Open-air kiosks and chalets in Bologna parks
Updated on 01 June 2025 From Bologna Welcome
When the heat really starts to kick in in the city, there’s nothing better than slowing down for a few hours and escaping to the countryside, surrounded by trees, outdoor tables, music and a cool drink. Bologna, in this respect, offers plenty of places where you can enjoy the summer without straying too far from the city centre.
Discover a selection of parks and outdoor venues where you can enjoy a bite to eat and a drink in the great outdoors
Montagnola Park
In the heart of the city’s oldest garden, the new FILLA pavilion serves as a civic space and meeting place, a permanent environmental education centre, whilst Montagnola Republic and Frida nel Parco bring the summer to life with activities for young and old alike. With beer, music and entertainment, the park transforms into the perfect summer hangout for relaxing outdoors: Frida is open every day from 8.00 am to 1.00 am, whilst Montagnola Republic livens up your days from 10.00 am until midnight with great music and good food.
If, on the other hand, you’re looking for a more elegant and sophisticated atmosphere, the Pincio festival, on the terrace of the Pincio steps, will bring this magnificent historic spot in Bologna to life, offering a stunning view of the Parco della Montagnola.
©Montagnola Republic, Montagnola Park
Margherita Gardens
Bologna’s most beloved park remains one of the city’s iconic summer destinations. Just a few minutes from the historic centre, it really feels like you’re in a different world here. There’s a huge range of things to do: from the chalet by the lake, open every day until 1 am, to the numerous food trucks scattered around the Giardini Playground, the heart of the Gardens Sport Village’s activities. Pastis serves cocktails and sparkling wine, Burger Squad offers fried food and burgers, Vegeta focuses on organic, vegetarian and fried tortellini, whilst Merlino returns with its skewers-focused menu. Also not to be missed are the Serre dei Giardini Margherita, where sustainability, innovation, good food and conviviality come together until midnight.
©Gardens Sport Village, Giardini Margherita
Gardens of Villa Cassarini, Bulgarelli and Villa Serena
Walking along Via Saragozza from the city centre towards San Luca and the longest portico in the world, you’ll come across the majestic Porta Saragozza; just outside the gate, step into the small but charming Gardens of Villa Cassarini. A green space in the Saragozza area, the neighbourhood on the slopes of the Bolognese hills, where you’ll find Cassarini Summer the festival of food trucks, events and entertainment for the Bolognese summer, available every day from 6pm.
Moving on towards the Andrea Costa area, behind the Certosa Monumental Cemetery, BoloPark brings the Bulgarelli garden to life with ice cream, aperitifs and cold beers.
And just outside the city centre, Stay Serena brings Villa Serena to life with events and activities for adults, children and families, accompanied by drinks from Angolo B and culinary offerings from Jack Burger Bologna and La Salsamenteria.
©Stay Serena, Villa Serena
Cavaticcio Park and Fava Gardens
To feel almost as if you’re by the sea, Lido Ruggine at the J. Klemlen Garden, in Cavaticcio Park, offers daily events accompanied by drinks from Ruggine and cuisine from Ragū & Draft.
Just a stone’s throw from the park, in Piazzetta Pier Paolo Pasolini, the Cinema Lumière - Il Cameo - welcomes guests with brunch, aperitifs and music from Wednesday to Friday from 5pm to midnight and at weekends from 11am to midnight.
At the Giardini Fava, meanwhile, you’ll find the Chiosco Favaloso, open every day from noon until midnight, serving fried snacks, crescentine, piadina and traditional dishes.
©Chiosco Favaloso, Giardini Fava
Villa Angeletti Park
In Bolognina, just outside the central station, Fermento in Villa is back until October, open every day from 6pm to 10.30pm in the grounds of Villa Angeletti Park. This year, the kiosk is run by Zem Market, offering vegetarian cuisine, alongside the natural ice creams from Stefino, which have been awarded a prize by Gambero Rosso.
©Fermento in Villa, Villa Angeletti
Paleotto Park
On the slopes of the hills, heading up from Via Gaibara, Paleotto Park is home to green spaces and the cultural centre Paleotto11, an organisation that experiments with a hybrid, community-based approach to culture. Inside, you’ll also find La PaleottA BioBarVeg, a small refreshment spot serving local drinks, wines and beers, alongside a natural, vegetarian menu prepared with great care. Open until the end of July from Thursday to Sunday from 4.30 pm, with special daily openings during the “La campeggia FS” Experimental Festival from 11 to 21 June and from 9 to 19 July.
For those who dream of the sea whilst staying in the city, nestled in greenery, there is also Vistamare: a small summer oasis perfect for a cool escape with drinks and good food, open from Tuesday to Sunday from 6 pm until midnight.
©Vistamare, Via Gaibara
Cavaioni Park
Set amongst the hills of Bologna, Cavaioni Park remains one of the great summer classics. Here, the historic Villa Silvetta is home to Ca’ Shin, which, despite a change in management, retains its signature blend of fine dining and conviviality, enhanced by a partnership with Camera con Vista Colli, the summer version of the bar of the same name, serving aperitifs in the outdoor garden. Not far away is also the park’s kiosk, where hot crescentine and cold beer remain a sure bet.
At number 54 on Via dei Colli, you’ll find Collywood, established in the Orto dei Giusti: wrought-iron benches, large lawns, street food, chalets, concerts and shows. It’s open every day from 5.30 pm to 1.00 am, no booking required, with vegan and gluten-free options. In the event of rain, the programme may be subject to change.
At number 39, however, Spaccio Belfiore offers locally sourced platters and homemade wines with a splendid view of San Luca. It is open on Fridays from 6 pm to 9 pm, Saturdays from 12 pm to 9 pm and Sundays from 12 pm to 6 pm: perfect for brunch, lunch and aperitifs with a view.
Continuing towards Via di Sabbiuno, at number 6, I Conoscenti in collina (formerly Collina delle Meraviglie) accompanies the sunset with fried snacks, appetisers, drinks and glasses of wine. Open every evening and also for lunch on Sundays.
Finally, at number 4, the old Comodo Hills has made way for the new venture by Fuego y Matambre, a well-known catering service specialising in grilled meat, which is opening its summer restaurant inside a private villa right opposite Parco Cavaioni.
©Collywood, via dei Colli 54
San Pellegrino Park and Via di Casaglia
The San Pellegrino Park offers one of the most beautiful views of the city and the Sanctuary of San Luca. It can be reached by following the CAI 914 trail or by climbing the 300 steps of Via di Casaglia. Once again this year, the park is hosting the summer events of Ai300scalini, featuring street food, drinks and evenings al fresco.
Continuing along Via di Casaglia, it’s worth stopping off at Giardino Ebrezze, one of the city’s most charming summer venues, perfect both for sharing dishes and cocktails and for a more sophisticated dinner under the stars.
A little further on, turning into Via Cavirola, you’ll find Il Campo di Fave, a young farm offering simple yet carefully prepared aperitifs, featuring produce from the vegetable garden and excellent beers. It is open on Saturdays and Sundays from 12 noon to 8 pm, subject to weather or seasonal changes.
©Ai300Scalini, via di Casaglia 45
Parker Lennon, Davide Penazzi and Lunetta Gamberini Gardens
In the San Donato area, the neighbourhood festival SunDonato returns to the Parker Lennon Gardens with workshops, markets, readings and international cuisine. Also in San Donato, at the Davide Penazzi Gardens, the Tatanka bar offers concerts and activities for all ages in an open-air space designed for families and groups of friends, open every day from 3pm.
Heading towards the Savena neighbourhood, you’ll find Tito Lido in the Lunetta Gamberini Gardens: a small urban oasis perfect for those staying in the city this summer.
©Tatanka, Parco Davide Penazzi
Corticella Gardens Park, Via Fioravanti and Via Romita
In the heart of the Corticella district, the Parco dei Giardini offers two different dining spots that are ideal for summer evenings. On one side, Gelateria Mauritius Bologna serves ice cream, snacks and aperitifs in a simple, relaxed atmosphere; on the other, the kiosk overlooking the pond, run by Associazione Cà Bura APS together with Anima Coop Soc, allows you to dine al fresco surrounded by greenery. The initiative runs from Wednesday to Sunday throughout July and from 27 August to 7 September, with free shows and entertainment every evening.
Also worth noting is Comini Espress at the Giardini Donatori di Sangue in Via Fioravanti 68 and Via Romita 2/7, whilst Camporella’s Gypsy Garden is ready to welcome you from Tuesday to Saturday with music, DJ sets and food. For a more sophisticated experience, Battirame 11 offers a new approach to hospitality, with a focus on the local area and social and professional sustainability, featuring brunch, aperitifs and dinners.
©Associazione Cà Bura APS, Giardini di Corticella
Cloisters, courtyards and revitalised spaces
In Bologna, parks and gardens aren’t the only places to escape the summer heat: cloisters, hidden courtyards and revitalised spaces also offer cool spots and unexpected atmospheres in the heart of the city.
For an elegant aperitif combining culture and entertainment, the Teatro Arena del Sole is home to La Cantinella, the theatre’s in-house bistro, open Tuesday to Friday from 5pm to 10pm, Saturday from 11am to 10pm and on Sundays, when there are performances, from 3pm to 8pm.
A completely different atmosphere can be found at Borgo Mameli, a cosy and convivial urban space that recreates the idea of a small village within the city.
Among the most interesting new additions is the Rione San Niccolò, established within the former deconsecrated church of San Nicolò: a space open to cultural experimentation and socialising, suspended between the past and the present.
In Via del Pratello, PortaPratello continues to liven up the summer with SummerGround, the programme of outdoor events that brings concerts, cinema, talks, presentations and markets to the courtyard.
Urban regeneration also remains one of the central themes of contemporary Bologna: examples include the spaces at DumBO, the former railway yard of the FS Italiane Group transformed into a cultural and creative hub, as well as TEST, a new project established in the former military area of Viale Carducci, and MEZZ’ARIA – Lo spazio tra le cose, at the former Boldrini Barracks on Via Frassinago, where the courtyard is being revived as a public square hosting events, gatherings and moments of relaxation in the open air.
©Borgo Mameli, Piazza di Porta S. Felice
Out-of-town suggestions
In the Bologna area, the Chiosco Lido di Casalecchio – perfect for a real summer vibe – and the Terrazza Corner at the Corner Bar at the Cantine Terre Rosse Vallania in Zola Predosa are also well worth a visit, offering aperitifs, dinners and music.
Towards Ozzano, meanwhile, L’Osteria Il Moretto in San Mamolo and RUI are moving for the summer to the Palazzona di Maggio Winery with Rumorino: drinks, food and wine in a setting surrounded by greenery.
©Chiosco Lido di Casalecchio, Casalecchio di Reno
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