention of the radio, is offering a vast programme of events, exhibitions, conferences and concerts to attend. 

Discover the programme on the official website and don't miss a single event!

Initiatives for remembrance

To celebrate Liberation Day on 25 April, Bologna is organising various commemoration initiatives, scattered around the city, to mark in your diary for a walk of reflection on the theme:

• From 21 to 25 April, the flags of the Partisan Brigades will be displayed from the windows of Palazzo d'Accursio. On the Bologna History and Memory website you will find all the flags
  
• Laying of wreaths at the sites of the Resistance and at the memorial stones of fallen partisans in the city districts. Here the map
  
• Thursday 25 April, at 9:30 a.m.: in the Cloisters of the Basilica of Santo Stefano, the laying of a wreath at the memorial stone of the Fallen in War
  
• Thursday 25 April, at 10.15 a.m.: in Piazza del Nettuno, flag-hoisting with military guard of honour and wreath-laying at the Memorial of the Fallen Partisans
  
• Thursday 25 April, at 12:00: in the Garden of Villa Cassarini in Porta Saragozza, the laying of a wreath at the memorial stone in memory of the homosexual victims of Nazi-Fascism
  
• Thursday 25 April, from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.: in Piazza Maggiore, the Gran ballo della Liberazione (Liberation Grand Ball) in collaboration with the Bolognese traditional dance association.

It's 25 April, Liberation Day

There is a place around Bologna that more than any other celebrates the anniversary of the liberation with great emotional intensity: the Historical Park of Monte Sole in Marzabotto (BO). 

Plunge into nature

With fine weather, it is finally time to get outdoors and soak up the greenery. Bologna, with its hills and nearby parklands, is also an ideal destination for venturing among trails, breathtaking views and green meadows.

-> Our extensive green offer

The turreted city: enjoy the view from the Clock Tower

The world-famous two towers have now given way to a third companion. Alongside the Torre degli Asinelli (currently closed for maintenance) and the Garisenda, the Clock Tower has also found its way into the hearts of citizens and tourists alike, for its breathtaking view and historical centrality within the Palazzo d'Accursio.

The visit is complemented by an accurate audio-guide that will reveal the secrets of the tower and its history, as well as including the entrance ticket to the adjacent Collezioni Comunali d'Arte, one of the city's lesser-known museums yet with astonishing treasures.

San Luca is a must

A welcoming landmark in Bologna, whether travelling by car, train or plane, San Luca stands tall on the Colle della Guardia within very easy reach. 

Whether you walk under the world's longest portico, take a public minibus or the San Luca Express train, don't miss a visit to the top. 

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