5 things to do in Bologna in September
Updated on 08 September 2026 From Federico Farinelli
September in Bologna marks the start of the cultural season, with concerts, festivals, events and opportunities to discover the city’s artistic heritage. From classical music to jazz, from museum activities to major events in Piazza Maggiore, the calendar runs throughout the month and extends into the first few days of October. Here are 5 things to do in Bologna, covering music, art and culture.
5 things to do this September in Bologna among culture and music
1. Discover Bologna through the music of the Respighi Festival
From 21 September to 21 October, the Respighi Festival Bologna returns for its fifth edition, dedicated to Ottorino Respighi and the great musical era spanning the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The programme comprises 17 events across 15 different venues, transforming theatres, historic halls and cultural spaces into opportunities to discover Bologna through music. The Festival will open on 21 September at the Auditorium Manzoni with Gianandrea Noseda, in collaboration with the Teatro Comunale di Bologna. This is a particularly significant event in 2026, the year in which Bologna will also be celebrating the twentieth anniversary of its UNESCO designation as a Creative City of Music.
Discover the Respighi Bologna Festival
2. Get ready for PhMuseum Days, the contemporary photography festival
September is also the perfect time to start looking ahead to October’s first major event: from 1 to 4 October, PhMuseum Days returns – the international festival dedicated to contemporary photography. The fifth edition centres on the theme ‘Archipelago’ and brings exhibitions, talks, workshops, presentations and new visual languages to Bologna, with the main programme taking place at the former Ospedale dei Bastardini and events spread across various venues throughout the city. On 3 and 4 October, Photobook Mania – dedicated to the world of photobooks and independent photographic publishing – also returns to Serra Madre, at the Giardini Margherita. Yet another reason to extend September’s cultural calendar, in spirit, right through to the first weekend of the following month.
3. Experience jazz in the streets of the city centre
From 11 to 13 September, jazz returns to the heart of Bologna with La Strada del Jazz, bringing concerts and live music to the Quadrilatero, Via Orefici and Piazza Maggiore. The event revisits an important part of the city’s musical history through the stars dedicated to the great jazz musicians who have performed in Bologna: in 2026, the new star will be named after saxophonist Stan Getz and will be unveiled on Saturday 12 September. The weekend will continue with street music, swing and free concerts in Piazza Maggiore, featuring, amongst others, Francesco Cavestri, Francesco Baccini and Stefano Di Battista. A different way to explore the historic centre, following the rhythm of one of the city’s most deeply-rooted musical traditions.
Discover Bologna, La Strada del Jazz 2026
4. Discover an art gallery where art, music and socialising come together
In September, the Pinacoteca Nazionale in Bologna is not just a place to admire the great masters of Emilian painting: the museum offers a programme that invites you to return time and again and experience the collections from different perspectives. The themed tours on 12 and 19 September explore the evolution of the altarpiece in Bologna through works by Giotto, Francesco Francia and Perugino, whilst ‘Meeting Art’ offers tours in English on 11 and 25 September dedicated to the masterpieces of 17th- and 18th-century Emilian art.
These activities are complemented by ‘Membrane Culturali’, a series organised in collaboration with the Orchestra Senzaspine that brings together the visual arts, music and dance: the EAD Ensemble on 10 September, DNA Danza on 17 September and the Artemisia Ensemble on 26 September. The ‘A lezione in Pinacoteca’ project also continues, born out of a collaboration with the Department of Arts at the University of Bologna, which opens up certain university lectures to the public and transforms the museum into a space for learning and in-depth study.
Visit the website of the National Art Gallery of Bologna
5. Stop off at Piazza Maggiore for the Franciscan Festival
From 24 to 27 September, Piazza Maggiore and other venues in the city centre will host the 18th edition of the Franciscan Festival, one of Bologna’s major cultural events at the end of summer. The theme chosen for 2026 is ‘Sister Death’, marking the 800th anniversary of the death of St Francis: four days exploring the themes of mortality and life through philosophy, spirituality, literature, art, science, current affairs and the performing arts.
Announced guests include Giovanni Allevi, Matteo Maria Zuppi, Michelangelo Pistoletto, Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Vito Mancuso, Christian Greco, Javier Cercas and Stefano Nazzi, alongside numerous other leading figures in contemporary culture. The Festival’s events are free of charge, thus offering visitors to Bologna the chance to immerse themselves in the city’s cultural debate at one of its most iconic venues.
Discover the 2026 Franciscan Festival
Edited by
Passionate amateur cyclist, I live by sports and breathing nature. As soon as I have vacations, I travel and explore, taking an interest in the history and food (and wine) of the places I visit. I have been writing for bolognawelcome.com since 2018.
©2026. Fondazione Bologna Welcome - All rights reserved