What happens in Bologna during a trade fair

When BolognaFiere hosts Cersaie, Cosmoprof, Arte Fiera, Autopromotec or Marca, the city runs out of rooms. Hotels fill months ahead and rates climb far above normal levels: book late and you find rooms at absurd prices, or none at all.

Experienced exhibitors do not solve this by paying more in Bologna. They sleep in a well-connected nearby city.

Modena is 30 minutes away by train

Regional trains run between Modena and Bologna throughout the day, with a journey time of about half an hour. From Bologna Centrale the exhibition district is reachable by city transport or the shuttle services BolognaFiere runs during the major fairs.

Modena station is a 5-minute walk from Martin's Home. You do not need a car to reach the fair — and if you bring one, you park it free nearby: the address is outside the ZTL, and the host provides a voucher for free parking on the blue lines in the surrounding streets (an unreserved space you find yourself).

Why an apartment rather than a hotel room

• Four people in one place: for an exhibiting team the cost per head collapses against four single rooms.
• A full kitchen: after three days on a stand, being able to eat in matters more than you'd think.
• Washer and dryer for the longer fairs.
• Workspace and fibre Wi-Fi to prepare the next day's meetings.
• Italian electronic invoicing with VAT number and recipient code, for expenses.

And Modena is not a compromise

The historic centre is a UNESCO site and walkable: Duomo and Piazza Grande 13 minutes away, Mercato Albinelli 14. This is the town of Osteria Francescana, with the Enzo Ferrari Museum in the city and the Maranello one twenty-five minutes away. If you are taking a client to dinner, Modena holds its own against Bologna.

For companies

A corporate agreement is available with a dedicated rate for direct bookings, electronic invoicing via SDI and purchase orders accepted. Some high-demand periods are excluded, so it is worth registering well before the fair.

Booking early matters

In fair weeks availability runs out here too — just later than in Bologna. Booking three or four months ahead gets you both the space and the better rate.