December 2026 in Bologna: Leopardi, Pablo Trincia, Sleeping Beauty, Madame, Cinderella on Ice
December in Bologna is a month full of atmosphere, with Christmas lights, the streets of the city center decorated for the festivities and many events that accompany residents and visitors until the end of the year.
Markets, shows, concerts, exhibitions and cultural events offer numerous opportunities to experience the city, while the squares and porticoes become an even more evocative setting. Not to mention New Year’s Eve itself, with numerous themed dinners and parties around the city center. In short, it is the perfect time to discover Bologna in a festive atmosphere and let yourself be carried away by the many initiatives on the calendar.
Here is what to do and what to see in Bologna in December 2026.
“Fuori misura. Il Leopardi come non ve l’ha mai raccontato nessuno” – Friday, December 4, 2026
Poet, writer, philosopher, translator and glottologist: who really was Giacomo Leopardi?
Beyond the schoolbook image of the pessimistic poet, the show reveals his humanity, irony and extraordinary creative strength. In a school classroom, Professor Andrea Roversi conducts a lesson outside the usual schemes, accompanying the audience through his childhood in Recanati, his loves, his illness and Leopardi’s immortal verses. An engaging story for young people and adults that, in the age of technology, celebrates the value of art as essential nourishment for life.
The appointment is set for Friday, December 4, 2026 at 8:30 PM at Teatro La Baracca Testoni Ragazzi, in Via Matteotti 16 in Bologna.
Pablo Trincia | L’uomo sbagliato – Wednesday, December 9, 2026
From the written word to the stage, from news reporting to the scene: Pablo Trincia, one of the most talented storytellers of our time, brings L’Uomo Sbagliato – Un’inchiesta dal vivo to the theater. A shocking story about a case of miscarriage of justice that destroyed the lives of several people, stopping at Teatro EuropAuditorium on December 9, 2026, taking the audience inside a dark story.
At the center of the show, written by Trincia himself together with Debora Campanella, is the chilling story of Ezzeddine Sebai, a Tunisian serial killer who, in 2006, confessed from prison to fourteen murders of elderly women committed in southern Italy in the mid-1990s. A revelation that calls dozens of already concluded trials and final sentences into question: for some of those crimes, in fact, innocent people were convicted, who for years have been fighting to prove their extraneousness to the facts.
Through videos, original testimonies, court documents and archival images, L’Uomo Sbagliato tells a true and disturbing story, a journalistic investigation that becomes a live show and transforms into an immersive experience, capable of shaking consciences and bringing an uncomfortable truth back into the spotlight. This project represents a turning point in the way current events and news are told: a new, courageous and deeply human way.
The show will take place on the evening of Wednesday, December 9, 2026 at 9:00 PM at Teatro EuropAuditorium in Bologna.
“La bella addormentata nel bosco: balletto di Čajkovskij per bambini e famiglie” – Sunday, December 13, 2026
Sleeping Beauty in the woods brings to the stage the masterpiece by Čajkovskij and of romantic ballet, inspired by the fairy tale by Perrault. A hundred-year-long spell envelops Princess Aurora, until the kiss of Prince Florimondo restores life and time to the kingdom. Between the protection of the Lilac Fairy and the shadow of the wicked Carabosse, the show leads to a festive finale, with the Grand pas de deux and the royal wedding.
Orchestra, ballet company and actors share the stage in a production that recreates a fairytale and theatrical world, designed for the imagination of the youngest and for the emotion of listening live.
The show will take place in the late afternoon of Sunday, December 13, 2026, starting at 5:00 PM at Teatro Celebrazioni, in Via Saragozza 234 in Bologna.
Madame at Bologna’s Estragon – Saturday, December 19 and Sunday, December 20, 2026
Twenty-four years old and with no desire to conform to the masses, Madame arrives at the new tour after successes, silences and songs capable of telling the new generations and digging into the soul. At just 16 years old, Madame signed her first record contract and her single Sciccherie received a Platinum Record. In just a few years, her songs gained popularity and climbed the charts, but it was with her participation in Sanremo 2021 with the song Voce and in the 2023 edition of the music festival with Il bene nel male that she became known to the general public.
Today the singer brings her Disincanto tour to the most important stages in Italy. For the occasion, two evenings are scheduled at Estragon Club in Bologna, in Via Stalingrado 83: Saturday, December 19 and Sunday, December 20, 2026, always at 9:00 PM.
Cinderella on Ice. The Imperial Ice Stars – Wednesday, December 23, Saturday, December 26 and Sunday, December 27, 2026
The world’s leading theatrical ice skating company, Imperial Ice Stars, arrives with its spectacular production of Cinderella on Ice. It is one of the most demanding ice shows ever created from an artistic point of view, staged on five continents – from Australia to the United Kingdom, and as far as Canada – and welcomed everywhere with standing ovations. This new interpretation of the classic fairy tale was conceived and choreographed by the award-winning director and choreographer Tony Mercer.
An exhilarating combination of theater and extreme sport, the show opens new frontiers in the world of ice dancing. Famous for the daring nature of its performances and its original storytelling style, the cast of 21 international champions and performers will perform spectacular acrobatic evolutions. Staged on a specially created platform and maintained at a temperature of -15 degrees Celsius, Cinderella on Ice features extraordinary special effects (including fire, rain and flying effects), magnificent projected sets and costumes created by renowned designer Veronika Pasternak.
In this original reinterpretation of the timeless fairy tale, the story sees Cinderella in the role of a humble corps de ballet dancer who is catapulted into the spotlight as a prima ballerina, enchanting the fascinating Prince, the most sought-after bachelor in the city, with her grace. Despite the stepsisters’ attempts to win the heart of the handsome Prince – orchestrated with true wickedness by the stepmother – true love will triumph. Making Cinderella’s dream of attending the ball possible will be the magical powers of the Fortune-Telling Gypsy and the help of her father, the kind clockmaker of the city.
Founded in 2004 by Tony Mercer, the company The Imperial Ice Stars was born from a revolutionary idea: to bring figure skating out of traditional sports arenas and onto real theatrical stages, combining technique on the ice with deep theatricality. And so the show also arrives in Bologna, specifically at Teatro Celebrazioni (in Via Saragozza 234).
The event is scheduled for 3 evenings close to Christmas, for a total of 5 shows:
- Wednesday, December 23, 2026 – 9:00 PM
- Saturday, December 26, 2026 – 4:00 PM and 8:00 PM
- Sunday, December 27, 2026 – 4:00 PM and 8:00 PM
Carmen Thyssen Collection at Palazzo Albergati – until March 29, 2027
Presented to the world for the very first time, the renowned and prestigious Carmen Thyssen Collection makes its debut in Bologna, taking over the magnificent historic rooms of Palazzo Albergati and bringing more than 100 outstanding masterpieces to the city. The exhibition opened in October and will run until March 29, 2027.
The exhibition, “From Gaudí to Picasso”, takes visitors on a journey through one of the most extraordinary and vibrant periods in European art history, exploring the remarkable era when Barcelona became a driving force of modernity. Blending beauty and poetry, it offers a unique opportunity to admire works by some of the greatest artists of the 20th century, including Antoni Gaudí, Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dalí and Joan Miró, alongside other leading figures from the Catalan and international art scenes, such as Santiago Rusiñol, Joaquim Mir, Isidre Nonell, Joaquim Torres-García and Julio González.
A must-see exhibition for anyone visiting Bologna this autumn and winter, as well as next spring.
If you don’t want to miss these events and live outside of Bologna, we recommend booking accommodation in the city center for a unique and immersive experience. Where? At the Ghisiliera B&B, a property with 40 square meters of apartments located in a strategic position for exploring Bologna like a true local.
Click here to read about the room features, see photos, discover all the extra services, and book your stay!
