Photo spot in Bologna
Arco del Meloncello and the San Luca portico
The double-ramped arch where the covered walk to San Luca begins, then 666 arches climbing the hill to the sanctuary.
About Arco del Meloncello and the San Luca portico
Get directionsThe portico to San Luca is the longest covered walkway in the world: 666 arches and about three and a half kilometres from the edge of the city up to the sanctuary on the hill. The Arco del Meloncello, an eighteenth-century arch with two curving ramps, is where the flat part ends and the climb begins.
The arch itself is the strongest single frame — a piece of stage architecture stranded on a busy road, with the portico disappearing uphill behind it. From there the arcade curves and rises, so a subject fifty metres up is already above the camera and lit differently.
Inside the portico the light is side-lit and even all day, and the brick throws warm reflections. Where the arcade opens on the uphill side you get shafts of green light off the trees, which is the section most photographers stop at.
It is a real walk — steady uphill for forty minutes at a normal pace, and longer in unsuitable shoes. Buses serve part of the route; check the timetable if you would rather not walk back down.
Best time to shoot
Late afternoon, when the uphill openings fill with green light
Tips
Shoot the first three hundred arches and turn around — the light and the curve are best in that stretch, and nobody needs to climb the whole hill for the picture.
Photographers who shoot at Arco del Meloncello and the San Luca portico
Hand-picked professionals working in Bologna
Real reviews from Bologna photoshoots
Ann-Marie T.
My husband Ted and I started planning our elopement at the end of 2020. Planning a wedding, no matter how big or how small, still requires a lot of decisions and meticulous organisation. In our case it also took complete trust in our…
Stefano C.
Photographer
Martina E.
A heartfelt thank you for capturing our Venice dream. I can't believe it was August 21st and here we are still floating on air, and much of that magic is because of you. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for being a part of our…
Stefano C.
Photographer
Irina
We watched the whole family video, which turned out and it's amazing! So wonderful that we watched it on repeat 30 times in a row, and my daughter after that another 30 times in a row! Sent to relatives and everyone loves it! And we…
Yana V.
Photographer
Other spots in Bologna
Piazza Maggiore and San Petronio
The city's main square, with the half-finished marble and brick front of a vast Gothic basilica holding one whole side.
The Two Towers
Asinelli and Garisenda, two leaning brick towers from the twelfth century, standing where five old streets meet.
The porticoes of Via Zamboni
The university quarter's covered walkways — painted vaults, ochre columns and a corridor of light and shade running for blocks.
Ready to book?
Our concierge team will hand-pick 2-3 photographers who know Arco del Meloncello and the San Luca portico — free of charge.
