37 min · high-speed
Florence
Renaissance Florence is closer than some Bologna suburbs. Book a fast train and you're at the Duomo before mid-morning.
Day Trips
The best day trips from Bologna
Bologna sits on Italy's main high-speed line, so half of the north is within easy reach. Several of the best trips are under an hour by train, no car needed.
If you've based yourself in Bologna, you've picked the best hub in northern Italy. Florence is 37 minutes away, Modena and Ferrara are quick regional hops, and the Adriatic, the Apennines and a string of food towns are all comfortable returns in a day. Here are the trips worth making, fastest first.
The quick rail hops (under 1 hour)
20–35 min
Modena
Balsamic vinegar, Pavarotti, a glorious Romanesque cathedral and, just outside, the Ferrari museum.
~50 min
Parma
The home of Parma ham and Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus a pink Baptistery worth the trip alone.
Worth the longer ride
How to plan it
For the rail trips, book high-speed trains (Trenitalia or Italo) in advance for the best fares; regional trains to Modena, Ferrara and Ravenna are cheap and don't need booking. Each trip below pairs with a train guide, see the easiest day trips by train and getting around.
Themed: the Food Valley
Modena and Parma together make a textbook food-valley day, balsamic and Parmigiano producers open their doors for morning visits. Combine with a Bologna food tour for the full Emilia-Romagna education.
Prefer to be driven?
Guided day tours from Bologna cover the harder-to-reach spots, Maranello, the painted village of Dozza, the balsamic estates, without the logistics.
Browse day tours from Bologna