The best viewpoints in Bologna

There's a catch worth knowing up front. The Asinelli Tower, the climb everyone has in their head, has been closed since October 2023 while engineers stabilise its leaning neighbour. So the question isn't "should I climb the towers?" It's "where do I actually go for the view?" Here are the spots that deliver, from a basilica terrace in the middle of the centro to a hilltop dome you reach under the world's longest portico.

San Petronio's rooftop terrace

This is the easiest great view in the city, and a lot of visitors walk right past it. Since 2016 you can ride a lift up the side of the Basilica di San Petronio to a terrace running along the roof. You're standing right on the edge of Piazza Maggiore, eye level with the towers, with the hills and San Luca off to the south. Access is by paid ticket from the entrance behind the basilica on Piazza Galvani. It's a guided slot rather than a free-for-all, so check the official hours and book ahead in busy months.

The San Luca dome

The most rewarding view in Bologna asks the most of you. Walk the Portico di San Luca, the longest covered walkway in the world at roughly 3.8km and 666 arches, up to the hilltop Sanctuary of the Madonna di San Luca. Once you're there, you can climb up to the panoramic terrace around the dome (the "San Luca Sky Experience") for a sweeping look back over the whole city and the plain beyond. The terrace ticket is a few euro, with reduced rates for kids and over-65s and free entry for small children. Don't fancy the uphill walk? A road and the San Luca Express tourist train both get you to the top.

Torre Prendiparte, the tower you can actually climb

With the Asinelli closed, the Torre Prendiparte is the medieval tower view to chase. It's one of the best-preserved of the city's surviving towers, a two-minute walk from the centre, and the rooftop gives you a genuine 360 over the red roofs, from San Petronio to the Due Torri to San Luca on the hill. Access is limited and usually arranged in advance through the tower itself (it doubles as a small B&B), so this one needs planning rather than a walk-up. Worth the effort if you want the proper tower-top experience.

Palazzo d'Accursio clock tower

Right on Piazza Maggiore, the Torre dell'Orologio inside Palazzo d'Accursio (the town hall) opens to visitors and looks straight down the square. You get the porticoes, the rooftops and the hills in one go, plus a view onto the piazza itself that ground-level photos never capture. It pairs naturally with a wander through the main square and the Neptune Fountain just beside it. Check current opening hours before you go, as access can be ticketed and limited to certain slots.

San Michele in Bosco, the free panorama

For a view that costs nothing and skips the queues, head up to the monastic complex of San Michele in Bosco on the hill just south of the centre. The terrace in front of the church looks straight down a clean axis into the old town, with the towers and the dome of San Petronio lined up. It's a 20-minute uphill walk or a short bus ride, and locals come here for the sunset rather than the church. Pack a drink and you've got the cheapest aperitivo view in Bologna.

Rooftop bars and hotel terraces

If you'd rather take your panorama with a Negroni, several hotels run rooftop bars open to non-guests in the warmer months. The terraces at places like Aemilia and Hotel Touring give you the porticoes and, from the right angle, San Luca glowing at sunset. Most run an evening aperitivo service from late spring through early autumn. They sit a little outside the very core, which is exactly why the rooflines open up. If a sundowner with a view is the plan, sort your base first on the where to stay guide, then drift up at golden hour.

A word on the Two Towers

You'll see the climb advertised everywhere, so to be clear: the Asinelli has been shut since late 2023 and the leaning Garisenda beside it has never been open and is now fenced off for structural work. Don't build your day around climbing them. Admire the Due Torri from the street, then go up San Petronio or Prendiparte for the panorama instead. If and when the Asinelli reopens it'll be by timed advance ticket, the same as before.

Putting it together

Short on time? Do San Petronio's terrace for the in-town view and San Luca for the big one. Got a half-day and good legs? Walk the portico up to San Luca in the morning, then catch the sunset from San Michele in Bosco. Either way, these views slot neatly into a wider day of sights across the centre, a long lunch in the restaurants or the old market lanes, and a wander under the UNESCO porticoes that earn Bologna its red.

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