Top Bologna Unique Experiences

Skip the set itinerary and script of an organized tour and explore Bologna with a local host for a fully customized visit tailored to your pace and interests. Take in blockbuster attractions like Piazza Maggiore and the Due Torri plus delve into the parts of the city known only to locals to discover unique sights, favorite eateries, and little-known gems.

Explore the historic streets of Bologna with a private guide leading the way during this walking tour. See top landmarks including Piazza Maggiore, taste espresso under the famous portici (arched colonnades), and wander through the Mezzo Market. The itinerary can be customized according to your interests.

Italians have been producing wine for thousands of years. Get a unique insight into the wine-making experience on a visit to a family-owned winery in the Colli Bolognesi Pignoletto DOCG wine region. Join a small group and explore the vineyards and cellars, then sample several of their finest wines on a terrace with views of wine country.

Follow your senses — and a gourmet guide — around Italy’s culinary capital on a private food tour in Bologna. Remove the guesswork from choosing eateries and let a local show you the best delis, cafes, markets, and bakeries scattered through the historic city center. Sample Bolognese specialties like tortellini and mortadella, discover new favorite dishes, and rest your feet over an aperitif at an indoor market.

Follow a local to their favorite places in Bologna with this best kept secrets walking tour. See contemporary street art, trendy bars, quirky boutiques, and innovative restaurants during your stroll. Explore neighborhoods that are loved by locals for their vintage markets and contemporary art galleries. Discover a side of Bologna that's not in guidebooks.

Opt for a more intimate experience of Bologna’s legendary cuisine during a private pasta making masterclass in a local home. Rather than sharing your guide with a group, you’ll receive undivided attention as you make classic Italian dishes such as tagliatelle al ragu, a variation of spaghetti bolognese.

Italy's Cesarina program connects travelers with local "home cooks," known as cesarinas, in an effort to promote the Mediterranean country's rich culinary traditions. With this experience, you'll get to join a ceserina as she shops in a local market, watch her make typically Bolognese preparations, and sit down to dine on a four-course meal, served with local wine.

Take the train from Bologna to explore the historic town of Modena with a local host. Visit landmarks including the Piazza Grande, which together with Modena Cathedral and Torre Civica hold UNESCO World Heritage Site status. Have lunch at a local restaurant that fits your style and budget, sampling the balsamic vinegar and Lambrusco wine the region is famous for. The experience is completely customized to your interests.

Learn the secrets behind traditional recipes from Bologna during this private cooking class, complete with a local market visit. Get tips for selecting the best ingredients at the market and then settle into the chef’s home in the Bologna city center for a cooking class. Prepare three courses and then feast on everything you cook alongside a variety of local red and white wines.

Discover the secrets to Bolognese cuisine in a local’s home with this half-day private cooking class. Learn how to prepare fresh stuffed pasta including tortellini and tortelloni during this hands-on class. After the pasta workshop, relax over a meal to sample what you prepared alongside local red and white wines.

Get a feel for Bologna on an intimate private walking tour. In addition to navigating and translating, your guide customizes the day’s itinerary according to your interests, planning stops at top landmarks and hidden gems loved by locals. Leave with an inside perspective on the city and a handle on its layout and transit system.

Get out of the stale tourist restaurant scene and into your host's kitchen and pasta workshop with this private cooking class. Learn how to roll, cut, and cook pasta—from tagliatelle to tortellini to passatelli. Cook for about an hour with your host, who may include some Pugliese dishes in addition to local ones in the mix, and then sit down to enjoy your creations. A great way to learn about Italian cuisine and culture from a local.

One of Bologna’s culinary treasures is the tortellino, but it takes a deft hand to turn out the perfect pasta morsel. Bring a bit of Bologna home with you by learning how to make this traditional dish with a local “cesarina”, or home cook, during this private cooking class. Prepare fresh pasta, roll out the dough, and stuff and shape each tortellino. Sample your handiwork during a festive meal with your host.

Join a passionate local guide for a memorable half-day private tour through the heart of Bologna, filled with authentic Italian flavors and vibrant stories. Explore hidden corners, bustling markets, and charming shops while indulging in regional specialties like handmade pasta, prosciutto, balsamic vinegar, and parmigiano reggiano. Vegetarian, vegan, lactose-free, and gluten-free options are available, so everyone can savor the experience.

Bologna is famous for its luscious tortellini, so there’s no better place to learn how to make these stuffed morsels of fresh pasta. Join a local in her home kitchen to try your hand at kneading and rolling out dough and hand-shaping each tiny round bite with a small group. Then gather around the table for a family-style meal featuring the tortellini you’ve made together followed by authentic tiramisù.

Soar up, up and away on a hot air balloon ride over the hills of Emilia-Romagna. The experience includes pickup and drop-off from Bologna, and the ride takes in sights of the region’s vineyard-speckled valleys and castles such as Castello Estense of Ferrara — a moated fortress with a drawbridge. Cap the experience with a glass of sparkling wine, and then relax on the journey back to Bologna. The hot air balloon holds up to five people in addition to the pilot.