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Gap Year in Bologna, Italy

Behold beautiful Bologna, a bustling cultural hub famous for its culinary arts and fine historic buildings.

Gap year program in Bologna
  • CLIMATE:

    Summer: 65-85°F
    Winter: 35-55°F

  • CURRENCY:

    Euro

  • OFFICIAL LANGUAGE:

    Italian

Bologna has maintained its standing as one of the most important urban centers for centuries.

Over time, it has come to be known by three nicknames: La Grassa ("The Fat”) for its rich cuisine; La Rossa (The Red) for the tiled rooftops, and La Dotta (The Learned) for being home to the oldest continuously operating university in the western world, the University of Bologna.

So, what will you learn from Bologna?

On your way to the city, visit picturesque Parma, the birthplace of Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. Once you’ve arrived in Bologna, taste your way through FICO World Eataly, a 20-acre food-centric theme park that celebrates the diversity of Italian products. Then, travel to nearby Acetaia for a behind-the-scenes look at the making of balsamic vinegar.

Gap year program in Italy

A European capital of culture. In 2000, the European Union officially bestowed this honor upon Bologna, though the city was already widely considered the culinary capital of Italy—something which is no small feat!

Gap year program in Bologna

From field to fork. FICO Eataly World holds the title of the world’s largest food park, home to four acres of farms, fields, and pastures; FICO also features demonstrations, eateries, hands-on exhibits, and pop-stores designed to celebrate and showcase the biodiversity of Italian cuisine.

Cooking on a gap program in Italy

Food for thought. Home of the world-famous Bolognese sauce, Bologna locals reserve use of the meat-based sauce as a dressing for tagliatelle, long flat ribbons of pasta. This means you likely won’t see spaghetti Bolognese on the menu.

Gap year program in Italy
Gap year program in Bologna, Italy

The Heart of Bologna. Piazza Maggiore is one of the largest and oldest squares in all of Italy, serving as Bologna’s center for social and political life since 1200 AD. The square is surrounded by the most important buildings in the medieval city, including the oldest, Palazza del Podestà, and the Basilica of San Petronio, dedicated to the city’s patron saint

Gap year program in Italy

Symbol of the city. Bologna’s twin towers, Asinelli and Garisenda, lend their iconic leaning form to the city’s skyline. Climb the 498 narrow, wooden steps to the top of one of these 300-foot towers for a bird's-eye view of Bologna.

Gap year program in Bologna

Miles of medieval porticoes. No other city in the world has as many porticoes as Bologna: the 40 some-odd miles of columned, covered outdoor walkways have enriched Bologna’s cityscape since the Middle Ages. In 2021, the porticoes of Bologna became a World Heritage Site for their artistic and cultural significance.


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