5 things to do in Bologna in September

1- Discover the genius of Ottorino Respighi at the festival dedicated to him

Rediscover this great composer and prominent Bolognese native, thanks to the festival dedicated to him. In September, concerts for the eponymous festival begin, such as the one with the famous Zubin Mehta at the Manzoni, which highlight and revive Respighi's entire body of work, as well as that of his contemporary composers.

Find out more about the festival

2- Savor the taste of tradition at a country festival

The festival season is about to begin: traditional first courses and local products will be the stars in the Bologna area.

The Farneto festival awaits you in the village of the same name, just a few km from San Lazzaro, while garganello in Codrignano and truffles in Castel del Rio will be the stars of the most delicious dishes in the Imola area; in the Plains, don't miss the Grape festival in Castenaso and the Nettle festival in Malalbergo.

We are only at the beginning of an autumnal culinary season, but a good start is half the battle...

3-Get excited with great international sports

After the summer break, the most important football and basketball championships and competitions resume. Don't miss Bologna FC at the Stadio Dall'Ara for the first league matches (and their debut in the Europa League!) and Virtus in the Euroleague at PalaDozza against Real Madrid.

4- Experience the best of art and culture

September is also a pivotal month for the city's exhibition scene: take advantage of the last few days of exhibitions like Jack Vettriano at Palazzo Pallavicini, Communautés at MAST, Massimo Osti at Palazzo Pepoli or the Garden of Resonances at the Pinacoteca Nazionale.

5- Immerse yourself in the beauty of Dozza during the Painted Wall Festival

With over 100 historical murals created by great artists from 1960 to today, Dozza is an open-air art gallery, thanks to its biennial Painted Wall Festival. From September 15 to 21 you can admire the artists in action in what is the 30th edition of this event.