Portico di San Luca: the world's longest portico
A covered walkway of 666 arches climbs 3.8km from the edge of Bologna up to the hilltop sanctuary of the Madonna di San Luca. It's the showpiece of the city's UNESCO porticoes, and the walk most locals do at least once.
The Portico di San Luca is the longest continuous arcade on Earth: roughly 3.8 kilometres of covered arches running from the old Porta Saragozza gate, across the Meloncello arch, then up a wooded hill to the basilica that watches over Bologna. Walking it is free, takes most people around an hour each way, and the view from the top is the payoff.
- Length
- ~3.8 km
- Arches
- 666
- Built
- 1674–1732
- Walk time
- ~1 hr uphill
What it actually is
Bologna is a city of porticoes. About 62km of them thread the centre, and in 2021 they were inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. The San Luca portico is the most famous stretch of all. It was built between 1674 and 1732, mostly to shelter the pilgrims who carried a Byzantine icon of the Madonna down from the hilltop sanctuary into the city each spring, a procession that still happens today.
The arch count gets people talking. There are 666 arches, and because the portico snakes up the hillside, the story goes that the number was chosen on purpose: the Madonna's path crushing the serpent. Make of that what you will. It does look like a stone snake when you see it from above.
The route, in two halves
The walk splits cleanly in two. The first part is flat. From Porta Saragozza, southwest of the centre, about 316 arches run gently along Via Saragozza for roughly 1.5km until you reach the Arco del Meloncello, the grand baroque arch that carries the portico over a road junction.
The second part is the climb. From the Meloncello, another 350-odd arches zigzag steeply uphill through trees, broken up by fifteen small chapels, until the Sanctuary of the Madonna di San Luca appears at the top. This is where you earn the view: terracotta rooftops, the towers, and on a clear day the green wall of the Apennines behind the city.
Local tip
The portico is covered the whole way, which means you can do this walk in light rain or in August heat and stay shaded. Wear real shoes though. The uphill section is genuinely steep in places, with steps, and it sneaks up on you after the flat first kilometre and a half.
How to get to the start
Porta Saragozza is about a 20–25 minute walk from the main square, or a short hop on a city bus down Via Saragozza. If you'd rather not walk both directions, the easiest move is to ride up and walk down, or vice versa.
The San Luca Express, a little red tourist road-train, leaves from near Piazza Maggiore and trundles up to the sanctuary. It's the simplest option if you're short on time or travelling with kids or anyone who can't manage the hill. City buses also run partway. Check current timetables before you go, since the train's schedule shifts by season.
At the top
The Sanctuary of the Madonna di San Luca is worth the climb in its own right: a big domed baroque church with the famous icon inside and a terrace looking back over the whole city. Entry to the church is free; there's usually a small charge if you want to go up to the higher panoramic viewpoints. Full detail on the San Luca sanctuary page.
When to go
Early morning or late afternoon are best, both for light and for cooler walking. Sunset from the top is a local favourite. Avoid the hottest part of a summer day even though you're shaded, because the climb still gets you sweating. The portico is open and free at all hours, but the sanctuary keeps church hours, so check official times if visiting the interior matters to you.
Do the San Luca walk with a guide
Some Bologna walking and e-bike tours include the climb up to San Luca with the history of the portico along the way, so you get the context without planning the logistics yourself.
Browse San Luca toursMake a day of it
San Luca pairs naturally with the rest of Bologna's icons. Back in the centre, climb the taller of the two medieval towers for a different angle on the city, then wander the market lanes of the old Quadrilatero or duck into the carved-wood anatomical theatre at the first home of Europe's oldest university. If the portico left you hungry, the covered Mercato di Mezzo food hall is the obvious refuel.
To turn the hilltop view into a full half-day, plan how you'll move around the city, line up somewhere to eat the real ragù afterward, and if you're staying in this part of town, browse where to base yourself. Heading further afield next? See the day trips from Bologna.
Stay near the Saragozza gate
Basing yourself near Porta Saragozza or the southwest of the centre puts the start of the walk on your doorstep and keeps you a short stroll from Piazza Maggiore.
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