Sanctuary of the Madonna di San Luca

"The Santuario Madonna di San Luca in Bologna dates back to the 12th century, originally established to house a revered icon of the Virgin Mary. The sanctuary became an important pilgrimage site, with the current structure completed in the 18th century, featuring a Baroque design and a distinctive dome. It is renowned for its 3.5-kilometer portico, which connects it to the city center, allowing pilgrims and visitors to make the scenic ascent up the hill. To reach the Santuario Madonna di San Luca from the Meloncello bus stop in Bologna, follow these steps: Start at the Meloncello bus stop: Exit the bus and head towards the archway of the Portico di San Luca. Walk through the Portico: Begin your walk through the portico, a covered walkway lined with arches. This iconic path stretches over 3.5 kilometers and features 666 arches. Continue uphill: As you walk, you’ll gradually ascend the hill, with the sanctuary visible in the distance. Reach the Sanctuary: At the end of the portico, you’ll arrive at the Santuario Madonna di San Luca, offering stunning views of Bologna and the surrounding countryside. The walk takes about 45 minutes to an hour, depending on your pace. The portico provides a unique and scenic approach to this historic pilgrimage site."

"The Sanctuary of San Luca, located on Colle della Guardia, has been the symbol of Bologna as well as a place of religious worship for centuries. It is connected to the city centre by a road that, starting from Porta Saragozza, unwinds for four kilometres with a portico that boasts over 600 archways and is the longest in the world. Together with the other city porticoes, it was included in UNESCO World Heritage Site list in 2021. The portico started being built in 1674 and, during Ascension week, a procession has been walking along it carrying the Byzantine Madonna with Child to the Cathedral since 1433. The Sanctuary church was, however, built later in the 18th century to replace a previous 15th-century construction. The sanctuary offers marvellous views over the surrounding landscape. In addition, the panoramic terrace opened in 2017 at a height of 42 metres above Colle della Guardia (300 m asl), enables visitors to admire a unique 180° view of Bolognafrom the hills to the centre stretching out as far as Casalecchio di Reno."

"The basilica is beautiful and the exterior is somewhat unique in Italian churches. At certain hours of the day, you can pay a small fee (3€ as of August 2020) to climb to the roof and overlook Bologna. Seeing the interior workings of the church as you go reminded me of a miniature version of climbing the Duomo in Florence. You can also pay an additional amount to see the crypt below, but we skipped that. Traditionally, pilgrims would walk the 3.8km (2.3 miles), covered entirely with porticos. Plan for it to take 1.5 – 2 hours each way, because it’s a pretty big hill. Don’t want to walk? There’s a tourist train that makes the trip, costing about 10€ each way. You can drive yourself up, though you may have to get a little creative with parking."