Parks and gardens in Bologna

Bologna has plenty of parks and gardens to provide a welcome moment of respite for the weary tourist. Some of them are particularly charming and are must visit destination.

One of Bologna’s largest and most popular parks is the famous Giardini Margherita, inspired by English gardens from the Romantic period, with wide, tree-lined avenues, a lake set amidst gypsum rocks, vast lawns, oak woods and innumerable charming spots. The oldest public garden in Bologna is the Montagnola Park in the centre of the old town, with huge sycamores dating back to the Napoleonic age. Other popular green areas that are worth visiting include the Gardens in Via Filippo Re near the university, which often host concerts and other events and the Botanical Gardens at the University of Bologna, one of the oldest in the world. They house both a collection of rare and precious plants and a range of natural habitats where various plant species are grown and used primarily for study purposes.

Another of Bologna's outstanding gardens is the Parco dei Cedri, just outside the city centre but easy to reach by public transport. The park is located on the River Savena, offering great views over the wetlands to the hills beyond.