Stadio Renato Dall'Ara Seating Plan

This guide is written for the supporter making the trip, not the browser. It covers the short journey from the centre of Bologna to the ground, how the four stands are arranged and where the Curva Bulgarelli ultras and the away fans sit, the great Marathon Tower, the bag rules and the entry process, the food of the richest table in Italy, and the story of a proud old club enjoying its best years in a generation. By the end you should know how a Bologna matchday runs.

Dall'Ara at a Glance

Detail	Information
Full Name	Stadio Renato Dall'Ara
Location	Costa Saragozza, Bologna, Emilia-Romagna, Italy
Capacity	Around 38,000
Opened	1927, as the Littoriale
Surface	Natural grass
Home Club	Bologna FC 1909
Home End	The Curva Bulgarelli
Landmark	The great brick Marathon Tower
Named After	Renato Dall'Ara, a long-serving club president
Nearest Station	Bologna Centrale, around three kilometres away

How to Get There

Stadio Renato Dall'Ara sits in the Costa Saragozza district around three kilometres west of the centre of Bologna, close enough to reach on foot for the energetic and easily served by bus for everyone else. Bologna is a compact and walkable city with a superb railway hub, so reaching the ground is straightforward whether you arrive by train from across Italy or are already staying in the centre. Because the streets around the ground are busy and parking is limited, the bus or the walk beats driving on matchday.

By Train and On Foot

Bologna Centrale, one of the great railway hubs of Italy, sits around three kilometres from the ground and connects the city to Milan in around an hour, to Florence in around forty minutes and to Rome in a little over two hours, so supporters come from across the country by train. From the station it is a walk of around forty minutes to the ground or a short bus ride, while from the historic centre the stadium is a walk of around half an hour through the arcaded streets. Many supporters simply walk out to the ground on a fine day.

By Bus

City buses run out to the area around the ground from the centre and the station, the easiest option for those who would rather not walk the whole way, with services reaching the streets near the stadium in the Costa Saragozza district. The buses fill with the red and blue on matchday, so follow the crowd from the stop to the turnstiles. Check the local routes to the ground, as the bus is a quick and simple way out from the centre for those staying in the heart of Bologna.

By Air and Car

Bologna has its own airport, the Guglielmo Marconi, to the northwest of the city and connected to the centre by a fast rail link and buses, so international visitors reach the city easily and then use the bus or the walk to the ground. Driving is possible, with Bologna a major hub of the motorway network, but the streets around the stadium are busy and parking is limited on matchday, so public transport is easier. Those arriving by car should park away from the ground and walk or take a bus for the final stretch.

Getting Around on Matchday

The compact size of Bologna, the superb train links and the buses out to the ground mean most supporters reach the stadium without difficulty, whether by train from across Italy or on foot from the arcaded centre. The advice is to travel by train and bus or to walk rather than drive, given the busy streets and limited parking near the ground. Arrive in good time for a bigger match, as the area around the stadium gets busy before kick-off, and enjoy the walk through one of the most handsome city centres in Italy.

Parking

Parking at Stadio Renato Dall'Ara is limited, as the ground sits in a residential district close to the centre of Bologna, with busy streets and matchday restrictions around the stadium. There is some parking in the wider area, but it fills up before a bigger match and the streets near the ground are congested on matchday, so driving right to the stadium is not the easy option. With Bologna Centrale a short bus ride away, the buses from the centre and the walk through the city, the vast majority of supporters find public transport or their own two feet far easier than driving. Those arriving by car from the motorway network should park away from the centre and take a bus or walk in to the ground.

Seating Guide

Stadio Renato Dall'Ara is a historic four-stand ground with a real sense of place, dominated at one end by its great brick Marathon Tower, one of the most distinctive sights in Italian football. The four sections are the two curves behind the goals, the two long sides of the Tribuna and the Distinti, with the Curva Bulgarelli the home of the most passionate Bologna support. Named after the club legend Giacomo Bulgarelli, the Curva Bulgarelli is the beating heart of the atmosphere, the home of the ultras in the red and blue of the Rossoblù.

The Curva Bulgarelli

The Curva Bulgarelli behind one goal is the spiritual home of the Bologna support, the source of the singing, the flags and the noise in the red and blue of the club, the most passionate section of the ground. This is the place to target for the fullest matchday experience, loudest of all for the visit of a big club, packed and fervent throughout. With the Marathon Tower rising over the ground and the ultras in full voice, the Curva Bulgarelli captures the character of one of the great old stadiums of the Italian game.

The Tribuna and Distinti

The main Tribuna along one side holds the premium and central seating, sheltered and with the best balanced view across the pitch, so its central rows are the pick for a clear tactical overview and a more relaxed matchday. The Distinti along the opposite side gives a fine open view of the ground and the tower, a good place to watch from at a friendlier price. The seats behind the goals in the curves tend to be the better value, though the sides offer the calmer, clearer view for those who want the atmosphere of the Dall'Ara without the intensity of the ultras behind the goal.

Away Fans and Accessibility

Away supporters are housed in the away sector of the ground, a designated section holding a few thousand visitors with a good clear view of the pitch, the allocation varying by fixture and larger for a well-supported visiting club. The ground has accessible provision, with positions for wheelchair users and step-free access to the relevant areas, though as one of the oldest stadiums in Italy some parts are more constrained than at a modern build, so supporters with access requirements should contact the club before the match. The table below matches a section to what you want from the day.

Priority	Recommended Sections
Atmosphere	The Curva Bulgarelli, the home end
Tactical overview	The Tribuna, central rows
Under cover	The main Tribuna
View of the tower	The Distinti along the side
Budget-friendly	The curves and the corners
Away fans	The designated visitors' sector
Accessibility	Wheelchair-user positions (request at purchase)

Weather and Roof Coverage

Bologna sits in the Po valley of northern Italy, a region of hot, humid summers and cold, foggy winters, so conditions at the Dall'Ara vary widely across a Serie A season. The main Tribuna is covered, keeping those seats dry, but much of the rest of the ground, including the curves and parts of the Distinti, is more open, so a good part of the crowd can sit uncovered. For a summer or early-autumn fixture bring sun protection and water in the valley heat, while for a winter evening a warm and waterproof layer is wise, as the Po valley cold and fog can make a night match raw. Check the forecast and dress for the season.

Bag Policy

Like other Italian grounds, Stadio Renato Dall'Ara runs a firm bag policy with searches on entry, so the sensible approach is to travel light. Large bags and rucksacks are best left at your accommodation, since oversized bags are refused and there is no guarantee of a bag store, with only small bags admitted subject to search. Standard prohibited items apply, including bottles, cans, outside alcohol, pyrotechnics and flares, and any object judged dangerous. Italian matches also require the ticket to match the name of the holder for many fixtures, so bring photo identification, check the club's matchday guidance before you travel, and arrive early to clear the search, especially for the visit of a big club.

Food, Drink and Bars

Bologna is known across Italy as La Grassa, the fat, the richest table in the country, so the food is one of the great reasons to visit, and the ground sits within easy reach of a centre packed with trattorie, osterie and bars. The matchday build-up runs from the streets near the stadium to the arcaded heart of the city.

Matchday Bars near the Ground

The streets around Stadio Renato Dall'Ara have bars and cafes that fill with supporters before a match, busy with the red and blue in the hours before kick-off, and because the ground is close to the centre the whole city is within easy reach. The mood on matchday is friendly and local, the atmosphere of a proud old club enjoying its best years in a generation. It is easy to combine a drink near the ground with the short walk into the centre, though as always some bars nearest the ground are for the home support, so away fans should ask before settling in.

The Centre and Bolognese Food

The historic centre of Bologna, a short walk or bus ride from the ground, is one of the finest food cities in the world, the home of tortellini, of tagliatelle with the true ragù, of mortadella and of the cooking that made the city famous. Its arcaded streets, the oldest university in the world and the great squares are packed with osterie and trattorie serving the food of Emilia-Romagna, along with the local Lambrusco and Pignoletto wines. A matchday at the Dall'Ara is a fine excuse to eat as well as anywhere in Italy.

Food Inside the Ground

Inside the ground the concourses serve the traditional Italian matchday fare of snacks, panini and drinks, including the local mortadella in a roll, to keep the crowd going through the game. The real draw is the food of Bologna itself, so for a proper meal eat in the centre before or after the match, and use the concourses for a quick bite in the classic football manner.

Entry Process and Gate Times

Bologna use modern ticketing, so for most fixtures the ticket is issued digitally or as a named ticket and scanned at the turnstile, and Italian rules mean the name on the ticket must often match the holder, so bring photo identification. Load the ticket, charge your phone and have your documents ready before you reach the turnstile. Gates open ahead of kick-off to let the crowd filter in, and with a bag search and identity checks the turnstiles get busy in the last half hour, particularly for the visit of a big club. Aim to be at the ground in good time rather than joining the final rush, and allow a moment to find your section once inside the historic ground.

Getting Away After the Match

Leaving Stadio Renato Dall'Ara is straightforward, as the compact city of Bologna keeps the centre and the station within a short walk or bus ride of the ground.

On Foot and by Bus

Because the stadium is close to the centre, many supporters simply walk away from the ground into the city after the match, a stroll of around half an hour through the arcaded streets, while city buses carry those who would rather ride back towards the centre and the station. The streets near the ground are busy immediately after the final whistle, so either move quickly with the first wave or let the crowd thin before setting off. The short distances in Bologna make getting away one of the easier parts of the trip.

By Train and Car

Bologna Centrale, around three kilometres from the ground, is one of the great railway hubs of Italy, so supporters heading onward by train have superb connections across the country a short bus ride or walk from the stadium. Drivers face some congestion on the busy streets around the ground and the roads to the motorway, so patience helps, and leaving a little after the crowd can save time. For most, the walk into the centre and the train from Bologna Centrale is the simplest way onward.

Rounding Off the Evening

The natural way to end a Bologna matchday is to walk back into the arcaded centre and enjoy the food and wine of the richest table in Italy, in one of the great eating cities of the world, all within easy reach of the ground. The simplest way to beat any post-match crowd is to let the immediate crush clear before making for the centre or the station. Win or lose, an evening in Bologna after the match, with a plate of tortellini and a glass of Lambrusco, is a fine end to a football trip.

Stadium History

Stadio Renato Dall'Ara opened in 1927 as the Littoriale, one of the first great stadiums in Italy and the first to be funded by a public body, a monumental brick ground of the era with its landmark Marathon Tower rising over one end. It hosted matches at the 1934 World Cup and has staged the football of the city for a century, growing and changing over the generations while keeping its distinctive character. Renamed in the 1980s after Renato Dall'Ara, the long-serving club president who led Bologna through a golden era, the ground remains one of the most atmospheric and historic in the country.

Bologna FC, the Rossoblù, founded in 1909, are one of the older and prouder clubs in Italy, winners of seven league titles, most of them in a golden age that stretched from the 1920s to their last championship in 1964. After many quieter decades the club has enjoyed a remarkable revival in recent years, qualifying for the Champions League for the first time in the modern era and winning the Coppa Italia in 2025, their first major trophy in around half a century, sparking joyous scenes in the city. The Dall'Ara has been the stage for this return to the big time, drawing the giants of Serie A and the nights of European football back to Bologna.

The ground has staged countless memorable matches across its long history, from the great Bologna sides of the past to the modern revival, and it has also hosted the Italy national team down the years. Its combination of history, the landmark tower and the passion of the Curva Bulgarelli makes it one of the most characterful venues in the Italian game. From 1927 to the modern day, the Dall'Ara has stood at the heart of football in one of the finest cities in Italy.

Memorable Matches

The stadium's history, verified by contemporary records, spans the great old Bologna sides and the club's modern revival. Its finest recent chapters are the return to the Champions League for the first time in the modern era and the Coppa Italia triumph of 2025, the club's first major trophy in around fifty years, along with the European nights and the visits of the giants of Serie A that have followed. Add the seven league titles of the club's golden age, the 1934 World Cup matches and the Italy internationals staged here, and the Dall'Ara stands as one of the most storied grounds in the country.

Stadium Future

The future of Stadio Renato Dall'Ara is one of the biggest questions in the city. A major renovation of the historic ground had long been planned, with a project worth around two hundred and twenty million euros drawn up to modernise the stadium, but in early 2026 the club stepped back from the scheme, citing gaps in the funding, and turned instead to the idea of building a new stadium on the outskirts of the city. The situation remains open, with the modernisation of the old ground suspended and the option of a new venue under consideration, so the coming years will decide whether Bologna stay and rebuild at the Dall'Ara or move to a new home. For now the club continues to play at the historic ground, with its Marathon Tower and its character intact, while the debate over its long-term future goes on.

Accessibility

Stadio Renato Dall'Ara has accessible provision, with positions for wheelchair users and step-free access to the relevant areas, though as one of the oldest grounds in Italy some parts remain more constrained than at a modern build, and any future renovation or new stadium would look to improve this. Supporters requiring accessible seating should contact the club well before the match to confirm the available spaces, arrange any companion ticket and check the best route into the ground and the nearest entrance. With Bologna Centrale a short bus ride away and the ground close to the centre of a compact city, reaching the stadium is manageable, and it is worth confirming the arrangements and allowing extra time on a busy matchday.

High-Demand Fixtures and Pricing

The fixtures that move Stadio Renato Dall'Ara tickets fastest are the visits of the giants of Serie A to Bologna. The visit of Juventus is a standout occasion, which you can follow on the Bologna vs Juventus tickets page, with the visitors' own listings on the Juventus tickets page. The visits of the champions Inter Milan, of AS Roma and of Lazio are the other biggest draws, always among the hottest tickets of the season in Bologna. The full home programme sits on the Bologna tickets and Serie A tickets listings. Fixtures against smaller sides are the most accessible and sometimes available closer to kick-off, though the club's revival has raised demand across the board. Secondary-market prices move with demand, so treat any figure as indicative rather than fixed and buy early for the visits of the giants.

Buying Stadio Renato Dall'Ara Tickets on 1BoxOffice

1BoxOffice is a verified secondary marketplace that has operated since 2006, showing seat-level detail before you pay and backing every order with a 150% money-back guarantee if a ticket fails to grant entry on matchday. The eight steps below cover the process from finding a fixture to tracking your order.

Tips for International Visitors

Stadio Renato Dall'Ara offers international visitors a football trip in one of the finest and most underrated cities in Italy, a historic ground in the food capital of the country. Take the train to Bologna Centrale, one of the great rail hubs of Italy, around an hour from Milan and forty minutes from Florence, then walk or take a bus out to the ground near the centre. Base yourself in the arcaded historic city, where the sights, the restaurants and the hotels are all within easy reach of the stadium, and remember that Bologna itself, with its towers, its arcades, its oldest university in the world and its incomparable food, is a huge part of the appeal. A Bologna matchday pairs the football with the richest table in Italy.

With Florence, Modena, Parma and the whole of Emilia-Romagna close by, many supporters build a longer trip around the match. If you are lining up other fixtures, the football tickets hub, the wider football tournaments calendar and the venues tickets directory show what else is on. In and around Bologna, the two leaning towers, the great arcades that run for miles, the walk or bus up to the San Luca sanctuary on the hill, and the food markets and osterie of the old town all reward a matchday trip to Emilia-Romagna.

Frequently Asked Questions

Sources: Bologna FC 1909 (bolognafc.it), club matchday guidance, Trenitalia and Bologna public transport information, and stadium reference records such as StadiumDB and football ground guides.