Under the porticoes it never rains.

Evenings in Bologna

Learned, hearty and red, as the old saying goes: in the evening Bologna is all three. You start with a board of mortadella and a glass in the Quadrilatero, carry on in an osteria and end up chatting in Piazza Santo Stefano or along Via del Pratello.

With the oldest university in the Western world, the city is full of students from out of town who come and go, and friend groups change every year. YesTonite shows you who nearby is out tonight: one message, and the evening already has a plan.

And when it rains, no problem: the porticoes cover almost the whole centre, and the night carries on under shelter.

Thursday is student night, and on Friday and Saturday everyone goes out. Dinner is around half past eight, and in an osteria it gets late before you notice.

Where Bologna goes out

• Via del PratelloOsterias, no-frills bars and people out on the street until late.
• Piazza Santo StefanoA stunning square for a glass outdoors, full until late in summer.
• QuadrilateroThe lanes of the old market: cured meat boards, wine and aperitivo next to Piazza Maggiore.
• Zona universitariaVia Petroni and Piazza Verdi, the student heart of the city.
• Via MascarellaBars with live music and jazz, a short walk from the university.
• BologninaBeyond the station: new bars, cultural spaces and neighbourhood prices.