Piazza Maggiore, the Vecchione, dinner in the hills. And nobody has to drive.
New Year's Eve in Bologna has a ritual of its own: at midnight in Piazza Maggiore the city burns the Vecchione, a giant figure representing the year that is ending. All around there are dinners in restaurants in the centre and in the hills, private parties and clubs. It is also the night when a taxi is hardest to find and when nobody should be behind the wheel. Here is how to plan it.
Around midnight the historic centre is closed to traffic and full of people: cars cannot get close to Piazza Maggiore. With a private driver we agree in advance the nearest drop-off and pick-up points, a few minutes' walk away, and the driver waits for you there at the agreed time.
Every year the City of Bologna publishes the programme of the evening and the traffic restrictions: we check them before setting the times.
Many restaurants and villas hosting New Year's Eve dinners are in the Bologna hills, towards Imola or in the Apennines: dark, winding roads and frequent checks. With a driver at your disposal for the evening you can go, celebrate and come back, even with several stops (dinner, a toast in the centre, then a party at friends').
On New Year's Eve requests far exceed the cars available, in the city and across the region. Our advice is to book the service in November or early December: times, addresses and number of people are all we need for a fixed-price quote. The same applies to airport returns on 1 January and to arrivals by train over the holidays: see Bologna Airport Chauffeur and Bologna Centrale Station Chauffeur.
No, the centre is closed to traffic during the celebrations. We drop you off and pick you up at the nearest permitted point, agreed in advance.
Yes, with the hourly at-disposal service: the driver stays with you for every stop of the evening.
As early as possible: by November availability for the night of the 31st is already much lower.
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