With its 62 kilometers of porticoes, of which 42 in the historic center, Bologna is the most ‘arcaded’ city in Italy. In July 2021, the porticoes of Bologna were inscribed onto Unesco’s World Heritage list. As reported by Unesco, “the porticoes have become an expression and element of Bologna’s urban identity.”

Indeed, porticoes are not only an identifying architectural element of the city, they are also part of the collective identity of the Bolognesi, who stroll, shop and sit for coffee or aperitivo under them, and find shelter from inclement weather.