Asinelli Tower: Can You Climb It? Best Views in Bologna Instead (2026)
No, you cannot climb the Asinelli Tower. It has been closed since 23 October 2023, and Bologna Welcome’s closure notice says it stays closed until further notice. No reopening date has been announced. For a first visit, the Clock Tower in Palazzo d’Accursio is the most practical replacement at €10, with advance booking. The free options are the hilltop terrace at San Michele in Bosco and the walk up to San Luca.
This guide covers the closure, the tower’s details and how each alternative compares. Every price and opening time links to its operator or to the city’s own notices.
Is the Asinelli Tower Open?
No. The tower closed on 23 October 2023 so that the city could carry out monitoring works on the neighbouring Garisenda Tower, and the area around the two towers was fenced off. The notice, last updated on 30 October 2023, says the tower stays closed until further notice, and the booking page for the climb carries the same warning.
Il Post’s report on the Garisenda works says that the leaning tower, about 48 metres tall, will need work until at least 2028. The mayor said the city would try to establish during the works when the Asinelli can reopen. The 2028 date therefore belongs to the Garisenda and is not a reopening date for the Asinelli.
Until the city publishes a date, plan as if the climb is unavailable. Our one-day itinerary and two-day itinerary are built that way.
The Asinelli Tower at a Glance
| Detail | What Bologna Welcome lists |
|---|---|
| Status | Closed to the public until further notice |
| Closed since | 23 October 2023 |
| Height | 97.20 metres |
| Steps | 498, no lift |
| Last-listed ticket | €5 full price, €3 reduced (not bookable while the tower is closed) |
| Bologna Welcome Card | Listed as free with Easy and Plus |
| Booking | Reservation compulsory when the climb was open |
The Bologna Welcome listing for the climb is the source of these figures. The same page says the tower is closed, so treat the old prices and the card benefit as history until the climb reopens.
The Best Alternatives at a Glance
| View | Cost | Booking | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clock Tower | €10 full, €7 reduced, with the Municipal Art Collections | Compulsory | Two panoramic terraces, about 40 minutes, no lift |
| Strazzaroli Sky Experience | See the operator’s booking page | Compulsory | Two terraces with a view of the Two Towers, guided group |
| San Michele in Bosco | Free | No | A hill terrace over the city, open 9:00 to 12:00 and 16:00 to 18:00 |
| San Luca | Free to walk; the dome viewpoint is separate | Not for the dome | A long covered climb; the San Luca Express costs €15 |
| Torre Prendiparte | Private overnight stays only | Contact the owner | The public Sky Experience is permanently closed |
| San Petronio terrace | Closed | Not possible | Closed for good after the restoration |
For a first visit we pick the Clock Tower, because it sits on Piazza Maggiore and has timed entry. A free panorama costs nothing at San Michele in Bosco, and San Luca makes more sense when you also want the long walk under the porticoes.
The Clock Tower: The Closest Substitute
The Torre dell’Orologio rises above Palazzo d’Accursio on Piazza Maggiore. Its ticket page on Bologna Welcome lists €10, or €7 reduced, for the climb with two panoramic terraces, an audio guide that you play on your own phone, and entry to the Municipal Art Collections. Allow about 40 minutes for the tower and about an hour for the collections.
The tower and the collections keep different hours, and the ticket stays valid for seven days, so you can see the collections on another day. Until 31 December 2026 the tower admits visitors three times an hour, at 00, 20 and 40 minutes past, from 10:00 to 18:20. The last admission is at 16:20 on 24 and 31 December, and the tower is closed on 25 December. The collections are closed on Mondays.
Booking is compulsory, and late visitors are not admitted and not refunded, so arrive five minutes early. The summit terrace is reached by a narrow staircase after you sign a waiver on site. Children under 8 cannot go up, and you need closed shoes or sandals with a back strap. There is no lift, so this is not a step-free alternative.
The Clock Tower and the €18 Discover Bologna tour are included in both Bologna Welcome cards. Our Bologna Welcome Card guide works out whether a card beats single tickets.
Strazzaroli Sky Experience: A View of the Two Towers
Succede solo a Bologna, a local association, offers guided access to two terraces of the historic Palazzo dei Drappieri with a view of the Two Towers. The group meets at the tower entrance on Piazza di Porta Ravegnana, and the Strazzaroli Sky Experience page states that access is by reservation only.
The operator’s booking calendar lists the times, but the information page does not state a ticket price, so check it before you plan around the visit. The view differs from the Clock Tower: you look at the towers instead of across Piazza Maggiore.
Free Views: San Michele in Bosco and San Luca
San Michele in Bosco is a former Olivetan monastery on a hill just south of the centre. Bologna Welcome’s listing describes its courtyard as a terrace over the city and the plains as far as the Alps, with free entry from 9:00 to 12:00 and 16:00 to 18:00 every day. Visits can be limited during religious services. Our hidden gems guide explains how to get there on TPER line 30.
San Luca is the sanctuary on Colle della Guardia, reached by the longest portico in the world, about 3.8 km from Porta Saragozza. Walking up is free. The San Luca Sky Experience, run by the same association, adds a viewpoint at the base of the sanctuary’s dome, reached by a spiral staircase. The operator’s page says it needs no reservation: you ask at the association’s desk at the sanctuary entrance. It is open Monday to Saturday from 10:30 to 13:30 and 14:30 to 18:30, and on Sunday from 12:00 to 13:30 and 14:30 to 18:30, with the last ascent 15 minutes before closing. The price is not listed, so ask at the desk.
If you would rather not climb the hill, the San Luca Express costs €15 at full price. Our porticoes guide covers the route.
Torre Prendiparte and San Petronio: What Is Not an Option
Two other tower views still appear in older guides. The panoramic terrace on the Basilica di San Petronio has been closed for good since the restoration ended, as the basilica’s information page states.
Torre Prendiparte is 60 metres tall and has a terrace at the top. The association that ran its public Sky Experience says on its Prendiparte page that the experience is permanently closed, and the tower’s own site now offers private overnight stays only. Bologna Welcome’s listing still mentions Sunday opening hours, which we could not match to any current public visit, so do not plan around them.
Book a Tour With a View
If you would rather have a guide, these three tours cover the old centre. The middle one combines a tower view with the Archiginnasio, so it is the closest bookable match to a climb. The one on the right goes up to San Luca by train.
What You Can Still See of the Two Towers
The city’s October 2023 notice confirmed the closure of Piazza di Porta Ravegnana and the fencing of the Garisenda until the restoration is finished. We found no newer notice that lifts it, so expect barriers around the base and follow the signs. Both towers still dominate the skyline, and San Michele in Bosco gives a wider panorama over the centre.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you climb the Asinelli Tower now?
No. It has been closed since 23 October 2023, and Bologna Welcome says it stays closed until further notice. No reopening date has been announced.
When will the Asinelli Tower reopen?
There is no date. Works on the neighbouring Garisenda are expected to continue until at least 2028, and the city has said it will assess during the works when the Asinelli can reopen.
How tall is the Asinelli Tower and how many steps does it have?
It is 97.20 metres tall and the climb has 498 steps, with no lift, according to Bologna Welcome’s listing for the climb.
What is the best view of Bologna while the tower is closed?
For a booked climb, the Clock Tower in Palazzo d’Accursio, which costs €10 and includes the Municipal Art Collections. For a free view, the courtyard terrace at San Michele in Bosco.
Is the Clock Tower included in the Bologna Welcome Card?
Yes. Both the Easy and the Plus card include the Clock Tower climb. You must still reserve your entry in advance, and there is no lift.
Plan Your Trip to Bologna
Before you book, read these next:
- Bologna Welcome Card guide: which sights the cards cover and when they pay off
- One Day in Bologna: a route that does not need a tower climb
- 2 Days in Bologna: a first-time route with the Clock Tower
- Bologna Hidden Gems: San Michele in Bosco and four more places
- Bologna Porticoes Guide: the walk to San Luca and four other porticoes
More city guides are collected in Things to Do in Bologna.
