Strada Maggiore

Strada Maggiore, in Bologna

Strada Maggiore is one of the most elegant porticoed streets of Bologna, heir of the ancient Roman road. The Bologna audio-guided tour stops here to evoke this noble artery, lined with palaces, porticoes and remarkable churches.

The elegant artery of the ancient Roman road

Strada Maggiore is one of the oldest and most prestigious arteries of Bologna. Its straight course follows that of the Via Aemilia, the great Roman road that crossed the town of Bononia and linked the towns of the region, giving its name to Emilia. Still today a major axis of the centre, Strada Maggiore is lined with magnificent arcades, these characteristic porticoes of Bologna, and fine residences and noble palaces with old façades. There you also find remarkable buildings, including the basilica of Santa Maria dei Servi, preceded by an elegant quadriporticus. Elegant and laden with history, Strada Maggiore allows you to go back in time, from Roman antiquity to the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. It is one of the finest promenades of Bologna.

What to see

Here you wander along the elegant artery that follows the course of the ancient Roman road Via Aemilia, lined with magnificent arcades, fine residences and noble palaces, and remarkable buildings like the basilica of Santa Maria dei Servi and its portico. Strada Maggiore is one of the finest promenades of Bologna. It is a must-see stop, to be explored on foot.

Practical information

Strada Maggiore crosses the centre of Bologna, from the Two Towers, reachable on foot. It is a public street freely accessible, sheltered by its arcades; the shops, palaces and churches have their own hours. You walk along it during a walk in the centre.

What ancient road does Strada Maggiore follow in Bologna?

The Via Aemilia, the great Roman road that crossed the town of Bononia and linked the towns of the region, giving its name to Emilia; the street is lined with arcades, noble palaces and remarkable churches.

Where is Strada Maggiore?

In the heart of Bologna, from the Two Towers, in Italy.