Bologna in winter? Conventional wisdom holds that the best time to visit northern Italy is in spring or autumn when the weather isn’t too hot or cold. We have been to Bologna—the capital of the Emilia Romagna region—many times in shoulder seasons, always enjoying our visits so much that we find another reason to return.

But during our first off-season visit to the city in late February, we discovered many compelling reasons to visit Bologna in winter, even if we did experience a snowfall that draped the statue of Neptune in Piazza Maggiore. There are plenty of things to do, but there are also distinct advantages to spending a few days or weeks in Bologna in winter when the city is resplendent with special events, festivals and exhibitions.