While you probably wouldn’t make a special trip to visit the Bologna Christmas market, it is definitely worth visiting if you happened to be in the area or want to incorporate it into a city break or winter holiday. Bologna’s Fiera di Santa Lucia is one of the oldest Christmas markets in Italy and the entire historic city centre is decorated during December.
As the gourmet capital of the Emilia-Romagna region and in my opinion all of Italy, the Christmas market in Bologna adds to the atmosphere of a trip and gives you even more foodie options and events than at other times of the year. If you love Italian food, visit Bologna.
Bologna Christmas Market 2019
Bologna Christmas Market dates: 22nd November – 6th January 2019 (2019 dates to be confirmed).
Location: Piazza Maggiore, Via Altabella and Corte Isolani.
Reason to visit: Bologna is all about the food.
Specialties: All the regional cuisine.
Christmas tours: A food tour is highly recommended in Bologna or search our other tours.
Where to stay: Locanda Fourghetti is a good option but it’s quite far from the centre or search our verified hotels.
Winter events: The French Christmas Village and the International Nativity Fair.
Bologna weather in winter: Temperatures average 7°C / 2°C (high / low) in December.
Plan your trip: A list of travel resources to help you plan your Christmas holiday or winter break.
Bologna Christmas Market Specialities
At the Christmas market in Bologna you can find all the typical market specialities. But what you really should try are foods local to the Emilia-Romagna region. This is produce protected under European law, meaning these products are restricted in their labelling and must be from the originating city or region and produced according to strict guidelines. A few examples for you to look out for:
Balsamic vinegar from Modena, prosciutto di Parma, mortadella from Bologna, grana padano from Piacenza, tagliatelle a ragu (known as pasta bolognaise to most of us), parmigiano-reggiano, tortellini, zuppa inglese, lambrusco sparkling wine. All from Emilia-Romagna and you’ll discover much more when you arrive.
Places where you might want to eat out or put on your list for another time:
- La Sorbetteria Castiglione – May as well start with the most important. The best gelato in Bologna. Via Castiglione, 44
- Osteria dell’Orsa – Affordable lunch specials but be prepared to queue on the weekends. Via Mentana 1
- Trattoria da Leonida – Also hugely popular on the weekends. Vitolo Allemagne, 2
- Trattoria Anna Maria – Apparently the best zuppa inglese in the world but also great for local specialities. Via delle Belle Arti, 17
- Drogheda della Rosa – High end specials of the day. Via Cartoleria,
- 10 Berbere – Top quality gourmet pizza with organic ingredients. Via Giuseppe Petroni, 9
- Alce Nero – Sister restaurant to Berbere, all seasonal, local and organic. Via Giuseppe Petroni, 9
- Le Stanze – The most beautiful location for an aperitivo. Borgo di San Pietro, 1
- Cafe Zamboni – Incredible hot chocolate fondant. Via Zamboni, 6
- Camera a Sud – Quirky cafe popular with students. Via Valdonica, 5
- Eataly – Gourmet food, cookware and cookbooks. Via degli Orefici, 19
- Mercato delle Erbe – Fruit and veggie market. Via Ugo Bassi, 25
- Food market and shops behind Piazza Maggiore Via Pescheria Vecchie
Emilia-Romagna Tourism is the regional tourism website where you can find things to do in Bologna, get the latest Christmas market dates, times and locations and read reviews on all the amazing foodie spots.
Map of Bologna
If you have visited Bologna in winter or would like to review the Christmas market, leave a comment below.
This post contains affiliate links to hotels in Bologna and recommended tours. This means we get a small commission from any bookings at no extra cost to you.
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