The 12 best Bologna porticoes: stroll through history

Bologna’s porticoes are more than just covered arches; they are a journey through centuries of history, art, and culture.

These covered walkways, stretching over 62 kilometers, of which 42 kilometers are within the historic center, were designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2021, emphasizing their cultural and social importance.

Here are 12 must-visit porticoes that showcase Bologna’s charm.

The origin and development of Bologna’s porticoes

The origins of Bologna’s porticoes date back to the 11th century, during a time when the establishment of the University of Bologna brought an influx of students and scholars to the city.

To accommodate this growing population, buildings were expanded with overhanging structures, creating the first porticoes. These extensions protected from the elements and expanded public spaces without occupying valuable land.

In 1288, a city ordinance mandated the construction of porticoes for all new buildings and required existing buildings without porticoes to add them.

This decree cemented the portico as an essential feature of Bologna's urban fabric.

Some porticoes are built of wood, others of stone or brick, as well as reinforced concrete, and cover streets, squares, paths and pedestrian walkways.

Why does Bologna have so many porticoes?

Unlike other cities where porticoes were primarily private additions, Bologna's porticoes were seen as a public good.

They provided protection from both intense heat and heavy rain, making them invaluable to the community.

This belief was formalized in the 1288 statute, which required all buildings to have porticoes. The law also ensured that these structures remained accessible to the public, enhancing the city’s urban landscape.

The best porticoes in Bologna

Bologna has a total of 62 kilometers of porticoes, making it the city with the largest network of covered walkways in the world.

Of these, 12 sections have been recognized by UNESCO for their cultural and historical significance.

Here are the best:

Not even a meter large, that’s the smallest portico of Bologna.

It’s easy to get physically too close to strangers while walking there, hence the street’s appellation “Bad Name”, which turned into “No Name”.

Since you are there, take a look at the window of Flo Fiori, one of the best shops in Bologna and spend your memorable lunch at Osteria Bottega.

Salaborsa Library is one of the most lively places in the city, set in the former town hall stables.

The inside was realized with iron and glass at the end of the 19th century with its three porticoes overlapped, all painted.

Walk all around the place, it's full of hidden wanders.

The Portico of San Luca is Bologna's longest and most famous portico, stretching 3,796 meters and comprising 666 arches. It connects Porta Saragozza to the Sanctuary of the Madonna di San Luca, perched atop the Colle della Guardia.

Built between 1674 and 1732, the portico served to protect pilgrims making their way to the sanctuary, particularly during the annual procession carrying a Byzantine icon of the Madonna and Child to Bologna’s cathedral.

Stop at Bar Billi for a memorable Bologna breakfast with cappuccino and brioche before the rise, or a spritz on the way back once you've done your job.

From Latin America’s struggle for freedom to the most modern demonstrations, these bricks have joined the clash.
These daubed walls still keep students' ideas since the 1960s.

Get a beer or a glass of wine with the students, and you will know why everyone has wanted to study in Bologna since middle age.

Located along Strada Maggiore, the Portico dei Servi is renowned for its exceptional width, creating a spacious and airy environment.

This portico leads toward Porta Maggiore and is often used for a Christmas market, making it a vibrant meeting place for both locals and visitors.

For a coffee or a bite of Bologna street food just to go Piazza Altrovandi, just next to it.

A trimmed and adorned façade in the front, a bunch of confused poor windows in the back. This portico was built just to put an elegant cover on the rowdy and smelly roads of the Quadrilatero market.

Local architect Jacopo Barozzi made it, yes the same guy of Barozzi cake.

In one of the parts of shopping in Bologna, full of banks and fancy cafés, you feel the vibes of modernity strolling under a marvelously frescoed portico, the only one with painted vaults.

Definitely one of the most famous Bologna porticoes, and one of the best.

What if you lived in middle age, your neighbors were ready to kidnap your children, and the arcades stopped you from seeing who was knocking at your door?

Better to make a hole in the floor and spy downstairs!

Check the wood portico in Piazza della Mercanzia and find the secret hole.

Outside the city center, made only in 1962 but still on the UNESCO World Heritage list of candidates.

This portico reminds a leaving train and it's the symbol of the Barca neighborhood.

Teatro Comunale was the most astonishing Renaissance opera house in Bologna.
Then it was destroyed by the fury of the people and now it's one of the best theaters in Bologna.

Listen up: the rehearsals are boosted on the outside and you can hear them under the portico.

Bologna University is the oldest in the Western world and used to have its venue next door at Archiginnasio.

So many students have passed under the arcade of this bookshop, whose stands on the outside look like Paris' bouquinistes.

It's one of the best bookshops in Bologna, but not the only one to put on your bucket list.

Tall, time-worn, wooden columns and a secret: three arrows were stuck in the ceiling during a failed kidnap mission, back in the 15th century.

Bunches of people are looking upwards every day to count them all.

Can you see all three of them?

Get the best from your walk under the porticoes

The porticoes of Bologna are a unique treasure that intertwines history, architecture, and daily life

Want to explore Bologna’s porticoes with a local expert?
Join our Bologna tours to uncover their secrets and hidden stories!

[Photo credits: Giovanni Racca, Lorenzo Gaudenzi, moke076, Davide Alberani]