San Luca Portico on Foot, from Porta Saragozza to the Sanctuary
1 h 15 · 3.8 kmAnyone who can walk for an hour; steps on the final stretchDog-friendlyAll year, under cover
Walk · 3.8 km · 215 m of climb · 1 h 15 · Free
Stay2–3 nights
AccessFlight to Marconi airport
Getting aroundOn foot, under arcades
NoteAsinelli Tower closed
What to do
What to do in Bologna
Each plan says how long it takes, who it's for and whether you can book.
Archiginnasio and Anatomical Theatre, the Old University
40 minAll agesAll year
Visit · 40 min with audio guide · Book online · From €10
From €10
See the activity
Clock Tower of the Palazzo d'Accursio and Its Terraces
40 minAll ages; upper terrace from age 8All year
Climb on foot up the Clock Tower of the Palazzo d'Accursio, with the mechanism and two terraces above Piazza Maggiore; €10 including the art collections.
From €10
Book
Itineraries
Itineraries that pass through
Days and weekends already planned out, with how to get between each stop and who to book with.
Day itinerary
Bologna on a Saturday: anatomical theatre, ragù and a walk in Spanish
Day itinerary
Bologna on a Sunday: San Luca, tortellini and the Clock Tower
Day itinerary
Bologna: osteria, wine shop and dinner
Itinerary · 2 nights
Two nights in Bologna, with a direct flight from Spain or by train from Rome: porticoes, San Luca, towers and tortellini
Plan the trip
Bologna, step by step
Each choice narrows the next: the season shapes how best to travel, and how you travel decides where you stay and where you eat.
When to go
When to go to Bologna
Spring and autumn, with mild temperatures for walking. In July and August it's very hot and some visits, such as Lucio Dalla's house, pause. In winter the arcades shelter you from the rain.
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How you travel
Bologna your way
Choose how you're travelling and we'll tell you where to stay, how to get around, where to eat and which services you'll need. We only show the ways of travelling that make sense here.
Direct flight to Bologna and the Marconi Express into the centre
Bologna is one of the easiest Italian cities from Spain: Guglielmo Marconi airport has direct flights from Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Málaga, Seville and the Canary Islands, and is about 8 km from the centre. An elevated train, the Marconi Express, drops you at the central station in about seven minutes. You do not need a car: the city is covered on foot and Florence, Milan and Venice are a short high-speed train ride away.
- Getting thereBologna Guglielmo Marconi (BLQ), with…
- Getting aroundOn foot through the centre…
- Where to sleepDopa Hostel, ten minutes' walk…
- ServicesBologna Welcome tourist office in…
Getting there
- Bologna Guglielmo Marconi (BLQ), with direct flights from several Spanish cities
- Marconi Express from the airport to the central station: about 7 minutes, from 5:40 to midnight, €12.80 for a single ticket
- From midnight to 5:40, Tper's city bus Q runs the same route with the Marconi Express ticket
Getting around
- On foot through the centre, beneath the arcades
- Tper city buses from the station
- High-speed train from Bologna Centrale to Florence, Milan, Venice and Rome
Where to sleep
- Dopa Hostel, ten minutes' walk from the station
- Grand Hotel Majestic, on Via Indipendenza, between the station and Piazza Maggiore
- Albergo delle Drapperie, in the Quadrilatero, beside the square
Services
- Bologna Welcome tourist office in Piazza Maggiore, selling tours and the Bologna Welcome Card
Car-free: train, Marconi Express and arcades
Bologna is easy without a car. You arrive by plane or high-speed train at the central station, the centre is covered on foot beneath the arcades and the Sanctuary of San Luca has its own tourist train. The car only causes problems: the centre is a limited-traffic zone and hotels send you to underground car parks or paid garages.
60–250 €per person per day, approximate
- Where to sleepDopa Hostel, in the university…
- Getting aroundOn foot: from the station…
- Where to eatOsteria dell'Orsa, open every day…
- ServicesBologna Welcome, in Piazza Maggiore…
Where to sleep
- Dopa Hostel, in the university district, with private rooms and dormitories
- Albergo delle Drapperie, in the Quadrilatero, breakfast included
- Grand Hotel Majestic, on Via Indipendenza, for a treat
Getting around
- On foot: from the station to Piazza Maggiore, about 20 minutes along Via Indipendenza
- Marconi Express between the airport and the station
- San Luca Express from Piazza Maggiore to the sanctuary, or on foot beneath the portico
Where to eat
- Osteria dell'Orsa, open every day from 12:30 to 23:00, no reservations
- Da Cesari, beside Piazza Maggiore, Monday to Saturday
- Ristorante Diana, the 1909 classic, open Sunday lunchtime
Services
- Bologna Welcome, in Piazza Maggiore, for tickets and guided tours
How much does it cost?
People2
Nights3
Who you're with
Bologna for whoever you're with
A trip with a toddler is not the same as one with a teenager. Pick yours to see what works and what to bear in mind.
A Covered City on a Child's Scale
Bologna is easy with children: the centre is flat, compact and under porticoes, so there is shade in summer and a roof when it rains. Visits are short and almost all have a child fare or are free for the little ones.
- What works bestThe San Luca portico, with…
- Where to sleepNear Piazza Maggiore, to do…
- Where to eatTagliatelle al ragù and tortellini…
- Keep in mindThe Asinelli tower is closed…
What works best
- The San Luca portico, with the tourist train for the way back
- The Clock Tower, with terraces over Piazza Maggiore, free up to age 3
- The History Museum in the Palazzo Pepoli, free up to age 12
- The Archiginnasio, 40 minutes with an audio guide in Spanish
Where to sleep
- Near Piazza Maggiore, to do everything on foot
- Next to the station, if you are combining with other cities by train
Where to eat
- Tagliatelle al ragù and tortellini in any trattoria
- Mortadella and bread for a picnic under the porticoes
Keep in mind
- The Asinelli tower is closed: do not promise the climb
- The climb to San Luca has steps: a baby carrier is better than a pushchair
- In August the heat is fierce and some visits pause
What to do as a family
San Luca Portico on Foot, from Porta Saragozza to the Sanctuary
Archiginnasio and Anatomical Theatre, the Old University
Clock Tower of the Palazzo d'Accursio and Its Terraces
Guided Walk Through the Medieval Centre, from Piazza Maggiore to Santo Stefano
Museum of the History of Bologna in the Palazzo Pepoli
Where to stay
Where to stay if you're flyingwithout a car
We show you what suits the way you travel.Change how you travel
Dopa Hostel
Why we like it: Hostel on Via Irnerio, in the university district, with a private suite with bathroom, private rooms and dormitories; breakfast included and a kitchen for guests.
From €22
View details
Albergo delle Drapperie
Why we like it: Three-star hotel with 21 rooms in a former inn in the Quadrilatero, the market district, two minutes from Piazza Maggiore. Breakfast included.
Grand Hotel Majestic “già Baglioni”
Why we like it: Five-star hotel in an 18th-century palace on Via Indipendenza, open since 1912, with a restaurant beneath frescoes from the Carracci school.
Where to eat
Where to eat in Bologna
From set lunch menus to Michelin stars. We mark the price level and what to order at each place.
Osteria dell'Orsa
What to order: tagliatelle al ragù or tortellini, a cured meat board to share and the wine from the Imola hills; ask at the bar about the dishes of the day
Ristorante Da Cesari
What to order: tortellini in veal broth, tagliatelle or gramignone verde with sausage ragù, and for a main course scaloppina alla petroniana with roast potatoes
Ristorante Diana
What to order: tortellini in broth or green lasagne, then the boiled-meat trolley or the roast trolley, and crème caramel or the house ice cream
Osteria del Sole
What to order: a glass of the house wine and whatever you have bought in the shops on Via Pescherie Vecchie or Via Drapperie
Enoteca Italiana, on Via Marsala
What to order: a glass recommended by the house with a board of mortadella, culaccia and cheeses
Nearby
Near Bologna
The closest places, whichever country they are in.
Tips
Worth knowing first
- 1Look at the Bologna Welcome Card
It includes several visits run by the tourist office, such as the San Luca Express or the Clock Tower. Compare it with what you're going to do.
- 2Take the guided walk on your first day
In two hours you have the city's map in your head and you get into San Petronio.
- 3Walk up to San Luca and come down by train
The climb under the arches is the lovely part; the descent drags.
Planning to climb the Asinelli Tower
It's closed until further notice and the Porta Ravegnana square is still fenced off. Use the Clock Tower.
How do you get there from Spain?
Fly to Guglielmo Marconi airport, on the outskirts, with direct flights from several Spanish cities. Bologna's central station is also a high-speed hub: Florence, Milan and Venice are a short train ride away, so it combines well with any of them.
How do you get around the city?
On foot. The historic centre is compact and covered by arcades, so you walk under cover in rain or sun. From Piazza Maggiore to Porta Saragozza, where the San Luca portico begins, is a walk. To get up to the sanctuary without tiring yourself there's the San Luca Express tourist train, which leaves from Piazza Maggiore itself.
What do you need to book in advance?
The Asinelli Tower, the city's symbol, is closed to the public until further notice because of the consolidation works on the Garisenda, its twin tower. To see Bologna from above, book the Clock Tower. The Archiginnasio requires online booking, and Lucio Dalla's house has limited places. Everything is bought on the Bologna Welcome website or at its office in Piazza Maggiore.
Where to eat and sleep?
For eating, three levels. The Osteria dell'Orsa, in the university district, opens every day from 12:30 to 23:00 and is the cheapest for sitting down to pasta. Da Cesari, next to Piazza Maggiore, has been a family-run eatery since 1955; it closes on Sundays. And the Ristorante Diana, from 1909, is the classic of roast and boiled meat trolleys, open on Sunday lunchtime.
For sleeping, all in the centre and within walking distance of the station: the Dopa Hostel, a small hostel with private rooms; the Albergo delle Drapperie, a former inn in the Quadrilatero with breakfast included; and the Grand Hotel Majestic, the five-star on Via Indipendenza.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Can you climb both towers?
No. The Asinelli Tower has been closed since October 2023 because of the Garisenda works, and there's no reopening date.
How many days do I need?
Two nights: one day for the centre, the Archiginnasio and the Clock Tower, and half a day for the San Luca portico.
Is it a good city with children?
Yes. The arcades give shade and shelter, the Palazzo Pepoli History Museum is free up to age 12 and they enjoy the tourist train to San Luca.
Are there tours in Spanish?
Yes: the guided walk round the centre has Spanish-language sessions, and the audio guides at the Archiginnasio, the Clock Tower and the Palazzo Pepoli include Spanish.
Do I need a car?
No. The centre is covered on foot and the car is only a problem because of the limited traffic zones.