How to Walk Bologna’s Portico di San Luca (Map Included!)
Bologna is a city of porticoes.
They’re simply everywhere: wide, pillared, covered walkways lining the buildings of Bologna. Many are arched; others have intricately designed flat ceilings. They cast dramatic shadows and create particularly picturesque settings for al fresco dining.
The porticoes also make Bologna a particular joy to walk — protected from the sun and passing vehicles alike, pedestrians can focus on the beautiful city around them.
To get the full Bologna portico experience, I recommend walking the city’s longest portico: the Portico di San Luca.
In fact, at more than 2 miles or 3 kilometers, the Portico of Saint Luke is actually the longest portico in the world.
This impressive portico and its hundreds of arches lead from the city streets to the Santuario Madonna di San Luca — a church perched high on a hill above Bologna.
Walking the Portico di San Luca to the Santuario is one of the best things to do in Bologna, and something I recommend for everyone with the ability to climb the hill, as the portico is beautiful and the views of the city spectacular.
Here’s what to know about walking the Portico di San Luca.
TIP: This map contains the locations and walking route discussed in this blog post. To save it to your own Google Maps account, click the star next to the map’s name. You can then find and use the map from your Google Maps app by going to “Saved,” then “Maps.”
Where the Portico di San Luca Begins
Bologna’s Portico di San Luca begins at Porta Saragozza, a medieval gate dating back to the 13th or 14th century. Walk through the gate and enter the portico via the arch on the right side of the street.
Walking Up to the Santuario
The first section of the portico is flat, as it follows a city street.
You will soon cross the street via the Arco Del Meloncello, a beautiful 18th century structure.
At this point, the portico leaves the city street and begins to climb up the hill via stairs and ramps. The remainder of the walk is uphill, but it’s a beautiful climb through a warmly colored portico with seemingly endless arches.
Before I walked the portico, I read that this is a difficult climb. That wasn’t my experience — I thought it was a pretty straightforward and moderate walk up a hill, though it can be a bit steep during the last half-mile of the walk. Of course, depending on your own fitness and ability, you may have a different experience.
From Porta Saragozza, it took me 55 minutes to reach the Santuario. This included plenty of stops to take photos — it’s a super picturesque journey!
Visiting the Santuario
At the top of the hill, be sure to appreciate the views of the city and surrounding area — there are a few different viewpoints to discover. I also recommend walking around the building, as there’s a nice plaza with great views of the basilica.
The main area of the basilica is free to visit, although you can purchase tickets to visit the crypt or the dome.
Heads up that there’s a restroom available at the cathedral, but — like many public toilets in Europe — access costs half a euro.
I walked the portico on a Sunday, and both the portico and basilica were buzzing with lots of visitors.
Returning to the City
When you are done exploring the Santuario, simply go back and return to Bologna the same way you came.
In my opinion, the best views of historic Bologna are on the way down. In fact, it took me an hour to walk down — longer than it took me to climb up! — because I paused more often to take photos.
Alternative Ways to Get Up the Hill
I do recommend walking the portico. But if you can’t, or don’t want to, there are few alternative options:
You can drive your own vehicle and park in the free lot below the basilica (note that you’ll still have to walk up a bit of the hill from there).
Catch the red and blue tourist train, the San Luca Express, from Piazza Maggiore. Check out current pricing and timetables (and buy a ticket) here.
A city bus will drop you off at a stop just below the basilica.
Naturally, if you have a particular challenge with climbing inclines, you can take a vehicle up to the hill and then walk down via the portico — or vice versa, if your issue is instead with walking downhill.
Final Thoughts
Walking the Portico di San Luca is one of the best things I did while visiting Bologna, and one of my top recommendations for other visitors to the city.
In my view, it’s the perfect way to experience and appreciate Bologna’s spectacular porticoes, plus a super picturesque opportunity to get in some exercise. Don’t miss it!
More Information About Bologna and ITALY
ITINERARIES | Learn how to spend one week in Bologna, Venice, and beyond, or check out my one-month Italy itinerary (COMING SOON!).
BOLOGNA | Read about why Bologna is worth visiting.
SAN MARINO | Discover how to take a day trip from Bologna to the tiny nation of San Marino.
COSTS | Here’s how much I spent for one month in Italy.
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