Madonna di San Luca, Bologna

Madonna di San Luca, Bologna tickets: which one to buy

The Sanctuary of the Madonna di San Luca stands on the Colle della Guardia, a wooded hill about three hundred metres above Bologna, and entry to the church is free; access to the panoramic terrace in the dome is ticketed and gives views over the city and the hills. The sanctuary is linked to the city by the longest portico in the world, almost four kilometres long with 666 arches, which pilgrims and walkers follow uphill from the Porta Saragozza;

the walk takes about an hour and is a classic Bologna experience, especially rewarding at sunset. For those who prefer not to walk, a small tourist train, the San Luca Express, runs from Piazza Maggiore, and buses and cars reach the top. Bologna's porticoes were listed by UNESCO in 2021, and San Luca's is the most famous. The church is active, with services during the day. Buses 20 and 58 connect the city centre with the foot of the hill and the sanctuary.

Visiting Madonna di San Luca, Bologna: what to see

According to tradition, the icon of the Virgin and Child kept in the sanctuary was painted by Saint Luke the Evangelist and brought from Constantinople to Bologna in the twelfth century by a pilgrim hermit. A church has stood on the hill since then, and the present basilica was built between 1723 and 1765 to designs by Carlo Francesco Dotti, in a late baroque style with an elliptical plan, a large dome and curved galleries embracing the front. The icon, in the style of Byzantine images, is displayed above the high altar in a precious frame, and it can be seen close up from behind the altar.

The interior holds paintings by Guido Reni and Donato Creti. The portico, built between 1674 and 1721, was funded by donations from the citizens of Bologna, and plaques on its arches record the families and guilds who paid for each section. The dome terrace, reached by stairs, offers a panorama that includes the towers of Bologna, the Apennines and, on clear days, the Alps. The portico climbs past fifteen chapels representing the mysteries of the rosary. The Meloncello arch, where the portico crosses the road, is an elegant baroque gateway.

Madonna di San Luca, Bologna opening hours and the best time to go

The sanctuary is open daily, with a break around lunchtime. The portico walk is pleasant in all seasons, sheltered from sun and rain, but summer afternoons are hot on the climb, so morning or evening walks are best. Every year in May, the icon is carried down the portico in procession to the Cathedral of San Pietro in the city centre, where it stays for a week before returning, a tradition dating back centuries. Sunset from the terrace is beautiful. Allow about an hour and a half for the walk up, the church and the terrace, and take the bus or train down if your legs are tired. The Porta Saragozza, where the portico walk starts, is about twenty minutes on foot from Piazza Maggiore.