Bologna · Month comparison
November vs May
May ranks #1 overall vs November at #10. Bologna at its best — warm, vibrant, full of students and food, before summer heat bites.
November
#10 of 12 months
Strong option
Truffle season — white truffles from the Apennines hit the market and the city smells extraordinary.
- ↑White truffle season peaks: Alba-quality finds appear in the Quadrilatero market at prices below Piedmont
- ↑Mortadella Bologna fair celebrates the city's most famous export — tastings and producers citywide
May
#1 of 12 months
Best match
Bologna at its best — warm, vibrant, full of students and food, before summer heat bites.
- ↑23°C and 8 sunshine hours: perfect conditions for the portico walks, the hills, and San Luca sanctuary
- ↑Emilia-Romagna Day Trips at their finest — Modena's Duomo, Parma prosciutto country, Ferrara's Este Castle
| Factor | November | May |
|---|---|---|
| Weather score | 4 | 9 |
| Value score | 7 | 5 |
| Crowd score | 8 | 5 |
| Events score | 5 | 7 |
| Atmosphere | 7 | 9 |
| Avg high temp | 10°C | 23°C |
| Monthly rain | 80mm | 75mm |
| Daily sunshine | 4hrs | 8hrs |
November trade-offs
- ↓80mm rain and only 4 sunshine hours — November feels genuinely grey and damp
- ↓Crowds score is higher because of Italian domestic visitors for food events — book restaurants early
- ↓Cold evenings (5°C) require full winter layering for evening walks under the porticoes
May trade-offs
- ↓Prices at or near their annual peak — the best-value window has closed
- ↓Weekend crowds noticeably higher; popular restaurants require booking further ahead
- ↓May rainfall at 75mm can produce thundery afternoons despite otherwise sunny days
Scores compare months within Bologna. Climate data: Open Meteo ERA5 30-year normals (1991–2020). Methodology →