10 Best Things to Do After Dinner in Bologna

Piazza Maggiore is Bologna’s bustling main square and a lively meeting place for socialising locals. While its grandiose Renaissance-era edifices attract most sightseers during the day, it’s still a captivating place to visit at night.

A string of buzzy cafés lines the well-illuminated square, switching from caffeine- to booze-based beverages after sunset. Keep an eye out for the evening street performers, who dazzle passersby with novelty acts and impromptu musical gigs. If you haven’t seen it yet, take a short detour to the 16^th-century Fountain of Neptune and admire its spurting mermaids.

Mercato delle Erbe is the city’s biggest produce market and a great place to roam after sunset. The sprawling complex is your best bet for picking up high-quality foodstuffs. It houses a multitude of small local stalls selling everything from artisanal cheese to fresh fruit and vegetables. Bologna is Italy’s gastronomic capital and many fresh ingredients get traded here.

It’s common to spot locals doing their weekly grocery run at night, so the evening is as good a time as any to visit. Most vendors keep trading right up until midnight. For more grocery shopping, try Mercato di Mezzo (also open late), where you’ll find pizzerias and laidback bars.

Bologna’s Quadrilatero is a historic trading quarter and the oldest open-air market in Italy. Its artisanal and mercantile traditions date back to the Middle Ages when crafting guilds traded a broad range of essential wares. Aside from a few flashy modern shopfronts, its narrow alleyways retain their original medieval charm.

Throughout the district, traditional handicraft stores sell artisanal knickknacks while high-end brands (think Gucci and Prada) flog expensive leather goods. Pop into Galleria Cavour for a wide range of exclusive designer apparel. Many stores belong to families who have been in the business for hundreds of years. Some (but not all) stores trade until late.

Cremeria Cavour is your go-to venue for a decadent post-dinner gelato in Bologna. Overlooking the tranquil Piazza Cavour, this perennially popular creamery serves the most mouthwatering cold desserts in town. While gelato is the bestseller, you’ll find other sweet delicacies like Sicilian granita, mascarpone, and various cream-smothered cakes.

As it’s become a local landmark since opening in 2008, you should expect to queue. The small, contemporary-styled interior doesn’t offer any seating, so most punters step outside to eat on the benches in Piazza Cavour. Not sure what to order? The pistachio mascarpone gets rave reviews.

Theatre aficionados flock to Teatro Duse to catch a sophisticated selection of concerts, ballets, and musicals. The historic performing arts centre has been operating since the mid-16th century when pupils at a local college held Carnival and New Years’ performances. Shows run regularly nowadays, though English language gigs are hard to come by.

The tiered 999-seat theatre hall retains its original grandeur with a stunning 20th-century frieze and crystalline chandelier. However, the building has changed hands several times over the centuries. As recently as 2011, a group of entrepreneurs bought the space to save it from closure. Can’t find something you like? You can also give Il Celebrazioni Theatre a try.

Cinema Odeon is a top spot for film buffs to watch a flick in Bologna city centre. While mainstream Bologna cinemas focus on the latest blockbuster hits, Odeon mostly screens lesser-known, hard-to-find films. The quadruple-screen multiplex features endearing vintage decor, and there’s a lively open-air bar and café right outside.

Odeon forms part of the Cinema Circuito Bologna, a conglomerate of 4 local cinema houses spread throughout the city. The group sells tickets online and screens most films in Italian. Parking can be a bit of a challenge due to its location in the historical centre.

The University District is a thriving nightlife hub among Bologna’s spirited student population. Home to one of the world’s oldest universities, Alma Mater Studiorum, the district attracts uni students from Europe and around the world. Unpretentious bars and clubs lie peppered around the area, offering low-cost drinks to their youthful clientele.

Most of the action takes place on Via Zamboni and delle Belle Arti, but you’ll find bopping venues as far south as Ghetto Ebraico. Older revellers might prefer the more mature nightlife scene in Bologna’s Historic Centre. The district’s thickest concentration of bars reside on (or around) Via Pratello and Via dell’Indipendenza.

Osteria del Sole is Bologna’s oldest watering hole, tucked away on a quiet alleyway in the historic centre. The lively bar has served drinkers since 1465. These days, a healthy mix of locals and out-of-towners come here to quaff Romagna region wines and socialise.

Charming old-world decor, top-notch drops, and a warm, friendly vibe make Osteria del Sole a brilliant place to imbibe. No food is available on-site, but you’re welcome to bring your own nibbles to enjoy with a bottle or 2. Pull up a pew on the outdoor patio to people-watch while you sip.

Serre dei Giardini Margherita is an eco-conscious cultural space built in an abandoned zoo south of Bologna city centre. During the day, the centre welcomes art aficionados with ad hoc workshops and exhibitions. Remote workers come to use its creativity-minded co-working space, while garden lovers can admire the onsite greenhouse project.

The centre hosts a rotating roster of evening events, from cinema nights to orchestra performances and live DJ gigs. Keep an eye on its website to see what’s on while you’re in town. An onsite bar and eco-friendly restaurant take care of the catering.

Numa Club is Bologna’s liveliest late-night disco venue. Located in an industrial area northeast of the city centre, the booming techno palace puts on wild parties every weekend. A mostly young clientele – Bologna has a sizeable student population – frequent the warehouse-like venue, raving away until the early morning hours.

The iconic spot has garnered a legendary reputation for its next-level laser and lighting setup (not to mention the epic sound system). Arrive early and be prepared to wait because its ever-increasing popularity has led to lengthy queues. Other solid clubbing options in Bologna include Qubò, Link, and the LGBT-friendly Cassero.