The Porticoes of Bologna, Bologna, Guida per visitatori e cosa fare nei dintorni

The Porticoes of Bologna are a network of covered arcades that line the streets of the old city, more than 60 km of them by the creators' count. They shape how Bologna looks and how it is walked, and they are part of UNESCO's World Heritage list. Strada Maggiore, one of the oldest streets in the centre, is a fine place to start exploring them.

The story behind it

The porticoes grew out of the medieval city. As Bologna filled with students and families, houses extended their upper floors outwards on timber beams to gain room, and the space below became a sheltered walkway. The city later made the arcades part of its building rules, and they kept spreading until they became a feature of nearly every central street.

Bologna's food is just as tied to its streets. Mortadella, the city's famous cold cut, is commonly traced back to Roman times, and a Roman-era slab in the city's archaeological museum shows a pestle and mortar, a tool linked to the name. The word is usually derived from the Latin mortarium, meaning mortar. A law of 1661 set rules against counterfeit mortadella, which shows how seriously the city took its quality.

What to look for

• Notice how the arcades vary from street to street, with timber beams in some places, brick arches in others and painted or decorated ceilings in the grander stretches.
• Look up at the vaults and ceilings as you walk, because many of them hide frescoes, old signs and small decorative details.
• Along Strada Maggiore, look for Casa Isolani, a medieval house whose wooden portico is one of the rare surviving examples of the early style.
• Watch how the arcades connect, so that you can cross much of the centre without leaving shelter.

Tips for your visit

• The porticoes are public streets, so there is nothing to book and you can walk them at any time of day.
• They give shade in summer and cover in the rain, which makes them useful whatever the weather.
• Early morning and evening are the quietest and most pleasant moments, with softer light under the arches.
• Delis and food shops sit under the arcades in the centre, so it is easy to stop for a taste of mortadella or other local specialities. Check current opening hours before you plan a stop.

See it on a quest

Playing Bologna: Revenge of the Tortellini is a good way to see the porticoes, because you walk them on foot as part of a longer route through the city rather than passing through on the way to somewhere else. The app tells you about each place as you reach it, and you solve a puzzle in front of what you are looking at, which makes you slow down and notice details. One ticket covers the whole group, and you can start whenever you like, with no guide and no set departure time.